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

Chapter 8

T he next morning, Fia wakes me early so I can join the others for yoga. The halls are still quiet, most of the residents in their beds, as I wander through the pristine halls of gilded marble toward the garden. When I reach it, the sky has started to lighten, the first rays of sunlight still blocked by the palace walls and the soaring trees with their dark crimson trunks that spear out of the large courtyard to the sky. Dew glimmers on the grass, and each breath I inhale of the cool morning air clears out some of the lingering wine fog that I awoke in. Thank goodness I don’t have a hangover.

Two guards stand near the threshold and gesture silently to where Adeline and Zoe stretch on mats set up in a flat, grassy area.

I slip off my shoes, grab a rolled mat from a nearby stack that has been set out, and make my way barefoot to join them, leaving a little trail of footprints through the mossy grass.

“Good morning,” Adeline whispers with a smile.

I echo her greeting in my own quiet tones and receive a nod from Zoe, who presently has one foot braced in her hands where she stretches it up behind her in a half-arc .

It’s been too long since I’ve done yoga, and all but the basic movements elude my memory. It’ll have to be enough. First though, I take my time stretching out on the mat.

I’m convinced it’ll just be the three of us when a chorus of giggles slips out into the peaceful morning. They aren’t disruptive though, making themselves at home among the plumeria flowers and crisp air. Grace and Alex make their way out into the courtyard, stopping to shed their shoes and grab a mat just as I did.

“Is this all of us then?” Alex asks when she reached us.

“I think so,” Zoe replies with a shrug. “If not, they can join in when they get here.”

Grace and Alex add their mats to our line. Five human women in a quiet fae courtyard. I wonder what the fae will say if and when they inevitably venture out this morning and find us here.

“Um…” Adeline looks between me on one side and Zoe on her other, where she sits on her legs atop the mat. “I’ve only done this with someone leading the poses. Would anyone feel comfortable doing that?”

Thank goodness it isn’t just me. Unfortunately, I can’t help her.

“I will.” Zoe finishes her stretch. “I used to teach a course at the local gym.” She moves her mat into position in front of our line and takes a seat with the soles of her feet pressed together in front of her. “What level are you all?”

“Um…” Grace muses.

“Beginner is good,” I say. “At least for today.”

Zoe grins. “Beginner it is.”

She leads us through a series of movements as the sky brightens fully into morning. A murmur of activity picks up inside the palace, slipping out into the garden, but I hardly notice. The poses we work through both test and relax my body and let me mind slip into a blissful state unlike any I’ve had since arriving in Faery .

Lysandir didn’t make an appearance at dinner last night, thank goodness, but what would have been a successful meal ended on a sour note. By some poor stroke of luck or fate mocking the rest of us, Cora was picked to stay and have another glass of wine with Vasilius after the rest of us left. Cora with her innuendo, high-pitched laughter, and obvious flirting. Just the thought of it nearly sets my teeth on edge. I suck in an especially deep breath and blow it out slowly as I sink into downward dog pose.

Maybe he was just getting the worst out of the way first.

We finish off with child’s pose. I lay there, relaxed and peaceful, until a weight settles between my shoulder blades. My brows scrunch. It so insistent, it almost feels like someone poking me. I wiggle and swipe at my back, trying to dislodge a bug or whatever it is, but nothing is there.

The feeling leaves, only to return against a minute later. I swat at my back again but nothing. I grit my teeth and unfurl from the pose. The other women still rest calmly, finishing the routine. A few guards linger around. Others have passed by. Bailey sits cross-legged on a bench nearby, an open book in her hands.

None of them are what I’m searching for. I’m sure of it. I begin to roll up my mat when the feeling comes again. I look back over my shoulder, and my heart lodges in my throat.

The king has come to watch us. He looms on a second-floor balcony near the railing. That’s who I felt. Almost like my spirit is already attuning to his.

I turn back just as quickly, pretending I didn’t see him sneaking a peak. If he wanted us to know, he would have announced himself. I set to rolling up my mat again. A few others have risen and are doing the same, but they don’t seem to know who has joined us. The most delightful scent wafts by on a breeze. Coffee .

A sweet and satisfied ache fills my muscles as I get to my feet and look toward the source of the scent. Fia stands next to the guards watching us, a large tray balanced between her hands with a few steaming cups.

I hazard a glance back at the balcony. My stomach drops. The king is still there…except not. From a distance and at first glance they look so much alike that I didn’t recognize the figure on the balcony.

It’s not Vasilius but Lysandir.

His attention is focused on me, and I’ve stared entirely too long.

I snap my head toward Fia and make a beeline in her direction. I drop my mat on the pile as I pass by.

“Don’t tell me you’re a mind reader too,” I say to Fia as I take an offered cup. The liquid nearly burns on the way down but not nearly as badly as the back of my neck. I hazard a glance back at the balcony, but it’s empty now.

She laughs. “You did tell me to bring you coffee every day.”

“Still, this is above and beyond.” I gesture to the tray and additional cups. Two small bowls are present too that I hadn’t noticed before—cream and sugar. I don’t favor either, but she really is prepared for anything.

She shrugs as best she can with the tray still in her hands. “I thought the others might want some too.”

“Oh, and we do,” Grace croons as she arrived at my side. “We really do.”

Grace takes hers black. But Alex adds sugar until the little bowl Fia brought is nearly empty.

“So much for relaxing,” I say, brows raised at her cup.

“I like it sweet.” She takes a long sip, her eyes rolling in pleasure. “Besides, we’ve got that thing with the kids in a bit. I’m going to need all my wits for that. ”

“Not a fan of kids?” I ask.

Alex shudders. “Smelly, loud, never still.”

“Just like you.” Grace pokes her in the side.

“Hey!” Alex swatted at her. “I do not smell.” She sniffs at her armpit. “Okay, well maybe a little.”

To be fair, I do too. Yoga might be relaxing, but it never fails to make me sweat. “I think we all do. And we should probably get cleaned up before we spend time with the king.”

That, and I can not handle another run in with Lysandir if he’s headed this way.

“Excellent point.” Alex sighs. “But I’m taking this with me.” She wraps her hands a little tighter around her mug before heading inside. Grace follows her.

I’m about to leave when I notice Adeline talking to a guard. He holds rolled-up yoga mats in his outstretched arms, waiting as Adeline adds another to the pile. She picks up the last two and says, “I’ll carry these.”

He shakes his head. “I wouldn’t ask you to carry them, Lady Adeline.”

“You’re not.” She grins. “I’m offering. You have too many already. Besides, I’d like to walk with you.” His sandy cheeks flush, but he doesn’t argue with her.

“Coffee, Adeline?” I offer as they passed by.

“Oh.” She tears her eyes away from the guard, seeming to finally notice Fia and her tray. “No thanks.” Just as quickly, her focus shifts back to her companion, and she says, “Lead the way.”

I watch them go, marveling at the seeming friendship that’s developed between her and her guard already. Or did they know each other before? My brows pinch. She has visited here often. Either way, it’s a reminder of how behind I am, of the connections some of the others have that I don’t .

“I’ll take these back and then come help you get ready,” Fia says, breaking me from my reverie.

“Eh, bring them to my room. I’ll drink them.”

Her eyes widen. “All of them?”

I wink. “One can never have too much coffee.”

She shakes her head but keeps her rueful demeanor. “If you insist.”