by Karen Lynch
The hills became steeper and the vegetation sparse. The air stung my face as Gus crested mountains that got higher and higher the farther we went. We passed several crags with families of drakkans, and I noticed that the mountain drakkans were smaller than the ones that lived on the cliffs in Unseelie. A pair of them flew out to snap and growl at us for being in their territory, but they kept their distance from Gus who was twice their size.
We climbed above the snowline where the air was thinner and so cold it burned when I took a deep breath. I had to cover my face to protect it, and the next time I peeked out, I was shocked to see nothing below me but clouds.
Gus suddenly changed course and headed for one of the snow-covered peaks. I thought he was going to land on the summit until he dipped at the last minute, and I saw the dark spot in the face of the rock. The cave.
He landed lightly on the wide ledge at the mouth of the cave and carefully set me on my feet. My legs wobbled, and my feet felt numb after so many hours in the air. I leaned against his foreleg to steady myself until I could stand on my own.
“Oh, my God,” I said through chattering teeth when I stepped away from Gus’s warmth. The cold didn’t seem to bother him, but I was shivering so hard my bones ached.
Gus nudged me with his snout, a not so gentle reminder that I was here for a reason. The sooner I did what I came to do, we could leave this frozen place.
I pulled out the laevik crystal I’d brought with me, and it illuminated the cave that was roughly twenty feet deep. Walking to the back of the cave, I found a tunnel opening hidden from view by a protruding slab of rock. I held the crystal in front of me and entered the narrow tunnel.
A few feet in, the tunnel branched into two directions. I paused and frowned at them. I’d dreamed of this place. Just like that, I knew exactly where I was going.
I took the left tunnel, not surprised when it began to slope downward. It was as quiet as a tomb inside the mountain, and even my footsteps sounded muffled. At times, the tunnel was so narrow I had to turn sideways and suck in my stomach to squeeze through. I had never been spelunking, and until now, I hadn’t known how much I disliked enclosed spaces.
Aedhna had hidden this ke’tain well. If by a remote chance someone ever managed to find the cave, they’d have a lot of trouble fitting through some of the tight spots in the tunnel unless they were my size. No adult faerie I’d seen could make it.
I was questioning my sanity for being here when I noticed a change in the air. It was charged with electricity, and I felt a strong compulsion to keep moving. I didn’t know if it was Aedhna telling me I was close, or if it was the two ke’tains sensing each other.
I came to a spot where the ceiling was so low I had to crawl. On the other side, the ceiling leveled out, and I found myself at a dead end.
I laid my palm against the cold wall. Immediately, the ke’tain in my pocket thrummed with energy, and the hairs on my body stood on end. From deep within the rock, I felt an answering pulse, and the wall grew warmer. I withdrew the sack from my pocket and tipped the ke’tain onto my hand. I pressed the stone against the wall and waited.
Ripples spread across the wall like tiny waves on the surface of a lake. When the disturbance subsided, the rock was crystalline, and deep in its depths was a small glowing object. The object rose slowly to the surface, until finally I could make out a luminescent green stone the same size as the one in my hand.
The two ke’tains made contact, and my body jolted like I’d been struck by lightning. Every cell ignited, my vision turned white, and pain lanced through my chest. I would have fallen, but my hand was fused to the wall.
In seconds, the pain vanished, and my sight returned. Beneath my hand, the ke’tains pulsed and I could feel the one from the cave feeding the one from the temple. The energy was pure and immeasurable, and its divine beauty made tears spill down my cheeks. It should have reduced me to ashes, but my goddess stone protected me as Aedhna had promised it would.
I didn’t know how long I stood there like that before the ke’tains separated. I stayed where I was, watching the green stone recede until it disappeared, and the wall was plain gray rock again. It was done.
I secured the ke’tain in my pocket and wiped my wet cheeks with my sleeve. Then I made my way back to the main cave, knowing I would never be the same after this experience.
Gus’s head swung toward me when I climbed out of the tunnel and came into view. I smiled and walked over to stand beside him in the mouth of the cave.
“Have you ever seen anything like that?” I gazed at the snow-capped peaks that resembled islands in a sea of clouds. It was breathtaking and frightening at the same time, and I’d never felt so alone, even with Gus at my side.
An icy wind stole my breath, and I shivered. “Let’s go home, Gus.”
I fell asleep before we reached the foothills and didn’t wake until Gus growled to let me know we were approaching the island. The same four guards were on duty when I entered the temple, but they were more relaxed than when I’d left them. I was ready for this day to be over, but I took my time exchanging the fake ke’tain for the real one. Another misstep like the last one and the guards would call in backup for sure.
It was dusk when Gus set me down on the road near the forest. If I’d thought the place was creepy during the day, it was ten times worse in the near dark. I was too tired to create another invisibility illusion, but I had enough energy to run to the main road.
I was rounding the curve near the mountain when Iian and Kerr came into view riding tarrans. The moment they saw me, they dismounted and waited for me to reach them.
“We were coming to look for you,” Iian said. “Vaerik found the note you left in your room, but he thought you would be back from town by now.”
“You know me. There’s so much to see and do, and I have to look at everything,” I answered. Hearing that Lukas had taken time out of the meetings with Seelie to visit me made my weary body feel lighter. Combined with the exhilaration over what I’d done today, it was a heady sensation.
“You look tired,” Iian said.
I rolled my eyes. “Just what every girl wants to hear.”
They chuckled as we started toward home. Kerr looked at my empty hands. “You did not buy anything?”
“Maybe next time.”
“Did you see anything interesting in your exploring?” Iian asked.
Images of my day flashed through my mind. “Oh, you know. The usual stuff.”
* * *
“Looks like it’s you and me tonight,” I said the following evening to Kaia, who was curled up on the other end of the couch with her head on my feet.
She cracked an eye to look at me and closed it. Her loud purrs filled the room.
I sighed. As much as I loved her company, I wished I had a companion who could talk to me.
Tonight, the king was hosting a lavish dinner in honor of the queen’s visit, after which she and her people would return to Seelie. Tomorrow, the court would go back to normal, and I’d see Lukas, Roswen, and the others again. For now, I was on my own.
The bell rang, signaling someone was at the door. Kaia leaped off the couch and padded ahead of me when I went to see who was visiting. I was surprised to find Gelsey, Roswen’s personal tailor who had made all my wonderful new clothes. Gelsey’s arms were laden with dresses, shoes, and other items, and I rushed to relieve her of some of her burden.
“Did we have a fitting I forgot about?” I asked as I draped the clothes over a chair. I eyed the long dresses in confusion. We hadn’t discussed her making formal clothes for me.
She set the rest of it on the couch. “I have been instructed to help you dress for the queen’s dinner. I’ve brought some gowns I have been working on for Princess Roswen. A few adjustments and one of them will be perfect for you.”
I held up a hand. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not going to the dinner.”
Gelsey’s brow furrowed. “Oh, but you must. Prince Va
erik himself asked me to tend to you.”
Lukas wanted me to go to the dinner with him? Warmth rushed through me, and I gave her a wide smile, brushing aside the fact that I had never been to a formal Fae affair and I had no clue what to do at one. I’d be with Lukas, and he would guide me through it.
I touched one of the dresses, a deep green one that felt like silk in my fingers. “Roswen won’t mind you trimming her dress for me?”
“It was her idea to use one of these.” Gelsey arranged the three floor-length dresses so we could see them better. In addition to the green one, there was a pale blue one, and one in midnight blue, all in different styles. They were beautiful, and any of them would work with my coloring and hair.
She picked up the green dress. “Why don’t you try on each of them, and we’ll see which one suits you best.”
Two hours later, I stood in front of the mirror in my bedroom, hardly able to believe I was looking at my own reflection. After some deliberation, Gelsey had decided on the dark blue gown, and I could see why Roswen would have no one else make her clothes.
The off-the-shoulder sheath dress fit like it had been made for me. The form-fitting bodice adorned with lace and tiny blue crystals tapered down to a skirt that hugged my hips and fell gracefully to my feet. The skirt was overlaid with a gossamer veil that trailed a foot behind me. It was open at the front and flared out gently from the sides when I walked.
On my feet were low-heeled shoes the same color as the dress and trimmed with blue crystals that winked in the light. Gelsey had arranged my hair into an elaborate loose braid adorned with tiny white and blue flowers that draped over one shoulder, leaving the other shoulder bare.
“You are breathtaking,” Gelsey said from behind me, her eyes glistening with the sheen of tears.
I smiled at her. “Thanks to you.”
She shook her head. “I merely framed your natural beauty. With your unique hair and coloring, you are incomparable, and I am honored to be the one to dress you.”
I dabbed at my eyes. “It’s a good thing faeries don’t wear mascara, or I’d be a mess now.”
Gelsey laughed. “I have heard about the colored powders and creams humans put on their faces. Is it true they also wear false lashes and change their hair color?”
“Mostly women wear makeup and false eyelashes, but some men do, too.” I grinned at her shocked expression. “And both men and women dye their hair.”
“It is a very different world you come from,” she said as she adjusted the back of my dress. “I think I would like to see it someday.”
I turned to face her. “I’ll be happy to show you around when you decide to go.”
The bell rang, and her eyes lit up as she ran to answer the door. I took one last glance at the mirror and pressed a hand to my stomach to calm the butterflies there. Then I followed Gelsey to the living room to greet Lukas.
I came up short when I saw the unfamiliar dark-haired male standing in the entranceway with Gelsey. He was dressed formally in cream pants and a matching tunic with dark blue trim, and his eyes widened in appreciation when he saw me.
“Can I help you?” I asked him.
He gave a small bow. “I am Joreth. King Oseron sent me to escort you to dinner.”
“But…”
Joreth came over and took my limp hand in his. “I heard about our lovely new faerie, but the stories do not do you justice. You are a vision, and I will be the envy of every male there tonight.”
“Thank you.” I shot a helpless look at Gelsey, who seemed to be as surprised as I was by his arrival.
A growl came from behind me, and Joreth dropped my hand. He took a few steps back as Kaia came to stand between us.
I stroked her head. “Kaia, be nice.”
She stopped growling but continued to stare at him. I remembered that look from my first encounter with her.
Joreth cleared his throat. “We should go. We cannot be late for the dinner.”
I stepped around Kaia and walked with him to the door. Gelsey smiled weakly as we approached her. “I will collect the other dresses before I go. Have a wonderful time tonight.”
“We will,” Joreth answered for me.
“Can you let Kaia out when you leave?” I asked Gelsey, who nodded.
Outside, Joreth tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow, and I let him escort me to the lift. It wasn’t his fault I’d been expecting someone else as my date, and there had to be a good reason why Lukas didn’t come for me.
The few people we passed eyed us enviously. When we stepped onto the lift, Joreth happily confided that tonight’s dinner was a big deal, and invitations were highly coveted. Dressed as we were, it was no secret to anyone where we were going.
The lift stopped on the top level, and we were met by six guards. A male in court livery directed us where to go, and we walked down a long hallway until we came to an open archway guarded by two more guards. Passing through it, we entered a large terrace. Half the terrace was enclosed by walls and a ceiling, and the other half was open to the night sky. The entire space was laid out like a formal dining room.
At the back of the terrace, tables were arranged in a semicircle on a low dais. Smaller four-person tables were placed around the room to allow every occupant a view of the main table. The overhead lights had been dimmed, and on every elegantly set table was a small dish of laevik crystals that gave off a soft warm light.
A female in livery took us to our table on the other side of the terrace near the rail. We were as far from the dais as you could get; however, the location offered us an unobstructed view of everyone entering the room. Joreth looked a little put out by our seating arrangement, but I was content to sip the juice brought to me and watch the other guests arrive.
It was like watching the red-carpet event at the Oscars as elegantly-dressed couples entered and were shown to their seats. Rashari and Delphine were among them, and I felt a surge of relief that neither of them was Lukas’s date. It was going to be hard enough to see him with someone else without it being one of those two.
Before long, the smaller tables were full, and another couple named Fayette and Cleon had joined us at our table. Joreth made introductions, but our table companions were more interested in watching the room than talking to us.
A murmur went through the room, and I looked up as King Oseron entered with Queen Anwyn, and they walked to the dais together. Before I could wonder where their consorts were, Lukas’s mother entered on the arm of Queen Anwyn’s consort. All eyes were on the Unseelie king and the Seelie queen as they sat in the two large chairs at the center of the dais with their consorts on either side of them.
Queen Anwyn was resplendent in an ice blue dress and a crown that was bigger than the one she’d worn to the meeting. When she smiled at something the king said, it was almost hard to believe that a cold, vile heart beat inside such a delicate, beautiful person.
“I am not surprised Dariyah is on his arm tonight,” said Fayette, who was seated across from me. “Her father is one of the king’s advisors after all.”
I followed Fayette’s gaze to the entrance, and my gut hardened when I saw Lukas with Dariyah at his side. She was radiant in a white form-fitting dress, and her haughty smile told every female in the room that Lukas was hers. We’d see about that.
My gaze moved to Lukas, who paid no attention to his date as he scanned the terrace. When his eyes locked with mine, he smiled. For a few seconds, no one else in the room existed. With one look, he said it was me he wanted by his side, and he didn’t care if the whole room saw it.
He shifted his stare to Joreth, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Warmth burst in my chest, and I had to bite back a stupid grin. Lukas was jealous of my date.
Dariyah tugged on his arm, and he turned his head to look at her as they continued to their table. I wondered if she had seen our silent exchange, and I got my answer when they took their seats at the head table beside his mother. Dariyah’s smile was a lot less smug, but the gla
re she shot me promised I hadn’t won, not by a long shot.
I smiled at her. Bring it.
Someone took the seat on Dariyah’s other side. I slid my gaze to them and saw Roswen with a dark-haired male, who, based on the resemblance, had to be her brother Kellen. A few seats down from them, I was surprised to see Faolin and Faris. I knew they were princes in their own right, but I’d had no idea their blood was blue enough to place them at the head table.
I looked around for Conlan, Iian, and Kerr and found them at tables near the dais. They were dressed formally and had dates, but they were also close enough to Lukas to protect him should the need arise.
“So, it is true that you and Prince Vaerik are close friends,” Joreth said in my ear, startling me by his nearness. “He rarely befriends anyone outside his close circle.”
At first, I thought he was insinuating something sordid between Lukas and me, but there was nothing sly or suggestive in his expression.
“We are.” I noticed Fayette and Cleon listening to us and didn’t elaborate.
Joreth took my reply as an invitation to delve further. “Before your conversion you were one of those hunters I’ve heard about? You hunted down faeries who broke the law in your world?”
“Yes.” Unless they were above the law. I looked to where Queen Anwyn was speaking to King Oseron. She and her personal guard would never pay for the terrible crimes they had committed.
“Fascinating.” Joreth slid his chair a little closer. “Is that how you met the prince?”
“You could say that. I was looking for someone, and he offered to help me find them.”
“Did you find them?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes, I did.”
“Then you returned the ke’tain to us,” Joreth said in wonder. “And to reward you, the crown prince made you Fae.”