I gave my hair and teeth a quick brush then called out a “good night” to Mel as I passed her closed door.
“Night,” she said moodily.
I left my door open in case she needed me during the night; I wanted to be able to hear her. Once I’d traded my day gown for my white night shift, I snuggled under my covers and pressed my face into the soft pillow.
Sleeping is such a wonderful thing, I thought as I drifted off. Waking up in the middle of the night was a whole other matter and not nearly as pleasing.
I thought I felt hands around my neck, which woke me with a jolt. I kept my eyes closed, pretending to be asleep as my head finished clearing away the fog of lethargy. Once fully awake, my arm shot out of the covers and reached for the dagger I kept hidden beneath my bedframe. After my fingers curled around the hilt, I swung my legs over the edge of my mattress and jumped to my feet.
Staring into the empty darkness, I felt slightly foolish. My heart continued hammering in my chest, on high alert. I evened my breaths as a quick scan of my room confirmed I was alone. Hopefully I wasn’t catching a fever and beginning to hallucinate. With my free hand, I felt my forehead, but it wasn’t overly hot.
Something scratched my neck. My heart and breath stilled at the same time. I lowered my hand, fingers touching jewels fastened tightly around my neck.
“No,” I breathed.
I rushed to my vanity, and even in the dim light I saw the sparkle of diamonds at my throat.
“Breathtaking,” Liri drawled from behind me.
My fingers tightened around the dagger. It would do me no good in a dreamscape, but it gave me a small semblance of comfort to have it in my hand in case I wanted to slash at his unwelcome projection. Whatever magic he’d used on the choker was very strong. The diamonds felt like they were truly attached to my neck. I couldn’t wait for him to leave and for the damned thing to disappear. It was like a collar on a fancy pet. I hated this necklace more than the rest because Liri had been the one to give it to me.
“I knew it would shine brightest around your neck,” he said.
I cursed silently. I had hoped he wouldn’t find me again so quickly, but I’d been uneasy ever since his enchantment sucked me into a Faerie dreamscape—no matter how brief.
When I turned, Liri’s eyes lit up as though the diamonds had somehow entered his eyes and sparkled within them.
“What will it take to get you to leave me alone?” I demanded.
For some reason, Liri kept his distance, keeping near my far wall. Maybe seeing the dagger in my hand reminded him I wasn’t some obedient pet who would blindly obey.
The top half of his white hair was pulled back in a thin ponytail and his toned, muscular chest jutted out. He’d always carried himself like a king, even when he was second in line to the throne. At one time he’d been fourth, but Cirrus’s and Liri’s older brothers had already been disposed of before I ever heard of the Elmrays.
“All I ask is that you give me a chance,” Liri said. “Much has changed since you left Dahlquist. You will have freedom and power. You will no longer be a bystander but the center of attention.”
I groaned in frustration. “I don’t want to be the center of attention. I want to be left alone.” But my words fell on deaf ears.
Liri frowned. “You must give me a chance, Aerith.”
My breath stalled as Liri’s twin guards, Galather and Folas, entered the room—through my door—as in, they were physically here. No wonder Liri had kept his distance. He was really here, which meant I could do him real harm with my dagger.
Before the twins could reach me, I launched myself at Liri, dagger raised. I aimed for the twisted organ he called a heart. Liri spread his arms wide open as though we were about to embrace. The blade went straight through him, flying through his projection and thunking into the wall at his back. I wasn’t expecting to hit stone. My fingers yelped on impact, and the dagger fell from my hand, clattering to the floor.
Dammit! He wasn’t here after all. Blackguard! Coward!
Liri wasn’t present, but his guards were. I was surprised they’d left his side, being the twins were his most loyal and trusted sentinels.
They each grabbed one of my arms and held me in front of Liri’s projection. I glared into his face.
“You see, Liri. You don’t really want me back in Faerie. I am a danger to you. I can’t be trusted.”
Liri pressed his lips together and studied me a moment before answering. “At least you are honest. You have always been . . . honest.” There was no emotion in his voice.
Maybe honesty would work in my favor. I stopped trying to yank out of the twins’ grips and looked Liri in the eyes. “I wish you no harm, Liri. Truly. I want only to be home.”
“Then you shall be brought home where you belong.” Liri lifted his head and looked from one of the twins to the other.
When the meaning of his words registered, panic shot adrenaline through my limbs as I tried to yank out of the twins’ grasps.
“A princess of Faerie belongs in Faerie,” Liri said as I struggled.
The grips on my arms tightened. A cool hand clamped over my mouth. The other twin blew a silvery shimmered powder into my face, causing my body to go limp.
“You belong with me, Aerith.” Liri stalked toward me, and there was nothing I could do but watch his approach. “I set you free. If not for me, you’d still be under my brother’s thumb, forced to share your mate with countless other females. I am old-fashioned. I believe in loyalty and devotion. And I am not feeble like Cirrus was. I do not require the protection of a female.” He hissed then relaxed his jaw and smiled. “I will do the protecting: of me, of you, of our children, our people, and our realm. Yes,” he said, nodding. “I made sure Cirrus was incapable of producing heirs, but you, my lovely sister-in-law, have nothing to worry about. I would never do anything to harm you. There is nowhere safer than by my side. I know you, Aerith. You are strong and brave. You will be angry at first, but you will overcome your emotions as you did for my brother. You will step into line, come willingly to my bed, and value my life above all others.”
My mind screamed, but I couldn’t move my mouth. Even my lips were numb.
He stopped inches from my face and smiled down at me. “Your obedience will be rewarded in ways you can’t begin to imagine. You will be the envy of all of Dahlquist and kingdoms beyond.”
No! I screamed, but no sound emerged.
I tried to yank out of the twins’ arms and run for the door, but my limbs didn’t respond.
Then Liri walked right through me, and the world turned dark.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Aerith
Light penetrated my closed eyelids, seeping in brighter and brighter. Go away, sun. I groaned, wanting to sleep in a little longer. My lashes fluttered open then closed when sunlight streamed in.
What was daylight doing inside my room anyway? I had no windows.
I pried my eyes open and stared into a room with large picture windows partially open to let in the warm valley air. Gauzy white curtains billowed gently, lifting like twirling skirts during a dance.
I sat up slowly, leaving the comfort of the large mattress that had hugged my body in its soft embrace.
This isn’t my room! My heart leaped to my throat in panic until I noticed my campaigne board on the small round oak table where I always kept it. The pieces were made from blown glass and set atop a mirrored board with squares that alternated from reflective to frosted white surfaces.
This was my room. But something wasn’t right.
I peeled back the white blanket with gold embroidered swirls. My thick, fluffy white rug awaited my bare feet. Cream slippers were set on the rug in the spot I left them every night before turning in.
I nudged a foot into each slipper as I’d done four-hundred-and-fifty-six times before. Leaving behind the soft rug, I walked around the grand, familiar room. A long, deep mahogany armoire took up over half of one wall, holding my luxurious col
lection of gowns.
In the center of the room, I had my own sitting area furnished with a tan cushioned chaise lounge and matching armchairs.
Light reflected from mirrors placed all over the room. I caught my reflection again and again. A lacy cream negligee hugged my curves, spilling down my legs. A slit ran up the fabric all the way to my hip. Cirrus liked easy access, and he liked his females wrapped in pretty packages.
It was the past staring back at me through the reflection—Princess Aerith Elmray.
Diamonds glittered around her neck. That was new.
Another dreamscape then.
“Show yourself, Liri.”
The curtains rustled in the wind, but my brother-in-law made no appearance.
Terror struck through my chest like an arrowhead made of ice. It didn’t matter that the breeze wafting in was warm. My body shook as though racked with chills.
What if I’d never left Faerie? What if returning home had been the dream? What if I’d made it all up? The Monster Ball. The estate at Sweetbell. The cottage in Pinemist with Mel. Jhaeros.
My heart pounded in protest.
No. I most certainly had not made up my love affair with Jhaeros. There’d been many times I’d taken mental escapes during my fifteen months wed to Cirrus, and in all that time, I would have never made Jhaeros Keasandoral a part of those fantasies.
That had been real.
What we had was real.
Maybe if I removed the diamond choker as I’d removed the mask in the last dreamscape, I’d be returned to my own realm and reality.
I reached around my neck, fingers searching for the clasp, but all I felt were the smooth polished rows of diamonds. Frowning, I walked up to one of the full-length mirrors and attempted to twist the choker around my neck to bring the clasp to the forefront.
The thing wouldn’t budge, as though the diamonds had embedded themselves into my skin.
My heart beat in a wild panic like a caged bird. I clawed at my throat.
A light tap at the door stilled my fingers. I heard the tap, a little louder this time. I spun around, searching the room for anything that could be used as a weapon.
The door opened and a familiar head of brown hair and green eyes peeked inside before entering.
“Hensley?” I asked in a daze, not yet believing my eyes.
The human’s lips split apart into a wide toothy smile. “Princess Aerith!” She ran toward me as gracefully as she could in her peach cotton gown. Upon reaching me, she threw her arms around my waist and squeezed. “I’m so happy to see you! I missed you so much!”
“I missed you too.”
Hensley, my favorite lady-in-waiting, had been one of the few things I hadn’t been allowed to bring home with me. Not that she was a thing. Plus, she loved living in Dahlquist, serving the Elmray family. Hensley hadn’t told me much about her past life in the human realm, only that it had been ugly and that a kingdom in Faerie, even a corrupt one, was paradise compared to where she’d come from. She was a lovely young woman and had been my closest companion in Faerie.
Hensley pulled back and looked me over. She sucked in a breath before releasing it. “You are so beautiful. No wonder King Liri wants you for his queen.”
Air stopped flowing from my lungs. My throat tightened and clogged as though I’d swallowed a lump of coal. I made a choking sound.
Hensley’s green eyes grew wider. Her mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear what she said. My ears were plugged too.
She slapped me on the back, and I coughed so violently tears streamed down my face.
Hensley rushed to the water pitcher placed with crystal glasses on a sideboard near the door. While I blinked away the tears and wheezed in air, she returned with a glass of water. I took a sip then went over to my nightstand and set the glass down.
“Did you say, King Liri?”
When had that happened? How had that happened? Had Liri killed his father after Cirrus? In the first dreamscape, he’d told me he’d make me a queen, but I’d been so disturbed by his appearance I had not given it any thought beyond getting out of Sweetbell where he wouldn’t find me.
Hensley nodded and smiled. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell you.” She put her hands to her cheeks and squealed. “I can’t believe I’m the one telling you! Liri is the new king of Dahlquist.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What happened to Merith?” I asked of my father-in-law, not that I’d ever cared for the old windbag. If there was one thing the Elmray siblings agreed on, it was that Dear Old Dad should retire into the realm of no return.
“Liri dispatched him.” It was a testament to her time in Faerie that Hensley said it so matter-of-factly, as though announcing roast duck would be served for dinner that evening.
Becoming indifferent, like Hensley, had been one of my greatest fears in Faerie. The fear I’d lose myself over the years and become not only obedient but resigned. My campaigne board had kept me grounded and my mind sharp, watchful for opportunities and the best played moves for navigating life in the royal palace where Merith had forced all his children to live, as though keeping a close eye on them would make him safer.
Yeah, that had worked out really well for him and his three eldest sons. Cirrus had refused to speak of how his older brothers died, which had always made me suspicious that he’d had something to do with their deaths. Since Liri had poisoned Cirrus, I wondered if he’d used the same method on his dad.
“How did he do it?” I asked numbly. “Poison?”
Hensley shook her head. She wore her hair as she did before—thick, long bangs, and a braid in back.
“Slit Merith’s throat with a jeweled dagger right in the middle of a family dinner,” Hensley said.
Tasteful. I was glad I hadn’t been around for the horrifying scene.
My fingers fluttered up to my own throat. “Can you get this thing off me?” I turned my back to Hensley, lifting my hair.
“Uh, I’m sorry, Aerith, but King Liri wants you to wear the diamonds at the ball this evening.”
My stomach twisted. “Ball,” I repeated softly, dropping my hair.
“Your welcome home ball.” Hensley clapped her hands in excitement. “But first we need to move you to your new room and get you fed and then dressed. Oh, Aerith. It’s going to be just like old times, only way better.”
I stumbled against my old bed, head spinning.
“Oh! Oh no. Are you okay?” Hensley squawked.
I squeezed and unsqueezed my fingers into fists. As much as I wanted to freak out and throw things, it wouldn’t do a lick of good. The game had changed, and the sooner I figured out my position, the quicker I could figure my way out of this colossal mess.
“This is no longer to be my room?” I asked carefully. If Hensley told me I was moving in with Liri, we were going to have a real problem.
“You’ve been moved to the king’s royal wing of the palace. We both have. But King Liri wanted you to wake up somewhere familiar. He’s so thoughtful!” Hensley’s smiled dropped. “Well, he is when it comes to you. Others aren’t so lucky.” She gave a nervous little laugh. “You must be eager to see your new chambers. I’ll take you there.”
“Perhaps I should put on clothes first,” I said, staring at the plunging V-neck that every mirror in the room threw back at my face.
Hensley slapped her forehead. “Oh my gosh, sorry about that. I got so excited I got ahead of myself. King Liri ordered a new wardrobe for you, which is in your new chambers, but let’s see what we can dig out in here.”
She strode over to the long armoire and pulled open one of the doors. I’d packed what I could, but there’d been a lot leftover to leave behind. Hensley plucked a light blue empire-waisted gown and brought it over to the bed.
“I realize it’s simple, but it’s only temporary until we have a chance to dress you up for the ball.”
I was glad for simple and glad to strip out of the negligee. I tossed it onto the bed like a used linen napkin. Hensley helped me pull a
fresh white cotton shift over my head, followed by the gown.
“Shall we?” she asked eagerly, leading the way to the door.
I cast a longing look at my campaigne board. It had kept me sane before. I hoped it could do so again until I found a way back home.
Hensley followed my gaze and smiled brightly. “Anything you want from your old room can be delivered to your new chambers.”
I nodded, taking tentative steps to the door. The wide hallway was silent. Mirrors lined the walls, reflecting sunlight from overhead windows. Cirrus loved his mirrors. He loved looking at his reflection and those of the court, sizing everyone up from every angle. It made me feel as though I couldn’t even escape myself. I was trapped everywhere, moving from room to room—one mirror to the next.
We met no one along the way, almost as though the palace had been cleared for my arrival. Hensley tried to walk beside me, rather than lead, but as we neared the king’s wing, my steps faltered. I’d never been to this part of the palace.
Two royal guards in green and gold tunics stood outside massive double doors. At our approach, they moved in tandem, each taking a door and opening it for us.
Hensley nodded at the guards before ushering me into an open hallway. Warm air breezed over us, and my mouth gaped open at the sight of the shimmering lake that lapped right up against the south side of the castle. The hall didn’t need mirrors with the sunlight reflecting off the lake’s surface. The air was as fresh and sweet as an eternal summer.
“It’s beautiful,” I couldn’t help but murmur.
Hensley clutched my arm and squealed. “And we get to live here. I keep pinching myself, thinking I’m dreaming.”
If only I could pinch myself and wake up back in Pinemist. I kept the thought to myself and forced a smile. Hensley was as close of a friend as I could get in Dahlquist, but I never lost track of the fact that she faithfully served the Fae.
She threaded her arm around mine and tugged. “You have an entire suite of your own. It’s massive, just wait and see.”
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