KARIS

Loftin was avoiding me. Probably because I was playing dirty. Hey – I wanted him, he wanted me. I didn’t see what the big deal was. And now I regretted giving him the power to use the mirrors, because any time things got hot between us, he jumped through one like his feet were on fire. I could’ve followed him, but… he was frustrating.

I’d written to the Queen of Spring and the Kings of Summer, Autumn (Loftin’s father), and Winter to ask if they would be interested in celebrating Faery’s emancipation from Nemain. Surprisingly, everyone but King Kegan, the King of Autumn, wrote back and agreed that we should have the Festival of the Seasons on the Autumnal Equinox.

I showed the letters to Loftin.

“They’re trying to draw him out of hiding,” he surmised. “They want revenge.”

“This is supposed to be a happy, peaceful event. To promote healing,” I snarled, snatching the pieces of parchment out of his hands. “Have you spoken to him?” I asked.

He nodded. “He won’t come, but he’ll send someone to represent him.”

I huffed. “Let me guess – you?”

He shrugged. “I’m still his successor. The responsibility falls to me.”

“But you’re already going.”

“I know.” He smiled, pulling me close to him. He inhaled deeply, putting his face in the crook of my neck. “You aren’t making this easy on me.”

“Why should I?”

Loftin groaned. “Vivica taught you well.”

My mouth popped open. “She did not.”

“Fine.” He grinned. “Maybe it’s just a female thing.”

Oh, for faery’s sake. I started to lean in to show him exactly how females could manipulate the male species, when he disappeared. I hadn’t even noticed the mirror behind us.

“Not funny, Loftin.”

His chuckle was muffled in the reflection as he walked away from me.

* * *

LOFTIN

I found my father in his palace, where he’d holed up and placed guards all around the perimeter. Not the best hiding place, I thought, but whatever. I had a feeling the Kings and Queen wanted to kill him in public, to make a spectacle of the event in order to show their power.

“You could’ve at least written back to her,” I smarted.

A scowl stretched over his face and his posture stiffened. “I won’t waste my time scribbling a note to your lover just to appease her.”

“She isn’t my lover,” I growled.

He grunted and stared out the window. His hair was bright red, matching the suit he wore today.

“It may ease their anger if you apologize publicly.”

He shook his head. “What’s done is done. Nothing will stop them from seeking revenge.”

“I could have Karis place a shield over your court.”

He turned to look at me. “She would do that?”

I nodded.

“I’ll consider it,” he conceded, rocking back on his heels. He was quiet for a long moment. “Lita claims that now you refuse to honor your betrothal.”

“That’s right.”

“The betrothal you asked me for, and trusted me to secure for you.”

I sighed, tipping my head back as far as it would go. “That was before I met Karis.”

“She is Nemain’s daughter, Loftin, which means she’s dangerous. The other rulers are right about that. She needs to be trapped away under the mountain with the other Unseelie fae.”

I was in front of him in an instant, my hunting knife at his throat, ready to filet him like a fish. “Say that again, and I’ll end you myself and claim the title of King.”

His eyes caught fire. “How dare you threaten me in my own home!” he seethed.

“How dare you threaten the woman I love?” I didn’t remove my blade.

He opened his mouth. “I didn’t realize you felt so… strongly about her.”

“Now you know,” I acknowledged, sheathing my knife.

* * *

The days flew by as I tried increasingly creative ways to avoid being cornered by Karis at every turn, but there was no avoiding her tonight. Tonight, we would travel to the center of Faery, only miles from where Nemain built her castle and Karis had fought for us all.

I wore the clothing she laid out for me; a copper-colored tunic, dark pants, and a new leather belt with leather knife sheaths bearing the designs of falling leaves, announcing that I was Prince of the Autumn Court.

I must have made her angry. She refused to see me today, but through her bedroom door snipped that she’d meet me at the bottom of the staircase an hour before sunset.

It was time.

I tugged at my sleeves. This evening had to go well, for the sake of all of Faery. Karis had dropped a dome of smoke over my father’s palace, just in case his refusal to show up tonight prompted someone to go searching for him.

Iric led the boys down the steps. “She’s almost ready,” he said, chuckling.

The boys all wore brown pants and mustard-colored tunics, while Vivica padded down the steps in a bright red gown, followed by Alistair, who stared at her backside the entire way. He smirked when he made it to the bottom, stopping to stand at my side. “I was given strict orders to hold you back if necessary. You can’t ruin her dress before the Festival.”

“What are you talking about?”

He chuckled and ticked his head toward the staircase.

A flash of orange.

Karis was at the top. Her hair was curled. The dress she wore matched my tunic, but the copper gown that was plastered to every one of her curves sparkled in the evening sun streaming into the windows.

Slowly, she made her way down. I stepped forward, but the Leancan pushed me back. I growled at him and tried again.

“Loftin,” she began. “You aren’t allowed to touch me tonight.”

“Pardon me?” Scald me, what was she talking about?

“You’ve made it quite clear that you want space, so tonight, you’ll have it,” she replied, tipping her chin up haughtily.

The little minx. I knew what she was doing. Two could play at this game.

“Very well,” I replied, making myself look away from her. Alistair and Vivica both laughed at my sides. I didn’t think it was a bit funny.

“Where are the other Leancan?” I asked Alistair, trying to diffuse the situation.

“I will represent them.” He offered Vivica his arm, and she slid her hand into it and gave a throaty laugh.

I looked to Karis, who was busy beaming a smile at Iric.

* * *

The Festival of Seasons started out formally. Proper introductions were made between the Queen and Kings of the Seasonal Courts and Karis. Gwyndlyn asked me where my father was, and I told her that he’d sent me in his stead.

“Of course he did,” she replied.

Night fell over the festival quickly. Faery lights were strung from tree to tree in each Court’s colors. There were overflowing tables of food and wine, and benches that lined a cleared space in the center of the woods. Karis was in awe, taking in every detail and probably committing them to memory.

Musicians just beyond the clearing began to play, and I asked Karis to dance.

“Sorry, but no touching,” she replied demurely.

My eyes popped out of my skull when Iric asked her and she immediately agreed to dance with him. As he twirled her around the dance floor, laughing and talking, I wanted to explode.

I gulped one glass of Faery wine and then another. And then another. There were fae of every Court here; the Spring fae with their green gowns and tunics and matching eyes, the Summer fae with their blue-green or sapphire tunics and matching eyes, and the Winter fae with their icy garments… and matching eyes. And every pair of those eyes, regardless of court, watched Karis as she danced, bearing the color of my court. I wanted to beat on my chest and roar to all the males ogling her that she was mine.

Alistair sidled up to me, sipping from a wineglass filled with blood. “Where do you get blood now that the Unseelie are gone?” I asked curiously.

“Oh, here and there,” he answered vaguely. I shouldn’t have asked. “She is stunning.”

“She is,” I agreed. She was the most breathtaking thing I’d ever seen.

“The other males think so, too. They may initially be attracted to her power, but she isn’t hard on the eyes, either.”

“Do you have a point, Alistair?”

He shrugged. “She wants you, Loftin. But if you won’t have her, someone else will be happy to take your place at her side. Look how eager they are…”

He was right. The males couldn’t stop staring. I started toward her, but the Leancan stopped me. “You know how to prevent anyone from taking her away,” he said knowingly.

“I’ve been planning it since she woke up.”

He smiled. He knew. The bastard knew.