Page 137 of Kingdom of Briars and Roses

Heliconia had ruined the night. Would she try it again?

“And you look like the perfect son,” I said with mock sweetness as he led us into the ballroom.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his brow twitch, but he said nothing. Instead, his grip on my hand tightened just enough to remind me what this was between us. I refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Across the room, I spotted Rydian standing in the shadows, his dark eyes following my every move. I could practically feel his hands on me all over again. The way he’d made me writhe for him last night. The way he’d broken me apart and put me back together with his body.

My smile slipped as I caught his gaze for a moment. The storm clouds in his eyes hadn’t dimmed. If anything, they looked darker and more violent than ever. I should have been turned off by the possessiveness inside that storm. The way he honed in on how close Callan and I stood. Where our bodies brushed. Instead, it thrilled me. In that moment, it took everyounce of control I had not to cross the room and step right into his arms. Besides, there was more than a shared night in bed brewing behind that stormy look he wore. What was he planning?

“Care to rein in some of that darkness, my darling?” Callan’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I realized with a jolt that I’d let my power seep far too close to the surface.

Biting back a scowl, I reeled it back in, steadying myself for what was to come.

“Good girl.” Callan pressed his hand against the small of my back, guiding me toward the gathered guests.

I imagined cutting that hand off and shoving it up his ass.

Or casually mentioning to Rydian that Callan had done it. That probably made me evil, but something had shifted for me since last night. Or maybe it had changed the moment he’d dragged me into his kitchen and pinned me to his wall with his mouth. There were too many moments to know for sure. Maybe it had been a gradual slide. Maybe I’d fallen for him the night of the lamplight party. All I knew was, somewhere along the way, we’d stopped hating one another. Or I’d stopped caring that we did.

We moved together through the ballroom, Callan exchanging pleasantries with other court members while pretending this was the happiest day of his life. But I couldn’t help noticing none of the other courts had come. As the night wore on, I sensed Callan’s uneasiness at their absence. I wanted to be smug—but their refusal to show meant my chances of gaining their aid were basically zero.

When Duron finally arrived, Callan slipped away to speak with him, finally leaving me alone. I exhaled, relieved to have a moment to myself even if it happened to be in the center of a crowded ballroom.

“Princess Aurelia,” a lilting voice greeted me.

I turned and found a stranger extending his hand. He wore the burnt bronze colors of Autumn, and the scent rolling off him was distinctly animal. Shifter then. But his green eyes sparkled with intrigue as he took my hand, his touch cool.

The moment our hands met, the glamour surrounding him dropped away. Before me stood a fae male, tall and graceful, his long golden hair cascading down his back. My surprise must have registered at the sudden reveal because he grinned, clearly entertained.

“A necessary trick tonight,” he said simply.

“Have we met?” I asked, struggling to place his familiar face.

“Many years ago. I’m Talthis. Emissary to the king and queen of Lightshore.”

“Of course. You visited Sevanwinds the year before—” I couldn’t finish and instead said, “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Lightshore sends its regards to its neighbors,” he said smoothly.

Spring, the court of eternal first blooms and last frosts. Neighbors felt accurate. Once, our kingdoms were even friends, in fact. But somewhere along the way, that had changed. And now, beneath his pleasant smile, there was something sharp enough to remind me that friendship wasn’t something I could count on.

“Have you spoken to Callan or Duron?” I asked. “They’ll be glad to know their invitation was answered.”

“I haven’t decided whether to do so.” His gaze swept over me. “We all thought you were lost, Princess,” he said quietly, his voice tinged with disbelief. “But it seems the Summer Court has managed to thwart Heliconia after all.”

Just the sound of her name spoken aloud bothered me more than I wanted to admit. And I didn’t dare tell him the rest of my kingdom still slept beneath Heliconia’s magical grip.

“For seven years, I was lost,” I admit quietly. “And now that I’ve returned, I want only to pay her back for what she took.”

“You surprise us all by allying yourself with Autumn.”

“And you disappoint me by not allying with anyone. Heliconia will come for us all. Alone, we suffer. Together, we stand a chance of defeating her.”

His brow rose. “Is that what the Autumn king tells you? That Lightshore has no allies?”

My confusion was clear, but his gaze only sharpened as if it told him what he’d wanted to know.

“Duron is the one with no allies, Princess. Lightshore has friends willing to do what Duron will not.”

---