Destined for the Fae King (Courts of Faery #3)

Chapter 1

T oday I become a queen of Faery.

Okay, not today, exactly. But I finally get to leap onto that path and sprint down it.

People have many dreams for their future: wealth, love, success, happiness. Most run toward something, or many somethings, even if they don’t exactly know what those things are. But there are also some that run away—from failure, heartbreak, mistakes. My mother has it set in her head that I’m doing the latter. Running away. Leaving her and my younger brothers to fend for themselves. She doesn’t grasp, or doesn’t want to grasp, that I’m doing this for them.

Okay, not fully for them. I’m doing it for me too.

For most of my life, days have chased each other one after the next, mostly indistinguishable from one another. It’s a routine that blurs around me like a blanket, providing a sense of stability that’s grown too comfortable to step away from. Only twice before has something happened that ripped that blanket away, shredding it into little pieces and forcing me to craft a new life from the remnants.

Now it’s happening again.

Only this time, I’m glad it’s been shredded. I helped claw it apart and reveled in its destruction. Because finally I have the chance to do the one thing I’ve dreamed of since I was a small child: run away to Faery.

Uncle Matias drives the black SUV down the winding forest roads, noonday light shining down bright and hot overhead. The miles speed by, each one twisting the knot of anxiety building in me a little bit tighter. He takes a curve a little too sharply, and I slide on the pristine leather seat.

“ Mierda ,” my cousin Selena grumbles as she shoves back a lock of her black hair that fell from behind her ear. “Get us there in one piece, why don’t you?”

He grunts something unintelligible in return. Aunt Dalia, completely in her own little world, checks her makeup in a compact mirror for about the fourth time before snapping it closed. If one didn’t know better, we’d look like a happy little family on a road trip. And I suppose we are on a trip, but not to somewhere most people can visit.

Today, we’re due to arrive in Faery for The Choosing, the competition to select the King of Fire’s human bride, and I’m to be one of the candidates. Human spirits give power to the fae and enliven their magic. The closer the relationship, the bigger boost of power. It's for that reason fae royals most always choose human consorts. That the King of Fire hasn't taken one to date is a wonder in itself, but apparently he's decided it 's time to change that.

“Seriously,” Selena continues. “Mira can’t become queen if we all die on the way there.” She glances over at me from across the back seat. “Right?”

I flash her a tight smile. Queen. That’s right. Hearing it said out loud still makes my stomach do a weird flip-flop. I actually have a chance to become a queen of Faery. And more than that, my family expects me to do everything I can to make sure the crown lands on my head.

If Uncle Matias had his way, it would be Selena instead—his prized and only child—but she outright refused. Threatened to run away and never come back. And she’d do it too. It’s not that she dislikes Faery. Actually, she’s one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve met on the topic, not that the list is very long. However, she loves technology. Loves it. Her laptop is basically an extension of herself. Over the last few years, Selena has made herself infinitely useful to the gifted community—those of us that can see fae—using her technological skills. No one can fault her impressive hacking skills which she leverages for the benefit of the community, hiding income in the form of gifts from the fae, falsifying records for those who go to Faery never to return, that sort of thing. In this day and age, it’s a skill we can’t live without, and even my uncle realizes what a fool he’d be to push her too far and lose that.

And of course, there’s the fact that Uncle Matias, the head of our family, just happens to have another eligible woman to compete for the king’s hand. Me. Much as it begrudges him to admit that I might have some use or that the reputation of our family will be on my shoulders. The daughter of his beloved late brother and that woman he once called— Actually, I try not to think about the things he’s called my mother. It’ll just piss me off more and kick this trip off on a bad note. I might be gifted, but my mother isn’t, and his brother marrying an outsider is a travesty Uncle Matias has never gotten over. A mar on the Rivera family line, he once called it.

I get to fix that now by winning this competition, making our family legendary among the gifted, and securing us all financially for generations to come.

No pressure or anything.

My uncle and I may have our differences, loads of them, but I’m glad Selena is here. Her rebellious streak made sure she turned out nothing like her parents, in most ways, and we’ve been close as sisters all our lives. There’s no one else I’d rather have at my side today. Besides, she was here the first time my life changed too.

It’s impossible to forget that day, the way the whole earth seemed to tip on its axis and show me dazzling new possibilities while withholding them at the same time, like a treat I would have to wait years for.

I’d been sitting with Selena in the formal living room of her house. The location should have been the first giveaway. That room is literally never used by family. With its ornate and uncomfortable chairs, original art with spotlights and gilded frames, and bookshelves filled with leather-bound titles no one has cracked the spine on, it’s not really meant for living. In fact, I’m still convinced its sole purpose is to make unwanted visitors as uncomfortable as possible so that they leave quickly. It was that room that my dad led us to in our fancy dresses and kitten heels. My aunt settled us on the stiff paisley cushions of the loveseat, giving us a too-bright smile before she retreated to stand beside my uncle and my dad.

“What is it, Daddy?” I’d asked as I looked between him and Selena. We look about the same now since we’re only a year apart. Not then. Then, she seemed so much smaller. Some protective instinct rose up in me urging me to take her hand in mine, so I did.

Dad adjusted his tie, a tell I didn’t know then. He and my uncle had been at one of their meetings that day, another thing I didn’t really understand at that time.

My dad looked over at Uncle Matias, maybe for reassurance or maybe in hope that he’d take on the task. Who really knew? But my uncle took up the task all the same, crouching down before us to say, “Our family is gifted. Special. And we’re going to take a little trip to see if either of you are as well.”

“We might not be special?” I asked my dad, deeply offended.

“Of course you are, mi luz ,” Dad replied before looking sharply at his brother. “But you might be extra special, and it’s time to find out.”

That day was the first time we went to the coven house, the same place we’re headed now. Most children present at the testing that day saw nothing, but not us. We were gifted. Special. As my father and uncle hoped. The door to Faery opened, and we both saw through, gasping and squealing in delight as a fae lingering in the threshold in all their brilliant glory—features a little too perfect, a little taller and longer, a stunning outfit, and a glow of power about them.

To have two children in the same family pass the testing on the same day was a rare thing, especially nowadays when the gift has worn thin in so many of the old bloodlines.

We couldn’t go to Faery yet. Not until we matured.

But I never forgot that moment, the wonder and majesty, the promise of something more.

We felt special then. I felt it. And ever since then, I yearned to come back and finally step into that world I’d merely glimpsed.

The car ride passes far too quickly, special thanks to my uncle’s lead foot, and suddenly we’re pulling down the drive toward an old manor house whose elaborate iron gate sits open wide. Several other cars are already parked in a grassy section of the yard. A couple lingers on the white-railed front porch, probably waiting to greet coven members as they arrive.

To say we’re witches, as coven implies, wouldn’t quite be accurate. Not anymore. No true magic runs in our veins except the ability to see fae, and even that is sparsely doled out amongst the bloodline. A few of the oldest members can do little things—minor charms and such—but even that seems to have vanished with my generation. In fact, no one in my direct bloodline has had any real magic for generations, not since one of my ancestors cursed a fae King of the Forest for sleeping with someone else. The act was frowned upon and still taught as something not to do, not that we can, but I can’t help but think the bastard deserved it.

My cousin packs her laptop away. We park. Everyone is unbuckling and getting out, but I’m frozen in the seat. I’ve been excited for weeks, ever since I knew I’d have this opportunity, but now that it’s here, it feels all too real and overwhelming. It doesn’t help that Mom’s been a tearful mess for days and that I practically had to peel her off me when I left yesterday. She fully believes that I'm destined for the crown and will never come back once I step foot in Faery. A tragedy in her mind. I spent the night at Uncle Matias and Aunt Dalia’s house before our short trip today—I needed that break from Mom, that space, to get my head on straight. Or at least I thought I did, but now I’m more of a mess than ever.

My uncle opens the door for me, but it’s Selena’s cheerful smile that finally pulls me from the seat and out of the car. I’ve barely stepped onto the grass when she wraps me in a tight hug.

“Have I mentioned how glad I am that you’re here?” I ask.

“Only about fifty times.”

By the time she releases me, her parents are already walking toward the house, their overstuffed suitcase and my smaller one in tow. Ironic, considering I’m the one staying. All they really need is an overnight bag, if they choose to stay. We’re all already dressed for the opening ball of The Choosing, the competition to select the king’s bride, though it might do me good to make sure the car ride didn’t damage the waves I’d added to my hair. At least my crimson dress seems unwrinkled.

Selena loops her arm through mine and just about drags me toward the manor. The door to Faery, to the Court of Fire, that our coven uses sits in a clearing behind the house, which has existed since the early days of the country—refurbished and added onto over the years of course. Even so, it’s still way newer than the door itself, which has stood open longer than any of our records can say.

To an outsider, it looks like a historical home, meticulously maintained and used only for special events. Which is true actually, though coven families take turns having a caretaker in residence, a job my uncle scoffed at when I once asked about it.

It seemed like a better opportunity than waiting tables. Plus, it put me one step outside Faery. Who would notice if I just wandered in from time to time? That was three years ago. I didn’t realize then that he already had a plan for me, that he intended to offer me up as a potential bride for the King of Fire as a sort of payment for taking care of my mom, brothers, and me since my father died unexpectedly when I was just thirteen.

I should hate it, being his pawn, his sacrificial lamb, but the truth is, I would have run headlong into Faery years earlier if he’d have let me, and if Mom hadn’t been so opposed to me leaving. She’s convinced I’ll never come back, says she knows without a doubt that I’ll be stuck there if I step foot through the door, and her tears guilted me into staying far longer than I ever planned. By eighteen, I was mature enough to enter Faery without risk. I’d always planned on that. And yet, five years later and I’ve still never stepped foot in that world.

Probably why I got stuck in the same routine for so long. Wait tables. Cheer on my non-gifted little brothers. Help Mom around the house. And basically, just wait for my life to begin, like Rapunzel in her tower. Why bother with college when we can’t afford it and I wouldn’t be around to use the degree anyway? Why try to find a steady boyfriend when that would just be one more thing holding me back from my dreams?

“I know you’ve been excited about Faery,” Selena says as we walk. “But I was still so worried you were gonna bail.” She’s dressed in black today, her usual color of choice an odd one for the occasion, but has toned down her signature dark eyeliner and even skipped the black nail polish for once. She almost looks like a proper bridesmaid. Rather fitting, given the circumstances. “Did you know that my mom hinted at trying to force me to enter that damned contest if you didn’t show. Me. I’d be the worst possible bride candidate for anyone.” She hurries on before I can even respond. “But married and stuck in Faery? No thank you.”

A world without the technology she loves? No, that certainly wouldn’t work for her. To say nothing of the fact that she loathes the idea of an arranged marriage. Or marriage in general really .

“Way to be encouraging.” I nudge her side.

She winces. “I meant to say, bad for me, good for you. Come on.” She bumps her shoulder into mine. “I love you, but you know we’re not the same.” She pats my arm. “You’re going to do great. I know it.”

We enter the manor through the front door and walk right down the main hall and out into the backyard. It might as well have been a garden gate for how little time we spent within in, though it’d be a lie to say the impressive spread of food and drinks set just off the main hall didn’t snare my attention and make my mouth water.

As we exited the back door out onto the stone pathway through the manicured yard, I bit my lip and cast a longing glance back over my shoulder. There’s no time for that though. Uncle Matias is determined for us to be early, though from the number of cars out front, others had the same idea and have beaten us to it. Already, he’s impatiently waving Selena and me toward the circle of trees lingering just ahead.

A breeze tugged at the styled dark brown waves of my hair, bringing with it the crispness of autumn. Only a few golden leaves spot the trees, but that will change soon enough. Too bad I’ll miss it this year, but maybe next year—

A pang of homesickness makes me skip a step. If I win, there won’t be a next year, at least not here on Earth, not for me. A fae king won’t want his little human bride leaving Faery.

“Mira?” Selena stares at me, her brows pinched, but I have no words, no way to describe the sudden terror that’s stuck my feet to the ground and won’t let me take another step.

I want this, don’t I?

I feel like the kid at the theme park who has been waiting all day to ride the biggest and baddest rollercoaster but has finally made it to the front of the line and is now too scared to get on .

If I run now, I might never get to Faery, and I’ve waited so long. I suck in a deep breath and do everything I can to force the feeling deep down and far away.

“It’s okay,” I say. “I’ve got this.”

The circle of trees ahead is odd. Anyone, gifted or not, wouldn’t be able to look at it and say it’s natural. But with the way the gardens are designed behind the manor, with their careful designs and lush vegetation, someone might just think the tree circle was part of the carefully curated space. A clever disguise, like much of our lives.

To anyone else, we’re normal families. Albeit most are well-off from years of fae gifts we’ve leveraged over generations into a financial legacy of wise investments. It’s the reason Uncle Matias and Aunt Dalia are rich and the reason my mother has been able to not work these past years since Dad died. She never did before he passed, and after… Well, she was a mess for a while. And then there was my uncle generously taking care of us—generous in that we had a roof over our head and food on the table, if not a life near as nice as theirs.

I might not agree with him often, but I know better than to bite the hand that feeds. After all, my waitressing tips only go so far. And I know him getting me into this contest isn’t only out of the goodness of his heart, but it’s still his reputation and connections that have carried me here. After today, I’ll be on my own though. In this contest, it’ll be each woman for herself to try to win the hand of the king and secure a place in history. After all, fae live longer than us, so this chance probably won’t come again in any of our lifetimes, at least not with the Court of Fire, which our coven pledged its support to ages ago.

A few older coven members linger around the circle of trees, probably there to make sure everything goes smoothly. If any of the other women have arrived, they must already be in Faery.

My aunt and uncle wait at the base of the largest tree. Its branches reach toward the one next to it and form an archway just the right size for us to pass under. As we near the threshold of trees, the tightness in my chest releases and flows through my veins in tingling anticipation.

I finally get to go to Faery.

My dreams are coming true.

Aunt Dalia turns toward me. “Are you sure you have everything you need?”

No. How could I be when I’ve never been? I know the basics. Technology doesn’t work there, some kind of interference from the magic of the world. They’ll give us some dresses and jewelry befitting the role we’re trying for. But those won’t be ready until their tailors can measure us and such, so we’re left to our own fashion choices until then—hence my suitcase filled with some of my nicest outfits. I packed my makeup and my favorite perfume, but I have a feeling they might want us to use fae versions of those too. We’ll see.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say my aunt is stalling. But that’s so not like her. She’s never been one to say no to a party, which is what we’re going to. Humans and fae alike will be gathered to see the women presented before the king for The Choosing.

Despite my uncertainties, I say, “Of course.”

I refuse to give them any reason to believe I can’t do this or that it’ll be a disaster. They already think that, what with my inexperience and being my mother’s daughter. It’s in everything they don’t say, the silent looks they share, and the way their gazes cut to me. After all, I wasn’t trained for this, and I’d bet my pinky finger some of the women I’ll be up against were. It’s not uncommon in gifted families to groom a child to send to Faery, especially if they have more than one with the gift.

Pretty sure that’s what my aunt and uncle intended with Selena, but their desire only shoved her further in the opposite direction. I guess that’s the thing about putting all your eggs in one basket: sometimes you drop that basket and then you’re fucked.

Or they would be, if not for me. Even if I didn’t want to go, I don’t have much of a choice. I don’t doubt that Uncle Matias would pull back his support of my family if I didn’t abide by his wishes, and there’s no way I’d let that happen.

“Well then.” Aunt Dalia gives me a tight-lipped smile, but something in her eyes shines a little too bright. “Let’s go.”

I blink at her for a moment, still in disbelief that those could possibly be tears in her eyes, before I paste on a smile of my own and step through the circle of trees with Selena at my side.