by Nissa Leder
After a few minutes, the tent door swung open. Vienna stepped inside, a blank expression on her face. Then she ran to Sage and pulled her into her chest. “You’re alive.”
Sage wrapped her arms around Vienna and held her close. This was dangerous. This was why Sage had left. But here, in that moment, no risk could have pulled her away. “I’m so sorry. I should have said goodbye. I should have…”
Vienna pulled away. “You know I would have begged you to stay. I was willing to risk it all to be with you, but I understand that it wasn’t fair to ask you to do the same.”
Sage gulped. Vienna thought she left for herself? “I would have risked myself completely to be with you, but I couldn’t let you risk it. You are meant to be the queen of this tribe. I’m not worth you losing that.”
Vienna ran the back of her hand across Sage’s cheek. “You don’t see yourself clearly. You are worth it.”
Sage gulped. She wasn’t used to being so open with anyone. It was what had made her time with Vienna so invigorating. For once, she had shown her true self to another without facing judgment or disdain. They’d laughed together, cried together, made love together.
“I’m guessing a change of heart isn’t what brought you back to us?” Vienna said, the elation on her face fading to concern. “Are you okay?”
This simple question caused the tears to pour from Sage’s eyes. She rarely cried, but she couldn’t stop them. “I never told you everything about myself.” Sage paused. She’d been more open with Vienna than she had anyone else in her life, but she’d always kept the secret of her heritage. “When I came to the Woodland Tribe, I’d fled the Autumn Court castle. My father was king, making me—”
“Princess,” Vienna finished the sentence. “How come you never told me?”
“I never wanted that life. This tribe—my sisters, you—was everything I’d ever dreamed of. I got to be Sage here. Just Sage. Not Autumn royalty. I didn’t want to risk that.”
“Did you think I’d kick you out?”
“At first, I worried you might. But then, once we grew closer, I knew you wouldn’t. I knew you’d probably understand, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell anyone.” Sage glanced downward. She didn’t feel she’d owed the truth to anyone else, but Vienna had deserved it.
“And that brings you back?”
“Have you heard of the Fates?” Sage asked.
“Yes. Our tribe has legends of the three sisters, but they came to me once after you left, claiming I shouldn’t try to find you.”
Of course, they had. Those conniving weasels. “They’ve turned out to be much more than simply prophecy givers.” Sage told her about the Otherworld and Ankou. “The Fates are his daughters. They’ve been pulling strings to make sure my friend Scarlett made it to the Otherworld and unlocked a powerful magic.”
“So, what do they want with the fae?” Vienna’s arms were pinned to her side.
“We don’t know for sure, but we know they’re here, meddling in our world still. My brother believes in their cause and murdered my father to take the crown. Now the Autumn Court has a formal alliance with the Fates,” Sage said. “My younger sister and I were in the forest when creatures from the Otherworld attacked us and nearly killed her boyfriend.”
“What creatures?”
“They’re a wolf-human hybrid of some sort. Hairless and creepy and strong. I had to come to warn you. I know the Woodland Tribe has lived for many years in the Autumn Forest but kept its distance from the court itself. I’m not sure how my brother would handle your existence if he found out. He might see you as a threat to his throne. He isn’t one to understand things.”
The memory of her father dead on the ground flashed in Sage’s mind. She might have always had her differences with Ajax, but she would have never predicted he would have murdered their own father. He must have believed whatever propaganda the Fates were telling him. Or maybe she’d never known him at all. She’d been gone for so long, he might have changed without her knowing.
It didn’t matter. What had happened was over and now all she could do was try to stop him. “I’ve come to ask the Woodland Tribe to ally with us.”
“Who’s us?”
That was a good question. They didn’t really have a set alliance with others as much as a mutual goal to take down the Fates. “It’s an assortment of courts who might not usually get along, honestly. The Unseelie and Seelie Courts have joined forces with the Otherworld Queen.”
“And who has joined the Fates’ side?”
“The Winter, Autumn, and Summer Courts. No one knows where Spring stands.” Spring rarely involved itself with outside wars. That much Sage had learned back in her schooling days at the Autumn Court.
“I want to help, truly I do,” Vienna said. “But our tribe has always kept away from court matters for a reason. I can’t expect my people to fight for a cause they don’t know or understand.”
Sage exhaled. “Of course. But please, at least have everyone be aware. Being extra careful could save lives.”
Vienna nodded. “Of course.” Then she grinned, and Sage remembered exactly why she’d fallen in love with her.
After their kiss during the Equinox, things had gone on like it hadn’t happened. Sage had tried to speak to Vienna, but she had quite obviously always found an excuse never to be alone with Sage.
A couple of months went by and eventually, Sage gave up. It was a one-time thing she could remember fondly, nothing else. Of course, it couldn’t be anything more. Vienna was queen. Why on earth would Sage have expected her to think of her as anything more than a sister?
Still, when Sage thought of the kiss, a tingle spread throughout her body. Even if she’d never get to press her lips to Vienna’s again, she’d never regret it.
Two years went by and eventually, Sage rarely thought of that night. She’d dedicated herself to becoming the best warrior of the tribe. And since she started combat training much later than her fellow sisters, she had a lot of catching up to do.
Her mornings were spent learning the forest. She’d go for a run to improve her stamina, then make her way back to camp in a stealthier manner. All of the sisters possessed some nature magic, but as Autumn Princess, it was the one advantage she had over everyone.
In the afternoons, she focused on combat training. Jade gave her lessons every weekday. At first, Sage trained with the younger girls of the tribe. No magic was allowed during the sessions, so any advantage she had was useless. Even so, it didn’t take long for her to work her way to the intermediate level, then further to the advanced training.
Tamara’s hate for her was obvious, and Sage loved it.
She’d been too busy to think much about the wonderful night she’d shared with the queen until two years after their kiss, at the Equinox Festival.
Now, as an advanced warrior, Sage was painted with the elite markings and was given a small headdress to wear. She was running late and hurrying through camp when she nearly collided with Vienna as she exited her own tent.
“Sorry, my queen.” Sage half-bowed.
As she’d hurried to stop, her headdress had fallen to the ground and split.
“Here, come inside and I can help you fix it.” Vienna smiled and picked up the headdress then went back into her tent.
Sage glanced around. Everyone else was already at the fire pit. As she stepped inside, she said, “Thank you. I can’t believe I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“You must have been because you kept yourself from running into me. I should be more careful when I leave here.” Vienna searched a basket next to her bed and pulled out a needle and thread. “I’ll have this stitched in no time.”
“I didn’t know the queen knew how to stitch,” Sage joked.
Vienna peered up with pursed lips. “Please. I don’t trust anyone else to touch my headdress when it loses a feather. I am a master stitcher.”
“It’s my first Equinox as a warrior and I’m probably going to be banned from particip
ating.”
“Why would you be banned?”
“I think Tamara would use any reason she could to ban me from anything.” Sage regretted her words once she said them. Complaining to the queen about the head warrior had to be frowned upon. “Being late is inexcusable, though, so I get it.”
“Tamara hates you that much?” Vienna laughed. “That’s quite the honor. She hates a lot of things. You should be flattered if you top the list.”
“That’s a good way to think about it.”
Vienna tied off the thread and handed the headdress to Sage. “There, good as new.”
“Thanks.” Sage placed it on her head.
“I wanted to apologize to you,” Vienna said. “I know it’s been a while, but when we kissed that night, I freaked out. It wasn’t proper of me as your queen. I should have let you know sooner how wrong it was, but I was afraid.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. It was a wonderful night, but I understand why it can never happen again.”
“Of course. It was nice and, truthfully, I have never regretted it,” Vienna said.
“Me either.”
“Are you ready, my queen?” Jade said from outside the tent.
“Yes,” Vienna said as she stepped out.
Sage followed. Jade looked surprised to see them exit together.
“I dropped my headdress and cracked it. Our queen was generous enough to fix it for me.” Sage bowed to Vienna. “I better hurry before Tamara revokes my warrior title.”
As Sage sprinted off, she wondered if Vienna felt the same butterflies in her stomach that were now bouncing inside of her.
Chapter Eight
Kaelem reclined on his couch as he watched today’s soap opera episode. It was the one he’d been waiting for, when the identity of a new character would be revealed. The writers had left clues throughout the last ten episodes that the reveal would be shocking, and though Kaelem had some guesses, he wasn’t sure who the woman would be.
Halfway through the episode, Lola visited.
“You wanted to see me?” she asked as she sat across from him in a round chair.
“I’m going to be leaving for a while.” Kaelem wasn’t really sure how long he’d be gone. “I’m leaving you in charge of everything.” He’d debated between Aria and Lola being the interim ruler, but in the end, he chose Lola. She’d been a fierce advisor to him and deserved it.
“Not Aria?”
“Well, good luck bossing her around because I’ve never been able to, so you might not be in charge of her, but the palace, the court, it’s all yours to babysit.”
“Lucky, me.” Lola’s words were sarcastic, but Kaelem saw the flicker of excitement in her eyes. “Where are you going?”
He paused. They were keeping the existence of the weapon a secret, but if he trusted Lola enough to leave his court in her hands, then he trusted her enough to know why. “There’s a weapon rumored to be able to kill Ankou. Scarlett and I have a lead to follow to find its location.”
“You and Scarlett, eh?” Lola smirked.
“Why do you and my sister constantly give me that look when I mention her?” Kaelem sat up in his chair and smoothed his shirt.
“No reason.” Lola’s grin remained. “I’ll keep everything running. Probably better than you.” She winked.
“I expect nothing less.”
As Lola excused herself, Scarlett arrived. She was dressed like a mortal as she had been when he’d visited the Otherworld.
He stood to greet her.
“No,” she said. “We cannot blend in while we’re in the mortal world if you look like that.”
He looked down at his outfit. “What? I’m not even wearing a jacket.”
“You still look like some model or something. We’ll get stared at all day long.”
Kaelem grinned. “Ah, but think of how jealous all the women will be of you for getting to walk with me.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes. “Still no.”
“Please?” Kaelem pouted his lower lip.
“Well… no.”
Kaelem shrugged and started undressing. Scarlett turned to leave the room but he used his magic to slam the door. “I’m not modest. It’s not like you haven’t seen it all before.”
She spun back around and watched him change with her arms crossed in front of her chest and a less than amused look on her face.
Kaelem made sure to make eye contact with her when he removed his boxers.
“You could have left those on. No one will see that they’re the fanciest boxers on the planet,” Scarlett said.
“Nope. You said to take it all off. And you never know. Who knows what the trip will require of us.” He turned around, butt naked, and searched his drawers for a Scarlett-approved outfit. Since his closet was nearly all suits, there weren’t many options. But once, for Halloween, he dressed up as a mortal. “Here we go.”
He pulled out a pair of light-wash jeans and a Star Wars shirt, black with a picture of Yoda on the front. Last, he added a pair of glasses that went with the costume. “What do you think?”
Scarlett tilted her head. “Better. I’m not sure about the glasses, though.”
“The glasses are part of the package deal. Take it or leave it.”
“Fine.”
Lastly, Kaelem added a pair of Converse—apparently, a trend in the mortal world—and he was ready to go. He could have just left the suit on and glamoured himself to look mortal, but what was the fun in that?
“So, what’s our story?” he asked.
“Story?” Scarlett’s hands moved from in front of her chest and one found its way to her hip.
“Yeah, we need a cover story while we’re out walking the mortal streets. Are we newlyweds on our honeymoon? Or maybe it’s our third anniversary and we’re trying to rekindle our love by going on an adventure.”
“Maybe we’re brother and sister searching for our birth parents.” Scarlett shrugged.
“Come on, darling. No one is going to see the chemistry between us and not think we’re screwing.”
Scarlett glared. “I don’t care. We don’t have time for stories. We need to focus.”
Kaelem sighed. “I’m just trying to keep you distracted. Stressing about it all won’t help us find the weapon any sooner. Why shouldn’t we try and have fun?”
Her shoulders relaxed. “You’re right. Let’s be newlyweds.” She smiled as she gave a long exhale, the tension in her shoulders disappearing.
Kaelem grinned. “Yes!”
Before they left, Kaelem grabbed the note from his dress pant’s pocket. Then they went through a portal door to New York City to find the Sidhe man.
The streets were packed with mortals. Their energy buzzed through the air and bounced off the pavement. Kaelem had never been around so many humans at once.
A homeless man sat against a brick building with a small dog in his lap and a cup on the sidewalk in front of him. His aura was full of despair.
A businesswoman walked by the man, the heels of her stilettos clicking against the sidewalk. Her aura showed stress.
Another businesswoman, this time with a happy aura, approached the man and stuck money his can.
“God bless you,” the man said in a weak voice.
“This is what the mortal world is like?” Kaelem asked Scarlett. “Why on earth would fae ditch their courts for this?”
“Hey now.” She smacked him in the stomach. “It isn’t so bad. Some people have tough lives. Something you wouldn’t understand.”
His stomach clenched. He’d dealt with sorrow. But she was right, he’d never faced this type of hardship and, as a fae king, he never would.
Scarlett bent down next to the man. She peered over her shoulder then turned to him and placed her hand on his arm. Kaelem thought she was feeding on his despair, but he didn’t see any emotion drain from his aura. Instead, the despair faded and, though not gone completely, allowed room for some peace.
“Thank you, beautiful woman. Thank y
ou.” The man stared at Scarlett and blinked.
She stood and returned to Kaelem. “Let’s go.”
As they walked through the busy streets, Kaelem asked, “What did you do?”
“I healed some of his pain,” she said. “Dulled his arthritis and such. There was something there I couldn’t touch. Probably cancer or something.” She frowned. “I wish I could do more for him.”
Even as much as Scarlett had changed, her mortal nature still remained. Not many fae would stop to notice some old human, let alone use magic to heal him. And if for some crazy reason they had, they wouldn’t have wished they’d done more.
Kaelem found all of the different auras around him fascinating. He’d always thought the soap operas he watched were outlandish, and perhaps they were, but the assortment of emotion around him felt very much like the shows he so much enjoyed. Jealousy mixed with guilt, anger with joy. Even lust with wrath, which was probably not a good combination if you asked him.
Because the Unseelie Court resided in the mortal realm, he thought it made him knowledgeable about humans. He was realizing how wrong he’d been. Just because he’d watched commercials on mortal TV and wore Armani suits didn’t make him in tune with their world. Not in the slightest.
As he lingered behind, distracted by everything going on around him, Scarlett stopped. When he caught up, she said, “Let me see the address again.”
He pulled it from his pocket and handed it to her.
She took it from him and grimaced as she opened it. “I don’t know New York whatsoever. I’m from the west coast, which is basically a whole other world.” She scanned the area as people walked by them as if they weren’t even there. “Can we evanesce somewhere we haven’t been to?”
“Yes and no. We could probably get ourselves to the Statue of Liberty or something iconic we’ve at least seen, but just imagining a house number probably isn’t enough.”
“Great. I finally learn to evanesce and it doesn’t do me a damn bit of good.”