by Nissa Leder
After Ailani finished showing Scarlett everything she’d done, Scarlett returned to her room where she found Ashleigh waiting.
“Finally,” Ashleigh said as she bounced off of the bed and stood. “The ball is in three hours.”
“So?” Scarlett asked as she closed the door behind her.
“We need to get ready, duh!” Ashleigh walked to the dresser and opened the top-middle drawer, pulling out a bag of makeup and curling iron Aria had given her. “Can you infuse this with your magic? I ran out yesterday.”
Ashleigh grew more accustomed to her life in the fae world every day. Scarlett no longer snuck into her mind to check on her—something that had made her feel really guilty for doing, but that hadn’t stopped her from doing it time after time. Ashleigh had been helping Vida’s tribe prepare arrows for the upcoming war and assisting Ailani as she prepared for the ball.
Scarlett could glamour herself in mere seconds and skip the painful sitting still as Ashleigh curled her hair into bouncy strands, but she wouldn’t deny Ashleigh the chance to feel useful. And Scarlett enjoyed her time with her sister more than anything.
“Before I do your hair, follow me,” Ashleigh said as she turned and walked toward Scarlett’s closet.
When Scarlett stepped inside, a silvery lavender dress hung from the ceiling. It had a heart neckline and long sleeves made of lace that covered the dress from top to bottom. “It’s beautiful. Did you make it?”
“Well, I came up with the design and did what I could, but I let Ailani help me out with her magic a little since I didn’t have nearly enough time to finish it by myself.”
Scarlett lifted a sleeve and admired the lace which was made of a rose and leaf pattern.
“The lace reminded me of Mom,” Ashleigh said, and Scarlett couldn’t help but feel the sadness radiating from her.
“It’s perfect.”
Ashleigh grabbed Scarlett’s hand and pulled her back into the bedroom. “Now, we need to make your hair worthy of the dress.” As she curled Scarlett’s hair piece by piece, she asked. “Everything okay? You seem quiet.”
“Yeah,” Scarlett said, quite unconvincingly.
“Spill.”
“I’m just worried about my magic.” Scarlett’s instinct was always to protect Ashleigh in any way she could, and her normal inclination would be to keep anything from her that may cause worry. But with every day uncertain for everyone, the thought of confiding in her brought relief.
“What about it?”
“I feel like it controls me sometimes instead of me controlling it.” Scarlett shrugged.
“Stay still.” Ashleigh rested her hand on her shoulder. “Did something happen?”
Scarlett took a deep breath, careful not to tilt her head to either side. “I almost killed Kaelem.”
Ashleigh pulled the curling iron back and walked around to face Scarlett. “How?”
Scarlett explained the feeling of helplessness she’d felt as something else infiltrated her mind with the intent to kill. “I think it’s the dark magic.”
“But you stopped it. You didn’t actually kill him. So, maybe you control it more than you think.” Ashleigh went back to curling. “I made a suggestion to Ailani to put Kaelem on your other side at dinner.”
Scarlett’s stomach tingled. “Oh?”
“You know it’s okay to like him, right?”
“It just seems like my feelings for him should be last on the priority list right now.” Scarlett crossed her right ankle over her left, desperately wanting to fidget.
“Why? Either we’re going to win the war or we aren’t. Feeling something for someone is a good thing. And we need all the good we can get, don’t we?”
Scarlett couldn’t deny that. But how did she feel about Kaelem? Did she just want to rip off all his clothes and make love to him? Was it something more? And what did he feel about her?
She didn’t need to know the answers to any of it right then, so she changed the subject to Ashleigh’s duties with Vida.
Later, she could sort out her emotions toward the Unseelie King.
But for now, she’d enjoy her time with her sister.
Kaelem glanced at himself in the mirror, smoothing out his silver top after tucking it into his midnight-colored pants. It was his favorite color combination, always reminding him of the night. Twinkling stars illuminating the dark sky. What better image could he hope to embody?
“Don’t you look dashing?” Aria said from the doorway.
Kaelem turned to see her standing in a long, navy dress. Her hair was dyed a pale mint color now, a change from the last time he saw her. “I could say the same about you, dear sister.”
Aria entered the room, her legs peeking out through the high slits in her dress. “I wouldn’t want to make our court look anything less than fabulous, now would I?”
“Of course not.” Kaelem picked up the fuchsia tie sitting on the dresser. He’d originally chosen a silver tie to match his shirt for a subtler look. But that had seemed too boring, so he’d picked a brighter one instead.
As he lifted his collar to slip on his tie, Aria said, “Here, let me help.” She reached out a hand and snatched the tie from Kaelem.
He kept still as he let his little sister knot the tie in a much fancier way than he had planned.
“So, dressing up for anyone in particular?” she asked.
“You know I always love a good suit,” Kaelem replied. Which was true. Stylish fashion was something he always prided himself on. Why wouldn’t he want to look great all the time? But he’d purposefully ignored her question because as he’d selected his outfit, he had thought of Scarlett.
Maybe it was because she’d just nearly killed him. If he had any self-preservation, he’d be cautious. She’d gone from mortal to the most powerful supernatural creature in existence—as far as he knew, at least—in such a short period of time. It was understandable she hadn’t yet mastered the magic flowing in her veins. But one more push of her mind magic would have ended him for good, and while that was a frightful thought, somehow it was also sexy.
“That’s not an answer, brother. I know all your tricks.” Aria folded down his collar. “There, all done.”
Kaelem turned in front of the mirror and straightened out the tie. “Looks great. Thanks.”
“You know, it’s okay to care for Scarlett.”
Kaelem met Aria’s gaze in the mirror’s reflection. “I know.”
Aria tilted her head to the side. “Do you, though? You’ve spent too many years as a bachelor. Of course, the idea of strong feelings for one woman would be scary. You can admit it.”
Kaelem nodded. “I could learn a lot from you, little sister. You always have worn your heart on your sleeve.” He turned back toward her. “But I’ve seen the pain it’s caused you. And how it’s changed you.”
They hadn’t talked much about her years in the Winter prison. Years she was locked away for loving a Winter fae woman. He’d warned her to be careful. The Winter Court still believed in the old ways and punished anyone who defied their laws. His warning had done little to dissuade her, though, and she’d paid the price.
“I don’t regret any of my choices for love,” Aria said. “But I can’t say the consequences haven’t left their scars. I don’t know if I’ve thanked you enough for saving me.”
“Of course.” Kaelem placed his hands on her shoulders. “I will always do everything in my power to keep you safe. And just so you know, it’s okay to allow your heart to move on.”
The worst Nevina could do to Aria, an Unseelie princess, without declaring an all-out war with the Unseelie Court, was to lock her in prison indefinitely. But Aria’s lover was a Winter Court subject, and her punishment was up to the discretion of the Winter Queen. For a first offense, someone would normally be locked up for a few years. But Nevina had never liked Aria and wanted to make her pay, and so she’d executed Aria’s lover and forced Aria to watch.
Aria leaned into Kaelem and wrapped him in a hu
g. “The Unseelie siblings learning how to love. I think such a storyline would fit perfectly on one of those mortal soap operas you’re always watching.”
“I would have to agree.” He leaned back and grinned. “I suppose we’ll have to stay tuned to see what happens next.”
Aria laughed. “I suppose so.”
Now that they were both ready, they could head to the Otherworld for a night of good food and dancing, two of his favorite things.
There, he could continue the game he and Scarlett played, hoping this time would have a more pleasant ending than nearly dying.
Cade stood outside Poppy’s door. His limbs tingled as he took deep breaths. Inhale. Exhale. It shouldn’t have been so difficult. This was just another ball. He’d been to far more than he could count, many of which he’d attended with a date.
But never Poppy, at least not so openly as a couple. When they’d attended the Seelie Ball, he had stated she had to go as his date since the then Seelie Queen didn’t allow rulers to attend with guards. After the ball, Poppy had pulled away, claiming she couldn’t serve him effectively as a guard if she had feelings for him. But this time felt different. Somehow, it felt more real now. Like maybe him being her king might not be enough to keep them apart.
Poppy was different than any other woman he’d ever met. He wanted to them to enjoy this evening together as something more than they’d ever been before. He hoped she wanted the same.
Before he knocked, her door swung open.
“Oh, you’re here,” Poppy said. Her hair was parted down the middle and curled in loose curls that framed her face. Her dark teal dress contrasted with her pale skin, its V-cut neckline exposing more of her chest than Cade had ever seen, with her clothed that was. He’d seen far more of her the time they’d bathed together in the Otherworld cavern Rowen had brought them to as they all searched for the tree of power.
“You look beautiful,” he said, instantly regretting it. He meant it, but surely he could have come up with something more original to express how exquisite she was.
Pink flushed her cheeks. “You look rather stunning too.”
Scarlett had sent a seamstress to each Cade and Poppy to help them dress for the evening. Normally, Cade would have wanted to wear a Summer Court suit, embellished with embroidered, gold designs. But with his mother now sitting on his throne, trying to pretend anything else hurt too much. So, he let the seamstress design his suit to fit the Otherworld customs.
The design she’d made had similarities to the Summer Court style, but with slicker material and fewer ruffles. It seemed a mix between the fashions of Cade’s court and the more modern style Kaelem always wore.
“Shall we?” Cade reached out his elbow to Poppy.
Poppy linked hers into his. “We shall.”
They didn’t say much on the walk to the ballroom, which was on the bottom floor on the opposite side of the castle. Cade did his best to disguise his nerves, hoping his aura was shielded from her view.
He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he sensed a similar emotion coming from her. The thought of her being nervous too brought a smile to his face.
“What?” she asked.
“I just never thought the first time I met you and you kicked my ass while training me for the Battle of Heirs we’d ever be on an official date.” He glanced down at her to see a smile curl her lips
“Don’t get ahead of yourself too far,” she quipped. “This evening could end up being a complete disaster and we might very well regret this decision.”
“Aren’t you the pessimist? Maybe this will be the best thing that’s ever happened to us.”
Poppy hesitated and pulled her arm away from Cade’s. “I need you to promise me something.”
Cade dipped his chin and met her stare. “What?”
“No more secrets. No more trying to protect me by keeping me in the dark. If we’re going to see what ‘this,’” she gestured between the two of them, “is, then you have to treat me as your partner, not your subject.”
Poppy bit her lower lip as she waited for his answer.
He’d always wanted to shield her from the difficult decisions he’d made. The ones that had so many ways to backfire. But she was right. As his guard, he needn’t share the reasoning behind anything with her. But if she was to become something more to him, she deserved the truth. “Of course.”
The side of her mouth curved into a slight grin as she linked her elbow with his again. “Very well.”
They approached a long line filled with both Unseelie and Seelie fae leading into the ballroom. It was unusual to see the two courts in the same room without any fighting. But although no one had pulled out a sword on anyone yet, they weren’t actually mingling.
With the two courts century-old rivals, it wouldn’t take much to spark a battle. Cade hoped, for the sake of everyone, that all the attendees could make it through the night on amicable terms. If they couldn’t, then he wasn’t sure how much of a chance they stood fighting together on the same battlefield.
Finally, Cade and Poppy entered the ballroom. He’d seen the area when they’d first arrived in the Otherworld as he’d taken a long walk to clear his head, but it had been empty then, a fine layer of dust covering everything from the floors to the ceiling.
Now, the place was unrecognizable. Everything had been cleaned spotless. Chairs and tables covered in white linens lined the outside of the room, with rose gold centerpieces set with white candles standing in the middle of each table.
The scent of vanilla and oak permeated the air as chatter bounced off the walls.
As Cade scanned the room, he saw the Unseelie King sitting at a table near the front. He gestured to Cade and Poppy.
“I guess that’s where we’re sitting,” he said. “With Kaelem. Fabulous.”
Poppy chuckled. “I thought after plotting with him as a double agent, the two of you were the best of friends these days.”
“Not quite.” It was true that Cade had trusted Kaelem when they made the bargain for Cade to spy on the Fates. That had required a newfound trust for both sides. But sharing a mutual enemy didn’t make them true friends, and it definitely didn’t make the Unseelie King any less arrogant.
Cade wondered if their unstable friendship had ended when he returned the necklace that kept his thoughts safe back to Kaelem, or if, with time, they’d continue on the agreeable path they’d been on.
Only time would tell.
With a groan, Cade, with his arm still linked to Poppy’s, headed to their seats.
Chapter Seven
Scarlett stared out the window of her room as the sun set for the night. Bright orange and pink tones surrounded the golden sun and faded into the dark blue sky above.
“Ready?” Ashleigh rested a hand on Scarlett’s shoulder.
Scarlett turned toward her sister, whose long blonde curls were pulled into a twisted updo. “You look gorgeous, big sis.”
Ashleigh grinned. “I’m nothing compared to you.”
Scarlett leaned into her and wrapped her in an embrace. Without Ashleigh, Scarlett surely would have been consumed by darkness already. But her older sister was the light that kept her from succumbing to the blackness inside her. Her optimism had kept Scarlett hopeful. And if that ever failed, her determination to keep Ashleigh safe would drive her.
Scarlett had killed Morta’s sister Decuma and she knew that, given the chance, Morta would love nothing more than to repay the favor. The thought alone sent a wave of nausea to her stomach. If something happened to Ashleigh, she feared the darkness inside her would take control forever.
“It’s time.” Ailani had stepped inside the room unnoticed. “All the guests are here and are waiting for you, my queen.”
Ailani’s dress was made of sheer white fabric and strategically decorated with real flowers in all the necessary places to make it appropriate for the ball. Her horns were embellished with pink and blue sunflowers, flowers native to the Otherworld.
Much of the
botanical life there was similar to that of the mortal world. There were roses, daisies, lavender, snapdragons, and many of the other flowers Scarlett’s mother had taught her about as a child. But here, the colors were brighter, and the buds bigger. It was fantastical and lovely, and Scarlett couldn’t help but think how much her mother would have loved it there. During a time of peace, that was.
Ashleigh bent to the ground and adjusted the short train of Scarlett’s dress. “There. Now you shouldn’t step on it.”
The sisters followed Ailani across the castle to the ballroom. Scarlett had almost suggested evanescing but decided the walk there would give her time to calm her nerves. She wasn’t ready to stand in front of all the guests and give some speech of how they would earn victory in the war.
She had no idea what would happen. No idea what type of army Morta had put together. How her power would fair against Morta’s. If she could even keep the darkness at bay and stay in control of her own magic.
Voicing her true doubts wasn’t likely to raise morale.
But this ball wasn’t about assurances of victory. Kaelem had suggested it as a way to thank everyone who had allied with their cause and to give them a chance to mingle with each other before they had to share the battlefield.
When they arrived at the top entrance to the ballroom, Ailani stopped. “I will introduce you, then you can come in and give a quick speech and take your seat.”
Unable to speak, Scarlett nodded then watched Ailani leave.
“You can do this, Scar,” Ashleigh said. “I watched you take care of Mom all those years. You kept her calm during her fits, and encouraged her in her moments of sanity. You’re a natural caretaker.”
Scarlett swallowed her fear as much as she could. “Thank you.”
A round of applause reverberated from the ballroom. Ailani returned. “Go on in.” She bowed as Scarlett and Ashleigh passed by her.
When Scarlett stepped through the archway and onto the balcony overlooking the ballroom, she froze. Hundreds of fae and Sidhe she’d never met stared up at her. The energy in the room hit her like a wave of the sea. She scanned the room, nerves buzzing inside her until her eyes locked with Kaelem’s.