Whims of Fae - The Complete Series

by Nissa Leder

  Kaelem gestured to the other side of the table. “Please, sit.”

  Cade obliged, Poppy and Jaser each sitting to one of his sides.

  This was where the king of the Unseelie Court lived? How awful. It was far too much like the mortal world for Cade’s liking, but what did he expect from the Unseelie? The Court of Darkness, it was called. Who would want to remain in a world of night?

  Cade enjoyed feeding on human emotion, but he’d never want to live among them. Though the Unseelie Court was magically secluded from wandering humans, its presence in the mortal world was undeniable.

  “Welcome to the Unseelie Court,” Kaelem said.

  “I’m here to discuss relations between our courts.” Cade straightened his spine. The sooner the meeting finished, the better. He fought the urge to stare at Scarlett, still bewildered by her presence.

  “I just don’t think of you that way,” Kaelem said. “Other options strike my fancy.” He winked at Scarlett, whose cheeks reddened.

  Cade clenched his teeth. Had Scarlett moved on to the Unseelie King now?

  “Kaelem only wishes,” Scarlett chimed.

  Cade’s mouth relaxed. “We’ve had a long period of peace between all the fae courts. I’d like it to stay that way.”

  Kaelem rested his elbows on table. “I see no reason the Unseelie Court would want anything different at this time.”

  Scarlett folded her hands in her lap, her stare burning into Cade. She was alive. He couldn’t deny the relief he felt. She must have known where Raith was. If Cade still felt the bond with Poppy, Scarlett would still be connected to Raith.

  Cade felt for her aura. The scent of mortal no longer drifted from her. No, somehow, she’d become fae. Had Kaelem rescued her? That would violate the agreement between courts. He wasn’t to enter the battlefield during the Battle of Heirs. No, Cade had seen Kaelem with the other spectators. Even an Unseelie King couldn’t be two places at once.

  Scarlett had always been beautiful, but as a fae, she was stunning. Her porcelain, peach skin was as smooth as glass with not a single blemish, and her bright blue eyes illuminated her now fae beauty.

  “She is quite lovely,” Kaelem purred.

  Shit. Cade yanked up his mental shields. He’d been careless and dropped them. As king, he couldn’t afford such sloppy mistakes.

  “Thank you for your time.” Cade stood. He should get out of there before he did anything else wrong. So much for looking strong in front of the Unseelie King. Better to mess up here than at the Seelie Court, though.

  “Will we be seeing you at the Winter Solstice?”

  “We?” Cade glanced at Scarlett again. Annoyance emanated from her.

  “Yes, Scarlett has agreed to be my date.” Kaelem smirked.

  “Then I suppose we’ll see you both soon.”

  Without another word, Cade left the room, Poppy and Jaser following behind.

  His trip to the Seelie Court would have to wait.

  Chapter Nine

  Every muscle in Raith’s body burned, an inextinguishable fire of pain. Heaviness weighed on his eyes.

  Surely, he was in hell. He’d never given death much thought, but he could think of nothing other than the flames torching his nerves.

  “Shhh,” a voice said, soft and warm, female but unfamiliar.

  It would be fitting if his devil were a woman. Raith chuckled, sending a ricochet of agony through him.

  Raith dozed in and out of consciousness, always too tired to open his eyes. The burning continued, slowly dulling.

  Coldness pressed onto his forehead. The female voice from earlier said, “Your fever is breaking. You’ll feel better soon.”

  Raith searched his memory. How’d he get here? He’d been in the forest, searching for the Autumn Court. An image of a silver wolf flashed in his mind. Its pack had attacked him.

  He reached to his side. A hand grabbed his and squeezed, gently placing his arm on his stomach.

  “Careful, the wound is still healing,” the woman said.

  Who was she?

  Raith’s eyes flickered.

  A young woman leaned over him. Firelight brightened one side of her face. Her copper hair hung down past her chest as her light green eyes widened. She wiped his face with the cool cloth in her hand.

  Raith tried to push himself up, but his body was too heavy.

  The woman placed her hand on his heart. “You need more rest.”

  “Where am I?” His voice was scratchy, as if he hadn’t spoken in quite some time.

  From what Raith could see, they were in a circular room surrounded by stone walls. He laid on a bed of some sort, soft under his back.

  “A cave I’ve been staying in,” she said.

  “Who are you?”

  “Aren’t you the inquisitive one?” Her eyes crinkled as she smiled. “I’m Sage. And who are you?”

  “Raith,” he said.

  “Hello, Raith,” Sage said. “Now, please tell me you aren’t a murderer. I’d hate to have saved the life of a murderer.”

  Raith’s mouth curved into a half smile. “And will you kill me if I am?”

  Sage’s eyebrow lifted. “I’d hear you out first. If you murdered someone to avenge the death of your lover, I might let it slide.”

  “I’ll make it easy, then. No murderers here.”

  “I never said anything about me not being the murdering kind.” Sage laughed. “But you can relax, I’m not. Though I shot that silver wolf in such an awful spot he may have wished I’d killed him.”

  Raith chuckled, sending a stabbing pain into his side. He lifted his head just enough to peek at the cause of his grief. A nasty bruise covered the right side of his abdomen where teeth had pierced his skin.

  It wasn’t the wound that shocked Raith, though. It was what he was wearing, or more specifically, what he wasn’t wearing: clothes. He protected a particular area with his hands.

  He’d been with women before and was never embarrassed by nudeness, but he’d been intimate with them. All he knew about Sage was her name and that she probably wasn’t a murderer.

  And that she wasn’t Scarlett.

  Sage giggled. “Now, now, don’t be so modest. It’s nothing I’ve never seen before.”

  Raith looked at her again, but didn’t move his hands.

  “Plus, as impressive as you might be to some, that,” she pointed to what he was covering, “isn’t what I’m looking for.”

  Panic struck Raith. Was something wrong with it? Had the wolf bit more than his side? He struggled with moving his hands to look or keeping them in place to protect it from her view.

  “Relax, nothing happened. I’m just not into men. No offense.”

  Raith’s muscles softened, but he kept his hands in place. “You…”

  “Like women, yes.” Sage smirked. “Since it looks like you’re still uncomfortable, I’ll go and get your clothes. They were drenched in blood, so I washed them.”

  Raith got a better view of Sage as she left the cave. She wore a leather fighting dress, covered in bronze-plated armor, with matching brown boots that reached just below her knee. He’d heard of female Autumn Court warriors, but he’d never met one. They were rumored to live together in a colony they never left.

  She returned with a bundle of clothing in her hand. “The pants and shoes are all right. The shirt, on the other hand, isn’t much of a shirt anymore.” She dangled it in front of her. The whole bottom half was barely connected.

  Raith took the pants. “These will do.”

  Sage stared at him. “Oh, come on. I’ve already seen you naked.”

  “Yes, well, I was unconscious then.”

  Why did it bother him so much? It wasn’t like him to care about something as mundane as nudity. He would have jumped at the chance for an attractive woman to want to see him naked, though he’d have preferred her been into guys, not girls. But he had plenty of three-some fantasies that Sage would fit into perfectly.

  Someone else had that part of his mind
now.

  Sage rolled her eyes and groaned, but turned away and dug through a bag on the ground.

  Raith carefully sat up. The wound stung, but he did his best to ignore it. Thankfully, the waistline of his pants was a few inches below the bite marks. Even if the shirt had been wearable, he would have left it off. Just the thought of cloth hitting the wound sent a shiver through Raith.

  His ankle had been torn into as well when that bastard wolf tricked him into trying to run. It better hope Raith never saw it again.

  Sage went to the other side of the cave where a fire burned. She held something over the fire with a stick. Behind her, the cave’s entrance opened to the light outside. Raith closed his eyes and took in the sounds. Nearby, water rushed over rocks. An owl hooted further in the distance.

  A few minutes later, she asked, “Am I safe to look now?”

  “Yep.”

  She turned around with a plate in her hand. “You should eat.” She handed it to him.

  It had some sort of meat on it, along with a chopped-up potato and piece of fruit.

  “It’s not gourmet,” she added. “But it should help you regain some energy.”

  “It’s great, thank you.” Raith scarfed it down. He felt as if he hadn’t eaten in days. “How long was I out?”

  “Almost a week.”

  That long? Shit. Raith had wanted to find answers quickly and get back to the Unseelie Court to find Scarlett. Even though time moved faster in Faerie, he’d been gone over a day in the mortal world. He didn’t trust Kaelem with Scarlett. “I need to go.” When he stood, a head rush made him waver.

  “You’re in no condition to go anywhere yet.” Sage linked her arm with his and helped him sit back down. “You’re lucky to even be awake already.”

  “Why am I healing so slowly?” As a fae, he should have already healed, especially with his royal Summer blood.

  “You were bitten by a shifter. Their bites are venomous.”

  If Raith saw that dirty wolf again, he’d be sure to break its neck. It was lucky Raith was caught off guard. Next time, Raith wouldn’t be such easy prey. “How long until it’s better?”

  “I’m not sure,” Sage said. “I used some herbal remedies and magic, but without the anti-venom, it will take some time. You’re already healing faster than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

  “You’re an Autumn Court fae?” Raith asked.

  A flash of concern flickered across her face. “Yes.”

  “I’m a Summer fae.” He hoped she wouldn’t kick him out because of it. As far as he knew, the Summer and Autumn Courts were cordial enough. “Well, I was. I’m a bit of a nomad now.”

  Sage tilted her head. “Summer, huh?”

  “Is that bad?”

  “No, not at all. I’ve never met a Summer fae.”

  “Lucky you.”

  Kaelem had told Raith to go to the Autumn Court for answers. Raith hadn’t made it to the castle yet, but he was with an Autumn fae. He should learn what he could while he healed.

  “Are we close to the Autumn Court?” Raith asked.

  “Somewhat.”

  “That’s where I’m heading.”

  “Why?” she asked in a loud voice.

  She’d saved his life already, and he couldn’t think of any reason to hide anything, so he said, “To find out more about my mother.”

  “And you think the Autumn Court will have information?”

  Raith nodded. “It’s the only lead I have.”

  “What happened to her?”

  “She died. That’s all I know.”

  Something tugged at Raith from his core. He grabbed at his stomach.

  “Are you okay?” Sage scooted toward him.

  It wasn’t pain that spread through him, but something else.

  A connection.

  Raith closed his eyes and reached inside himself to find the bond with Scarlett. She’d entered Faerie. He could feel it.

  What was she doing there? Had Cade found her?

  “I have to go.” Raith stood, ignoring the pain of his wounds.

  “You’re too weak to get far.”

  “I…” He wasn’t sure what to say to make her understand. “I have no choice. Someone needs me.”

  “Whoever it is will have to make do without you.”

  Scarlett was in Faerie, but she was far away. The connection was weak, but it was enough for Raith to evanesce to her if he tried. But what if he didn’t have enough magic to make it to her? He’d be lost in the middle of the forest again, with no magic to protect himself.

  “Thank you for saving me.” Raith bowed to Sage. “But I have to go.”

  Chapter Ten

  Cade’s plans to visit the Seelie Court would have to wait. Attending the Winter Solstice was a more pressing matter. He needed to meet the Winter Queen at some point anyway, and what better time than when she hosted an event. It would seem rude not to attend, and that wouldn’t be a good start to their relationship as Faerie rulers.

  It wasn’t because Scarlett would be there, Cade convinced himself. Sure, he was surprised to find her alive and with Kaelem of all people. But she didn’t concern him anymore.

  Cade, Poppy, and Jaser had arrived back at the Summer Court. Jaser had excused himself to prepare for their visit to the Winter Court, but Poppy joined Cade as he searched for Kassandra.

  “Your emotion is an open book,” Poppy said. “You still care for the human.”

  “No,” Cade snapped. “I was just shocked to see her.”

  Poppy laughed. “Please. I’m sure even Jaser could feel the relief bursting from you when you saw her, and he doesn’t have the benefit of the bond like I do.”

  “I thought I’d killed her.” Cade stopped in the hallway and turned to Poppy. “I’m glad I didn’t. It was my fault she was in the battle.”

  “Raith chose her as his second, not you.”

  “To mess with me. I brought her to Faerie. I wanted to feed on her emotion, sure, but I’d never thought she might die.”

  Or that he might be the one to kill her.

  He wasn’t sure if he should be opening up to Poppy like this, but she was right, the bond between them made secrets nearly impossible. And he had no one else to confide in.

  “It’s okay to care for someone,” Poppy said, her eyes softened. “It doesn’t make you weak.”

  “Not everyone thinks like that.”

  Poppy wouldn’t understand. She thrived on her own fierceness, in tough mode all the time. She knew who she was in life, and excelled at it. Cade, on the other hand, reeked of uncertainty. He’d thought he was prepared to be king, but ever since his mother mentioned the possibility of war, doubt consumed him.

  His father should have prepared him better. Cade knew the Summer Court had an army, but he knew nothing about leading it. He’d barely even left the castle, and when he did, it was to refill his magic supply in the mortal realm, not explore the Summer Court outside the castle walls.

  He would learn what he needed to know and be the king his people needed him to be.

  Ahead, Kassandra turned a corner, dressed in a long golden gown. “Son, you’ve already returned?”

  “I’ll find you later.” Poppy bowed to Cade, then curtsied to Kassandra.

  Cade followed his mother into the parlor.

  She sat in her usual spot by the window. “How did it go?”

  “Kaelem seemed open to keeping the peace between our courts.” Cade stood in front of Kassandra. He didn’t plan to stay long, not if he wanted to make it to the Winter Court soon. He hoped he’d be welcomed. He hadn’t received an invitation, which was unusual. “Have you heard anything about our invitation to the Winter Solstice?”

  Kassandra peered out the window behind her. “Yes, we received it a few weeks ago.”

  “I didn’t realize.”

  “I’ve been communicating with Nevina,” Kassandra said. “She understood you might not make it this year as you’re attending to other royal duties.”

  Cade
should have at least been informed of the invitation. He hadn’t realized it was already time for the solstice until Kaelem mentioned it. “I’ve decided to attend.”

  “You haven’t visited the Seelie Court yet.”

  “It will be there after the solstice,” Cade snapped. “And you’re the one who claims I need to prepare for a war against Winter. I’d prefer to try and prevent it, if possible.”

  Kassandra clenched her jaw. “Very well.”

  “I will see you when I return.”

  His mother didn’t ask any more questions. Cade left before she found some way to change his mind.

  All the reasons Cade mentioned were true, but he knew part of it had to do with Scarlett. That was a tidbit he did not want Kassandra knowing.

  After he had won the Battle of Heirs and told her he had killed Raith, she immediately asked about Scarlett. Cade would have thought defeating his brother was news enough, but even the memory of the glee in Kassandra’s eyes when he’d said Scarlett had died too sent a chill through him.

  What would his mother do if she knew Scarlett still lived or, worse, that she was somehow now fae?

  Scarlett and Kaelem stood outside a wrought-iron door that sat in the middle of the Unseelie Palace entryway. Like Deja vu, she was about to disappear into the Faerie realm, but unlike the last time, she was not happy about it.

  “Cheer up, darling. I promise we can cuddle at night to keep you warm,” Kaelem purred beside her.

  “That’s the last thing I want.”

  “Somehow, I doubt that,” he said.

  Scarlett wore a long dress with a slip that covered her body and fell to the ground beneath a layer of lace. The rounded neckline and arms were made only of lace, her bare skin peeking through. Kaelem had told Scarlett the Winter Court was as formal as the Summer Court, and that etiquette was of the utmost importance.

  The door opened in front of them. Kaelem gestured ahead. “Shall we?”

  Scarlett didn’t answer. She stepped through the doorway, and as she crossed the threshold, a shiver ran through her.

  Kaelem followed behind her.