by Nissa Leder
“And what do they teach you in human school?”
“English, math, science, history. Lots of stuff.”
“Lots of stuff. How eloquent.” Kassandra set her teacup on the table and reclined in the chaise.
“Humans have learned a lot. We’ve been to the moon, medical science has progressed incredibly, and technology is growing all the time.” Scarlett didn't like to be thought of as some idiot just because she was human.
“And yet they get drunk and drive into trees.”
“Have you been to the mortal realm?” Asking the queen a question was bold, but Scarlett couldn't resist.
“Once, and that was more than enough for an eternity.”
The servant returned with a platter of fruit. She placed it on the table. “Can I refill your tea, my queen?”
“Yes.”
The girl picked up the teapot and began pouring. Her arm jerked to the right and the tea fell, splashing all over the stone floor.
“I’m so sorry.” The girl’s voice shook.
Fear emanated from the servant. It was as if electricity shot through Scarlett’s nerves, sending adrenaline coursing through her veins. It was power and energy and alertness.
A spoon rose from the table and shot into the girl’s arm. She squealed.
“Your clumsiness will not be tolerated.”
Tears pooled in the servant’s eyes. Scarlett inhaled her panic, sending a jolt to her core. What was happening?
“Now, shoo.” Kassandra’s expression was flat. She didn't have to ask twice. The girl turned around and rushed out of the room. “Humans are so inept.”
Scarlett ground her teeth but kept her mouth shut. The girl didn't spill that tea on her own. Scarlett saw her arm flicked away.
“Finish your tea. It's rude not to drink it all.” Kassandra watched Scarlett as she gulped the rest. “Some of you are quite stubborn. Please know you're only welcome here because my son has taken a fondness to you and you're able to help him grow stronger for the battle. This is not a fairytale where the prince falls for the human girl and they live happily ever after. If you do anything to get in the way of Cade winning the Right of Heir, I’ll have you hunted.”
Scarlett believed every word.
With her cup now empty, she put it on the table. “Thank you for the lovely tea, but I should be going now.”
Scarlett rose from the chaise and left without another word. She knew Kassandra meant her threat. What happened if Cade became king? Would he let her go home?
A crying noise pulled Scarlett out of her thoughts. Scarlett could feel the servant’s fear. She followed it to under the stairs where the girl sat in the darkness, her hand clinging to the arm the spoon was still stuck in.
“Come with me,” Scarlett said. Who knew what would happen if Kassandra found her under here. When they were in Scarlett’s room, she shut the door. “The more you show her your fear, the more she'll go after you.”
The girl glared. “You’ve been here how long and you already know everything?”
“Sorry, I'm just trying to help.” The girl was right, though. Scarlett didn't know anything about her.
The girl sniffled. “The servants all hate you. Suddenly a human comes in that the fae treat with actual decency while we’re all basically slaves.” Her tone was free from coldness and was very matter-of-fact.
“I thought they couldn't have humans as slaves anymore.” Cade had said humans had to come willingly, which wasn’t exactly slavery. Scarlett took the girl's arm into her hand and looked over the spoon. As the servant’s arm shifted, Scarlett could feel the pain bursting from her. Like before, she inhaled it.
“Technically we’re indentured servants. We all made a deal with one of them and here we are until the bargain is fulfilled. No take-backs if we changed our minds.”
Scarlett thought of her deal with Raith. He could have asked her to stay a lot longer and she'd have agreed—anything to save Natalie. Why didn't he?
“What are you?” The girl stared at Scarlett.
“I'm sorry?” Scarlett didn't know what she meant.
“I can feel you subduing my pain. Like they can.”
Was that what Scarlett was doing? She could feel something building inside herself. Was it magic of some sort?
“I don't know.” Scarlett’s eyes met hers. Scarlett sucked in her pain as much as she could and yanked the spoon from the girl's arm.
The girl winced but didn't scream. Blood seeped from the wound. Scarlett wasn't sure how she knew to do what she was about to do, but something in her told her to place her hand over the cut, so she did. She envisioned the girl’s arm back to normal, and when she removed her hand, it was as if the spoon had never touched her.
Shock covered the girl’s face. She ran a finger where the wound had been. “How did you do that?”
“Something just told me I could.” God, she sounded outright mad, but then again, it worked. The energy that had been buzzing inside Scarlett after she absorbed the girl’s pain had dulled. “I’m Scarlett, by the way.”
“I know,” the girl snapped. Then she relaxed. “I’m Abigail.”
“Do other humans ever have gifts?” Scarlett asked. Surely, she couldn’t be the only one.
Abigail shook her head. “No, humans don’t have power.”
Then what was Scarlett? Did she even want to know?
“Thank you.” Abigail admired her arm. “I better get back to work.”
“Put a fake bandage on it,” Scarlett said. “So Kassandra doesn’t stick it back in.”
“Good idea.” Abigail hesitated at the door. After she was out the door, she turned back. “Don’t let them know what you can do.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Scarlett kept her lips sealed, and since no one questioned her about her sudden ability, Abigail must have kept it quiet, too. Her days blurred together. Every night she dreamed of her mother, and every morning Cade sucked her pain away. But the numbness wore away quicker each day. She spent most of her days walking around the castle grounds or reading a book in the library.
Cade had been spending all his time practicing, and since Scarlett hadn’t seen Raith around, she guessed he’d been preparing, too. Today, exactly one week before the battle, was The Blessing. Cade wouldn’t bring a date this time, but he told her she was welcome to join the crowd and watch.
At first Scarlett planned to stay in her room, cuddled in bed with a book. Then her curiosity won out. How many humans could say they witnessed a fae blessing? Then again, she wasn’t so sure she was a human. All the more reason she should learn as much as she could.
Scarlett went to the bottom floor of the castle and snuck into the crowd of Summer fae, all eager for The Blessing to begin. She wore an obsidian chiffon dress with a matching headscarf, an attempt to hide her identity. She was tired of all the stares—from both fae and humans alike—as if she were some social pariah.
The announcer stood on the balcony. Cade and Raith each stood to one of his sides. Kassandra sat in a throne to their side.
“Welcome, Summer Court,” the announcer said. “The Summer Court High Priest has arrived to give The Blessing.”
A fae dressed in a white robe stepped to the front of the balcony. A large cauldron appeared next to him. Red flames burst from it.
The priest faced the crowd. “We begin The Blessing to both bring luck to the competitors and to tie them to the Battle of Heirs. There is no backing out from this point forward.”
Neither Cade’s or Raith’s expression changed.
The priest continued. “As winner of The Hunt, Raith has first choice for his second.”
Second? Second what?
Raith glanced at Cade, a smirk forming on his face. “I select Scarlett.”
“No,” Cade said. “You can’t.”
The priest looked between the two brothers. “Is there a problem?”
“Scarlett is my human,” Cade said.
“No,” Raith said. “You wish she was
yours. She has not bound herself to you.”
Cade’s gaze burned into Raith.
“Then she is available,” the priest said. “But a human for your second? Are you sure?”
“Yep.”
Satisfaction burst from Raith, wrath from Cade. Raith’s gaze found Scarlett as his brother glared at him with a venomous stare.
Now she wished she hadn’t come to The Blessing. Not that it would have changed anything.
“Will Scarlett please come up to the balcony?” the priest asked.
Scarlett wasn’t sure what was going on, but she did as she was asked. The crowd parted as she made her way to the stairs, her heels clinking with each step up, murmurs echoing behind her.
Fury cloaked Cade’s face as Scarlett approached. Raith wore a triumphant expression. Had this been his plan all along?
“To deny a second request is treason,” the priest said as he stared at Scarlett. “You will be in the Battle of Heirs as Raith’s partner. Either Cade or his second can kill you and you them. Should Cade defeat Raith or Raith surrender, your fate will be up to Cade.”
Well, that sucked. She was supposed to fight in a fae battle? But she was human—well, maybe she wasn’t. But the only thing she’d been able to do so far is sense emotion and heal Abigail, neither of which compared to what Raith and Cade could do.
“You may stand next to Raith,” the priest said.
Scarlett moved next to him, avoiding Cade’s eyes. Would he hate her now? Did it even matter if he did? Raith could take her pain away, too. But she didn’t trust Raith. Then again, she didn’t trust Cade either.
“Name your second, Cade,” the priest said.
“Poppy,” Cade said, his expression blank.
Cade’s trainer stomped up the stairs. Unlike most of the fae women in the crowd who wore dresses, she was in leather pants and a vest, as if she were ready to step into battle right now. Did she know Cade was going to choose her? The annoyance on her face told Scarlett no.
The priest repeated the rules to Poppy, her jaw clenched.
“Raith and Scarlett will be first. Please come to me.” The priest stood behind the cauldron, facing the crowd. “Hold out your hands.”
Raith raised his arms in front of himself, wrists pressed together. Scarlett did the same. Nervousness swam through her veins. What had she gotten herself into?
A rope of pearls appeared in the priest’s hands. He wrapped them around Raith’s wrists and then Scarlett's. “Place your hands over the fire.”
But that would burn her! She waited for him to say he was kidding, but he didn't. She felt her fear leeched from her. Was Raith doing it?
Raith moved toward the cauldron. Tied together, Scarlett had no choice but to follow. She held her breath as her hands hit the flames. No pain. Instead, it tickled her skin. The flames turned from red to pink to purple to blue as the pearls tying them together burned away.
When they pulled their arms away from the fire, Scarlett was hit with a feeling of delight—not her own, but Raith’s. She'd felt moments of emotions from others—usually from humans—but this was different.
Raith reached around Scarlett’s waist and guided her away from the cauldron. It was Cade and Poppy’s turn. As Cade stepped to the priest, he shot a dagger of a glare at Raith. Raith winked in return.
Poppy didn't say a word as the rope wrapped around her wrists and then burned away. Her eyes avoided Cade completely.
Scarlett had forgotten about Kassandra. When she made the mistake of looking in the queen’s direction, she was met with a snarl. Scarlett snapped her gaze away. It wasn't like she chose to be Raith’s second. It was basically a death sentence as it was, but now that she was on Kassandra’s bad side, she had little hope to ever make it home. Unless Raith won. Then he would be king and could offer her protection.
But if he wanted to win, why in the hell did he choose Scarlett as his second?
As the priest spoke the actual blessing, Raith stared at his brother.
The rage on Cade’s face sent satisfaction coursing through Raith. His plan had worked perfectly. He didn’t know he’d win The Hunt when he made the bargain with Scarlett, but he knew he had a good chance. When he found out about the whole removing their mind shield part he got nervous. But he won and had been waiting for this moment ever since.
And as much joy his brother’s anger brought him, he also planned to get Scarlett out of Cade’s grasp. He sucked the poor girl dry every day. Raith didn’t blame him, her emotion was tasty, but Raith had grown somewhat fond of the human.
Only, he wasn’t so sure she was a human. Something was different about her. He knew that when she didn’t die from the banshee bite. And there had to be a reason her emotion was so succulent.
When The Blessing was over, the priest excused everyone. Raith linked his arm with Scarlett and led her away from the balcony. Once they reached the hallway in front of the library doors, Raith felt something hit his back.
He turned to see Cade with a ball of summer magic in his hand.
“That could be grounds for forfeit, brother,” Raith said. “No fighting before the battle. And I thought you were a rule follower.”
Magic glowed in Cade’s hands.
“Seriously, Cade,” Poppy said as she stood next to him. “Calm the fuck down.”
“Why her?” Cade asked. “I know you’ve never wanted to be king but a human as your second?”
“Is that concern in your voice?” Raith asked. He’d seen his brother grow attached to Scarlett. At first, he thought Cade had lost his mind, but Raith now saw her lure—which made taking her away from Cade even more gratifying
Raith glanced at Scarlett. Her blue eyes were wide as she bit her lip. Her dark brown hair contrasted against her pale skin, freckles sprinkled across her nose. It wasn’t just her beauty that drew Raith in. Even when her emotion ran low after Cade’s feedings, Scarlett had spunk.
Right then, nervousness emanated from her, along with relief. The bond of The Blessing had strengthened Raith’s connection to her.
Whenever Raith visited the mortal world, humans annoyed him more than anything. But Scarlett was different than most humans.
“She is mine,” Cade said.
“No, she’s not,” Raith said. “She’s no one’s. But she’s linked to me now whether you like it or not.”
Cade swung his arm back, summer magic still burning in his hand.
“Now hold on,” Raith said. “We can make a deal.”
Poppy reached for Cade’s arm and pulled it to his side. She gritted her teeth. “Don’t be an idiot.”
“What kind of deal?” Cade asked.
“If Scarlett agrees, she can stay with you until the battle, except for a training session and strategy meeting with me every day to prepare. You cannot force her, with or without your gifts, to do anything, and you cannot feed from her emotion.”
How much would Scarlett mean to Cade if she weren’t a power source?
“Fine.”
“Let’s shake on it.” Raith stuck out his right hand.
Straight faced, Cade gripped Raith’s hand and they shook. It was done. Should Cade break the bargain, he’d be cursed. Sometimes a broken promise could end in madness, other times a loss of magic, now and again death—never anything good.
Cade wasn't an idiot. He'd follow through with the agreement, but Raith hoped the struggle would distract him. It was part of his strategy. And he was banking on the fact that Scarlett wasn't entirely human. But even if she was, he doubted Cade would hurt her in the battle.
Raith suspected Poppy, on the other hand, would have no problem sticking a sword through Scarlett’s chest. But she would be under Cade’s command.
“We’re leaving.” Cade motioned for Scarlett to come to him. She did, but on the way her eyes met Raith’s and he felt her confliction. He almost regretted making the bargain with Cade. He could have demanded she come with him and there wouldn't have been much Cade could have done to stop him. But pissing off
Cade was too fun, and Scarlett wouldn't be forced to do anything she didn't want to. Most importantly, Cade would no longer drain her.
“Night, night.” Raith waved as Cade guided Scarlett down the hall without so much as a goodbye to Poppy. “Picks you as his second and still walks away with the human.”
“What game are you playing?” Poppy asked.
Raith leaned against the hall wall. “Whatever do you mean?”
“You're just going to get the poor girl killed.”
“You care about the mortal, too? How cute.”
“I don't think humans should get caught up in fae politics.” Poppy crossed her arms. “Now I'm off to get a good night’s sleep since apparently I'm being dragged into fae politics.”
“Sleep tight.”
Back in his room, Cade removed his shirt and chucked it across his room. God he hated his brother. Raith was always a thorn in Cade’s side, but now that thorn had morphed into a knife and jabbed Cade straight in the back.
Technically, Scarlett wasn’t Cade’s. She hadn’t given her allegiance to him or agreed to stay in Faerie under him for an agreed amount of time. But Cade found her and she should be his. Now she was bonded with Raith. Cade kicked the corner of his bed.
Scarlett had said goodnight and left to take a bath, likely still in shock from everything that had happened. A human in a Battle of Heirs. It was unheard of. She had every right to be scared out of her mind. Humans were weak and frail.
Cade tried to sleep but couldn’t. The anger coursing through him energized him. Instead, he closed his eyes and thought of Scarlett.
When he entered her dreamscape, she was walking around the castle gardens, smelling a rose. The sun shone brightly overhead in a cloudless sky. Cade thought of dark clouds rolling in and so they did, pushing away the warmth of the sun.
Rain poured down in huge drops. Scarlett ran toward the front of the castle, but Cade put up an iron fence blocking her way.
Then a creature stepped out from behind a bush—a banshee. That wasn’t from Cade. It must have been the conjuring of Scarlett’s own subconscious. But when had she seen a banshee?