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He opened his mouth, anger in his eyes, but a chuckle cut him off, startling a squeak from him as he stumbled into a clumsy bow.‘Your Majesty,’ he said quickly.‘I—she—Miss Summers isn’t quite ready for inspection yet.Perhaps if you give me a couple more hours, I could—’ Solas held up his hand and the man instantly closed his mouth, but I could have sworn a layer of perspiration began to bead on his forehead.

‘Maybe this equinox thing isn’t a good idea,’ I said, feeling more self-conscious now that I had an audience.

‘Nonsense,’ Solas said, striding towards me confidently.‘You forget, I’ve seen you dance before.’

‘Yeah, and it made me so nervous I wanted to throw up.’

Solas was silent as he held his hand out to me, and my mind was thrown back to that night at the Hunt Ball when he’d asked me to dance in front of the entire court, reminded me of the moment Tarian had stepped between us, had led me from the room, had—

‘The insolence,’ my instructor hissed, shoving me forward and waking me from my stupor.‘This is the Seelie King.Who areyouto refuse him?’

Solas glared at the man and he shrank down again.‘A thousand apologies, Your Majesty,’ he said, offering the most dramatic bow I’d ever seen.

I took his hand as my instructor backed away, fear turning his skin pale and clammy.‘He’s unpleasant, but don’t you think you were a bit too intimidating?’I said quietly so that only Solas would hear me.His touch was warm as his fingers gently curled around my own.Somehow, it made me feel lonely, knowing that it was someone else’s touch I craved, someone I couldn’t have, someone Ishouldn’twant.

‘I’m the king, I’m nottooanything,’ he said, his lips curling into a satisfied smile.He clearly enjoyed making the man sweat.He pulled me in, placing his other hand on my waist, and suddenly it all felt incredibly intimate.

‘I’m sure you have more important things to do than help me learn to dance,’ I said.

‘More important, probably, but far less enjoyable,’ he replied, offering me a charming smile.My instructor began to fan his face.When he caught my eye, he scrambled towards the gramophone and placed the needle down.Music filled the room, forcing my attention back to the Seelie King.He was watching me with an expression I couldn’t read.

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’I asked, suddenly suspicious as he began to lead me in the steps.I heard a gasp from my instructor, which I did my best to ignore.The man was far too loud and obvious in his watching.

‘You do know that no one else speaks to me the way you do?’he asked, amusement in his voice.

‘Something else I need to work on before the party, no doubt,’ I said, feeling my cheeks flush.There were just too many things to remember.I was sure I was going to make a complete fool of myself and commit some act of social suicide.As if I needed another reason for these people to talk about me.

‘Perhaps for the party, but not when we’re alone,’ he said.

‘Solas, I—’ I averted my eyes, not sure where to look or how to divert the conversation.It wasn’t the first time he’d flirted with me, but it only ever made me uncomfortable.Maybe this was the way it would always be, now that I was bonded.Perhaps the idea of another man was always going to feel wrong.Did that doom me to never finding love again?I had to assume my love for Tarian had no future, after what he’d done.And I had heard nothing from him since I’d arrived at the Summer Palace.Perhaps it was foolish to think I would.

‘Don’t make that face,’ Solas said, bringing us to a stop.‘I don’t know what he did to you, but to hurt you this badly, I know he doesn’t deserve you.You shouldn’t let him consume your thoughts.’

‘When all I see is the inside of the palace, what else should I think about?’I asked.There were ample distractions inside the palace, but I longed for the freedom to roam further, to explore what else this realm had to offer aside from palaces and princes and kings.

His lips curled into an almost smile.‘I suppose I did promise you could see more than the palace walls.We will have to remedy that after the celebration.’He released me then, turning his attention back to my instructor.‘Her lessons seem to be coming along fine.Let’s leave it here for today.’

‘O-of course, Your Majesty,’ my instructor said, flourishing that ridiculously dramatic bow of his.‘Thank you, Your Majesty.’

Solas turned to me once more.‘Rest now.I have business to attend to tonight, but Marietta will keep you company.’

‘Yes.I’m grateful for her,’ I said warmly.And I wasn’t unhappy to eat dinner with her alone, since we usually snuck out of the palace to eat in the gardens.For a brief moment, it almost let me forget where I was.

‘Good, then I’ll see you at the celebration tomorrow.’He took my hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it, his eyes never leaving mine, and I felt a blush creeping into my cheeks.As I watched him leave, I couldn’t for the life of me understand what he saw in me.Worse than not reciprocating whatever feelings he was nurturing, I had already given my heart to someone else, someone who didn’t want it.

‘What is wrong with me?’I muttered before giving myself a shake.Solas might have given me the rest of the afternoon off, but my dance instructor could change his mind at any moment if I gave him the chance.I hurried out of the dance hall and back to my room.

Sitting on the cool grass, I watched as the moon began its ascent in the night sky.Once, the dark had scared me, making me feel as if I was being sucked into a void where nothing but terror resided.But since coming to this place, I had faced so many fears, so many dangers, that the dark was less intimidating now.

‘I’m so full,’ Marietta said, throwing herself back against the grass to stare up at the night sky.I smiled at her, laying down to join her, watching the stars with the same wonder that I had the night Tarian had broken my glamour.There were so many more of them visible to my keener fae eyesight.

‘You’ve been working especially hard these past few days,’ she said.

‘I don’t think my tutors would have accepted anything less.They’re more anxious about the equinox than I am.’And that was saying something.I’d had very little interaction with the Seelie Court, I had no idea what to expect, I’d just be glad if there wasn’t another hunt.

‘It will be nice to have someone to talk to at these events.I know you’re not looking forward to it, but I’m selfishly glad.’

‘Surely there are other people you’re close to?’