“WHITE FOR UNWED,” Lilith sung as she tied the corset so tight Molly grew breathless and gripped the back of the chair.
Dear lord.
Molly glanced into the mirror, examining the white gown, fabric of white sheer, sewn together to create a humble, innocent dress. Only the neckline dipped low, showcasing her cleavage, and the corset created a startling narrow middle, her hips wider.
“Not so tight,” she gasped, the crushing worry of harming the baby if she tightened it even more.
Lilith hummed a response.
She gulped in air, adjusting to the tightness and straightened.
It was a beautiful white dress, light and airy, sheers of fabric, tapered below her middle.
Each breath Molly took, her breasts threatened to pop out. She had no idea how Victorian women lived like this.
Or how the High Court did.
Lilith had a similar dress design, but it was a dark red wine, tailored to her tall frame.
Each time she spoke, her head lifted a bit higher, like the words needed to float upward and down to her audience.
“Your mark is beautiful,” Lilith said, her finger stroking below where the thin collar hung on Molly’s throat. Only highborns could see the mark. When Lilith’s finger tapped it, it stung, and Molly flinched. “My apologies, my finger must have slipped.” Only Tensley had ever touched her there—and looking at the smug look on Lilith’s face, she wondered if she knew it would hurt her.
Being alone in the room of a powerful queen was not an easy thing to contain. Her heart galloped. She wiped her sweaty palms down the side of her dress. If the queen found out about her secret, what would she do to Molly?
She was carrying the proof of Tensley’s sin, of his deceit to his society and to his king. She was the plague above all else.
“Let your hair loose,” Lilith said, and undid Molly’s low ponytail, releasing her smooth curls down her back. “Locks that’ll make an honest man sin.”
Molly didn’t like how Lilith stared at her. Like a wolf calculating when the deer would falter. She didn’t want to look away from her.
“I always wanted a daughter,” Lilith said, her gaze broken. Only for a fraction of a second and the charming woman was back. “Here. Your skin must glow like Sonolios, the sun god.” She snatched up a perfume bottle and dapped it on her finger, dotting the apples of Molly’s cheeks and the crook of her neck. The thick scent of musk and leather wafted into her nose, so strong, so potent, she swallowed. Molly blinked at herself, her skin light and glowing against the dim lighting. “Do you know the myth of the Fall Solstice here, little doe?”
Molly ignored the nickname and shook her head. “No, I’ve never heard it.”
Lilith clicked her tongue twice. “You must be terribly confused.” She strolled over to an upholstered red chair, lined with gold molding. Molly turned to face Lilith, watching as she simply rested her chin on her relaxed wrist as a graceful action. Regal, poised, collected.
All a warning signs for Molly to keep up her guard.
“Before Fallen’s time, or my time, the sun god Sonolios searched for a companion. Every single living thing, god or not, he touched with his scorching fingertips and burned to ashes. Everyone who gazed at him became blind or worse if they looked long enough—ashes.”
Lilith stood and walked over to a dresser, pulling off a long floor-length lace veil. “Then Sonolios met the goddess of darkness. Hidden away, he only glimpsed her at the dawn and dusk, but once he saw her dancing in the dewy meadows, he wanted her. He stayed there, watching her dance in the dewy meadows, for many, many years. Longing for her beauty, her innocence, and happiness. He wanted her. But he could only study her carefully, too afraid to risk burning or blinding the beautiful goddess.
“Then in the midst of dawn, he asked the spiders to weave a veil of moonlight and web, so powerful that no ray of light could burn its fabric.” Lilith ran the veil along her fingers, the lace glimmering. “On her head, admiring the beauty of the god’s gift. She was flattered by his affection. Sonolios confessed his love for the goddess, in the hope she would say the same. But what he had not known was that his true self was naked to the eye of whoever wore the veil, for it stopped his rays from blinding them. When the goddess saw all of Sonolios’ vices and sins, all the people he had hurt, she rejected him. The sun god, with his fiery temper and burning desire for the goddess, did not accept the night’s rejection. He chased her through the forest, through darkness and mist, until he captured the goddess and took her by force.
“The goddess, filled with anger and sadness, trapped Sonolios in her darkness until it completely consumed him. He was gone.”
Lilith walked behind Molly and draped the veil over her head, watching as the lace hid her features. “Six months later, the goddess birthed a new sun. Spring arrived, then summer, until the sun chased the darkness in the autumn, and so it began again.”
Molly stared back at Lilith, her chest burning.
“We celebrate the death of the sun and the power of the darkness. Come spring, we honor the rebirth of the sun,” Lilith added, positioning the veil to float against Molly’s bare back, so her fingertips brushed the skin of her spine. Molly flinched at the coldness. “Do you fear my world?”
Molly gave Lilith a pointed glance through the veil. “No.” She rolled her shoulders back, still not looking away from the queen. “Do I understand it? No. But I’m willing to learn more. If you’ll teach me.”
Lilith blinked wildly at her, and Molly had to hold back a smirk.
Win the queen’s trust.
Lilith smiled, again fussing over Molly’s veil like a mother. “Since you are unwed and of age,” Lilith explained, picking up a slender golden pin and ran in sideways to catch the lace and her hair at the back of her head so it stayed in place, “we mask your beautiful face from prying eyes.” Lilith grinned, her cheeks too rosy compared to her pale skin. “The Fall Solstice is a time for girls of the court to become women. Before this night, they are not allowed to attend court. After this night of transiting under the death of the sun and the power of the darkness, they will make their debut into our society.”
Molly peeked through the veil. Her vision wasn’t unclear, but she would have to get used to walking around with a veil covering her face.
“Let me introduce you to more ladies of the court.” Lilith took her hand, guiding her from the bedroom and into the grand hallway. Even the hallways of the High Court amazed her—the crown molding, tinted with specks of gold and a painted mural above them of gods battling in chariots in the skies—light and night, the sun god, the goddess of the darkness caught in his arms.
Lilith led her down another hallway, and she was shunned into silence by the sea of white gowns and veils—the giggles, the chatter, the excitement from beautiful, youthful girls.
Girls like her, but demon and highborn.
When they caught sight of Lilith, a few girls gasped and bowed.
“Lady Lilith,” a couple chimed off, and Molly watched as the sea of white curtsied and rose and their lacy veils covered their features.
Strange, Molly thought.
“Ladies,” Lilith spoke, her voice booming in the grand hallway. “This is my special guest. Guide her through the Solstice.”
Lilith presented Molly with a single hand, turning her to face the young women.
Silence, and then the giggles began, and the girls surrounded her, gushing over her dress, over her veil and dragging her away with them.
Molly glanced back at Lilith, who stood to watch her.
She swallowed thickly, taking deep breaths. Overwhelmed.
“My name’s Prim,” whispered one girl who held Molly’s elbow. “If it helps, none of us have done this before. You’re not alone,” she said, her voice shaking slightly with nervousness.
Molly stared at the girl, cloaked by her veil, but she realized Prim was trying to comfort her. “Molly.”
She patted her hand and clasped them. “Don’t be nervous. It’s part of the tradition.”
She barely heard her over the chatter.
Once they arrived at an open porch, the cool breeze cooled down her hot flesh, and she relaxed as they ventured down into the grassy lawn surrounded by a dark green forest and a colorful garden.
The grass was cold and wet between her toes, brushing along the soles of her feet like a kiss.
“My heart’s pounding,” Prim whispered, pressing a hand to her chest. She looked up at Molly, her face hidden by the veil and by shadows, but her voice was soft and sweet, like warm honey. “I’ve dreamt of this moment since I was a little girl, but it’s just bittersweet.”
Molly frowned at her. “Why though?”
Prim laughed, but it sounded sad. “I’ll be away from home, but it’s an honor to be chosen as one of Lilith’s ladies.” She paused, looking around at the dark sky and the glowing fireflies.
“Come this way,” the girls urged, and soon, she saw the full moon above, so bright, so breathtaking.
Both her hands were taken, and soon, the girls formed a large circle of white.
A low hum, soft and graceful began, and soon, more of the girls joined in. One girl began to dance, twirling her dress around, and lifting her arms above her head, singing to the full moon.
A fury of white dresses danced in a circle, swaying and chanting, and Molly’s heart pounded in her chest.
“Dance!” Prim called to her. “To appease the hunt.”
“The hunt?”
“Sonolios’s hunt,” another girl called to her.
But it was the war cry that stilled her raging heart.
She looked over her shoulder at the lawn and forest, searching for the sound.
Another war cry, and soon, it filled the night air, drowning out the girls’ chants.
The girls grew silent, and Molly eyed their still frames.
“What is that?” Molly whispered to Prim.
Prim beside her jolted as another war cry of anger and power filled the thick air. Their footfalls thudded against the earth, a finger of dread sliding down Molly’s spine.
“The hunt. They’re coming for us.”
Molly’s heart rebooted to a thunderous pound.
“Look!”
Molly spun to see figures emerging from the darkness, marching with determination.
Then the girls screamed and all at once, ran.
“Run!”
Molly gave one final look at the figures—and ran.
TENSLEY SIPPED at his the red wine, licking the residue off his teeth. He eyed the crowd, searching for his dolcezza, but he still hadn’t caught sight of her. His chest twisted in dire worry. He shouldn’t have let her go alone into the court.
Fuck.
“And this is Lord Remington,” Fallen said, gesturing to a man packed with muscles. When he grinned, the muscles constricted in his neck, bulging out. A demon on steroids or better yet, an excessive amount of belladonna, a drug of pleasure for demons. “Tensley Knight will be taking over for Commander Julius.”
Lord Remington kissed his thumb and made a cross on his chest, a respectful tribute to the fallen.
Commander Julius was dead, apparently, and Tensley wondered how…
“I heard you’re the Dux of Scorpios also,” Lord Remington said. Tensley noted one of his brows had been burnt off, an ugly scar in its place.
Tensley nodded. “Yes, that is correct.”
“So you will manage both our army and Scorpios?” He laughed bluntly and patted Tensley’s shoulder hard. “Good luck.”
“Be careful, Lord Remington,” Fallen said, flashing his sharp teeth in a smile. “He has a daemon powering him. Best not to anger him.”
Lord Remington’s smile dropped, scanning Tensley as if he’d see evidence of Molly, but he laughed it off. “Excuse me, Lord Fallen.”
He left them, and Tensley turned to face Fallen, a question piercing his mind. “Lord Fallen, when will I meet that daemon you spoke of?”
“Greedy to get your hands on another daemon, I see,” he said and laughed to himself. “Ah, all in due time, Mr. Knight. You and I both know how important it is to keep those precious creatures away from prying eyes. I’d rather keep her locked away and available at all times. I’m sure you understand,” he continued, his lips twisting into a cold smile. “I might have to do an exception for your little daemon, however, Mr. Knight. It does seem like she could learn a thing or two about behavior. Not very submissive, is she?”
Tensley gnashed his teeth, fighting the urge to retort. No one needed to teach Molly how to behave.
“Tonight, we celebrate the hunt,” Fallen continued, stealing an apple off a table of fruit and meat and trays of pastry.
Tensley had heard of the Solonios’ hunt. A ceremony held once a year for women of the High Court coming of age and unwed to have their first taste of intimacy by an incubus man, based on the myth of the sun and the darkness. The women dressed in white and raced in the forest while the men chased after them. Once a woman was captured by a male, they spent the night pleasuring each other. Of course, all women drank an herb that prevented pregnancy that night.
The thrill of the chase, the thickness of innocence in the air, and the pleasure of predators having finally sunken their teeth into fresh prey.
Tensley had already captured his prey.
He took an angel by the teeth.
A shout jolted him through his thoughts, and he turned to look out the balcony, the doors parting to give them a glimpse of the dark gleaming night.
“And so it begins,” Fallen said, a sinister glint in his dark eyes.
Then the sound of women screaming filled the air.
“Would you like to join the Sonolios’ hunt, Mr. Knight?” Tensley turned to see Lilith approaching him, a tiny smirk lining her full lips.
“No,” he said lowly.
Lilith took a sip of her wine and shrugged her shoulders. “Such a pity. A warrior like you would be a prize for one of our women.”
“Lilith,” Fallen said in a warning hiss.
Lilith’s nostrils flared, but she didn’t say a word back.
Tensley ignored her comment and glanced around the room, searching for Molly. “Where’s Molly?”
“Molly?” Lilith took another sip of her wine, her ears turning red. “I don’t think I know who that is.”
“My daemon,” Tensley snapped, his chest burning at the thought of her alone in the sea of highborns.
Lilith bit back a wicked grin. “Oh, that lovely thing. She wanted to participate in the hunt. I couldn’t refuse, of course. It only happens once a year, after all.” Her words were slow and deliberate.
All nerve endings numbed as he dug his nails into his palm, aching to growl at the queen herself. He wanted to throttle her.
“You better run fast,” Lilith said, a challenging, sinister gleam to her pale eyes. “Before someone else captures your daemon. Marked or not, all morals are silenced when the beasts come out to play.”
Fallen stood beside his wife, a dark, satisfied smirk playing on his lips.
Tensley looked into the darkness outside, the screams and cries stirring the beast.
His daemon.
His dolcezza.
His bride.
He marched through the crowd, lips pulled back to show his elongating teeth, shoving past men too dazed to know a beast aching to destroy any man who touched her.
He’d rip their throats out with his teeth.
The predators out there had never met the real beast.