by Nissa Leder
Cade admired her ferocity, but when he’d seen her lying on the floor next to his mother, she looked anything but fierce. Those who defied her could have ended her. Cade still didn’t know why they hadn’t.
The Unseelie King wasn’t known for his mercy. Cade saw Kaelem’s sister so near death. He wouldn’t have blamed him for reacting with rage. Yet, he didn’t.
“What did you need to discuss?” Cade asked.
“We spoke about our common goal during the Winter Solstice.” Nevina’s back straightened in her chair. “After the attack at my palace, now more than ever, it’s important we have full power.”
Cade didn’t disagree. The Faerie courts deserved to have as much magic as the mortal realm courts. He just wasn’t sure they stood a chance at taking it back.
“I have a plan, but I need to know if you will stand with or against me. I see the way you look at that girl of Kaelem’s.”
“I knew her when she was mortal,” Cade snapped. “She is not my priority. My people are.”
Nevina dipped her chin. “Good.”
“How do I know I can trust you?”
A grin formed on Nevina’s mouth. “You don’t. And I don’t know I can trust you. But we share a common goal, and, for now, we are stronger as a team.”
Cade wished he had another choice. He didn’t trust Nevina at all. If it suited her needs—or if it simply didn’t affect her at all—she’d throw him to the wolves at the first chance. Cade wanted to believe as King of the Summer Court he was her equal, but he wasn’t that foolish. Not only was he not officially Summer King, but even if he were, he was too new to stand equally with Nevina.
Pretending to trust her was the best choice. For now.
“Very well. What’s your plan?” Cade kept his voice even.
“The Seelie Queen has never married. Neither have I, so no judgment from me, but I know how lonely such a life can be.”
“And?”
“And so I started thinking, there must be someone she trusts. We fae rulers visit each other’s courts and attend each other’s events even though none of us consider ourselves friends. Everyone but the Seelie Queen. She’s above us all.” Bitterness filled Nevina’s voice.
“She’s far older than any of us. Older than most of us combined, actually,” Cade said.
“True, I don’t blame her. But she never ignores an invitation completely. Instead, she sends her advisor to represent the Seelie Court.” Nevina moved her folded hands and rested them on the chair’s arms. “He is her most trusted ally. I believe he will know where our bound power is hidden.”
Would the Seelie Queen really trust her advisor that much? If Cade had to choose someone to share a secret with, it would be Poppy. Perhaps Nevina was right.
“I have your word to help?” Nevina asked.
Cade’s uncertainty hadn’t vanished, but he would trust Nevina for now. “Yes.”
“Good. Be prepared tonight. Once the advisor has left his queen’s side, lure him away from the dance floor. Bring him into the library down the hall from the ballroom,” Nevina said. “And don’t let your once-mortal friend know anything. We can’t risk the Unseelie King finding out.”
What did Nevina have planned? She wouldn’t do anything drastic here in the Summer Court, would she?
Cade agreed to keep the conversation to himself then headed back to his room. In a few hours, the Seelie celebration would begin.
He’d be ready.
The Seelie Court was opposite of the Unseelie Court in many ways, but both had the largest closets Scarlett had ever seen.
She sifted through the assortment of dresses. All were long, but their necklines and colors varied. A Seelie servant had come earlier to take Scarlett’s measurements and returned with a rack full of options and a box of accessories.
After much consideration, Scarlett selected a magenta dress with a sparkly, opaque rounded neckline. As she hung it on a hook on the wall, she heard Kaelem enter.
“You might want to wait before you put that on,” he said.
“Why?” Scarlett turned to see Kaelem completely naked.
She jerked her gaze away before his ganacanagh gift took hold. She’d gotten better at blocking it out, but it grew harder any time lust attacked her.
“I look that bad, huh?” he asked.
“Hideous.” Scarlett smirked.
“What a shame.” He approached her and reached his hand out, trailing his fingers up her arm.
A shiver swam through Scarlett. “We don’t want to be late.”
His finger curved round her shoulder and traced her collarbone. “What we don’t want is the Seelie Queen to know what you are.”
Scarlett’s heart thumped in her chest. She knew he was right. She’d agreed to do what it took to hide her Seelie nature. But she knew the danger.
Kaelem’s finger moved down her breast and circled her nipple. “Don’t fight it, darling.”
She inhaled, hoping to keep control of herself. As a human, controlling her desire had been hard. Now, she wondered if it was her fae nature that made her crave sexual attention. But now, as a fae, the lust inside her took a new hold, making any rational thoughts disappear like the sun at nighttime.
A switch inside Scarlett flicked. She turned to Kaelem and pushed her lips into his. As their mouths crashed together, desire washed over her. Any restraint she had vanished as his ganacanagh grip took hold.
But that wasn’t the only thing pulling her into him. Another connection existed. Its grip wasn’t as tight as the bond with Raith, but something drew her to Kaelem.
It didn’t matter what it was, in that moment, she was his for the taking.
Kaelem wrapped his arms around her, resting his hands on her lower back.
Her palms settled on his chest as his tongue found hers.
As their tongues explored, Kaelem lifted Scarlett’s shirt over her head. His fingers unclasped her bra and tore it off her chest.
His mouth devoured her breast as his hands gripped her ass.
Scarlett moaned as a tingle spread through her. She glanced down, Kaelem’s lust on full display.
As his fingers latched onto the waistband of her skirt, Scarlett heard a faint knock.
“Someone’s here,” she said with heavy breath.
“They’ll leave.” Kaelem kissed her stomach.
Another knock. Kaelem groaned but pulled away.
Scarlett, not as naked as Kaelem, slipped her shirt back on, exited the closet, and answered the bedroom door.
Laik, the queen’s advisor stood blushing as he took in Scarlett’s disheveled appearance.
Scarlett’s cheeks flushed, too. She shouldn’t care what he thought; she didn’t know him. But she sensed his embarrassment, which triggered her unease.
“Yes?” Scarlett asked.
“I was wondering if you had a moment to speak.” Laik peered into the room.
Scarlett moved to the side. “Sure.”
Laik entered the room as Kaelem—dressed in only pants—exited the closet.
Awkward.
“What did you need to discuss?” Scarlett asked.
“We are glad you’ve made the trip here, but I wanted to let you know you are under no obligation to stay.”
Scarlett glanced at Kaelem, whose eyebrow curved.
“We’ve come as the queen requested,” Kaelem replied. “What sense would it be to leave now that we’re already here?”
Laik stared at the ground. “The relationship between our two courts has always been fragile. But the queen appreciates the truce we have and as a token of her appreciation, she understands if you'd rather focus on your court affairs instead of attending the celebration.”
Kaelem stared at Laik. “Is there a reason your queen doesn't want us here?”
“No.”
“Is there a reason we shouldn't be here?”
Laik’s gaze momentarily shifted to Scarlett, then to the ground. “The fae world prepares for war. I'm sure you've heard rumors. I s
ee no reason to push the relationships between our courts. We’re amiable. More so than at any time in our history. I don't want to see the peace between us broken.”
“I have no intention of doing anything to offend your queen. Hiding from each other will not keep our courts unified if war hits.” Kaelem approached Laik. “We thank you for your offer, but we will see you at dinner.”
“See you then.” Laik tilted his chin in a nod and exited the room.
The door shut—probably by Kaelem’s magic.
“Now, where were we?” Kaelem unbuttoned his pants.
“About to get ready for the dinner you just promised we’d go to,” Scarlett said. “If only you’d accepted his offer to skip, maybe we could have finished what we started.”
Kaelem smirked. “Someday, darling. Someday.”
Scarlett inhaled as she returned to the closet to put on her dress. She wanted to let Kaelem’s tongue continue exploring her body. The lust between them filled her magic tank to its brim—surely enough to mask her Seelie nature from the queen.
That was why they'd done what they'd done. Going any further was unnecessary, she reminded herself. But that didn't keep her from wanting him.
When Scarlett had slipped on the dress and went back out into the room, Kaelem was gone.
She should be relieved. The strength it had taken to walk past Kaelem and into the closet now dwindled. She didn’t want to want him like she did. She should be stronger than that. But her body craved his touch, and pretending it didn’t wouldn’t help.
With the room to herself, Scarlett sat at the vanity next to the window. She twisted the knob on the light on the table and its bulb brightened. No cord was attached. Like the Unseelie Court, magic must have fueled the castle.
After styling her hair, Scarlett opened the vanity drawer and found an assortment of makeup. She chose a smoky eye shadow and painted it on her eyelids. As a fae, she no longer needed foundation or blush. She didn’t need any makeup, really, but it was fun to wear and reminded her of her time as a human.
As she dabbed on nude lipstick, Kaelem reentered the room.
If Scarlett had seen him on the street, she would have sworn he was a model. His gray dress pants were tailored perfectly to his body. A magenta tie stood out against his white button-up shirt, its sleeves rolled to a three-quarter length.
“Is my date ready?”
Scarlett stood and straightened out her dress. If they stayed in the room any longer, her willpower would crumble. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Ten
Kaelem checked his mental shields as he watched Scarlett rise.
Her long hair was pulled up into a braided crown. The transparent fabric of the upper portion of her dress showed her collarbone. The dark eye shadow she wore enhanced the purple tone of her eyes—a part of her that had changed when her fae blood was enhanced.
She was stunning, truly. A beauty shined from her that Kaelem couldn’t label. Perhaps it was her hard-to-get nature that made him yearn for her. He did so enjoy his games.
And anticipation made everything better.
He linked his elbow with hers.
Music played through the dining hall as they entered. On the far end of the room sat an orchestra. The Seelie Court was nothing if not elaborate.
At the head of the table sat a large chair, tall-backed and made of gold—almost like a throne.
Kaelem guided Scarlett as they passed the long table. Most of the seats were already taken. As they walked by, Cade glanced at Kaelem and Scarlett. Next to him, Poppy glared. So, the Summer King had brought his guard as a date. Clever. Or were the two an item now?
When they reached the end, Kaelem took the seat closest to the golden chair, Scarlett next to him. As Unseelie King, the spot was reserved for him.
Kaelem noticed the Winter Queen first. She sat on the other side of the table, scowling at him as he took his seat. Next to her, Kaelem was surprised to see the Autumn King. Kaelem didn’t know much about him. The Autumn Court kept to itself most of the time and he rarely saw him at events.
Fear radiated from Scarlett as she saw Nevina.
Kaelem reached his mind out. Scarlett kept most of her mental shields raised—much improved from when she first came to the Unseelie Court—but the one that allowed him to send her a thought remained lowered.
Nevina won’t touch you here, Kaelem told her.
How do you know? Scarlett asked.
She’d be a fool to attack anyone while she’s in the mortal realm. Her powers are weak, Kaelem said. I’ll keep you safe.
The seat across from Kaelem was still empty—saved for the queen’s advisor.
Why had Laik come to visit them? The meeting was strange, to say the least. If he’d sent a letter releasing Kaelem from his obligation to visit, maybe it wouldn’t have seemed as odd. But he was already there. Why wouldn’t Kaelem stay for the celebration?
Kaelem had caught Laik looking at Scarlett. He’d seen her when she looked mortal. But then he’d seen her as a fae at the Winter Solstice. Regardless, Kaelem couldn’t blame his fascination.
Another thought struck Kaelem. Had Laik or the Seelie Queen been visited by the Fates? Could Laik wonder if Scarlett was part of the prophecy? If so, why would he want her to leave?
The music stopped, pulling Kaelem from his thoughts.
Laik entered the room first, followed by Genevieve, the Seelie Queen.
Her dark hair hung to her waist, curled into elegant waves. As she walked, her dress swayed with each step, its teal satin fabric shining in the light of the crystal chandeliers dangling above the table. A necklace with a large ruby clung to her chest.
Though she was centuries old, her features were nothing less than perfect—fae beauty at its finest.
As lovely as Genevieve was, Kaelem had never desired her. Their court rivalry overshadowed her allure.
She’d killed his father, and though Kaelem and his father’s relationship had its issues, Kaelem would never forgive her.
As the Seelie Queen approached the end of the table, Kaelem stood.
We must show our respect by greeting the queen, Kaelem spoke to Scarlett inside her mind.
“Queen Genevieve.” Kaelem took her hand and kissed her fingers. “Thank you for honoring us with an invitation to your celebration.”
“Us?” Genevieve tilted her head.
Scarlett pushed herself up from the chair she sat in and curtsied to the queen. “It’s an honor to meet you.”
The Seelie Queen curtsied back. “The Unseelie King brought a date. I think this is a first.” She glanced at Laik. “We are happy you’ve joined us.”
“The Unseelie King is always welcome here at our court,” Laik said.
Genevieve kept her gaze on Laik as she replied. “As is his guest.” She continued to the head of the table.
Kaelem sensed the tension as Laik spoke on behalf of his queen. Normally, an advisor speaking in such a way wouldn’t end well for said advisor. But Laik was unlike any of the other court’s aides. He’d been at Genevieve’s side as long as Kaelem had been alive. Many times, he’d wondered if they were secret lovers, but that would make no sense as the queen was permitted to choose anyone as her mate. If that’s what they were, why would they keep it so secretive?
Genevieve addressed the room. “Thank you for coming to the Seelie celebration. We are glad to bring all the courts together. Though we have our differences, peace is best for everyone.”
Two high fae servants pulled out the chair for the queen. After she sat, they pushed her in and the guests clapped.
Five courses later, Kaelem was stuffed. But that didn’t stop him from a second helping of dessert. Once everyone had finished, guests were excused to the ballroom for drinks and dancing.
“Why are all fae courts obsessed with balls?” Scarlett asked, then chuckled. “Like, dancing balls. Wait, that sounds just as bad.”
“Fae culture has always promoted ballroom dancing.” Kaelem grinned. “But dancing balls a
re fun, too.”
Scarlett playfully glared. Her expression shifted to worry as Nevina approached them.
“You broke our treaty, Unseelie King.” The Winter Queen’s tone was as cold as the ice of her magic. “I have every right to declare war on your court.”
“Yet, you haven’t.” Kaelem stood tall as he spoke.
“Your arrogance will haunt you as it did your father.”
“It seems we have that in common.” Kaelem wrapped his arm around Scarlett’s waist and tugged her away.
“I see you two are as amiable as ever,” Scarlett said as they walked, her fear fading more with each step.
“Best friends forever.” Kaelem guided them to the bar at the edge of the dance floor. “Two glasses of wine.”
The bartender poured the dark liquid into two glasses.
Kaelem grabbed them and handed one to Scarlett. “Nothing beats an open bar.” Kaelem chugged the whole glass and gave it back for a refill while Scarlett sipped hers.
Once the room was full and the orchestra had moved from the dining hall to the ballroom, Genevieve entered the room with Laik at her side, stopping in the middle of the dance floor. The crowd circled around.
Kaelem groaned and, taking Scarlett’s hand, went to the Seelie Queen.
What are we doing? Scarlett asked.
Following tradition.
The Seelie Queen curtsied and Laik bowed.
Kaelem returned the bow and, catching on, Scarlett dipped into a curtsy.
“This is the first time an Unseelie King has brought a date since your father brought your mother.”
Kaelem clenched his jaw. Any mention of his mother caused him to tense.
Genevieve held out her hand. “Laik will keep Scarlett company as we dance.”
Kaelem nodded to Scarlett, who stepped toward the Seelie advisor.
As tradition dictated, Kaelem and Genevieve shared the first dance.
“She’s a pretty one,” the Seelie Queen said as Kaelem led her to the beat of the song.
“Yes, and kind.”
“A rare quality for a fae,” Genevieve said. “Your mother was kind as well.”
“Yes, she was.”