His expression sobered, though only a little. “Of course. It isn’t like my Court to turn to violence as an option. I need to go and understand what’s going on. Not that I can guarantee they’ll listen to me. In fact, they probably won’t. But they might listen to Alwyn. They might listen to you.”
Again with all the misplaced faith. “I would think they’re much more likely to listen to one of their own than someone like me.”
“Oh, so someone like me instead? And what would someone like me be like, eh, Norah?” That wicked grin spread across his face again, and he leaned even closer. I stumbled back, my legs knocking against the trough we kept filled with water for all the horses. The collision caused my balance to falter, and I windmilled my arms to keep myself upright.
But it was no use. I fell backwards, water splashing all around me as my butt collapsed into the trough. Cold seeped into my skin; the smell of stale water filled my nose. I grunted and blinked up at Finn. He had tipped back his head, his booming laughter bouncing off the stable walls.
“Gee, thanks,” I muttered, shooting daggers with my eyes. “I’m glad you think my misfortune is so hilarious.”
“Oh, Norah.” He leaned down and held out a hand. “It’s not your misfortune I’m laughing about. It’s just that no matter how breathtaking you are, in so very many different ways, you will always be that girl who gets flustered when she sees me.”
When my eyes narrowed even more, his laughter boomed once again. That was it. Two could play at this game. I slipped my hand into his, and I yanked with all the strength in my bones.
Finn’s eyes went wide as he tumbled forward. He fell into the trough with a splash. New waves of water soared into my face, but I didn’t care. I was too busy laughing to even notice. Finn twisted to face me, danger and delight flashing in his sparkling green eyes.
“Oh, you’ve had it now, you naughty little thing.” He grabbed my wrists and twisted them behind my back, trapping them there while he pressed his slick body up against mine.
All the breath flew from my lungs. My heart thudded hard against my ribcage, and a strange sensation slithered through my gut. His breath was hot on my lips as he leaned in close. Rivulets of water streamed down his golden face. Every cell inside my body froze.
“Looks like I’ve got you now,” Finn murmured.
I swallowed hard. “You win.”
Finn climbed out of the trough and grabbed my waist. He lifted me out of the water, sliding his hands underneath my thighs and keeping me aloft from the ground. I wrapped my arms around his neck, heart banging wildly in my chest. It was so fast and so loud that I swore he could have felt it through the wet clothes that clung to our skin.
His fingernails dug into my thighs, sparking a delicious heat within my core. Finn, I decided, was dangerously alluring. Much more so than I’d given him credit for. My body begged for his touch. I could barely think straight from the need I felt building up inside me.
His lips found my skin. First my slick neck and then my mouth. His tongue speared mine, his passionate kiss driving me wild with desire. Suddenly, my back hit the wall. Finn pressed me hard against the side of the stable, his hands eagerly digging into my hips. A moan escaped from my lips, and my back arched against the wall as I strained to be closer to his perfect body.
Suddenly, Finn froze and cocked his head. And then sighed. He backed away from the wall and set me carefully on the ground. My chest heaved as I stared at him, open-mouthed. He couldn’t be serious, could he? He’d turned me into a trembling mess, and now he was just going to plop me on my feet as if nothing had even happened?
I opened my mouth to give him a piece of my mind, but Alwyn breezed through the stable doors one second before I’d wrapped my head around what I wanted to say. She stopped when she saw the two of us standing there, soaked to our skin in horse trough water. She arched her eyebrows, casting a glance over her shoulder at Rourke, Kael, and Liam. And then they all stopped and stared, causing a heated blush to fill my entire face.
“I see you’re adding to your collection,” Alwyn said with a sniff.
“We were just…” How did I phrase this?
“Going for a swim in the horse water?” Liam chuckled and shook his head. “Go on in and get changed into some dry clothes.”
“Hurry,” Alwyn snapped. “We can’t wait around all day because you decided you want every male in this school.”
Not every male, I wanted to argue. Just…four of them.
The sun was beginning to sink behind the trees when we finally set out for the Spring Court. We had a little over a day to travel, convince the Spring fae to hear us out, and stop them from heading off to war. Alwyn took the lead of our small party, and I rode just behind her, sandwiched between Kael and Liam. Finn and Rourke rounded out the back. We rode in comfortable silence. Every now and then, Finn would make a joking remark. Kael would roll his eyes, Liam would laugh, and Rourke…well, wouldn’t have much of a reaction at all.
After several hours of travel, the night began to deepen, and we passed from the free territory and into the Spring Court’s lands. Even in the dying light of the day, Spring sparkled as if it was in a permanent dawn. Flowers bloomed all around us. They were vibrant and colorful, their bulbs shooting sweet and soothing mists into the air. Finn began to whistle, a strange and whimsical tune, one I swore I’d heard before. A long, long time ago.
I twisted my head to glance over my shoulder. “What’s that song, Finn?”
“It’s called Shadows and Light,” he said with a grin. “An ancient song. Mothers sing it to their babes when they are born to teach them about the world of the fae. It’s about the balance of nature—of shadows and light. Would you like to hear it again?”
“No,” Alwyn said with a frustrated sigh. But I gave him a smile and said, “Yes.”
So, he began again. He whistled the tune, the soft sweet notes that rose and fell like waves. Again, I found it felt so familiar, so familiar that my heart began to ache. I reached up to touch my face and found the tears beneath my eyes. Why did this song move me so?
The thunder of horses rose up around us, seemingly coming from every direction imaginable. Hundreds of them melted into view from the surrounding forest, topped with riders decked in brilliant blues and greens. The rider in front—a woman wearing an iron helmet—pulled on her reins and thundered to a stop only inches from where we were now trapped.
“You’re trespassing on our lands,” she snapped before twisting toward her fellow riders. “Take them and their weapons. They’re our prisoners now.”
Chapter Fifteen
We managed to convince the riders to take us to see the Queen and King instead of throwing us straight into the dungeons. The Spring fae seemed angry, but they were reasonable, at least. They took us into a long hall within the castle’s grounds, where two flower-decked thrones sat at the end of a carpet of green moss.
The Royals watched silently as we strode toward them down the long, thin carpet. Their scrutinizing gazes were locked on our faces, and I felt the strange urge to bow, even though I was not a member of their Court.
When we reached the end of the carpet, the King glanced from Alwyn to Finn and then to me. The others he seemed to have no interest in.
“Alwyn Adair, Head Instructor at the Otherworld Academy for the changelings who have been sacrificed to the human world in the tithe to the Dark Fae.”
Well, that was a long-ass title if I’d ever heard one.
“King Deri of the Spring Court. Queen Shan.” She gave a small bow. “It’s a pleasure to see you once again.”
“Yes, yes. I apologize for the welcome party,” he said, the corners of his lips lifting into a smile. “I’m sure you can understand that we’re being especially cautious right now. After the attack at the Feast of the Fae, my Hunters are concerned that the Autumn Court might make a move against us next. It’s only a matter of time before they go for another crown, and it will likely be us. We doubt they would be so bold as t
o go into Winter lands. Her men are not accustomed to such weather. She will try to draw them out instead.”
A strange expression flickered across Alwyn’s face. “Yes, well…that’s why we’re here.” And then, my Head Instructor, who I could have sworn hated me all this time, turned and looked right at me. “King Deri, I would like to introduce you to Norah Oliver. She is one of our students at the Academy, the first Greater Fae in over eighteen years. She has something she would like to say.”
What? My mind screamed, and all the feeling in my arms and legs vanished in the blink of an eye. Everyone was staring at me now. The Hunters who had escorted us inside. My instructors, my…mates? And now the King and Queen of the Spring territory. All looking at me expectantly, as if I had even the slightest clue about what I should say or do to stop this war from happening.
But…how could I, of all of those in this room? I was just…me.
You are you, a little voice whispered into my mind. You are worthy.
The King gave me a kind smile and rubbed his jaw. “A Greater Fae, you say? Well, this is certainly a treat. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve met one of your kind. The embodiment of the realm’s spirit, they used to say. That’s what the Greaters were. Anyway, what is it you would like to say to me, my dear?”
“I…” Trailing off, I glanced at Rourke. His gaze caught mine, and he nodded. Something about his encouragement, his approval, his belief in me, it made me find the courage within myself to plow forward. “We came here to speak with you about the impending war. The future of the realm is at stake, King Deri. We understand…no, wait. I understand why you might feel as if you have no other choice than to go on the offensive, but it’s only going to make matters worse. More bloodshed. More death. More fracturing in the realm. Instead of fighting each other, we need to band together as one, even though I know that’s not how you do things anymore. Don’t fight against Winter. Join with Winter. It’s the only way to stop the Autumn Court from gaining more power.”
The King stared at me, still rubbing his jaw. After a moment, he shifted on his chair and took a long moment to speak. “I must admit, your words have both moved and confused me. It’s been a long, long while since I’ve heard a fae speak so passionately and eloquently about reuniting our four Courts. I have to admit, I find myself agreeing with you. Which is why I haven’t the slightest clue why you seem to be under the impression I’d want to launch my forces against the Winter Court.”
I had braced myself for a wide variety of responses from the King, but this one…well, this hadn’t even been on my radar.
I blinked at him, frowning. “But I thought that was your plan. I thought you intended to attack within the next day.”
He shrugged and shook his head. “I’m not sure where you got your information, Norah, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s not a single bone in my body that wants to battle the Winter Court, but even if I did, I’d never take my forces up north. We’d die within a day.”
“But the Queen said…” I trailed off, dread pooling in my gut. My eyes flicked to where Alwyn and my instructors were now murmuring urgent words underneath their breaths. The King noticed as well, and he cleared his throat, so loud it made me jump.
“Would you care to share that with the rest of us?” His voice had lost some of its gentle edges, transforming more into a commanding kingly steel. “Norah mentioned the Queen. Which Queen?”
“Queen Viola,” I answered for them. Whatever was happening, it was all my fault. I’d been the one who had gathered the information. I’d been the one who had convinced everyone to come all this way. If anyone deserved to explain, it was me. “I have the power to shadow, something the Summer Hunters discovered. They requested that I go into the Autumn Court and spy, hoping I could find out information about the Queen’s next moves.”
The King nodded with a grunt. “Seems reasonable. Go on.”
“Well, I managed to get inside and overhear a conversation between Queen Viola and one of her Hunters. She said exactly what I’ve told you. That you, the Spring Court, planned to attack the Winter fae in three day’s time. That was two days ago.”
“I see.” A pause. “And you heard this directly from Queen Viola? She didn’t know you were in the room?”
“No, I was shadowed. I don’t see how she could even know I can do that.” I glanced at Rourke, at Liam. “I mean, the only people who know I have that power are in this room or are part of the Hunters for the Summer fae.”
Liam’s chin jerked up, and his eyes turned fierce with fire. Suddenly, he twisted his hands into fists and began pacing from one end of the throne room to the next. The King and Queen eyed him suspiciously, this outburst by the passionate Summer fae.
He stopped and looked at Kael, who had kept his eyes focused on the ground throughout the entire exchange. “What do you think the Winter Court would do if a group of Summer Hunters came to them with proof—or close enough to proof—that the Spring Court planned to invade them?”
“They wouldn’t take it very well,” Kael said, pursing his lips. “Though they wouldn’t react without thinking things through. Our Royals are very precise with their chess moves. They like to keep their focus several steps ahead. I could guess how they might react, but it’s impossible to know without understanding their exact circumstances at the moment.”
“But what would they potentially do?” Liam pressed.
“Truly, it depends on what the Summer fae tell them,” Kael said, finally glancing up from the floor. “I must admit, it sounds as though Phelan wishes to provoke them. If he phrases his words right, he very well could.”
“Now, why in the name of the forest would a group of Summer Hunters want to provoke the Winter Court to attack us? This just makes no sense. The lot of it.”
Rourke pursed his lips. “Phelan and Alastar were very insistent that Norah find this stone. When we did, the Autumn Court was alerted of our arrival. At first, I thought that was down to the shopkeeper alone, but now I’m not so certain. It is very curious how easy it was for you to rescue me, Norah. And the guard made a comment, a curious comment that I forgot in the whirlwind of all that followed.” A pause. “He told me that the Queen never spares anyone unless she has a use for them. Truth be told, Norah, I believe we were set up.”
The realization crashed over me like a tidal wave. Pieces began to fit together in my mind. The Queen’s discussion of the Spring fae plans at the exact moment that I’d arrived in the castle. She must have known I was there. How? That was impossible to know. And then the guard had practically led me down the dungeon stairs so I could break Rourke out of his cell.
“Wait a minute,” I said. “Why would she want me to let you go?”
“Well, I assume she used me as bait. If she hadn’t captured me, you would have gone straight back to the Summer lands. Instead, you had incentive to go to the Autumn Court first.” A nod. “Yes, the more I think about this, the more it makes sense. She wanted you to rescue me so that I could accompany you and ensure you returned to the Summer lands safely, with her incorrect information.”
Another dose of realization smacked me hard in the face. “That’s why the Hunters wanted to trap us in that room. So we couldn’t leave and come here. They didn’t want us to warn you.”
“Well, if we’re able to figure it out, then the Winter Court will be able to figure it out, too.” The King shifted on his throne of flowers. “All we have to do is sit tight and wait. The Winters won’t do anything rash. They’re not like the Summers.”
“Yes, but they have the Summers whispering into their ears,” Liam said with a deep frown. “This isn’t something that can be ignored. Sitting tight means you’re just a sitting duck.”
“Alright, alright.” The King raised his hand and motioned at the Hunters that lined the wall by the doors. “Send out a troop of scouts to explore the boundary. Get some Slyphs involved if you can. Tell them to look for any sign of an army on its way. We’ll need to have some t
ime to prepare, if they’re really coming.”
The King dismissed us so that he could speak with some of his advisors in private, but he invited us to stay within the castle grounds, at least until the morning. Alwyn wasn’t sold on the idea, but she didn’t argue against the King’s wishes. My instructors didn’t seem much happier than she did.
“He’s an old male fae, so he’s stuck in his ways,” Finn said quietly when the six of us gathered in the quarters that had been given to Alwyn. “He talks about the Winter Royals not being rash, but he’s slower to movement than they are. He’s not going to budge an inch until he’s certain they’ll show up on his doorstep.”
“There must be something else we can do,” I said. “Although I guess it’s good news that we were wrong, as much as I hate that the Summer Hunters and Queen Viola used me to try and start a war.”
In fact, I was livid about it. I kept going over the events of that mission over and over again, wondering if I should have seen the truth of what we’d done. Some kind of sign that things weren’t as they seemed. Some kind of gut instinct that we were being conned. But I didn’t know how I could have known. The Queen of Autumn had just slaughtered the Summer Royals. There was no reason to believe that they—or at least some of them—had decided to work with her.
“Fortunately, there’s no rush,” Alwyn said. “The Spring Court won’t be attacking. Let’s all get some rest, and we can revisit the issue in the morning.”
Back in my quarters, I threw open the double doors that led out onto a back patio. It overlooked the expansive gardens. Underneath the pale moon, bright yellow bulbs glistened like fairy lights. As I stood there watching, I swore I saw their stems lengthen and their colors brighten. Every season I’d seen so far had been one of beauty. So vibrant and alive, so much more so than the realm I’d once called my home.
Seeing it fall, seeing the realm torn to shreds…it was a reality I couldn’t bear to imagine.
A Song of Shadows Page 14