As Raith wandered Silver Lake aimlessly, unsure of what to do next, he heard a familiar voice.

“A Summer Prince in the mortal world,” Kaelem said behind Raith. “The new Summer King didn’t kill you after all.”

“Nope.” Raith turned to see Kaelem in human clothes, unglamoured. “Surprise, surprise.”

Kaelem cocked his head. “I can’t say it really surprises me.”

Raith shrugged. “What do you want, Kaelem?”

“Can’t an old friend be concerned?”

Raith’s eyebrow rose. “I didn’t know you were capable of concern.”

“You’re probably right. But I do love drama in the other courts.”

“You love drama. Period.” The whole reason Kaelem had invited Raith to his court had been to see if he’d ditch Poppy. Life was a game to Kaelem. Raith knew better than to trust him.

“I like to know things,” Kaelem said. “And I know quite a bit about your lovely Summer Court.”

“It’s not my court anymore.” It really wasn’t. Even if Cade would welcome him back, which Raith doubted, he didn’t want any part of that place.

Kaelem smirked. “Ahh… but I know things about your mother.”

Cade spent his first night as king of the Summer Court among his people and the guests from the other courts. He was congratulated by the Seelie advisor to the queen, a Spring Court Princess, and the King of the Unseelie Court. The other courts would likely send their best wishes with a gift soon, as was customary when a new ruler took his place.

After the festivities, Cade went to his room alone. He could have bed nearly any female there—except Poppy, she wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want to do, even for a king—but he wasn’t in the mood for sex.

He’d killed Scarlett. For what, jealousy? That wasn’t the type of person, let alone king, Cade wanted to be. But he’d spared his brother, sort of. Both Raith and Scarlett would be in the stomach of a cyclops or drained by a banshee by now. But he didn’t slice his sword into Raith’s chest—his first act of mercy.

The next morning, his mother joined him for breakfast. She was no longer the reigning queen of the Summer Court, but she was still royal, so she wore a smaller crown.

“My son,” she said as she sat on the end of the table opposite Cade. “We have many plans to make now.”

Plans? Cade had barely been crowned king and the court had no pressing needs that he knew of.

Kassandra continued. “As you know, many years ago, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts moved to the mortal realm and trapped our courts here and bound our abilities, while they are as powerful as they’ve ever been. It’s time we end the curse they’ve placed upon us.”

Sure, there was some hostility when that had happened, but since then, season courts had thrived, even without their full power.

“The Seelie and Unseelie Courts are too powerful,” Cade said.

“They won’t be if we bind their powers.”

Scarlett stood on the familiar hill overlooking the cemetery below. It seemed like forever since she’d been here. Any hint of breeze had abandoned the empty graveyard.

It was better that way—a moment for her and her mom, alone.

Scarlett’s feet pushed forward, down the hill and through the graveyard. Scarlett twirled the rose, yellow and beautiful, in her hand. She’d picked it from her mom’s garden that morning.

When she arrived at her mom’s grave, her chest tightened.

Scarlett inhaled deeply as she stared at her mother’s name engraved on the headstone. So much had changed since she’d last been here—the same day Cade had found her. Instead of facing her fears, she’d run like a coward. But she’d learned she was stronger than she’d ever known. Her mother had raised her well.

Scarlett breathed in the grief that struck her. Not only did she miss her mother with her entire being, but if anyone would have believed Scarlett’s story, it would have been her.

Unlike Scarlett, who never listened to her mom, not when she was having a fit. But now, after Scarlett had seen so much, she couldn’t help but wonder if her mother’s illness was more than anyone thought.

If Scarlett had the gifts she had now, could she have healed her mother?

Tears dripped down her cheeks. What-ifs were pointless. Scarlett couldn’t let her heartache consume her any longer.

Scarlett placed the rose in front of the stone and walked away.