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

Chapter 28

“ D idn’t see you much last night.” Grace plops down on the seat next to me and gives a little yelp when a few drops of coffee splash over the rim of her mug and onto her hand.

I stifle another yawn and sip at my own mug—my second—before responding. “It was hard to find anyone with so many people around.” I shrug. “Besides, I wanted to catch up with my cousin and spent a good bit of time with her.”

She offers a half smile. “I wish I could say the same. I mostly tried to avoid my family and their endless line of questions. Seriously, I wonder if they even read my letters. Not like I sent that many.”

“You all should have focused less on your families and more on the king.” Katherine sits a little straighter and raises her chin as if she’s already been crowned queen. “But then, I’m glad you didn’t because I had my focus where it should be and got to dance with him three times.”

Zoe snorts as she slides around a nearby chair and drops into the seat. “Only because you threw yourself at him and he was too gentlemanly to say no.”

Katherine scowls at her, a flush rising to her cheeks .

“Besides, it’s not like you got the most dances.” Zoe takes a bite of a banana-like fruit, chewing slowly, triumphantly.

“Oh?” Having missed a large chunk of the party, I completely missed much of the dancing. It’s a good thing I got that first dance in so my absence wasn’t even more suspicious. By the time we returned, drinks were flowing freely and most people—fae and human alike—had partaken liberally. The party wore on another few hours, which for me, were filled with longing looks at Lysandir from a distance and more conversation with my cousin, who spent considerable time gushing about Wren and all that she’d learned from her. I was all too happy for the distraction and thankful she wanted to talk about that instead of gaping at me wide-eyed and pushing for more on the revelations I shared with her.

By the time I returned to my room, I could barely keep my eyes open, and even my feet had started to hurt—something I believed impossible with the mastery that is fae footwear. Apparently even it has its comfort limits. Still, I lay awake in bed replaying my time with Lysandir, my mind chanting mate over and over, until morning light was already creeping in my window.

I managed a few hours of sleep before Fia arrived around noon to help me dress for the day, saying that Elaine asked for us all to meet in the parlor, having some surprise in store.

“Not me.” Zoe swallows her bite and raises her hands in front of her. “That honor goes to Bailey. And where is she this morning?” She glances around for emphasis, a hint of mischief in her gaze.

Despite my sleeplessness and the difficulty of dragging myself out of bed, I wasn’t the last one here. A shock to be sure. Though I highly doubt Bailey of all people would be up to anything not completely above board. If I’ve learned anything about her, it’s that she’s probably the most respectable, color-inside-the-lines one of us all .

Grace sighs. “If it wasn’t obvious that she was the king’s favorite, it sure is now.”

“You can’t know that for sure,” Katherine snaps, but even her voice holds a bit of uncertainty.

Zoe levels her with a flat look that reads, Really? Give it up.

The door opens, and we all sit a little straighter, expecting the dowager, but it’s Bailey at last, with Cora at her side, the two locked in what could pass for friendly conversation. They cross the room together, heading for coffee and food.

Katherine nearly gapes, personally affronted by her friend’s seeming shift in loyalty.

Grace raises her brows before shaking her head. “Can’t beat ’em, join ’em, I guess.”

Elaine arrives not long after, informing us that we’ll all be able to spend some more quality time with our families before they return to Earth for their safety amid the ongoing Unseelie concerns. But that’s not her surprise. The figures who enter after she calls to the guards to let her guests in steal all the air from the room.

Lia and Wren.

They’re dressed more casually today but still bear their respective court colors of green and blue, which stand out in sharp relief against the warm tones of the Court of Fire.

Wren casually pans her gaze across the group of us before returning to settle on me. She gives the smallest nod of her head, her smile widening just a bit as a knowing look crosses her face.

All at once, I both yearn to speak with her and wish to be anywhere else. She knows. She knew before I did. There may be nothing romantic between her and Lysandir, but he clearly trusted her enough to divulge a huge secret that he didn’t even share with his brother…though there’s a damn good reason for that little exclusion.

“I thought it may be helpful for you ladies to speak with others your age who have gone through what one of you will soon experience. That is, being the bonded of a king of Faery.” Elaine leans heavily on her cane, but one quick look is enough to wave off the guard who tries to offer her a chair. “I will give you all space to talk without my old ears around.”

The dowager queen has barely left the room before the flood of questions begins.

“Did you really not know you were gifted?”

“How did you end up in Faery?”

“What is your court like?”

Lia steps back like we’re a pack of rabid dogs, and honestly, we’re acting like it. Wren, however, laughs and handles it like a pro. I had heard she was a bartender before her adventure in Faery, so I suppose she has experience wrangling rowdy groups.

Time slips by in a rush, and before I know it, they’re leaving and I’ve yet to find a way to talk to Wren about Lysandir, as I’d hoped. There was just no good way to approach that topic with all the other women around. Though if Wren’s frequent looks and encouraging smiles were any indication, she wanted to say something too but couldn’t manage it either.

The rest of the afternoon is mixed heaven and hell. Spending time with Selena? Awesome. Hanging out with her parents and enduring their reminders of how important it is that I represent the family well and such? Misery.

I’m all too happy to retreat to my room at the end of the day, though it’d be a lie to say I’m not disappointed to find my room empty. I know Lysandir is probably busy with the others courts, given that they leave in the morning. I know we’re supposed to keep things secret to avoid appearing like outright traitors to the king. That knowledge didn’t stop hope though. Going through the rest of this competition, knowing what the future might hold, seeing the man I actually want but having to hold back and pretend I’m interested in his brother instead is going to be a misery.

I collapse back onto my bed with a sigh. It holds me close, beckoning me to rest, so I don’t even bother to change or wash my face before I kick off my shoes and slide farther onto the comforter.

The edge of blissful sleep has just started to creep over my consciousness when there’s a firm knock at the door. I groan, shoving upright.

It’s no surprise when Fia cracks open the door and pokes her head in. “Good, you’re awake.”

“Just barely,” I grumble. She’s far too attentive to miss checking in on me, even if sometimes I’d prefer it.

She slips into the room, her customary upbeat skip in her step. “I see you’re tired. However, I agreed to deliver this straight away.”

A letter sealed with wax is held in her outstretched hand.

It summons me like a beacon, and I nearly rip the thing out of her hands. I’ve snapped the seal and unfolded a moment later. But as soon as I take in the handwriting, my heart drops. It’s far too messy to be Lysandir’s flowing and precise script. Actually, it lacks all the smooth and artistic rhythm of the fae handwriting I’ve seen, which makes perfect sense when I spy the signature at the bottom.

“Wren.”

“Yes.” Fia’s crisp reply gives away her annoyance. “I take it you were expecting a message from her?” She wanders over to my desk and dressing table, reordering the array of things she undoubted already organized earlier in the day.

“I wasn’t actually.”

“Oh?” She looks over one shoulder. “It seemed like you were.”

“I thought it might have been from someone else. ”

She blinks at me expectant and curious.

“My cousin or one of my family.” The lie comes easily.

Dear Mira,

I’m sorry we didn’t get the chance to catch up earlier today. I know yesterday was probably a shock, but you seem to have taken it well. I hope you won’t hold it against him. Sometimes love makes people foolish. Take my friend Galen, for example. He loved a woman so much he did something truly stupid—kidnap me actually—to try to get back to her.

Don’t worry. I made it home safely, and he made it back to her too. And yes, I forgave him because, while what he did was dumb, he did it out of love. He also thought I’d be completely safe, but I digress.

The point is, I hope you forgive a certain someone for keeping secrets. Hopefully we can spend more time together soon.

P.S. Selena is awesome, and I’ll be sending her so much stuff for her database.

From Wren

I fold the letter back up and tuck it into my palm. Wren was carefully vague in her letter, probably in case anyone else read it. I appreciate that she thought to send it, even if the advice wasn’t necessary.

I know why Lysandir kept things a secret. Do I wish I’d know sooner? Yes. But I’m surprisingly not aggrieved about it. I know now. We’ll figure out a way forward, somehow.

“What did it say?” Fia asks.

“Just some advice,” I reply.

An almost feral gleam sparks in her eyes. “Advice on how to win a king?”

“Uh… Something like that.”

“Winning over the queen of another court.” She gives a wistful sigh. “And this after earning the prince’s favor too.”

“The what?” I ask far too quickly. The letter suddenly feels damning, though it was still sealed and I have a good feeling she didn’t read it.

“He hasn’t visited anyone else or paid them much attention either. But don’t worry. I’ve kept that to myself.” She makes a sign like zipping her lips. “If the king doesn’t pick you, hopefully the prince will.” A wide grin stretches across her face.

“Uh…” I grasp for words, not finding them. “I suppose we’ll see how The Choosing turns out first.”

“Never hurts to have a plan B.” She winks.

If only I had her optimism.