Page 11

Chapter Eleven

I fidgeted with the lace of my gloves, the intricate threads catching on my restless movements. I hated feeling this exposed, this out of my element. My thoughts were spiraling, swept up in a furious torrent of doubt and fear.

A calming pine smell settled over me.

“Storming away really suits you,” said a familiar voice. Caelum was beside me again, leaning casually against the wall as if he hadn’t just rattled alive every nerve in my body.

I glared at him, but he only grinned, revealing a dimple as he scanned the crowd.

“You should talk to him,” Caelum said, nodding toward the king who was now mingling with other fae.

I stiffened. “What? Why?”

“Well, for one, I surely can’t talk to him. He thinks I’m a spoiled, dumb highborn.”

I smirked. “You don’t say?”

He ignored my jab. “But you . He’s interested in you, Eedy. That’s a rare kind of leverage. Use it.”

I frowned, the wheels turning in my head despite my reluctance. “You think I can just stroll up to him and...what? Charm him?”

“You play the game,” he said simply. “Show interest in his offer. Make him think he’s in control while you’re the one steering the conversation. You’d be surprised what people will share when they believe you’re on their side.”

I hesitated, my mind racing. King Thalion’s sharp gaze still lingered in my memory. I wasn’t sure I could face him, let alone get anything useful out of him.

“And you think that will work?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He smiled faintly. “It’s worked for me. A survival tactic, truly.”

“Yes, but that’s you,” I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “What makes you think I’d be any good at it?”

His eyes held mine, unwavering. “Because you’ve already proven you’re sharper than you look. You’ve held your ground against that insufferable council. You’ve handled me.” He grasped my upper arms on both sides and turned me away from him to face our target. “Trust me, you can handle him .”

He squeezed my shoulders where his hands still lingered. “Like I said, though, you’ll have to go alone. He’ll only clench his mouth shut around me.”

The idea of approaching the fae king sat like a rock in my stomach. I wasn’t sure I could do what Caelum was asking. I wasn’t a charmer; I was a thorn people pricked themselves on. Being likable was a skill I’d never mastered.

“You can do this, Eedy,” he said, his warm breath fanning across my bare shoulder. “You’re braver than you think.”

I’d planned to stay under the radar during this revelry, to just make it out drug-free and alive. This was the last thing I wanted to do, but Caelum’s unrelenting confidence lit me up like a hearty glass of wine.

I pulled a deep breath through my nose before replying. “Fine. Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”

“There’s my tempest,” he murmured in my ear, making my cheeks flare to a new level of heat. I tried to turn so I could properly smack him, but he held me firmly in place. “Save that fire for the king. I’ll be right here if you need me.”

With that, he gave me a soft push forward, and I marched away from the prince—and toward King Thalion.

The king immediately noted me strolling toward him and offered a wolfish smile. My steps faltered, but I remembered Caelum’s words.

You are braver than you think.

I threw my shoulders back, reminding myself that I was a powerful witch, if only for tonight. He wanted something from me . I had leverage.

But as I closed in on the king, I caught a towering figure looming close out of the corner of my eye. The old ancient fae who’d sliced my hand open in the forest was watching me from across the room, his somber gaze sending a chill down my spine.

Solimir.

I froze in the middle of the cave hall, battling back the wave of dread that his attention stirred in me. What did he want? What did he know?

“Do not let Solimir cause you distress,” came a smooth voice, interrupting my spiraling thoughts. I turned to see King Thalion standing before me. He studied Solimir as well, a knowing smirk on his lips. “He is a descendant of the old god, Vayros. At times, he thinks he knows better than the rest of us. Even me. He doesn’t seem fond of letting go of old ways.”

“Old ways?” I asked as I watched Solimir slink away into the shadows near the edge of the waterfall. “He was staring at me like he expected me to burst into flames.”

The fae king chuckled. “In his eyes, you’re something close to divine—a dormant power waiting to be awakened. Solimir is stuck in ancient beliefs, bound to ideas of magic long forgotten. That it is all connected and that a balance must be found at all times. To him, your presence throws off the balance.”

I swallowed, my stomach churning. “And what do you see?” I asked, lifting my chin, challenging him to give me a straight answer.

King Thalion’s eyes roamed my face. “I see someone with untapped power, someone who could be an unstoppable force in the fae realm if she were willing to embrace it. No man could reign over you here. You’d be free. Powerful. Your own master.” He leaned in, his voice a whisper in my ear. “You could claim whatever you desired as your own.”

His words coiled around my thoughts, a tantalizing idea forming. I could have control, the freedom to live on my own terms, to seize what I wanted without hesitation. What would the council think of me then, if I held power like a fae? I could make them listen to me.

I took a breath, forcing myself to stay steady, even as my mind churned. I had spent so much of my life restrained, fighting to be heard, fighting to matter. The idea of not fighting anymore, of taking what was mine without asking permission...

The allure of it tingled in my veins, but then an image of Caelum flashed in my mind, grounding me.

Be bold. Be brave. Play the game. Caelum’s advice echoed in my mind, and I let my lips curve into a faint smile. If Thalion wanted to play, I could at least try to keep up.

“Your offer interests me,” I said, my voice light, testing the waters. “I’m tired of the boring and weak mages in Eyre. I’d love to learn more about what I could do here in the fae realm. Power is what I seek, but I’m also not a fool. What are you looking to get from me?”

His smile didn’t falter, but his eyes narrowed just slightly, as if measuring how much to reveal. “The fae are an ancient race, Miss Blackthorn, and with age comes challenges. Stagnation, even. We need new blood, new strength to continue what has endured for centuries. You could be a part of that future. You could help shape it.”

I kept my expression neutral, though my heart thudded painfully in my chest. New blood. The phrase stuck in my mind, sharp as a blade. Was that what this was about? Were the fae not as powerful as they once were? Were they losing their superior grip on the magic?

I held his gaze, letting a touch of flirtation creep into my tone. “And how do you know I wouldn’t turn your world upside down, King Thalion? You said no one would rule over me.”

His laugh was low and rich, a sound that prickled at my skin. “Perhaps that’s exactly what Velarune needs right now. We do not shy away from a little chaos here.”

My stomach churned at the weight of his words. They were clever, carefully constructed to appeal to both my ambition and curiosity. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being lured into a trap. His interest wasn’t in me, it was in what I could give to him and his realm.

Still, I let my smile linger, stepping closer. “It’s a tempting offer, Your Majesty. I’ll have to think about it.”

“Of course,” he said. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

My cheeks hurt from all the fake smiling, and I was ready to be done. I’d picked up that the fae world wasn’t as strong as it once was, and that was worth its weight in gold.

I peeked over his shoulder, my eyes scanning the room for Caelum. I needed the steadiness his presence brought, his sharp wit that could cut through the fae king’s intoxicating promises, potent as any faery wine.

Thalion stepped into my line of sight, his towering frame blocking my view. “You’re looking for the prince,” he stated. “I’m surprised, knowing your father’s opinion of the highborns of Eyre. Why you let them rule over you all is beyond my comprehension.”

I ignored him, stepping to the side again to continue my search.

Thalion chuckled. “That prince is a sunny day in spring without a care in the world. You are like winter. Unyielding to hardship. That mortal’s heart is too soft for someone like you.”

“I’d rather a soft heart than one made of stone,” I answered coolly, no longer interested in placating him.

“You are young,” the fae king said, nodding. “That is what one says when they do not know the value of a stone heart.” He circled me like a wolf looking for a weak spot. “It lasts much longer.”

He stepped back then, the glint in his eyes softening as if he’d already won. “You have much to learn, Miss Blackthorn. I hope to have an eternity to teach you.”

I nodded, sweat breaking out along my neckline. “We shall see.”

As he walked away, I turned my gaze back to the crowd. I spotted Caelum a few moments later, making his way through the party goers, but something about his movements seemed off. His usually sharp gaze had taken on a hazy, unfocused look, and he was swaying slightly, a lazy smile on his face as two fae women argued on either side of him, one on each arm.

I rushed over, yanking him away from them. “Caelum, tell me you did not drink the wine.”

He blinked at me, offering a lopsided grin. “Do not fear, Eedy. I know not to touch faery wine,” he mumbled, his words slurring. “Just had one of those little cakes they offered. So many flavors.”

“Caelum,” I groaned, my anger bubbling up. He had read about the wine, but, of course, hadn’t considered that fae sweets could be just as dangerous.

One fae female reached for him again, cooing that he was far too pretty for the other one to have. She ran her hand along the opening of his now unbuttoned shirt, her long nails grazing over his chest.

Something snapped within me. I couldn’t stand watching them fawn over him in his dazed state, couldn’t stand the possessive way they looked at him, like they would eat him up and lick their fingers afterward.

My hands tingled with a rush of magic, and the cool weight of the water from the nearby waterfall responded to my fury. There was a connection there, like I had with lightning. It was a churning force that was waiting for my command. Without fully knowing what would happen, I pulled on that connection.

A sudden surge of water splashed over the fae women, sending them stumbling back, drenched and outraged.

I blinked a few times.

How had I done that?

Ignoring the shocked gasps erupting around us, I tugged Caelum away, guiding him back toward the path leading to our rooms. “Come on, let’s get you out of here before you get into more trouble,” I muttered, keeping my grip firm on his arm.

He stumbled along. “That was not very diplomatic of you, Eedy.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sorry I’m not the model of diplomacy. That’s why you’re here, and why I can’t lose you to two ruthless fae tonight.”

As I hauled him through the winding corridors, I recited that to myself over and over.

I cannot lose him to the fae. I cannot lose him to the fae.

I cannot lose him ...