Page 5

I wiped the sleep from my eyes. Only a select few had access to my personal quarters, and only one would dare disturb my slumber.

Harry.

Sure enough, his familiar voice rang out, "It’s urgent."

I pulled on a dressing gown and grumbled, "Enter."

Without hesitation, he threw open the doors and panted, "Queen Liliana of the Sun Court has arrived. She awaits your audience."

"Queen Liliana?" I repeated.

He nodded. "She’s only just arrived."

"But why? She’s not on my schedule." And even if she were, I’d have never scheduled her at this hour. I stared at him pointedly. "Are you aware of the time?"

I had more troubles than just the soul rot that might kill me. I was twice cursed, and there was a troublesome time limitation involved in the second.

"Forrest, I know."

"And yet…"

He sighed. "She is of the Sun Court. You know they retire at sunfall. If you are to accommodate her, it must be now."

"We have but minutes," I insisted. "Send one of the advisors instead."

He bit his lip. "I considered this. Unfortunately, the first to volunteer was Hawthorne. The others approved it."

I groaned. "We can’t send him."

"I know," Harry repeated.

I took a deep breath and then released it all at once. "Fine, but we must move quickly."

"The kitchens have already been alerted. Her ladies-in-waiting as well. She will meet you out on the Sunrise Veranda. You need only get dressed."

The Sunrise Veranda was a part of my private wing. That meant I could return to my chambers quickly, and should something go wrong, few would see. Harry had truly thought of everything. I nodded my agreement.

"I’ll serve the ladies tea while you dress," he said.

"Move swiftly," I warned.

"Same to you," he said as he disappeared out the door.

Not ten minutes later, I was sitting in twilight. Will-o'-the-wisps vanished and reappeared like lightning bugs on the dark horizon. Candles burned on an elegantly dressed table.

Queen Liliana was waiting. She rose as I approached. "My dear, Forrest," she greeted me. "I am surprised to be welcomed so early in the morning. I was under the impression your court slept in."

I kissed her hands and gave her my most charming grin. I am a fae, so of course, I couldn’t lie. However, the right truths found their way to my lips with ease. "Queen Liliana, when I heard the news of your arrival, it was all I could do to stop from running down the hall."

Indeed, I did force my footsteps to remain slow and steady. For, I had minutes, not hours, before this entire sham fell apart.

Upon the sun’s rise, I would turn into a frog.

Many fae changed forms. The selkies changed from women into seals. It was rumored a nearby court’s princess changed into a swan. However, my change was not elective.

I bore a witch’s curse.

From sunrise until sunfall, I became a frog.