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TRISTAN

Unease spreads through me, though I’m not certain why.

I glance around the banquet hall of the castle that stands within yet another conquered human kingdom.

Faelights dance along the stone walls, casting an orange glow on the drunken revelry of fae soldiers, fellow highborn fae, and Prince Lucas’s scheming advisors.

Weary and frightened human servants flit amongst the gathering, passing out wine, ale, and stronger spirits.

I keep scanning the cavernous room as my unease deepens. I feel as though I’m looking for something, yet I can’t imagine what it might be. Or who it might be.

I watch as Prince Lucas enters the hall and takes a seat on the throne.

We recently conquered this human city known as Sorsston together, and I can’t help but notice the Summer Court prince has been behaving strangely ever since.

He’s also been absent frequently, only making appearances in the banquet hall in the middle of the night.

During the days and evenings, he’s presumably conducting patrols of the countryside, though it’s a task he’s never shown much interest in before.

Usually, he stays close to our twenty-eight thousand strong Summer Court army.

As the uncomfortable sensation continues tugging at me, I keep glancing around the room.

What am I looking for? A human man plays a flute, while a human jester strives to juggle all the oranges a laughing fae soldier keeps tossing at him.

I wonder if the musician and the jester will survive the night.

Probably not. Human entertainers rarely do.

If the musician strikes a wrong note, or if the jester drops an orange, they’ll likely be slaughtered by whichever fae soldier is standing closest.

A trembling, golden-haired human servant girl catches my notice as she approaches Prince Lucas. From across the room, I cannot quite make out her features, but I’m drawn to her nonetheless, and I slowly walk closer.

The servant girl passes the prince a glass of wine and turns to leave, only for him to order her to halt. For some reason, I feel the need to move even nearer, and so I do.

An unexpected protectiveness rises from deep within, even though I haven’t fully glimpsed this servant girl’s face yet.

What is happening?

I’ve never found myself drawn to a human woman before. Perhaps I’ve had too much to drink this evening. I glance down at my cup. But no, I’m only on my second drink, and I’m always careful not to become inebriated in case I’m suddenly called to lead a battle.

Finally, I reach the dias where the prince is seated on the throne. I don’t like that he’s talking to her, nor do I like how close she’s standing to him.

To my shock, a murderous impulse seizes me as I eavesdrop on the conversation he’s having with the trembling human female.

Now that I study her features up close, I realize I’ve seen her around the castle before, though until now, I’ve never felt so inexplicably drawn to her. Or protective of her.

“Turn around and face me, girl,” the prince says, his voice booming in the banquet hall.

Does he plan to take this girl to his quarters tonight?

He has a habit of taking human females to his room, only to leave them untouched.

I know this because I never detect his scent on the women the following day.

It’s a game I suspect he plays to appear vicious to our people, though I’ve never called him out on it because I’ve done the same fucking thing.

The girl turns and faces the prince, her eyes wide with fear. The fear she’s displaying causes another surge of protectiveness to rise within me. Perhaps a bit of possessiveness too.

“Yes, your lordship. Er, your majesty. Forgive me, but no one told me how I ought to address you. Please don’t have me killed,” she whispers. “I will bring you more wine or anything you desire.”

“How old are you?” Prince Lucas asks.

“Nineteen, sir.” She’s pale with increasing fright, and I watch her slender throat move as she swallows hard. She’s so petite and fragile looking, it makes me want to surround her with my arms, envelop her entire body with my wings, and shield her from all danger.

A growl builds inside me, but I force it back. I can’t challenge the prince for a human servant. We’ve served together for over three centuries, and I’ve witnessed him kill advisors for less. Not that I believe he could succeed in killing me, but I have no wish to fight the royal fae to the death.

As the prince makes a show of perusing the female’s body, I remind myself that it’s only a ruse.

He’s not going to claim her. He might drag her kicking and screaming to his quarters, but he won’t claim her.

He’ll glamour her and release her in the morning untouched.

But he’ll allow all the soldiers in the banquet hall to think he violated her, he’ll allow everyone to believe he’s that perverse and cruel.

A bored, fatigued look enters the prince’s eyes, and he lifts a hand as though he’s about to dismiss the girl, but she bursts into tears before he can speak.

“Please don’t have me killed, sir.”

I’m taken aback by the sight of her tears, and I find myself wishing I could draw her close in a caring embrace.

I also long to whisper calming phrases into her ear and comb my fingers through her golden tresses until she ceases sobbing.

But I’m the general of the Summer Court army, and I can’t be seen showing such regard for a human servant.

Nevertheless, I’m unable to walk away from the scene, and I step onto the dias and move to the prince’s side.

“Good evening, Prince Lucas,” I say. “Or rather, good morning. I seem to have lost track of time.” I clear my throat and point at the sobbing girl.

“Would you like me to have this servant removed from the hall?” I cannot keep my gaze off the pretty female, and when her eyes briefly meet mine, I go tense as my chest tightens with a strange but powerful emotion I cannot name.

Or maybe I’m just afraid to name it. Tenderness? Affection?

Gods, it can’t be. Surely I’m just physically attracted to this human. That’s all. Nothing more. Nothing serious. I pray the prince gives me leave to escort this female from the banquet hall. I’m suddenly aware of the dozens of eyes that are upon us.

“Good evening. Good morning. Whatever the fucking time it is,” Prince Lucas snaps. “No, you don’t need to concern yourself with this servant. She is doing an excellent job, and I would like… I would like to see that she gets a raise.”

Excellent job? A raise? Though I’m shocked, I’m careful not to reveal my surprise as I nod and say, “I will relay this information to the castle steward.”

My chest pangs when the girl sobs harder. I don’t like seeing her upset. The need to comfort her is becoming so strong, I’m not certain I’ll be able to resist the urge to draw her close and circle my arms around her small, shaking form.

The prince growls, though it’s a distinct growl of frustration, not one that indicates he’s about to attack the girl. I carefully watch the interaction unfold, ready to intervene if he decides to hurt her.

I’ll summon my wings and slice his throat with the sharp, pointed edges if I must.

The girl falls to her knees. “Please, please, please,” she repeats over and over.

She’s in complete hysterics, the poor thing, apparently convinced she’s drawn the ire of Prince Lucas, never mind that he just complimented her skills and announced she would receive a raise.

Perhaps she thinks it’s a trick or that he’s cruelly toying with her.

I exchange a look with the prince, and I can’t be sure, but he appears uncertain. Almost regretful. It reaffirms my belief that he’s never actually harmed any of the females he’s taken to his quarters in whatever human castle we’re occupying.

Though I remain tense and the surges of protectiveness for the girl keep coming, I’m able to take a deep breath that’s somewhat calming. It helps take the edge off my need to steal away with the girl. Not that I’m sure what I would do with her if I took her into my possession.

A crowd has gathered around us, and I shoot murderous looks around the banquet hall.

My comrades want blood. They’re hungry for it.

They want to watch as Prince Lucas smashes the girl’s skull on the stone floor.

It’s happened before, though never with a female servant.

Only males. I’ve watched the prince kill because it was expected of him.

It’s expected of him now, but I don’t believe he’ll do it.

If he tries to appease the crowd with violence, it’ll be the last thing he ever does.

I watch as Prince Lucas steps down from the dias and lifts the sobbing girl to her feet. It’s all I can do to keep from snarling as he holds her up. He’s touching her, and it should be me touching her. Not him.

He makes brief eye contact with the girl, and she suddenly ceases crying.

A glamour, I realize. He’s glamoured her into a state of calm.

Then he quickly walks her through the crowd, and I get the sense that he wants to remove her from the presence of the bloodthirsty onlookers as quickly as possible.

As he walks her through the gathering, I follow closely, not taking my eyes off the pretty human female’s golden head.

“Sorry to disappoint, my dear friends, but I prefer to fuck in private,” Prince Lucas calls out, and the spectators laugh and start to scatter.

It’s a ruse , I remind myself. It’s just a ruse. He’s not really going to fuck her.

Yet I keep following, and once they reach the hallway that contains the prince’s quarters, I summon an invisibility shield and move even closer, careful to keep my footfalls light.

The prince ushers the young woman into his quarters and shuts the door, but I press my ear to the wood and listen. I’ll flash into his quarters and bludgeon him to death with my fists if he even tries to hurt her.