by Nissa Leder
If Poppy felt his relief, she didn’t mention it.
“Don’t tell anyone else about this,” Cade said.
“Of course not.”
“I’ll make sure Jaser knows to keep it quiet as well,” Cade said. He wasn’t sure where Jaser’s loyalties lay. Now that he knew Raith had survived, Cade decided Jaser would return to the Summer Court. He couldn’t risk Jaser turning on him if Raith attacked. “If Raith shows up again, don’t kill him. I want my brother alive.”
“What?”
“If he’s willing to surrender his right to the crown, there’s no reason he can’t live.”
“It’s because of her. You don’t want to upset the poor human,” Poppy spat.
“No,” Cade snapped. “And she’s not a human anymore. Don’t forget she’s fae now, and we don’t know what type of power she possesses.”
“Please.” Poppy groaned. “She’s untrained and nothing I can’t handle.”
“My brother is not to be killed. That’s an order.”
The glare Poppy gave him was as cold as the castle. “Fine.”
Cade had been given another chance. His first act as king had not resulted in the death of two others. They may never forgive him, but maybe he could forgive himself.
After breakfast the next morning, Scarlett continued her training. She spent most of the day alone in the room while many of the guests attended the Solstice tea. By the afternoon, she’d learned to accurately move things with her mind and her mental shield had improved though it remained penetrable—as she learned when Kaelem entered the room.
Suddenly, she couldn’t think of anything but his shirtless body next to hers the night before. Why had she just gone to sleep? There were so many better things she could have done.
But it wasn’t too late. There was still time before…
No. Yuck. Ew.
Kaelem howled in laughter.
“That’s not fair. I wasn’t ready.”
“Again with this business of fair.” He removed the button-up white top he wore and slipped it off his arms.
Scarlett breathed deeply and felt for the barrier in her mind. She lifted it, holding it tightly in place.
You are an ass.
He didn’t respond.
If only your pants were off, too.
Still, no reaction. Good. She hadn’t meant it. She’d only wanted to see if her shield was working. Pressure pushed against it, but she kept it in place.
Scarlett closed the distance between them. She pouted her bottom lip slightly and tilted her head. “I’m so sick of being alone.”
She double-checked the mental shield—still up.
“You aren’t alone.” His arms fell to his sides as he dropped the shirt to the ground.
Scarlett’s finger grazed his lip and trailed down to his chest and down further.
Kaelem’s mouth parted.
Then Scarlett slugged him in the stomach and quickly stepped away.
Kaelem grabbed his abs and gasped for air.
“Always be prepared. Right, teacher?” She couldn’t help but giggle.
As Kaelem lifted his head, she was prepared to fight off a sneak attack, but he was smirking.
“Clever, darling.”
In her celebration, Scarlett’s mental shields fell.
Kaelem approached her. His stare pierced her.
Those eyes, so gorgeous. Her stare dropped lower to the definition in his abs. He was close enough to touch.
And so she did.
Her fingers traced the lines of his muscle. So chiseled.
Something far, far away in the back of her mind yelled at her, but it was muffled and she couldn’t understand it. It must not have been that important.
Kaelem’s arm wrapped around her and pulled her body into his. His hand rested on her ass, holding her close.
She absorbed the lust in the air. So powerful. So potent.
He leaned his face toward her—so near, his hot breath warmed her mouth.
Scarlett shut out the voice in the back of her mind screaming something at her. His mouth looked so lovely. So kissable.
As she pursed her lips to meet his, he pulled away.
Her mind came back into focus.
She was about to kiss him. What in the hell was she doing?
“Always be prepared, darling,” Kaelem said. “And never forget how powerful I am. Teasing me may not be in your best interest. Then again, maybe it is.”
“I… you…” Scarlett shook away the lustful thoughts she’d been thinking. “I need to get ready for this stupid dinner.”
Her shield had been up. How had it dropped so quickly? And how had he been able to kick away any rational thought in her head? Nausea hit as she realized how out of control she’d been. If he hadn’t had pulled away…
She pushed the thoughts away. She’d have to be more careful. Kaelem was right. She didn’t know how powerful he was. If he’d had wanted all of her, she’d have been his.
Why had he stopped? She was grateful he had, but the action surprised her. There was no point in trying to guess. All part of the game he played, most likely.
Scarlett went into the closet to pick out a dress. It wasn't a closet by any standard Scarlett was used to. Nearly as large as the bedroom itself, clothes lined the outside walls. A large crystal chandelier hung down, lighting the room, with a round violet ottoman underneath big enough to seat ten.
Dresses in all the shades of the rainbow hung to Scarlett’s left. Some were long sleeved, others strapless. Some were floor length, others shorter than Scarlett would dream of wearing no matter how confident she was in her legs.
The dinner was formal enough to require a dress, but Kaelem had told her to also keep it fun. A black dress caught Scarlett’s attention. She tried it on and stepped in front of the wall mirror that hung on the far wall in between racks of clothes.
The dress had thin straps and a deep neckline that dropped in a V to her rib cage. It showed off her chest, but kept enough covered to leave room for the imagination. The skirt hugged her hips and stopped mid-thigh.
Scarlett found a pair of peep-toe heels to match. All set.
Kaelem’s mouth dropped when Scarlett exited the closet. He now wore light gray slacks, a white shirt, and a thin black tie.
Scarlett raised her mental shields. She couldn't deny he looked good, too, and she didn't want him knowing it.
“I'll have the hottest date here.” Kaelem held out his arm.
Scarlett linked hers with it. “Let’s get this over with.”
Chapter Seventeen
The line to enter the dining room curved down the hallway. Apparently, the castle had multiple dining halls depending on the size of the function—tonight’s was the biggest of them all.
Most of the fae in line were from the Winter Court. Scarlett had learned the slight difference in aura amongst the courts. When they entered the dining hall, they found their spots at a table in the front of the room.
White linens covered the tables, paired with gold decorations and tableware. Bare twigs stood like trees as centerpieces, with golden orbs hanging from them like ornaments.
“Our honored guest,” one of the servers said as he pulled Scarlett’s chair out for her. There were many other servers throughout the room—all of them fae. Unlike the Summer Court, Scarlett hadn’t seen one human in the Winter castle.
Kaelem read her thoughts and said, “The Winter Court despises humans so much, they won’t even use them as slaves.”
So much for keeping her mental shield up. “Isn’t human emotion the strongest source of power?” That was what Cade had told her.
“Yes, but the Winter Court is too proud to care. They also absorb power from the cold and ice, which, as long as they remain in their court, works well enough.”
Cade arrived with Poppy at his side. Tonight, Poppy wore a long, mint green dress—a startling change to the fighting leather Scarlett had always seen her in. Her blonde hair was pulled into a braided bun on t
op of her head, with a curled strand hanging down in front of her face on each side.
“You look gorgeous,” Scarlett said.
At first, Poppy glared, but then her expression softened. “Thanks.”
Soon, the table was filled, mostly with fae Scarlett had never seen.
“The one on the far side of the table near the queen’s seat is the Spring Court queen,” Kaelem said.
Scarlett could have guessed she was Spring Court. With so many in the room, she hadn’t noticed the floral scent to her aura. But even so, she wore a crown made of lavender, with her dark hair in a long, loose braid pulled to the front. She grinned at Scarlett, her white teeth bright against her cinnamon skin, and Scarlett returned the friendly smile. A large ruby dangled from a delicate chain that hung around her neck.
“The Spring Court gains magic from gemstones,” Kaelem said.
From the corner of Scarlett’s eye, she saw someone staring at her. She turned her head to scan the room as nonchalantly as possible. A male fae, older, with a familiar face she swore she’d seen before looked away as her gaze met his.
Scarlett turned the other way and asked Kaelem in her mind: Who’s he?
“The Seelie Queen’s advisor,” Kaelem whispered. “She almost never leaves her court. She always sends Laik.”
“I think I’ve seen him before.”
“He was at the Blessing.”
Right. She’d caught him staring then, too. She figured it was because she was mortal. Maybe now he realized she wasn’t. Still, Scarlett’s gut told her there was something else. Though not nearly as strong as the bond between her and Raith, a connection of some sort pulled Scarlett toward him. It must have been her Seelie heritage. He was the only Seelie fae she’d met. Could he sense her Seelie blood? And if he could, would he share the knowledge with the Seelie Queen?
She wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. She had bigger problems to worry about. The whole room hushed as the Winter Queen waltzed down the stairs from the balcony above, dressed in a long-sleeved, floor-length dress made of lavender tinted satin. Her expression was stiff, no happiness radiating from her cold features. When she arrived at her seat at the head of Scarlett’s table, she spoke.
“Thank you all for coming to celebrate the Solstice week with me. I’m honored to have so many of my loyal subjects here, as well as prominent fae from the other courts. Enjoy this dinner as my gratitude for your support of the Winter Court.”
Servers entered the room, carrying trays of foods and drinks. One set a golden fizzy drink in front of Scarlett, another an appetizer that reminded her of sushi. Once everyone was served, the Winter Queen lifted her glass into the air.
“To the queen,” someone in the crowd said. The tinkling of glass echoed through the room.
As Scarlett ate, she felt Cade’s stare on her. She pretended not to notice, but she wasn’t the only one who took note.
Kaelem’s hand moved to her lap, resting on her thigh. The corner of his mouth rose slightly. When Scarlett didn’t push it away, he moved it further up her leg.
Hatred radiated from Cade. Scarlett thought she was terrible at keeping her emotions hidden, but Cade was so much worse.
But his wasn’t the only jolt of feeling Scarlett sensed. Jealousy beamed from Poppy.
Did she have a thing for Kaelem?
No, that wouldn’t make sense.
But what about her connection to Cade? Could Cade’s annoyance at Kaelem’s touch on Scarlett spark envy in Cade’s number one guard?
Scarlett trailed a finger over Kaelem’s knuckles.
More rage emanated from Cade.
This was too much fun. Scarlett absorbed the intensity of his feeling. She wasn’t the only one enjoying it. She could feel satisfaction bursting from Kaelem as well. The mixture of such strong emotion raced through her. A rush of adrenaline shot through her.
As fun as it was to bother Cade, the more believable a couple Scarlett and Kaelem were, the better the ruse. And while hatred burned inside Scarlett for Kaelem taking her sister, the spark between them was undeniable.
Since becoming fae, Scarlett’s emotions were all over the place. Things she knew should bother her sometimes didn’t. She thought she’d felt lust before, but now, everything was heightened.
Kaelem toyed with her, his finger trailing up and down her leg, circling her bare knee.
Scarlett was both relieved and disappointed when the Winter Queen spoke again and interrupted Kaelem’s touch.
The tightrope she walked wavered beneath her. One wrong move and she’d crash and burn.
“As per tradition, tonight after dinner are the Winter Fights. The coliseum in the east wing is ready for the fiercest competitors. Everyone is invited to join us after the meal.”
“Fights?”
“Think Winter Court Gladiator,” Kaelem said. When she gave him a quizzical look, he replied, “My court lives in the mortal realm. I’ve studied human history. And where do you think Rome got the idea?”
After dessert, guests rose to leave the room.
“Should we go?” Kaelem asked.
It would be suspicious if they didn’t, and Scarlett’s curiosity was piqued.
Chapter Eighteen
Raith lifted his new shirt. After they returned from the Winter Court, Sage left and came back with some fresh clothing for him. The wound was nearly gone now, but his magic still ran low. Since the attack, he’d had a hard time holding onto magic for long. He’d have to absorb power and use it quickly or he’d lose it.
“Let me see.” Sage peeked at the injury. “Nearly gone.”
“When will my energy return?”
“At this rate, any day now. You’re healing much faster than I’ve seen before.”
Raith knew why: he was of royal Summer blood. He’d been holding onto the information since Sage had saved him, but not telling her felt almost like a lie, and after she’d saved him—twice—she deserved the truth. “I haven’t told you everything about me.”
He hoped it wouldn’t get him kicked out, but he told Sage about his bloodline and about the battle against his brother and the fact that the battle may still be ongoing.
“It makes sense,” Sage said. “I knew something was different about you.”
“But I have autumn gifts, too?”
“Yes, I feel your autumn heritage.”
Raith felt the Autumn power inside Sage, too. An invisible thread somehow connected them together. It was different—and much stronger— than the tie he felt to other Summer fae, which was strange since he knew he had more Summer than Autumn in him. Or at least, he thought so. “How is it possible I have both?”
“It’s rare, but sometimes fae from two separate court bloodlines gain the ability to possess powers from each.”
“My mother had nature power, too.”
“But she was a Summer fae?”
“I think so. I was so young when she died. She never displayed any mind power that I know of.”
“You’ve already tapped into your Autumn power,” Sage said. “But there’s still more for you to learn.”
“Teach me.”
Sage nodded. “Come.”
Raith followed her outside.
Sage looked at a small tree next to the cave entrance. The branches shook and twisted together as the tree bent into an archway. “Now, make it return to a regular tree.”
Raith felt for the magic inside him. There wasn’t much, but he used what was there to unbend the branches until the tree looked as it had before.
“Changing the shape of nature is the first thing Autumn Court children learn.” Sage approached the tree. She took a branch in between her hands and closed her eyes.
The leaves on the tree turned from green to orange to brown as their life drained away. “Next, we learn how to manipulate the life of nature.”
The dead branch leaves shifted back to orange and then to green. “Nature is living.”
Raith stepped to the tree. He imagined the life sucked out of
the leaves, but nothing happened.
“Absorb its energy into yourself.”
Inhaling, Raith pulled the life from the leaves, turning them orange.
“A good start,” Sage said.
Raith felt a high like none he’d ever felt. He’d thought his nature gift was powerful before, but he felt unstoppable. He focused on the whole tree. One by one, the leaves turned brown.
“Now, put the power back.”
But he didn’t want to let the magic go. With a sigh, he pushed the energy inside himself back into the tree, which returned to perfect health.
“We take our power from the world around us, but we must also give back,” Sage said.
“What happens if someone takes too much?” Although Raith had released much of the power he’d held, his magic remained full.
“We are cursed.” She gestured to Raith’s side.
“The wolves?”
She nodded. “If someone holds on to nature magic for too long or takes too much at once, nature rebels.”
“The shifters used to be nature fae?”
“Indeed. But now their only gift is the ability to shift into wild beings, and they’re cursed by the moon, controlled by it whenever it’s full.”
That was enough to keep Raith aware. He couldn’t imagine losing the power that burst inside him. Now that Autumn magic filled him, he felt even closer to Sage.
Was it simply because they shared Autumn heritage? Or did she have secrets of her own?
Kaelem couldn’t help but snoop inside Scarlett’s head as they entered the coliseum.
Rows and rows of seating circled the arena below. The fighting field was made of ice. There were pieces to climb and to hide behind. Trees poked up in between the ice features.
It was magnificent, but the games were brutal. Winter Fae especially took pleasure in violence, a manifestation of the chill that lived inside them.
A male fae with red hair that fell to his shoulders stood on a tall piece of ice in the middle of the arena.