by Nissa Leder
“That’s why we must ally with them. They will leave us alone. The others will be too busy fighting the Fates to worry about our court,” Ajax said.
“Maybe at first, but if they turn on us, then we will have no allies,” Sage pleaded.
Her father held up a hand. “Willow, I do not approve of your trips outside of the protection of our court. Please, do not leave again. Your solitary friend may remain here to heal. After this mess is over, we’ll discuss it further.
“Ajax, I know you are loyal to our court, and I understand your concerns, but we are a just court, and I do not trust the intentions of the Fates.
“Sage, I also do not trust the Unseelie King or the new realm’s queen. We will not provoke either side at this time. For now, I will send out guards to patrol the Autumn Woods.”
It wasn’t a win for Sage or Ajax, but Sage understood her father’s reluctance. Choosing a side created enemies. But she feared turning down both sides created twice as many. Pushing him about it now wouldn’t end will. She needed to earn his respect first. Then maybe he’d understand her view.
“You will dig the Autumn Court’s grave, father,” Ajax said.
Sage had never heard her brother speak so boldly to her father.
Ajax pulled a dagger from the sheath at his side and flung it at the king. It struck him directly in the heart.
The Autumn King’s eyes grew wide, and he pulled out the dagger. “How could…” he began before falling over.
The queen and Willow both screamed. Sage rushed to her father’s side. His skin had already turned gray.
“Porlette root?” She met her brother’s eyes and saw pain. “How could you?”
Porlette root was the rarest herb in all of Faerie. And the most lethal. Even picking it was dangerous. A blade coated in it could kill the most powerful fae.
“The Autumn Court will fall if we don’t join with the Fates.” Ajax’s voice shook as he spoke. “I am joining Nevina and the Fates tonight to attack the Seelie Court and regain our magic.”
Willow and the queen hovered over the king, weeping.
As the eldest, Ajax was now King of the Autumn Court. It was too late to challenge him to a battle—which, as a female, couldn’t have happened without her father’s approval anyway. Stupid court law.
Challenging him now would only get her killed.
Sage gained her composure. Panicking would not help. She needed to be strong for her sister and her mother. “Very well. We both want what’s best for our court. Will you allow us to bury father while you’re away?”
“He deserves a true Autumn funeral. You may begin its preparations.”
“And what will we tell the people of his death?” Sage kept the bitterness from her tone the best she could. She needed to remain calm.
“Assassination from an unknown intruder.”
“Very well.” Sage resisted the anger filling her and bowed.
Her brother returned it with a bow.
Her mother and sister stared wide-eyed at her. She touched them on their shoulders. “Come now, we will start planning the funeral.”
The queen stared at the dead king before standing.
“Mother.” Sage’s tone was forceful. She couldn’t have the queen let her emotion get the best of her by retaliating. Sage held her breath, but her mother turned. Willow followed.
Sage led them to her sister’s room.
“We leave tonight,” she whispered.
“But what about father’s funeral?” Willow asked.
“We can’t risk staying. If Ajax’s plan backfires, the Seelie Court will retaliate. And I don’t trust him. He just killed Father. Any of us could be next.”
Sage instructed Willow to find a brownie and get Declan. Hopefully, he was well enough to make it to the Unseelie Court with them.
Her father was dead.
Her brother was now king.
The war was beginning tonight.
Chapter Twenty-Two
After some alone time with Decuma, Raith checked on Scarlett. One of the creatures had just bitten her, sending its venom through her veins to temporarily block her magic.
The plate of food still sat on the floor inside the cage, most likely cold and hard now. Stupid girl. The king didn’t need to offer her anything. She should have been grateful.
“You must be starving,” he said from outside her prison.
“You’re being an ass, you know that?” Scarlett hugged her knees into her chest.
“You wound me, love.” He unlocked the cage and hovered over her.
“They’re using you. The real Raith wouldn’t put up with their commands.”
“I don’t know who you think I am, but I do as I please.”
Scarlett huffed. “Please. They stole your memories of us and the goodness from your heart. You’re nothing more than a puppet in their show.”
“Lies. Nice try, but lying to get to me won’t work.”
“I’m not lying.”
God, her persistence was annoying. Of course, no one had altered his memory. He would know if that had happened.
He followed the Fates because…Why did he follow them? His brother had left him for dead, and his mother had abandoned him as a child. Why wouldn’t he side with the Fates?
But he hadn’t had a choice. That much he remembered. He didn’t care that the choice wasn’t his, but a small part of him knew that was odd. He should care.
“They warned me you’d try to get in my head.” His irritation grew heavy.
Scarlett reached out and grabbed his wrist.
Visions flooded him. Scarlett outside the Summer Palace. Them dancing together at the ball. Sealing a bargain with a kiss—the scent of roses and vanilla on her lips. Training for the Battle of Heirs.
So many thoughts raced through his mind as the visions continued.
When an image surfaced of them tangled together, naked inside his Summer Court tree house, he jerked himself away from her.
“Lies,” he said unconvincingly. He didn’t remember any of the visions, but something about them felt true just the same.
Anger filled him. Without thinking, he took Scarlett’s face between his hands and pressed his lips to hers. She kissed him back, obviously unaware of what was to come.
With his fingers resting on her temples, he took every memory he’d just seen from her mind.
If he couldn’t remember their time together, then neither could she. When he was done, confusion filled her face.
“Get away from me,” she said.
The satisfaction he thought he’d feel wasn’t there. Instead, a knot filled his stomach. He should be happy. Now neither of them had the memories of the past. It was even, as if they’d never happened.
But what he’d done was irreversible, and what if someday he regretted it?
Kaelem evanesced to the bottom of the Seelie Court grounds. His eyes rapidly blinked as they adjusted to the bright sunshine beaming down at him.
Everyone seemed to think endless darkness would be awful, but there was no way Kaelem could handle eternal sunshine. The sun was hot and blinding and gave him a headache.
Since there wasn’t an event going on, he had to wait until Laik arrived at the gates to grant him entrance. The guards kept their gazes forward as Kaelem tapped his foot.
Finally, Laik arrived and welcomed Kaelem into the grounds.
“This is a surprise,” Laik said as they rode a carriage to the palace. “An unexpected visit from the Unseelie King is almost unheard of.”
“We are headed for war. I imagine we’ll all experience many things we haven’t yet experienced.” Kaelem tilted his body toward Laik. “I know you know more about Scarlett than you’ve let others believe. Somehow you knew her mother, who conveniently ended up dead.
“Scarlett had Unseelie and Seelie blood, something your court, in particular, has forbidden. Many like to suggest that my court is the most ruthless, but we both know how unforgiving your queen can be.”
A vision of Kaelem’s m
other’s head rolling on the ground surfaced. She’d wanted to protect his father. The Fates’ prophecy had stated that if he wasn’t careful, the Seelie Queen would kill him. The Unseelie Queen figured if Genevieve was dead, she couldn’t kill anyone. She’d glamoured herself as one of the queen’s ladies and tried to poison her. It might have worked but the Fates had tipped Genevieve off and she caught Kaelem’s mother. The price for the attempted murder of a Seelie Queen was death.
It wasn’t that the Seelie Queen had broken any law or sought out an attack on the Unseelie Court. But she understood his mother’s love blinded her. Another punishment could have done the job or she could have pardoned his mother as a sign of good will. She had options.
Despite promising his father he’d stay home, Kaelem snuck out to attend the execution. The Seelie Queen made it a public event. Thousands of the Seelie people watched as his mother was pulled to the stage and forced down, then a guillotine severed her head.
Only sixteen at the time, Kaelem watched his mother die to a cheering crowd. And he saw the satisfaction in Genevieve’s eyes.
“My queen has made the choices she needed to make in order to protect her people,” Laik said.
“Perhaps. We all must live with the choices we make, but you can’t deny that your queen has her own dark side.”
Laik lifted his chin. “And what is your point?”
“I have a theory. Somehow, the Seelie Queen found out about Scarlett’s existence and she sent you to learn more. And somehow, it ended with Scarlett’s mother crazy and eventually dead.”
“If your theory is true, then what? If my queen and I are monsters, why are you here?”
“That's the thing, I don't think you’re like the queen. Maybe it's the freedom of not being a ruler, but I’ve sensed your concern for Scarlett. Perhaps you feel guilty for past mistakes.”
“My role as advisor hasn't come without sacrifice, but you are correct. I possess a fondness for her. Though each in our own way, we share that with one another.”
As they reached the top of the hill, the horses slowed. The castle—in all its gaudy glory—stood tall in front of them.
Kaelem hesitated before they reached the door. “I've come to ask your queen for aid. Scarlett is missing and we have reason to believe Ankou has her. We don't know a lot about him, but we assume he means her harm.”
Laik stepped closer to Kaelem. “She won't help. There's too much animosity between our courts. Even if she thought your cause was just, she will deny you.” He paused as if contemplating something deeply, then whispered, “She won't protect Scarlett.”
“I have to try. If she refuses to join with me now, she will become an enemy to the Unseelie Court in this war. But you can still help.”
“What makes you think I'd be any use?”
“You don't stay advisor to the Seelie Queen for so long without good reason. My guess is you're the second most powerful fae in the Seelie Court, and if I can't have the best, I'll settle for the next greatest thing.”
Laik chuckled. “You'll settle for my help. How flattering.”
“I aim to please.”
They continued into the palace, heading straight to the throne room.
Genevieve leaned back in the throne with her right knee crossed over her left. “Back to my court already? I don’t think an Unseelie King has ever visited twice in such a short period before.”
“I’m not sure about the ones before my father, but executing their wives probably isn’t the best way to encourage frequent drop-ins.”
“And if such wife didn’t commit crimes against the Seelie Crown, she wouldn’t have lost her head.”
Kaelem clamped his jaw shut. He was here to create an alliance, not to pick old wounds. He could never forgive Genevieve for what she’d done, but he couldn’t deny that his mother had dug her own grave.
She’d done it all for love and all for nothing. His father died anyway. Rulers shouldn’t rule from their hearts. But here he was, desperate for help to save Scarlett.
Was it love? He couldn’t take it that far. But his fondness was a fog to his judgment.
He told the Seelie Queen about Scarlett’s disappearance.
“If what you say is true, she made a choice. Why would I risk my court to save her?” Genevieve asked.
“We have been the lions of the fae world for so long we don’t know what it’s like to be a gazelle. I believe Ankou will be the new king of our jungle if he gets whatever he needs from Scarlett.”
“Perhaps, or maybe you’re giving him too much credit. If he was so powerful, how are we just now hearing about him?”
“Are you threatened that Scarlett might be a more powerful queen than you?”
Genevieve’s eyes narrowed and her fingers curled. “Scarlett shouldn’t even exist.”
Guilt seeped from Laik.
Was Kaelem’s theory true? Had Laik been instructed to kill Scarlett?
“Yet, she does,” Kaelem said. “And let’s suppose you’re right, and Ankou is truly not a threat, why not help me rescue Scarlett and get rid of Ankou for the hell of it?”
The Seelie Queen’s mouth curved. “I hadn’t realized your affection toward her had you so desperate. You’re very much your mother’s son.”
Kaelem contained his emotion so no one else could sense the anger coursing through him. He wanted to attack her and tear her heart from her chest, but even if he somehow managed to accomplish it, it would be an act of war and would only bring him further from saving Scarlett.
Genevieve lifted an eyebrow as if waiting for Kaelem to strike. “You're smarter than her, though, and your father.”
“Thank you for meeting with me.” Kaelem bowed, his emotion still held tightly.
He couldn’t be the one to kill the Seelie Queen, but he would shed no tears if someone else did.
Chapter Twenty-Three
A hole had appeared inside Scarlett. An emptiness lingered, but she couldn’t say why. She’d come to the Darkland to attack Ankou and the Fates, but she’d also come to save Raith.
But why?
He’d chosen her as the second for the fae battle, and she’d saved him. And then he’d searched for the power with her before the Fates had taken him. She remembered these things, but couldn’t understand what had made her want to save him so badly.
Her body ached everywhere. The bite marks scattered up her arms and neck burned. Her hunger had become nearly unbearable.
The plate of food called to her, but she refused to eat it. Ankou could take his food and shove it.
Part of her hoped she died of hunger and messed up whatever his plan was, but most of her still prayed she could find a way out of the mess she’d made for herself.
The venom from the creatures had weakened Scarlett. Sitting up had become too tedious. Instead, she curled into a ball on the cold ground.
Eventually, the Fates came to Scarlett’s cell as Raith had said they would.
“Get up.” Decuma kicked Scarlett in the stomach, causing her to bite her tongue.
The taste of iron filled her mouth as she pushed herself from the ground to her feet.
“We don’t have to take her to father right away,” Decuma said. “We can have a little fun.”
“Father said to bring her to him, not to do anything else,” Nona said.
“You’re no fun, Nona. As long as she’s still alive, he won’t mind.”
“Let’s play with her mind.” Morta touched the center of Scarlett’s forehead with her index and middle fingers, sending her into a vision.
Her house in the mortal realm appeared. A floral couch and matching love seat sat against the walls in her living room. They’d gotten rid of that furniture when Scarlett was six.
Her mother entered the room from the kitchen with a plate of cookies. Her hair was long and wavy and her skin held a glow Scarlett hadn’t seen since she was a child—before her mother’s hallucinations started.
She placed the cookies on the coffee table then found the
remote and turned on the TV.
“Ashleigh, Scarlett,” she yelled. When they didn’t come, she sighed. “Playing with their dolls again, I’m sure.”
When she turned toward the hallway, she froze. When she turned back toward the television, three black-haired women stared at her.
Scarlett instantly recognized them: The Fates.
“What do you want?” her mother asked.
“She isn’t surprised to see us,” the Fates said in unison.
“You aren’t welcome here. Leave.” Her mother glanced at the hallway.
“He tried to hide her,” they said. “But she couldn’t be hidden from us.”
“You can’t take her.” With a few backward steps, her mother blocked the hallway.
“If we wanted to take her, she wouldn’t be here.”
“What do you want?”
“To make sure she ends up where we need her to be.”
Her mother screamed as she grabbed the side of her head. She dropped to her knees. “Make it stop.”
They kept going. For minutes, her mother shrieked as she pressed her palms into her temples until she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
The vision dissolved into a new one.
Her mother wore the outfit Scarlett found her dead in and picked up a knife from the ground. It was the rest of the vision the book had shown her.
She tried to pull away, but she couldn’t leave the memory. The view shifted to the Fates standing in front of her mother.
“You’ve served your purpose. Your time is up.”
The knife dropped from her mother’s hands. “No.”
Morta picked it up.
Scarlett’s mother reached for her head again. Tears dripped from her eyes. “Not again. Please.”
There was no mercy in Morta’s expression. Scarlett’s mother screamed in agony until, again, she fell to the ground.
Her body slid, with magic, to the middle of the room. Morta slit vertical lines in Scarlett’s mother’s upturned wrists.
Scarlett gasped as the cave reappeared around her. A wave of nausea washed over her. She bent over and heaved as the image of her mother on the floor flooded her brain.