I know I should get up and go home, but I can’t find the willpower to budge. Seeing Rhyland dancing with Nadine like that, all smiles and touches, right after he drank my blood, is making my chest ache.

The fey queen was right. Well, at least about Rhyland hurting me.

“Raven, sweetheart, what’re you doing out here by yourself so close to the forest this late?” Kingsley asks as he appears in the dark, striding across the castle grounds toward me. “Especially with the fey queen out and about?”

I sit up and shrug, quickly wiping my eyes with the back of my hand before he can spot my tears. “I just needed a breather.”

He stops in front of me and crouches to examine my face. Then he frowns. “Rave, what you saw on that dance floor between Nadine and Rhyland … it didn’t mean anything.”

Deep down, I know he’s probably telling the truth, but that doesn’t mean it still doesn’t hurt. “Even if it didn’t mean anything, him and I … we can’t ever be together. Not with him being the king and Nadine being the queen.”

He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “We can find a way for you two to be together. Even if it’s in secret, you can still see each other.”

“That’s the start to every tragic love story.” I sigh, plucking at the grass. The laughter and singing of fey flows from the forest behind me as they sparkle against the night sky. Add that to the music and chatting buzzing from the castle, the night is bursting with magic. Yet, I feel so broken inside. “I don’t want my life to be like that. To be someone’s little secret until we get caught and I get killed because of it. You know that’s how things will turn out, Kingsley.” I rest back on my hands and stare up at the moon, remembering how Rhyland and I once had plans to travel to the Land of Moonlight. Those plans vanished, though, the moment an Eternal Reading announced him as king. “Rhyland and I … We can’t be together.”

“Raven, please don’t say that,” Kingsley whispers. “My brother … He loves you. You have to know that.”

Tears sting my eyes. “Maybe he does, but it only makes this hurt worse.”

He cups my chin and forces me to look him in the eyes. “I’m not going to let you fall apart. You’re stronger than this.” His gaze wanders over my shoulder as the faerie laughter grows louder—grows closer. “How about we go inside and talk about this some more?” he suggests, standing. “I don’t like being about with so many of them out.”

“Why are there so many out tonight?”

“The extra moonlight is drawing them out.”

“Extra moonlight?” I ask as he helps me to my feet.

“It’s the Land of Moonlight’s solstice tonight, which means extra power is resonating from the moon right now. And all the moonlight creatures.”

“How did I not know this”—I peer up at the moon blaring almost as brightly as the sun does during the day—“when I have moonlight blood in me?”

“It only happens every few centuries or so, and not many creatures know about it.”

“Yet you do. And them.” I nod back at the forest where faeries are dancing and laughing.

“Faeries always seem to know about everything that has to do with extra power.” He loops his arm through mine and guides me toward the castle.

“Do my parents know it’s the solstice?”

“They might. Although, with everything going on with your sister, they may have forgotten.”

True. My parents have been very distracted since Nadine was announced queen. Not with rushing to make preparation, but as if preparing for an impending doom heading our way.

My gaze falls to my arms, my pale skin glistening in the moonlight. “So, what can I do with this extra power?”

He chuckles. “How about we find out?”

Before I can respond, he quickens his pace, zooming across the grounds, through the castle door, and upstairs to his chambers. But the real miraculous part is how I manage to keep up with him.

“How in the world did I do that?” I ask, staring down at my legs in awe. “I swear, earlier tonight, I could barely walk without stumbling.”

“You’ll get more powerful the further into the night it gets.” He shucks off his jacket and drapes it onto the bedpost.

“Let me guess; it’ll fade by the time the sun rises, right?” I ask, and he nods. Sighing, I flop down onto his bed and stare up at the domed ceiling painted in colors of the night sky. “Kings, what am I supposed to do? I don’t think I can stick around and watch Rhyland play pretend lover with my bitchy sister who could very well chop off my head if she wants to.”

Instead of answering, he pours some blood into two glasses. Then he hands me one while keeping the other.

“I wish I had a good answer for you. I can lie if you want me to. Make up a sugarcoated story that will give you false relief,” he says. “Do you want me to do that?”

I cup the glass in my hands. “You know sugarcoating isn’t my style.”

“I know, but considering how upset you looked earlier, I thought I’d give you the option.”

“I always want the truth, Kings, no matter how much it hurts.”

Blowing out a breath, he downs the entire drink in one, long gulp. Then he sets the glass down, walks over to me, and crouches, resting his arms on my legs. “You want the truth for real?” he asks, and after a bit of hesitation, I nod. “Well, the truth is that you have three options. One, you can secretly keep seeing my brother and risk getting caught by Nadine. Two, you can search for a way to either dethrone Nadine or break the rule that the king must be with the queen. Or three, you can move on.”

My nose crinkles as I grimace. “Those are all terrible choices. I mean it, Kings. None of those give me any hope of this working out the way I want.” I take a swallow of the blood and warmth pours through my body as it spills down my throat. “Can’t you come up with an option number four, one where Rhyland doesn’t have to be king or Nadine isn’t queen?”

“I wish there was one,” he assures. “But so far, I haven’t thought up any other options.”

“How long have you been thinking about this?”

“Since the day they were announced king and queen.”

“But … how did you know that Rhyland and I would end up …?” Falling in love? Is that what we are? “Well, whatever we are. I didn’t even realize I thought of him as more than a friend until tonight.”

He rolls his eyes. “Oh, quit lying to yourself. You and my brother have been in love for years now. You’re both just too stubborn to admit it.”

I shake my head then chug down the rest of the drink. “That’s not true at all.”

His eyes glaze over. “It’s completely true.”

“Is not …” My head feels a bit foggy. “Man, Kingsley, that blood must have been some serious top-shelf quality because I feel blood high right now.”

“So do I.” His brows dip. “But the blood was just normal quality.”

“Really?”

“Hmmm …” He becomes transfixed with my mouth.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I whisper, wetting my lips.

“Like what?” He leans toward me.

“Like …”

He seals his lips to mine.

Cloudiness overtakes my brain, and I kiss him back, placing my hands on his shoulders.

At first, the kiss is gentle, soft, but then he urges my lips apart with his tongue and the softness ignites into flames. He lays me back on the bed as he kisses me deeply, his tongue tangling with mine. He explores every inch of my mouth as he roams his hands over my body, feeling the softness of my skin. As the moment blazes, my fangs snap out, ready to feed on him.

“Raven,” he whispers hoarsely as I pull away, my gaze dropping to his neck.

“Is it okay if …?” I bite down on my tongue, too afraid to ask.

He bobs his head up and down. “Yes, please. God, please do it, sweetheart.”

Tentatively, I sink my fangs into his neck and start to drink—

“What the fuck?”

I jerk back as the sound of Rhyland’s angry voice chips away at the haze filling my mind. Kingsley lets out a string of curses and quickly pushes off me.

“What are you doing in here?” Kingsley asks dazedly.

“I have no idea,” Rhyland replies as if he truly doesn’t. “I was just …” He shakes his head, glaring at Kingsley.

“What you just saw between Raven and I … it wasn’t what it looked like,” he tells Rhyland as he stands. “We were just …”

Rhyland glances from him to me. The hurt in his eyes mirrors the way I felt when I saw him dancing with Nadine. That was never my intention. I never even wanted to kiss Kingsley.

Then, why did I?

Rhyland steps back toward the door, his body quivering with rage.

“Rhy.” Kingsley cautiously steps toward him. “Just settle down and let us explain. What happened … We didn’t mean for it to happen. Raven was just upset and—”

“Fuck you,” Rhyland spats. “I’ve known for a while you wanted her. I just never thought you’d ever stab me in the back like this.”

Kingsley winces. “I didn’t stab you in the back—”

“You’ve know I loved her for years,” he cuts him off. “So yes, you did.” His gaze lands on me again, and the look of hatred makes my heart shrivel into pieces.

“Rhyland, I …”

He takes off, zipping out the door and heading to who knows where.

“We need to stop him”—Kingsley hurries for the door—“before he does something irrational.”

I spring to my feet, ignoring the spout of dizziness sloshing around in my brain. “What do you think he’ll do?”

“I don’t know, but with how hurt he looks, probably something awful.” He stops at the doorway and glances back at me. “I’ll check the upper floors. You look downstairs.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond, rushing out at vampire quick speed.

I hurry across the room, preparing to leave, when something catches my eye. A wing-shaped barrette. The barrette the fey queen tried to give me, only the vial attached to it is empty now.

When I pick up the barrette, it’s then I see a drop of pale purple liquid drips onto the side of the pitcher of blood. The pitcher of blood Kingsley poured our drinks from.

I sniff the liquid, and my eyes begin to water. “Euphoric faerie dust,” I mutter. I’m not even sure how I know that, other than maybe the extra magic coursing through my blood has given me super senses. “Why would the fey queen want to …?”

It clicks into place. Kingsley and I kissing, how hazy my brain feels—we were doped up by faerie magic. Why? So Rhyland would see? He didn’t seem to know why he was up here. Why would she care if Rhyland saw Kingsley and me?

I think about the bargain she tried to make with me, how she whispered in the forest that we’d hurt each other. She wanted us to turn against each other. Why?

I’m not sure, but I need to find Rhyland before he does something awful, like make a deal with the fey queen.

I rush out the room, fly down the stairs, burst outside, and sprint into the forest. Kingsley may have told me to search the downstairs floors, but I know Rhyland. He won’t hide out in the castle while he’s upset. He’ll go someplace quiet where he can think.

Thankfully, the moonlight has heightened my speed tonight, so I’m able to get to the rock much quicker than I normally would. But I can’t not notice how quiet the forest has gotten, as if all the faeries have gone to sleep.

Something isn’t right.

When I reach the rock, I find out why.

Rhyland is standing on top, and he’s not alone. The fey queen stands before him. The moonlight highlights the grin on her face and the elation in her glittery eyes.

“Rhyland!” I shout, but he makes no move to look at me as he takes something from the fey queen. “Don’t listen to her! Whatever she’s offering will come with a price!” I rush at him, moving quicker than I ever have, as he lifts a small vial to his lips. “Rhyland …” I start to jump for the top of the rock, but my legs give out on me. I sink to the ground, to the dirt, tears stinging my eyes as pain rips through my veins. “What’s … happening … to me …? Where am I …? Who am I …?”

“You’re cursed,” the queen whispers in my ear. “And no matter what your lover thinks, you’ll never get close to breaking it. Because the moment you do, I’ll kill you.”

“Why?” I choke out, gripping the dirt. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because the more you suffer, the more my powers grow, my little moonlight abomination.”

I let out a scream as the pain grows. Then it grows quiet. Soundlessly quiet. And I can’t even remember why I was upset to begin with.