Page 43

Sav

I stared out my bedroom window, another bout of nostalgia sweeping over me.

It was bittersweet being here, in the room I’d lived in since my sister married Alder.

Once, I’d only wanted to please my family.

I had done whatever they asked, hopeful that one day, I’d do something good enough, brave enough, to earn their love.

Refusing Kaspar had been the first time I’d ever gone against their wishes. I exhaled a long, slow sigh.

I hadn’t been to see Jack today. The day we’d come in covered in his blood, Hazel had slapped me hard to shake me from my panic, reminding me what was at stake if I showed any emotion toward the human in this court.

Here, it wasn’t only the law forbidding a relationship.

Here, my sister would take matters into her own hands if she thought for the briefest moment anyone would get in the way of her plans.

She wanted Kaspar’s army; his network of spies. And she would do unspeakable things to get what she wanted.

For three nights, I’d left his bedside late, sneaking down the hall to my old room after watching him for more hours than I could count. He was heavily sedated, still recovering from his injury, and I stared at his chest, making sure it continued to rise and fall until my vision blurred.

When the arrow struck him, it felt like I’d been hit, too.

I’d never experienced visceral pain for another, but in that moment, I could have sworn I was the one bleeding out.

I was frozen, helpless to move and when the second arrow flew, Jack had moved faster than ever before, knocking me to the ground.

The action had likely caused more damage to his mortal body, but the memory replayed in my mind a dozen times. His terror… for me. Something uncomfortable lodged itself in my chest. I cleared my throat.

He’d been lucky. Only a few inches to the left and the arrow would have pierced his heart. When Ivy came to tend him, an unexpected flood of relief washed over me. Though the healer and I weren’t close, she was one of the few fae in the spring court I trusted.

Not many folk would cross my sister. Jack would live. Ivy had treated him, even if she wasn’t allowed to use magic to do it. It would be weeks before he recovered, but he would live.

Just as long as my sister didn’t execute him.

I owed Hazel a debt. Her favor was now and forever paid. When the soldiers found us, bowing and scraping, begging forgiveness for shooting at the princess’s sister, I had pushed Jack’s unconscious body off me, convinced I’d sentenced us both to death.

If Hazel hadn’t woken. If she hadn’t changed their memories, I shuddered to think what my sister might have done. Hazel was right. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, there was something there. Feelings I didn’t want to accept and they would get me killed if I didn’t get them under control.

My attention drifted to the forest beyond the manicured lawn out my window when a small orange and black creature darted across the grass, diving beneath a bush.

A smile crept onto my face and my spirits lifted just a fraction as his ears appeared above a grassy ridge.

His shiny black nose rose into the air, sniffing before he bounded away.

It was good to know Faerie hadn’t shrunk so much that the woodland creatures no longer existed in my court. Foxes were my favorite of all the woodland animals. The little hunter would never know how much he’d brightened my day.

A knock came at my door and my stomach hollowed out. Nothing good ever followed a knock. “Yes?”

“His Majesty, Prince Alder Hawthorn of the spring court, will see you.”

I nodded to the fawn hovering in the doorway. She bowed low, tawny curls tipping over tufted, speckled ears as she backed out of the room. Her deference frayed my nerves. Another reminder of the path I was now on.

If I signed the agreement, I would be bound to the courts in a new way.

I would belong to the prince of lakes and streams and my court would be secure against the threat from Summer—our neighbor to the west. This bargain would also ensure armies were sent to save the fae trapped in Dane’s headquarters.

I swallowed the anger simmering in my veins.

I’d held out the first two days at court, entreating my sister to find it in her heart to help the folk, but Sage had only threatened to toss the winter emissary and “her pet” out and lock me in her prison if I didn’t relent.

At least I had something to barter. So many others would have been helpless.

If the cost was my one wish for the freedom to choose love, it was worth it.

Hadn’t I seen what came of love? Bracken, my father, even Creig—the former general of the spring court army, the father I’d always wished for—had been broken by it.

Love had ruined them. Perhaps Prince Kaspar understood something I did not when it came to marriage. A love match only ended in pain.

And maybe this way, my family would finally be proud.

I stood, brushing out the folds of my deep green gown, and straightened my bodice, tugging silver laces to loosen them a fraction.

Where the fashion in Winter was all soft fabrics that fell over the skin like butter, Spring favored layers and tight, form fitting clothing.

If you could breathe, your gown was too forgiving. I had not missed the fashion here.

I stepped into the hall and moved with a light breeze carrying me to the throne room.

All along the lilac walls, vines curved and looped, winding together to form a cage around the occupants of this overgrown court.

Blooms tipped in my direction, and a pang of sadness speared through me.

My magic was in there. The flowers sensed it, even if I couldn’t access it.

The scent of lavender and ripe strawberries hung heavy in the air, and though it dredged up fond memories, darker ones crept in beside them.

Straightening my shoulders, I stepped into the throne room.

My sister’s voice rang out in the space, clear for all to hear. “Have them sent to the mines to work off their debts. I won’t hear of any more complaints from the low fae about their inability to keep their bargains.”

A soldier dipped his head, nearly resting it on his chin, and backed up. I glanced at him as I marched toward the twin seats.

Sage sat rigidly atop a throne of silver vines, interspersed with budding blooms in shades of fuchsia, indigo, and white. As I approached, my steps grew heavy, and I fought the urge to turn and run from this court, from my family, and the expectation that weighed heavily on me.

Her perfect curls, held in place by massive ruby combs, were tame by comparison to my wild mane plated into a loose braid and tossed over my shoulder.

Her long, pointed ears, tapered at the tips to points—cuffed in gold—twitched forward when she spied me.

Her narrowed amethyst eyes, growing thinner as I approached, held no love for me, but I’d stopped looking for any love from my sister more than a century ago.

My steps faltered as pain sliced through me.

She was a mirror of all I’d lost. A terrible reminder of the gifts I’d been forced to give up.

My gaze dipped to her nose, and I began counting the freckles there.

It was our one difference—before I was bound—where I had ninety-seven freckles on my nose, cheeks and chest, my sister had more than two hundred.

No one ever noticed but us. We used to sit up at night, loudly counting each other’s freckles to drown out the sound of Father’s crying.

Beside Sage, Alder was less composed, leaning against the arm of his woven throne, eyeing one of the courtiers who was licking her lips in a clear invitation. If my sister noticed, she gave no outward indication of the male she’d sworn to love ogling the creature several steps down.

Alder’s gaze never left the female’s as I approached.

“Sister,” Sage said, standing and blocking her husband’s view of the other female.

“So good of you to join us.” She cast her gaze around the room at the handful of fae gathered to hear her daily decrees.

Though I’d been in court several days now, I hadn’t been allowed to leave my room until I’d agreed to Kaspar’s betrothal.

“I hope your long respite has returned you to us hale, and hearty.”

I dipped my chin a fraction, unwilling to give her the deference befitting her station.

Sage glanced to Alder, who had leaned back now that his personal show was over and was staring out over the crowd with a bored expression. “Are you not pleased to see my dear sister returned to us, Husband?”

Alder’s gaze snapped to my sister before landing on me.

He looked me up and down, lingering far too long on my breasts before meeting my gaze.

Something in his eyes danced with amusement when I didn’t look away.

He stood, moving from his perch with predatory swiftness to stand before me, and leaned close, breathing in my scent. “You look well, Lady Briar.”

My stomach roiled at his nearness, but I dipped my chin lower than I had for my sister, if only because Prince Alder was known to make examples of his subjects when he was in an off mood or when some lover or other had jilted him.

His fingers skimmed over my bare shoulder, brushing my mane of hair back to expose my lightly freckled chest. His nose bumped the collar of my throat as he inhaled my scent once more. “Not bedding anyone at present, it seems.”

I shuddered under his intrusive touch and sharp words, turning my head away.

A light patter of rain beat against long oval windows to the right.

The rain in Spring began at midday and midnight each and every day falling for several hours.

Now, though, its presence brimmed with a foreboding that sent a chill down my spine.