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‘A hunt?’I asked, that panic gnawing at the edges of my mind.‘They’re going tohuntus?’

‘Yes.But the idea is to catch, not kill...mostly.’

‘Mostly?’

‘There are sometimes fatalities,’ he admitted.‘But, given the way you look tonight, and the fact that you’re human, you have a good chance at being the grand prize tomorrow.So, you should be safe.Relatively.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘There are rarely humans at the hunt, so that makes you more enticing as a target.The grand prize is supposed to be taken alive, and the winner—that is, whoever catches you—takes you to the Hunt Ball after.’

My brow furrowed.The more I learned about the fae, the less I felt I actually knew.How could they combine an act of such barbary with an act of such civility?‘Assuming for a second that any of that makes sense, what if I’m not the grand prize?’

‘Then we’d better hope your prince is really good at this game,’ Ethan said.‘You should get some sleep.You’ll need to be well rested tomorrow.’

‘What about you?’I asked as I leaned my head against his shoulder.‘What happens to you tomorrow?’

‘Don’t worry about me.This actually isn’t my first hunt.’

‘What?’I asked, lifting my head to stare at him in surprise.

He laughed bashfully.‘Yes, well, what can I say?I’m a rapscallion.So, no worrying about me, okay?You just focus on making it out alive, and I’ll see you at the ball.’

‘Okay...’I said, not feeling sure of anything anymore.I should have stayed at the castle.I should never have come to the festival with Ves.

‘At least you can be sure of one thing,’ Ethan said as I felt myself sinking into exhaustion.

‘What’s that?’

‘I think your prince is going to kill Vesryn.’

Chapter 19

Tarian

Thepitshiftedwithshadow and firelight as the torches ringing the sunken stage were lit.The surrounding tiers were all but obscured by darkness, but hundreds of high fae spectators would be in place, ready to assess the offerings and judge the scores they were appointed.The Seelie King and the Unseelie Queen sat side-by-side in a show of false goodwill, chatting pleasantries with each other as they waited for the show to begin.Traditions of forced amity plagued our politics, thanks to the old King Oberon who had split the courts into two some millennia ago.He’d always meant there to be friendship and collaboration between Seelie and Unseelie.He was a fool.

‘I’ve decided that I’m going to beat you this year,’ Ves said as he joined me by the railing, rolling his neck.‘I’m feeling in very good form.’

‘That’s because you’re usually so drunk you can hardly stand by now,’ I muttered.‘And this year, I don’t care.The sooner they’re all caught, the sooner the game is over.’

He slung an arm around my shoulders.‘How can you be so unceasingly committed to spoiling all the fun?She’s likely curled up under a tree somewhere, sleeping off a hangover.She probably had a much better night than you did, and when you find her, she’ll think you’re an idiot for being so worried.’He straightened, slipping his arm back to himself as a portly male in a spangled waistcoat entered the arena.‘You’ll probably want to give her some time to right herself, really.Find her too soon, and you might see something you’d rather you didn’t.’

‘Keep talking, and I’ll be hunting you instead of the tributes.’I kept my gaze fixed away from him, because if I saw the smirk on his face I’d want to wipe it off with violence.His glee at the entire situation simmered just below his every word.He couldn’t help himself.

As the tributes began to be led into the arena, stumbling and tied at the wrists, Solas left his seat to stand by us.

‘I’m always surprised to see you here, Tarian,’ the Seelie King drawled, leaning over the railing slightly as he looked over the tributes, gleaming in a coat iced with enough gold and jewels to feed a small nation.‘It’s as though you really think you’ll one day be king.’

‘I’m always surprised to see what you choose to wear to a hunt, Solas.It’s like you’ve given up before it’s begun.’

Solas shook his head.‘You are a mite too free with your words for someone who represents the Unseelie Court’s greatest weakness.I’d have thought you would learn from your cousin that those in uncertain positions have to master licking boots to keep from being kicked.’

‘He’d have to be behind you to lick your boots,’ Ves said jovially.‘And he beat you last year.’

‘Fifty points,’ Solas called into the arena as a trembling female trying to hold up the straps of her dress was brought to the centre of the stage.A smattering of applause followed as she was led away again.‘I awarded that one more than she’s worth, I’d wager,’ he said to me, ignoring Ves’s comment.‘A nice consolation prize for you.Easy to chase down without having so low a value as to be embarrassing.’

He cast judgement on a few others, declaring two thirty points and another forty.A white-haired half-breed male was led to the centre, and Solas squinted at him, humming over how fast he looked, before declaring him sixty points.But I was no longer listening.My grip on the railing tightened into a white-knuckle strangle as every muscle in my body tensed.My heart began to pound, blood pumping loudly in my ears.