Cade felt mostly back to normal the next morning, though his ego was still wounded. Challenging the Unseelie King was a stupid move, truly. But it showed—win or lose—he wasn’t afraid of a challenge.

Poppy challenging Scarlett was not part of his plan.

He visited her room to confront her about it.

“I can feel your anger,” Poppy said as she sat in a rolled back, burgundy chair next to a window. “You gave me no choice.”

“I gave you no choice?”

“You challenged the Unseelie King in front of the Winter Queen and lost. We couldn’t look weak. What message would that send?”

“So you challenge Scarlett to show your strength?” Please. He didn’t buy it. “Her obvious inability to fight made you look like a predator.”

Poppy clenched her jaw. “At least I won.”

“I may have lost, but at least I picked an opponent worth fighting. I lost with dignity. You won with what?”

“It sent a message to the Unseelie King that he’s only as strong as his partner.”

“Scarlett is not his partner.”

“Then what is she, huh? Because she isn’t yours.”

She was right. Cade learned that in the Battle of Heirs. Scarlett had chosen his brother over him, and now she chose Kaelem. She’d even kissed him. The thought sent nausea to his stomach. But why? And why would he choose her? As king, he had endless choices for a partner.

He must know something about Scarlett that Cade didn’t. Raith had known Scarlett was part fae when Cade hadn’t. He must have to have chosen her for his second.

But Kaelem was infamous for playing games, so maybe he brought Scarlett to the Unseelie Court and to the Winter Solstice simply to get under Cade’s skin, which, if that was the case, was working.

“Leave Scarlett alone.”

“Yes, King.”

Cade didn’t want Poppy mad at him, but he didn’t want Scarlett hurt. “I know you don’t like her and probably won’t understand, but I’m the one who brought her into this world simply to use her as a way to defeat Raith. I don’t know why she’s with the Unseelie King now, but if it hadn’t been for me preying on her vulnerability, she’d still be mortal and far away from here.”

“She should be thanking you,” Poppy quipped. “She’s powerful now and much less fragile.”

Yes, mortal Scarlett would have died from the injury from last night’s battle, regardless of the enchantments on the weapons.

“Maybe.” Cade shrugged. “But she didn’t have a choice. Not really.”

There was no other way he could explain to Poppy how he felt, so he left it at that. He couldn’t let the guilt consume him, though. He was king now, and his people depended on him.

He wouldn’t go out of his way to hurt Scarlett and would keep members of his court from hurting her as well, but if she ever got in the way of protecting his people, he’d do what must be done.

When Scarlett woke up, Kaelem was gone. The pain in her side had faded and was tolerable. Bending over hurt, but as long as she was careful, she could move.

As she slipped on a dress, he entered.

“Oh, sorry.” He looked away.

What had gotten into him? Normally, he would have jumped at the chance to catch Scarlett inappropriate. He’d have said at least one improper comment.

“You okay?” Scarlett reached around to tie the back of her dress, sending a shooting pain through her side. “Ow.”

“Here, let me help.” Kaelem came over and tied her dress.

“Thanks.”

Scarlett couldn’t read his thoughts, but she could feel solemnness coming from his aura. What had happened to make him so different?

Kaelem went into his closet and when he came back out, he held the mirror he’d trapped Ashleigh in. “I thought you might want to visit her.”

Scarlett’s heart fluttered. He’d let her see her sister? She nodded.

“I’ll put you inside the mirror with her for a few minutes, then I’ll pull you back out.”

Was it a trap of some sort? Even so, at least she’d be with her sister again. “Okay.”

Kaelem held the mirror in one hand and, with the other, spun his hand in a circular motion.

Scarlett felt as if her body was dissolving into thousands of pieces. Her skin tickled as she moved freely through the air. The world around her blurred. When it came into focus again, she was inside her house.

Her piano sat where it always had, a Chopin book open and ready to play.

“Ashleigh?” she yelled.

Something shattered in the kitchen. “Scar?”

Ashleigh came running to her, an apron on and flour sprinkled on her nose.

They hugged each other tightly.

“You’re okay?” Scarlett asked as she looked her sister over.

Ashleigh had been in a mirror world of their house the whole time. Had she realized she was trapped?

“Of course, I’m okay,” she said. “Just trying to get stuff done before Vance’s birthday tomorrow.”

Last time Scarlett had talked to Ashleigh, she’d been preparing for his birthday.

Time wasn’t moving here.

“I thought you were camping?” Ashleigh asked.

“It got boring,” Scarlett lied. She couldn’t do anything to upset Ashleigh.

She’d been worried the whole time that her sister had been lost and lonely and afraid. But whatever spell kept her here apparently also kept her oblivious.

Scarlett joined Ashleigh in the kitchen as she continued to make the cake she’d started before Scarlet had showed up. As Ashleigh baked, Scarlett asked her how things were going.

Scarlett’s stomach tightened when she realized Ashleigh’s boyfriend might be looking for her. He could be worried—or worse, not worried. Even if Ashleigh didn’t realize the confinement of the mirror, life outside went on.

But Scarlett would have to worry about that later. None of it would matter if she didn’t help Kaelem steal back what he wanted from the Winter Queen. If something happened to Kaelem in the process, Ashleigh might be stuck in the mirror forever.

Scarlett pushed the negative thoughts away. She didn’t have long with Ashleigh, and she didn’t want to waste her time.

“What about you, little sis?” Ashleigh stuck the cake she’d just mixed into the oven. “Anything exciting in your love life?”

“Not right now,” Scarlett said. “I’ve had a few other things to focus on.”

“Don’t be afraid to love. It feels glorious.”

Love. Was Ashleigh that enthralled by the guy she’d been seeing? Scarlett knew she was infatuated, but love?

Scarlett felt her body dissolve again. When it molded back together, she was back in the room with Kaelem.

“I hope whatever it is we’re here for is important.” Scarlett stomped toward the closet. She needed a moment alone.

“Scarlett, wait.”

She turned back.

Kaelem grabbed her hand.

When their skin touched, the room around Scarlett disappeared and a new image surfaced.

Coldness attacked her. Ahead, she saw a prison cell with bars of ice. She approached it slowly, worry in the pit of her stomach.

These weren’t her feelings. She was in a different mind.

When she peeked through the bars, a girl sat in the corner, head down and arms clutching her legs.

“Aria.” Kaelem’s voice said from the body Scarlett was in.

The girl’s body language shifted, relaxing as she peered up. Her eyes sparkled as she said, “Brother!”

Scarlett returned to her own body. Kaelem dropped her hand and watched her as he waited for her to speak.

Scarlett’s mental wall fell.

It was his sister? He’d stolen Scarlett’s sister to save his own. What kind of ludicrous logic was that? Anger boiled inside Scarlett. Her sister was in love, and she was happy. It might be a frivolous crush—or perhaps it was real—but either way, Ashleigh found a way to smile again. Losing their mom had been hard on her.

And now she may have lost that. Even if Ashleigh went back to him, what could she tell him? That she hadn’t been gone; he was mistaken. Then he’d think she was crazy.

The frailness of the girl in the vision surfaced to Scarlett’s thoughts. She pictured Ashleigh miserable, rotting away in a prison cell. What would she have been willing to do to save her?

“I shouldn’t have taken your sister,” Kaelem said.

Scarlett glared. He was in her head, listening to her thoughts. She’d learned to feel his presence.

You’re a hypocritical asshole.

He grabbed her arm and squeezed.

“Now, now. You should be grateful I haven’t killed you.” The Ice Queen’s voice was cold. “Yet.”

The girl lifted her head, eyes full of fury. “Fuck you.”

“Is that anyway to speak to a queen?”

“You’re not my queen.”

Nevina stepped into the cell as the bars parted for her and shot a dagger of ice into Aria’s arm.

Aria shrieked. She screamed again and again as another hit her leg and another her foot.

“You have no power here, princess. The sooner you learn that, the easier it will be for you.”

When Aria spit at Nevina’s feet, she gripped Aria’s arm.

Aria’s skin turned blue as she was frozen in place.

Kaelem released Scarlett’s arm. “I am sorry I took your sister, but I am not sorry for doing what I felt needed to be done.”

The rage in Scarlett simmered. Aria looked so breakable. She remembered when Kassandra had showed her a vision of Ashleigh dying—how it broke Scarlett’s soul to see even the possibility.

“I am going to do what I must for my sister,” Kaelem said as he looked out the window to his right. “But I won’t make you help me. I can release your sister now if you’d like. I’m the only one who can.”

What? Scarlett hadn’t seen that coming. She could take Ashleigh and go. But where?

If it were Ashleigh trapped in a cell of ice, Scarlett would want help saving her.

“No,” Scarlett said. “We couldn’t stay here. It wouldn’t be safe.”

Scarlett wanted to take Ashleigh and run, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t get home without Kaelem’s help and, after seeing the vision, Scarlett knew he wouldn’t risk taking them back and losing his chance to save his sister. Ashleigh was safer in the mirror until she could be freed back in the mortal realm.

After Scarlett had more time to figure out how to tell her everything.

It didn’t matter if Kaelem deserved her help. The image of Aria froze in Scarlett’s mind. She would do what she could to help him.

“How are we going to save your sister?”