Page 125 of Court of the Fae Princes

“Lady Cassia!” she snaps, yanking me from my thoughts.

I groan “what?” before sitting up.

Her mouth curls into an almost-sneer. “Do you know what happened while you were getting your beauty rest the last few days?”

I stretch my arms above my head, yawning. My wrists still hurt from the damn iron cuffs, even though I let the healers do a little work on them. The wounds have scabbed over, but pain still radiates and throbs through them as I drop them back into my lap. I guess it was too much to ask that I escape from the pain through sleep for a little longer.

“Did the fae learn to fart glitter?”

Now, she’s definitely sneering. “No, the world kept going, even though you were needed.”

Something inside of me boils over. It’s not that I’m not used to being woken up. It’s not that I’m not used to functioning on little sleep after hard days. It’s that I’ve hit my fucking limit.

“Did you know that I was just rescued from being kidnapped? Maybe I don’t need to be woken up at the asscrack of dawn for whatever insane fae reason you have!”

Lady Nova puts her hands on her hips and cocks her head, staring at me thoughtfully like she’s trying to find the right words. I want to tell her there are no right words when shouting at a person until they wake up. I want to tell her that if I wasn’t so sure she could beat my ass within an inch of my life, I’d be chasing her out of my room even now.

“Where are the princes?” She crosses her arms over her chest and continues her stare down.

I roll my neck from side to side, trying to think. My neck hasn’t felt right in days, but that’s not the focus here. When had I seen the princes last?

Memories come slowly back to me of when I last saw them, shortly after we’d almost had sex. It was not long after I refused to marry them, a memory that feels like a knife twisting in my chest to remember. I rub my chest, wishing I could rub away the feeling, but stop when I see Lady Nova watching me.

“They left on horseback a few days ago, didn’t they? I think that’s what I saw before I went to bed.”

Although ‘going to bed’ doesn’t seem like the right words for the vivid dream-filled days and nights I’d endured after the fae healers came to my room that night, stood over my bed, and started chanting. Basically, after the healers had done their thing, I’d pretty much slept for three days straight, getting up to use the bathroom and drink occasionally before crashing once more.

Oh, and then there were the visits from my dad and grandmother that felt like a blur. The healers called what I did a “healing sleep,” which I guess is pretty self-explanatory. Even if it was also weird. And still is. This is the first time I’ve been awake where I feel like myself again. Where I’m aware of things around me, even if I still feel a bit slow.

“You saw them riding away and that’s it? That’s what you’re telling me?” she asks, shaking me from my thoughts.

I stare at Lady Nova, wondering why she’s bothering me about four fae princes who can defend themselves against just about anyone or anything when having a little early morning ride. Is it supposed to be my job to babysit them now? No one had really gone over my duties, except that I was expected to enthusiastically get married and go to Pound Town as fast as possible.

Her expression is one of disappointment. “I keep asking myself if you’re cut out for this or not.” Then she turns away from me and stares out the window.

Okay, that’s a lot of judgment this early in the morning.

“What? Not cut out for what?” I have no idea what the hell she’s talking about.

“To be the queen of all the courts. If you can’t even be bothered to wake up to receive information, how are you going to be able to help them rule?” She’s frustrated, but, hell, so am I. Who knew snapping to attention to receive information was such an important quality for a queen?

“Fuck you! You don’t know anything about me!” My voice rises in anger.

“I’m learning about you right now.” Anger…no, disappointment is on her face.

She’s really standing here judging me. How dare she! “And I’m learning about you! You, like all fae, sit on your high horse all day long looking down on everyone else like it’s your favorite fucking hobby. Yet, I guess, my big crime is sleeping in order to heal!” I clench my jaw so hard my teeth hurt.

Lady Nova shifts on her feet. “Ok, let me be clearer. Do you know where the princes are right now?”

Why is she asking me this? Why is this important? Yes, it’s bothered me that the princes haven’t visited me since our tough conversation, but I just figured they needed some space. I haven’t heard anything to suggest they’re in trouble in any way, so it seems likely they’re just sulking.

Lady Nova appears to have a different idea though. They might be royal fae, but that doesn’t make them as useless as children. My gods, they’re adult men!

“Sorry, but I don’t keep tabs on them.” Then I give her a look. “But if keeping tabs on them is so important, might I suggest you do it yourself.”

That seems to surprise her. “Do you feel anything from them?”

“Feel anything?”

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