Page 4 of Queen of Ever (Curse of Fate and Fae #2)

Chapter 4

Imogen

‘Y ou look beautiful,’ Marietta said as she gazed at me, eyes filled with something like awe. But as I stared at my reflection, I felt like a fraud. Who was this woman staring back at me with her pointed ears, luminous skin and high cheekbones? This wasn’t the girl I grew up with, the one I saw every day in my reflection. This was the woman Tarian had seen that night in the cave, the one he lay with, the one he promised things to, promises he couldn’t keep, promises he had no intention of keeping.

‘I still think this is a bad idea.’

‘Nonsense, you’ll be great! Besides, no one would dare dance with the Seelie King’s ward without permission, and my brother has never been one for sharing,’ she said, flashing me a wink as if that was supposed to comfort me. She clearly didn’t realise that dancing with Solas was one of the things I was nervous about. But I supposed I should at least be grateful I wouldn’t have to dance with random lords who wanted to uncover any secrets I was hiding.

My fingers brushed the gold band at my wrist, the one that hid my mark, the mark that declared to the world that I was bonded. Could they tell just by looking at it? There were so many questions that I hadn’t asked, not of Tarian when I’d had the chance, and not of Solas now, afraid of what the answer would be. Solas didn’t like talking about Tarian. He didn’t like that I even thought of him, I knew that much from his expressions. I still didn’t know why they hated each other so much, and others I’d asked seemed to think the discord between the kingdoms was reason enough.

The dress I’d been required to wear had a gold pattern feathered over a fabric that looked as though it should be see-through, but thankfully showed nothing beneath it. It hung elegantly off one shoulder and almost looked like a wedding dress but for the colour. It was certainly fancier than any dress I’d ever worn before, even considering all the finery I’d been draped in while I’d been in the Fae Realm, and I felt somewhat out of place in it. What would Tarian think if he saw me like this? I quickly shook the thought from my head. I wasn’t supposed to be thinking about him.

‘You look like a queen,’ Marietta said. Her own dress was simpler, and green in colour. I almost asked her if we could swap, but I bit my tongue against the request. Given what she’d admitted to me the other night, she probably didn’t want to draw attention to herself either and it would be selfish of me to ask her to.

‘I wouldn’t even know how to be a queen,’ I said. And it was true. Whether it was as Tarian’s or Solas’, I wouldn’t even know where to begin. It would be far better if I could find some miracle that would let me return to my old life. At least as a librarian I knew where I stood.

‘Come, we’re already late,’ Marietta said, as if she was avoiding responding to my words. But she wasn’t wrong. The celebration had started almost an hour ago. Did the fae understand fashionably late as humans did? It wasn’t as though I could use that as an excuse. I wasn’t exactly human anymore, was I?

Marietta led me from the room, and I let her because I knew I was out of time. This was the moment of truth, the moment all my training proved that I was ready—or wasn’t, which seemed more likely. This was the moment I would find out if the court saw me as anything more than the human who been a prize in The Hunt at Beltane. The memory made me want to stop, to turn around and hide back in my room, but it was too late. The doors loomed before me, opened, and people were already staring.

Oh god. There were so many people.

‘You’ll be great,’ Marietta whispered as I entered, but then she was gone, melting into the crowd as if she had never existed at all. It was an easy room to get lost in, too; pale pink mist drifted around the ankles and knees of the guests, ebbing and flowing like a tide, giving the appearance that everyone was walking among dawn-touched clouds. The windows of the room didn’t reflect the palace ground at all, instead portraying an idealistic landscape of snow-capped mountains with a picturesque sunset that matched the lighting in the room; dim and almost pink, with licks of light flickering across the ceiling in a rainbow of colours as if it was shining off hundreds of gems. The Seelie royal line was known for their abilities with light magic, which was how they could create illusions like these. It was impressive, but made my eyes feel gritty and tired if I stared too long.

I looked around for a familiar face but found none. I could feel my anxiety rising like a wave of panic until someone caught my hand and entwined their fingers with mine. I looked up, a name on my tongue that didn’t match the face that met me with a warm smile.

‘Solas,’ I said, unable to hide the sense of disappointment.

He quirked an eyebrow. ‘You’re determined to damage my ego, aren’t you?’

‘Sorry,’ I said, dropping my gaze to the floor, wishing I could smooth out the wrinkles in my dress for something to do, but he held my hand fast. I didn’t like that we were so visible here at the door.

‘Don’t look so sad,’ he said, bringing my hand to his lips, placing a kiss there, lingering until my eyes met his. I should have felt something, my heart should have fluttered, but all I could think about was how much attention we were attracting. It made me uncomfortable, and it felt like he was lingering here on purpose, making a spectacle of his attention to me. Though that was ridiculous. What would be the point of that? I forced myself to smile. ‘You’re being too nice to me,’ I said.

‘Nice isn’t my thing. Ask anyone here,’ he said, his lips curling mischievously.

‘How can you say that? You took me in when I had nowhere else to go.’ I wasn’t sure if those words were to convince me or him, and I also couldn’t tell which he thought I meant. There seemed to be more going on behind his eyes than he was saying. It was something I’d come to expect from him now.

‘Why do you never say what you’re thinking?’ The words slipped from my lips before I could catch them.

He tilted his head slightly. ‘Don’t I?’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘If I said what I was thinking, you would blush so severely that everyone in the room would know exactly what I was thinking.’

I felt my cheeks grow warm and my eyes dropped. ‘I think that’s what you want them to think.’

‘Clever rabbit, but that doesn’t make it any less true.’

‘Doesn’t it?’

‘I see you’re learning quickly.’ His smile widened and there was something in it that made my stomach flip. It was hard to tell if it was because of excitement or fear.

But, of course, I thought of Tarian. Maybe it was the contrast between them that always called him to mind, because of all the adjectives I could use to describe Tarian, charming had never been one of them. Not like Solas was. In a flash, I remembered the way he’d looked at me under the starlight, the way it had made me feel seen in a way I never had before, like I was something cherished he’d never expected to find. I’d been so sure it was real. I’d never felt like I was being manoeuvred about with sweet talk the way I sometimes felt with other fae, since flattery was a skill he’d either been unable to master or simply refused to adopt. Obviously, I’d been wrong.

‘Now that face won’t do at all,’ Solas said. ‘Dance with me?’

I pushed the thoughts from my mind, forcing a smile I didn’t feel. ‘Alright,’ I said, forming a curtsey as I had been taught by my etiquette tutor. ‘I would be glad to dance with you, Your Majesty.’

‘So accommodating all of a sudden.’

‘If you’ve changed your mind, I won’t be offended.’

‘You’re not getting out of it that easily,’ he said, smirking.

It had been worth a shot. ‘Let’s get it over with then.’

‘That’s harsh. Am I really such an unpleasant alternative?’

I didn’t know how to answer that. I knew he wanted me to tell him he was a perfect alternative. A first preference even. Something cold entered his eyes as my silence grew, as I tried to find a truth that I could use. ‘Solas, please don’t think that I’m not grateful to you,’ I said, unsure how I was going to finish that sentence.

His smile returned, though it didn’t meet his eyes. ‘I knew a mate bond would be difficult to overcome. Perhaps we’ll save the dance for later. Let me introduce you to some of our guests.’

I looked around for Marietta but she was nowhere to be seen, and I wondered where she’d managed to hide and why she’d left me to fend for myself.

At least I wasn’t going to have to dance. Yet.

Solas linked my arm in his and led me around the room, introducing me to so many courtiers that I quickly forgot all their names. Some of them I recognised from Beltane, though none of them brought that up. Perhaps because they didn’t want to upset Solas. He was almost ostentatious in the way he paraded me around, ladling me with attention and making a fuss of me to the point that it made me uncomfortable.

‘This is Lord Bastielle, and his eldest son, Niall,’ Solas said as we approached yet another group of important people I should probably feel very honoured to know. The older of the pair inclined his head and I did the same, as I had done with every other person I’d met that night. But when my eyes caught on Niall, recognition settled on me.

‘Oh, I saw you at the Hunt Ball,’ I said before I could stop myself. ‘You know my friend Ethan.’

His eyes went wide for a moment, and I wondered if I’d said something I shouldn’t have. But if either Solas or Lord Bastielle noticed, they said nothing about it. Lord Bastielle was leaning in close to Solas, muttering something in a low voice, and neither seemed to be paying us any attention.

Solas nodded at whatever had been said to him, pulling my arm from his with a pat to the back of my hand. ‘I’ll only be a moment,’ he told me before gesturing for Lord Bastielle, leaving me alone with Niall.

‘I’m sorry if I said something I shouldn’t have,’ I said, more to break the awkward silence that had settled on us than anything else.

‘It’s fine. My father just... he wouldn’t approve of my fondness for a lesser.’

‘For Ethan?’ I assessed him with more interest now. There was something in the way he said the word fondness that made me think he was a little more than fond. When I’d noticed the two of them at the ball, they’d looked intimate but I hadn’t realised until now that it might be more than physical attraction.

‘Yes,’ he said slowly.

‘Please don’t worry, I won’t say anything,’ I said, feeling guilty for bringing it up at all. I already knew there was a rift between the High Fae and the rest of the population, but the prejudice seemed worse in the Seelie Court. I’d seen very few of them around the Summer Palace, even among the servants. Most of the staff were human, or they looked human. ‘Although, for what it’s worth, I was glad to see Ethan so happy.’

A ghost of a smile touched his lips before it fell away once more. ‘If you don’t mind my asking, what are you doing in the Summer Palace?’ he asked. ‘Last I saw of you, you were very much human. And... well, occupied with someone else.’ His gaze flashed in the direction Solas had gone.

I let out a long breath. ‘That’s a long story. Well, actually, it’s probably not very long but I don’t know most of the details. I was glamoured, apparently. Though I have no idea by who or why.’

‘And our king hasn’t been able to shed any light on that?’ he asked, an air of suspicion in his voice.

‘No,’ I said slowly. I’d mentioned it to him a couple of times and he’d brushed me off and changed the subject. ‘Why?’

‘Be careful where you place your trust. The king has a long reach, and there isn’t much he doesn’t know or can’t find out.’

‘You’re saying he’s keeping something from me. Why would he do that?’

‘I don’t know yet, but the fact that he’s moved you into his palace and keeps you so close suggests that he has plans for you.’

My brother told me you’re staying with us so he can protect you. But I don’t think that’s the only reason. Had Marietta meant more than I’d inferred? Was there more than feelings behind Solas’ behaviour towards me?

No matter how many times I thought on it, I just couldn’t see why he was paying so much attention to me. I was no one, I had no family, I didn’t even know where I came from. And I was Tarian’s mate, a fact that Solas knew only too well.

Niall watched me carefully, before finally nodding with satisfaction. ‘That’s good, you should always question the motives of everyone one in the Fae Courts, whether they’re Seelie or Unseelie. That will help to keep you safe.’

‘Forgive me for asking, but what are your motives?’

‘You’re clearly important to Ethan, and that’s all the motive I need.’

‘It sounds like you’ve known each other for more than one night,’ I said, and a sadness crossed his expression.

‘Ethan left because of me. He came back because of you. I’m not sure if I should thank you for that or not. I suppose we’ll see how things play out.’

Before I could ask him anything more, Solas and Lord Bastielle returned, neither of them looking particularly happy and it made me curious what they’d spoken about. Solas offered me a smile, taking my arm once more and linking it through his. ‘You two were looking very serious over here,’ he said, arching his brow as he glanced at Niall.

‘Yes, Niall was helping me to understand the court a little better,’ I said, which wasn’t entirely untrue. He’d certainly given me some things to think about. I suddenly felt wary of Solas as the question of his motives came circling back to my mind. Why was he helping me like this? What reasons lay behind his actions?

‘And has that troubled you?’ Solas asked, his gaze returning to me.

‘It’s just different to what I’m used to in the Human Realm,’ I answered.

‘Hm, yes. What an ordeal to have to grow up in such a barbaric place,’ Lord Bastielle said. ‘But you do hold yourself well, I must say.’

‘Uh, thank you,’ I said uncertainly. I wasn’t entirely sure that was a compliment, and I definitely wasn’t going to correct him on the barbaric thing. The Fae Realm seemed far more barbaric to me, despite the facade of civility.

‘Come, there are a few more people for you to meet,’ Solas said, and I resisted the urge to groan. I’d met so many people already and my feet hurt from these heavy shoes that pinched at my toes. I still couldn’t see Marietta anywhere.

‘Yes, of course,’ I said instead, plastering a smile on my face. ‘It was lovely to meet you both.’

Lord Bastielle and his son inclined their heads to me, and I tried to ignore the look of concern on Niall’s face as Solas led me away. ‘You have an awfully serious look on your face, rabbit. Did Niall say something to upset you?’

‘Do you think we could take a break?’ I asked, after a brief hesitation, the lie I’d been about to utter catching in my throat. ‘I’m a little tired.’ It was far from a lie, but I was aware it hadn’t answered his question. From the turn of his mouth, he was too, but thankfully he let it go.

‘Yes, of course. Let me get you a drink, I won’t be long.’ He brought my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of my fingers before turning towards a table filled with glasses. Guilt twisted my stomach. Despite the fact that I’d never welcomed his flirtations, part of me felt like I was being unfaithful. I drifted towards an open door letting in an evening breeze, wondering if Solas would let me wander in the gardens for a few minutes for some fresh air. The pink mist lapping at my feet smelt overly floral and it was making me want to sneeze.

‘You’re not easy to catch alone,’ a voice said from close behind me, and for some reason I was immediately on edge. I spun around to face someone I’d never seen before. He wore a servant uniform, with chestnut hair hanging in strange, violet eyes with slit pupils. The expression I saw in them unsettled me; there was anger there, and something even worse. Fear.

‘Who are you? What do you want?’ I asked, my voice wavering, giving away my alarm as I took a step back.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, and the glint of metal drew my eyes down to his hand, to the blade he held there, fingers curled so tightly that his knuckles turned white. ‘It’s nothing personal.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Shh, lower your voice. Can’t be drawing attention to ourselves. Something might happen to the princess if this were to go south for me. But if you’re nice and quiet now, my friends won’t hurt her.’

The princess? Did he mean Marietta? Where was she? ‘What have you done to Marietta?’ I demanded, anger lighting a spark of the magic under my skin. Magic I had to control. If he’d done something to her... I couldn’t risk her getting hurt.

‘I’ll make this quick,’ he said, almost apologetically.

Time seemed to slow then. He stepped forward. His arm shot out and I didn’t dodge him fast enough as he took a handful of my hair, yanking so hard I thought my scalp would come away from my skull. Someone screamed. I grit my teeth against the pain as he angled his knife. I was never going to see Tarian again.

And then there was a flurry of movement. I was yanked away, tumbled to the floor, landing on someone’s chest. ‘Are you crazy?’ Niall hissed.

I pushed myself up, my gaze darting around the room. Guards seemed to come from nowhere, descending on my attacker, but he wasn’t my concern. Where was Marietta? And then I saw her, her blond curls bouncing around her as she ran to me, eyes wide with concern.

‘Are you alright?’ She knelt next to me, helped me to my feet. ‘What happened?’

‘You’re... you’re not hurt?’ I looked over at my attacker, held firmly by his arms, blood running from his nose, coating his teeth as he grinned at me.

‘So, you showed yourself,’ Solas said, a triumphant smirk on his face. ‘I almost expected it was too obvious, but you took the bait so readily. You’re getting bolder, aren’t you?’

‘Bait?’ The word fell from my lips in surprise but no one was listening to me, all eyes were on Solas, and on the man who would dare to attack the ward of the Seelie King in the middle of his own palace.

‘Finding your nest is proving frustrating, but now that I’ve got you, you’ll spill every secret while begging me to end the pain and let you die,’ Solas said.

His monstrous words should have horrified me, would have, if I wasn’t so enraged. I could hear my blood pumping in my ears, feel the magic burning under my skin, now an agitated buzz. Solas gestured his hand, a silent order, and the guards dragged the man away while the courtiers whispered.

‘Imogen, are you hurt?’ Solas asked, suddenly in front of me, only inches away. And it all just fell into place. The attention, the way he’d trussed me up in this outrageous dress, the way he’d exhibited me around the party, introducing me to every single guest in a slow parade. Like I was being dangled.

My hand shot out, slapping him hard across the cheek. Gasps echoed around us, but I didn’t care. ‘You used me as fucking bait?’ I seethed. ‘I could have died.’

‘I had the utmost faith that you would not. And look, here you are, perfectly fine,’ Solas said, as if I was being dramatic.

‘Yes. Thanks to Niall . But no thanks to you,’ I said. What was it about me that screamed use me ? Everyone had a fucking agenda. I was nothing more than a tool, a means to an end. ‘You disgust me,’ I spat. Then I turned on my heels, storming out of the room, desperate to get out, desperate to be away from these people, my hands trembling with anger, with fear, with shock. I was supposed to be safe here, but it seemed I wasn’t safe anywhere. I didn’t stop until I reached the sanctuary of my room, the one place that felt even remotely like home in this alien place.

It was only when the door closed behind me that I realised I was trembling. The shock of the night finally began to wear off, giving way to a flood of emotions too dark and tangled to decipher, leaving my knees weak. I pressed my hands flat against the top of the dresser, leaning over it as a long breath left my lungs, slowly, as if I could somehow settle the chaos if I could only settle myself.

In the moment I thought was going to be my last, I’d wished for him.

‘Imogen, what the hell have you gotten yourself into now?’ I asked aloud, as if that would somehow elicit an answer from somewhere beyond my reach. I’d been so emotional when I’d left Tarian, so hurt and betrayed that I’d run headlong into the only person who could match him, someone I’d thought could protect me. But was Solas actually worse than Tarian? Was everyone in this godforsaken place only out for themselves and damn whoever got in their way?

And why the hell was everyone always trying to kill me?

A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts. It was far too gentle to be Solas. As much as it would do for my ego to think it, I doubted my temper scared him enough to elicit any obvious behavioural changes. Which left only one other option.

‘Come in,’ I said, unsure if my legs would carry me all the way to the door just yet.

‘Are you alright?’ Marietta said softly as she closed the door behind her. There was a hesitance in her voice, as if she was approaching a wounded animal and she was trying not to spook it.

‘No thanks to your brother.’

She was quiet for a moment and I knew she was wringing her hands, trying to choose her next words carefully. Finally, she spoke. ‘I know my brother isn’t the most… sensitive person. I’m not excusing what he did, but you have to understand, he’s used to putting the many ahead of the one. He has to do what’s best for an entire kingdom.’

‘And that includes letting an assassin take off my head?’

‘He never would have let it get that far. If there’s one thing he hates, it’s losing. He never would have put you in that position if he didn’t think he could protect you.’

‘Why? What advantage do I give him?’ I asked, but something small and dark whispered the answer in the back of my mind. Tarian . I doubted Marietta was going to say that, though, and rather than force her to come up with some vague half-truth, I decided to ask her something else. ‘If he wanted to serve me as bait, he had to believe someone would take it. Who was it that attacked me and why did they want to kill me?’ If there was a weariness to my voice, it was because I was tired of wondering why someone I’d never even known existed wanted me dead. What was the reason this time? Was I implicated in the doomed fate of some other prince? Maybe there was a whole bushel of prophecies people would be coming to kill me over.

‘There’s been some unrest among a faction of the lesser fae lately,’ she began, picking her words carefully. ‘Just minor things, really, but Solas thinks they have spies in the palace.’

‘Alright, and what have I done to them ?’

‘It was probably less about you and more about what you represent to my brother.’

‘Which is?’

Her mouth twisted apologetically. ‘Maybe a future queen?’

I groaned, pressing my palms to my eyes. ‘Why is everyone in this place so intense?’

‘I suppose it’s in our nature.’

When I dropped my hands to the dresser again, I eyed her reflection with a frown. ‘So you’re saying I should forgive him for using me as bait in a trap?’

‘I’m asking you to consider it. What happened tonight was awful and it probably scared the hell out of you, I’d be surprised if it didn’t. But Solas… he just didn’t think. And I’m sure that if you give him a chance, he’ll try to make it up to you.’

She wanted me to be open to reconciliation. Maybe she was right. After all, if I decided to tell him to stick it, where would that leave me? Not protected by the Seelie, not protected by the Unseelie, and a stranger in my own realm, what with my pointed ears and my magic, even if I could find a way back to it. Talk about a rock and a hard place.

‘I’ll consider it,’ I said finally, pushing my weight off my hands and letting out a sigh. ‘But it had better be one hell of an apology.’

Marietta smiled at me, a beautiful smile full of relief but also joy. I was starting to think that she was the only person who actually enjoyed my company for my own sake.