Page 56 of Fated or Knot (UnseelieVerse: The Omega Masquerade #1)

56

LARK

W hen we stepped out into the hall, three heads turned our way. Tormund and Marius had joined Kauz at the entrance to the royal wing. They must’ve been waiting to hear my decision, and their expressions said it all. Kauz wore his concern most openly, since the alphas were distracted quickly by my presence. Their nostrils flared, and they eyed me up and down in a cascade of sparks. Yellow and gold from Marius, and gray and orange from Tormund’s ignited eyes.

“Get dressed, lads. We’re going out,” Fal said.

A rumble of denial rose from the gentle giant. But Fal had his arm around me, and steered me down the hallway before he could voice a protest.

“He told you everything?” Marius asked over our bond.

“I think so. Everything except for what event we’re going to.”

“Good.” That was all he said, plus a low growl of approval.

I wondered why the secrecy, when we stepped into my rooms and I spotted the next surprise with a gasp. A cluster of alert female house moths, with Jani and Lon at the front, waited beside a small boutique. First there were clothes still hanging in protective wrappings, then shoes, makeup, and jewelry new and on display in their boxes.

Tingling with giddiness, I glanced at Fal, who soaked in my reaction. “Remember when I got your measurements? These are all yours. The dresses are audition pieces from several designers who want to be your personal tailor. The prompt was to make a pixie dress for a Serian princess. They’ve included accessories to complete the looks, but no one would mind if you mixed and matched.” He winked at that.

“All this is for me?” I asked. My lips wobbled with emotion. Stars, he had to have been planning this since he’d first gotten my clothes measurements, and that was when I was still wearing a cast.

He combed his fingers through my hair and nodded. “I can’t take it anymore. Kiss me with closed lips, like we’re fumbling teenagers,” he invited.

I was more than willing to do that. I tilted my head up to meet his lips, but I couldn’t help a giggle as it felt purposefully awkward not to taste one another’s pheromones. He drew back and licked his lips anyway, growling in a way that was more alpha than refined prince. “Enjoy picking your outfit. You have plenty of time. Remember, this is our date and we’re still going to have fun,” he murmured.

“We are,” I agreed. I watched him leave the room with a thread of regret tightening around my stomach. I hated that there was a fog of uncertainty over everything except for my imminent heat.

I pushed my worries to the side and turned to the gaggle of house moths. Jani and Lon jumped to introduce the other females as the handmaidens that served the other princesses. The group waited as I inspected the dresses first. “You should try them on, Princess. See what fits and feels best,” Jani suggested.

The handmaidens provided several extra hands to help me in and out of each dress. There were eight in total, all fashion statements in their own right. If Fal hadn’t mentioned pixie dresses, I wouldn’t have immediately thought that was the inspiration.

I didn’t have to be tied into any of them, though one did have a bold slit up both sides that showed a flash of panties. It was an automatic no. I inspected each dress when it was on my body and I narrowed down to the right selection one by one. Once I picked the best dress, for how it felt on my skin and accentuated my body’s natural curves, the handmaidens swept me up in a flurry of activity.

There were appropriate undergarments to find and makeup to apply. I disappeared in a cloud of pink powder that was approximately my skin tone and tried not to giggle as one determined house moth painted my face, while another asked if I wanted the undergarments with extra lift or extra support, and a third suggested I forgo heels for a pair of slippers. And those shoes she was waving around were very cute. “One at a time, ladies! Also, extra lift.” I wanted to look sexy for this event. Whatever it was, I was attending by Fal’s side.

Despite my request, there was a lot of work they needed to do to get me ready. A fourth moth tiptoed behind me with brushes, combs, and flash curlers for my hair. Lon took my right hand and Jani my left to file and paint my fingernails with shimmery pink-purple lacquer. I also started to feel like a posable doll with so many hands working on preparing me at the same time.

The house moth with the shoes returned, showing me each pair one by one. I decided on the slippers anyway. They were a dark purple cloth, cut and shaped for support while also designed to look like I’d wrapped my feet in indigo leaves fresh out of a Seelie forest.

I saw the inspiration reflected back at me in a full length mirror once we were all done. My chosen dress left my shoulders bare, with floaty sleeves attached to the bodice that ended in a bell shape around my wrists. The fabric hugged my torso and formed a design of layered feathers on my upper chest.

The gravity-defying extra lift undergarments pressed my breasts up and out to make an alluring crease. The moth that’d helped me into the strapless undergarment nodded in approval. “Siora always says your décolletage should cause alphas to break their necks. I think yours will,” she said sweetly.

Siora would absolutely say that, I thought, picturing the voluptuous nixie in something far more daring than what I was wearing.

I smiled brightly and thanked the handmaiden before swishing my skirts around. The best part about this dress was absolutely the layered skirts that tinkled with multiple tiny bells with every movement. The back of the fabric hit my knees, so there was no danger of sitting on any of the silvery bells that’d been sewn all the way around each skirt. To finish off the pixie dress inspiration, this garment came with a braided silver belt, from which hung more bells that chimed gently with every sway of my hips.

It was perfect. My wing dust clung to it the longer I wore it, giving it the kind of sparkle it needed to really pop. I thought the dress was so great, I only completed the look by putting on a pair of amethyst hoop earrings. They glinted while I adjusted my hair to frame my painted face just right. I’d grown my hair out enough that, even curled, the white strands brushed my bare shoulders.

“You look beautiful, Princess,” Jani said.

“There’s one more thing. A gift just arrived,” Lon added. The house moths squeaked excitedly as they gathered around to see what was in the box she handed me. We all gasped when the light hit the bracelet within. It was a solid chain of gold with amethysts and diamonds glittering upon it.

I knew what this was before I even read the note folded up in the box.

Larkie,

This is a special bracelet that’s been treated with multiple layers of magic. While you’re wearing it, it will completely change your scent. Please wear it! Otherwise your pre-heat smell is going to start a hundred fights tonight.

Love,

Your Favorite Bonus Dad

I put it on immediately. My smell probably changed, though I was nose blind to my own pheromones.

The first thing Fal had explained earlier was about Rennyn and his involvement in orchestrating what would happen tonight. “My father does know what he’s doing. He’s acting in his position as Spymaster of Serian. Aye, surprise, he’s got his fingers in thwarting every treasonous plot, murder attempt, and kidnapping plan that’s attempted in and around the palace. He has a hundred years of experience outmaneuvering alphas with more brains than the bark brothers combined.

“With that in mind, your role in his plan is to lure the bark brothers out of hiding. They have to have a reason to act recklessly, and they will . Your perfume could cause any unbonded alpha in this city to think with his cock, let alone three males who already know what you smell like. But we’re going out in public, so you cannot go around smelling breedable until the right moment. My father is going to give you some shiny bauble layered with somewhat illegal spell work that his spies use to obfuscate their scents. And he’s going to do the same thing to Marius, Tormund, and me, just because he thinks we stink. You must wear it, mo stór .”

So far, Fal was completely right about how tonight would go. Some of what he’d told me had been based on his intuition, as he’d been benevolently manipulated by Rennyn countless times to avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong moment.

“Should I tell the princes you’re ready?” Lon offered, cutting into my thoughts.

“Yes, please.” I practically vibrated with anticipation to see my mates’ faces when they saw me all dolled up. In the meantime, I thanked the gaggle of handmaidens for their help. They bowed happily and rushed off to go help the other princesses, my pair of house moths were included.

I was only alone for a few minutes, before Kauz slipped into the room. He froze three paces in my direction and his eyes widened, exposing more purple-threaded nebulae. “Wow, sweetheart. I think you stopped my heart for a moment. You’re a vision.”

“Thank you.” I wiggled my wings with joy. “You look great as well.”

I didn’t think I’d seen him in a suit before. It was a different style than Fal’s usual looks, since his tailor had to work around his wings. His jacket was a deep plum color, and his pants and undershirt were black rather than his signature gray. He wore a set of dark gloves with intricate stitching along the back that glowed the same silvery white as his magic.

He came over, pulling at his jacket sleeve, lips parted. Whatever he was going to say went unaired. By the shape of his eyelids, he was definitely looking at my décolletage. “Kauz,” I prompted with a giggle.

“We have to dress you up more,” he said, giving his head a shake. “I’m here to place a tracking spell on you before we go.”

I nodded, unsurprised. “Kauz’s only job tonight is to use his magic and wings to spirit you to safety if things go sideways,” Fal had explained.

What was a little surprising was him pulling the top of my dress enough that he could pinch the edge of my undergarment to leave the spell on it. “This looks uncomfortable?” he ventured.

“It’s the extra lift version.”

“Aye, it’s lifting all right.” He flashed his blunt teeth in a grin. I smiled back, dazzled for a moment.

Fal’s confession of worry for his younger brother came back to me. I tilted my head at Kauz thoughtfully, figuring I’d never seen the version of him who’d suppressed himself because of his overwhelming empathy. Hopefully I never would.

He tilted his head back. “What is it?”

I could open up an awkward conversation where I’d have to tell him what his brother said, or just used a Fal-style deflection. I cleared my throat and did the latter. “I was just wondering if I shouldn’t have all this showing tonight. You’re the voice of reason right now, and even you’re distracted.”

“I have eyes, my Always.” He rested his palms on my hips, which I swayed in his hold to make my skirts rustle and ring with tiny bells. “Don’t cover a thing. I can’t wait to see everyone else’s reactions.”

“Me neither.”

We shared a conspiratorial look. “Let me see if anyone else is ready through the pack bond,” he murmured. His gaze was intent on mine as he stepped to the sway of my hips, drawing me into an impromptu dance in the meantime.

I didn’t think he asked anything over the pack bond for a few minutes as we enjoyed one another’s company. His lips eventually twitched as he said, “That’s right, Marius isn’t dressing up. He’s guarding you tonight.”

The kelpie in question walked into the room, and Kauz gently spun me toward the door. Marius had cleaned himself up, but he was in plain, dark clothing with a pair of axes tied to his hips. He took one look at me and growled. “I see I’m breaking some wrists tonight.”

“Better than necks,” I mused.

“That’s a good idea. Thank you, p’nixie.”

I nearly protested, but I could sense through our bond that he wasn’t serious, though that was combined with a hefty amount of lust and aggression boiling through his blood. He came over and sniffed me, his lips twisting to the side with a chuff of displeasure. I had a similar reaction, since he smelled faintly of moss rather than his rut scent. But maybe that was a good thing. Maybe I could focus on having fun tonight if I wasn’t constantly sniffing after my alphas.

“A gift is more enticing when it’s wrapped with a bow,” he said.

“And meant for another male?” Kauz added.

The kelpie’s ear flicked. “Aye, I suppose that’s how that saying goes. And not inappropriate for what we’re about to do to the bark brothers. I’m going to stand outside your door for now, so I’m not tempted to unwrap you early, mate.”

“Aw, okay.” My little pout didn’t change his mind, not when he was so pent up.

Kauz shrugged when the door closed behind Marius, and put his hands on my hips again. This time we swayed together with him behind me, and I leaned back into his chest to silently admire him and his starlit gaze. I was glad one of my mates was unaffected by all these pheromones flying around.

And like I’d summoned him with my thoughts, Tormund came into the room next and poorly concealed a growl. I sighed inwardly. The redcap seemed to find me every time I was having a moment with Kauz. He probably thought I just sat around staring wistfully in the dream warden’s eyes—not that I would be opposed to doing exactly that.

Kauz gave me his knowing smile and a wink, before letting me go. “Hi, Tormund,” I said. He and I took each other in across the room. Over time, I’d noticed Tormund had similar clothing tastes to an omega, preferring the feeling of certain fabrics over wearing the newest fashions.

Tonight, he wore something that was unlike him, more like armor. Leather sheathed his broad chest, hand-tooled with an elaborate set of redcap tribal knots in the center. He wore a heavy belt for securing a weapon, which he currently didn’t have, dark pants, and thick-soled boots. An elaborately embroidered red and orange cape hung from his shoulder like flashy distraction from the way he was dressed for war.

“Tormund is the bark brothers’ worst enemy. He knows our forests, breathes fire, and despite his gentle ways, would gladly kill another fae if it meant protecting you,” Fal had said.

At the time, I hadn’t seen it. But the decorative armor was a message of his intentions. I could picture him with it in his monstrous form, bathing Ellisar, Dalstin, and Floris in flames.

My gentle giant burst into his usual sunny grin and exclaimed, “li’l bird!” And picked me up by my hips to whirl me around with a merry peal of bells. “You look…” Tilting his head, he considered me, still lifted by his massive hands. “Straight from springtime. You need a flower crown.”

“Oh, that would’ve been cute.”

I wiggled a bit so he’d put me down, but instead he pulled me into his chest for a bear hug and murmured, “Mine.” He smelled, oddly enough, like roses. He sniffed me and squinted. “Did Dad say that you smell bad too? You don’t have to wear something that makes you smell like lavender. It’s weird.”

“He said I was going to start a hundred fights, smelling like my heat.” And he was probably right. “You seem very redcap-like tonight,” I added, wondering if he wanted to talk about it.

“Do you want to know a secret?” he asked in a loud whisper.

“Yes,” I whispered back.

He finally set me back on my feet. “This is my ceremonial clan attire. My father’s probably wearing his version too. It means we’re serious.”

“I like?—”

“When are we not serious?” Fal put in. I startled, not realizing he’d arrived soundlessly, as he so often did. He had to have some grimalkin in him somewhere, from his cat eyes and claws, to his sneaky feet. The reformed tomcat needed to wear a bell. Thankfully I had a few he could borrow.

Most of my snark dried up in my mind, along with the rest of my thoughts, when I saw him. “New suit. What do you think?” he practically purred, adjusting the flawless set of his collar. His shirt and pants were a shade of gray that complimented his complexion. He’d layered on a jacket in his signature navy, with silver embroidery bright at the shoulders and cuffs.

There was only one answer to his question. “Unfairly attractive,” I said with full conviction. Rennyn had gotten to him too, as he smelled faintly of frost and ink. Taking away the springtime meadow of Fal’s rut scent should’ve been a crime.

He came over to cup my cheek. “You look adorable. I knew you would.” His nostrils flared and he made an unamused face. “Is that lavender?”

“Aye,” Tormund said.

“For fuck’s sake. He color coordinated our new smells,” he muttered under his breath. “I have one last thing for you before we go, mo stór . Before you get excited, it’s a knife.”

I had perked up, before retreating a step as he held up a blade sheathed in a leather strap. This is what you asked for, I reminded myself. My inner omega, closer to the surface than ever, wanted to recoil like he was holding a hissing snake instead.

He wanted for me to muster myself before he carefully unsheathed the knife. “This is treated with faebane poison. Smell it.”

I took a sniff in the weapon’s general direction and gagged. The smell of the faebane was so bitter and concentrated, its taste coated my tongue.

Fal sheathed the knife with a nod. “You never forget that scent. It’s death. A small wound infected with faebane will kill even the heartiest alpha in ten minutes flat.”

He beckoned for me to come closer and waited again as I unstuck my feet from the floor. Once I was listening, he showed me how the small gemstone in the pommel unscrewed. A powdered version of the antidote was inside its hollow shell. The sheath had a locking mechanism that kept the deadly blade secured, which was the only reason I held my left arm out for him to hide the knife up my sleeve.

Once he had the leather band secure, but not too tight, he bowed over my hand and kissed it. “Promise me you will use it if you have no other options.” His lips grazed my knuckles one by one, and despite all of our scents being thrown off, I was still slick between my thighs like he kissed a more intimate location.

Yet, I was still terrified and my wings were flattened to my back. “I promise,” I said faintly.

“You promise what?” he coaxed. He doubled back over his kisses, running his mouth over my littlest knuckles.

A fae promise was not easily broken, even if it wasn’t quite a vow. He had to feel my fingers tremble as I imagined the worst case scenario, where I had to fight for my life and pack on my own. “I…I promise that I will use the faebane if I must.”

Fal’s sigh of relief gusted over my skin. “Good omega,” he murmured. “All right, let’s be off.”

“Where are we going?” I asked the group once we were moving together down the hall.

Fal rested a possessive hand at the small of my back. He smiled with a bit of mischief. “Oh, just an event.”

“Tormund, where are we going?” I asked over my shoulder.

The big male chuckled. “An event. You’ll like it, li’l bird.”

Fal gestured to the ceiling with one of his dramatic flourishes. “Stars, do you hear that? He's learning!”

Clearly, if even Tormund wasn’t going to tell me, I’d just have to find some patience. As the disgusting taste of faebane faded from my mouth, my mood lightened again. I noted other dressed up groups heading in the same direction as us. Whatever the event was, it had to be big. And we were going as a pack! The first time Pack Sorles would be five members, rather than four, even if my forehead remained unmarked for now.

It turned out we were heading outside to catch a carriage, which was already waiting for us. The inside was large enough for Fal and me to sit on one side, with the rest of my mates across from us.

“Hey, Lark,” Kauz said.

“Guess what,” Tormund burst out.

I giggled, my wings fluttering a bit. “What?”

Marius’s gaze was on Fal, narrowed in a subtle warning. “It’s time for another tradition,” he said.

The dark elf reached around me to drape a strip of cloth over my face. He tied it behind my head while I whined. What was going on?

“What self-respecting pack of Unseelie doesn’t steal their mate away?” Fal proclaimed. “Consider this a well-meaning relocation, mo stór .”

Stars, okay. That’s what’s going on. I smiled under the blindfold as I waited to be whisked away to this mysterious event.