Page 21 of Kingdom of Briars and Roses

Callan halted.

Our eyes met, and I reminded myself he was the realm’s most formidable fighter. Surely he would have a weapon or a plan. But in the next blink, I registered his fear right alongside my own. Then his gaze shifted to something over my shoulder, and he froze. I turned, scanning the gathering, trying to understand what had caused the sudden shift.

And then I saw her.

She stood at the edge of the rooftop, her dark eyes glittering like the night sky above us. There was something fierce and wild in her gaze, a dangerous glint that sent a chill down my spine. Her presence was enough to silence the entire party, every fae in sight turning to stare at her with stark fear reflected in their faces.

“Heliconia,” Iwhispered, my heart racing.

The dark queen had finally come. And her attention was focused entirely on me.

Chapter Seven

Aurelia

Breaking our stare, Heliconia’s dark gaze swept over the crowd like a predator sizing up prey. Her beautiful face was twisted with hate, her lips curled into a smile that chilled me to the bone. The Summer Court’s roses, always in bloom, seemed to wither in her presence. Even the lamplight had gone dim.

My knees trembled, but I stood straight as I faced her.

Some of the guests tried to flee for the exits, but an invisible wall had been conjured, preventing anyone from leaving. Or getting in.

I glanced at the skies, searching for the Aine, but saw only a veil of shadows. The stars were no longer visible through it.

Over the sound of wails and tears, Heliconia’s voice rose. “I see my invitation was lost for this special occasion.”

The king, my father, rose from his throne, his face hard as stone. “Heliconia,” he called, voice sharp. “You are not welcome here. Leave now, or I will see you thrown into the dungeons.” He lifted his hand, and heat flushed his skin, spreading up his arm as he called on his magic.

Heliconia’s shadows thrashed at his words, her powerpulsing with rage. No one else seemed to feel it but me. A gathering… as if she were pulling it in so she could unleash it on us all.

“Father—” I tried to speak, to warn him, but Callan yanked me back, hissing at me to shut up.

Power shot from Heliconia’s hand. A dark arrow that speared through my father’s palm. He made a sound of pain as soldiers rushed to his aid. A few other guests attempted to use their own magic. A small streak of lightning flew from Elyn, my mother’s advisor and best friend. A gust of wind from Cruve, the commander of my father’s guard. And snarling at full speed ahead with claws outstretched, Norley, a panther shifter closed the distance.

None of them reached their target before some dark artifice of Heliconia’s making snuffed them out or stopped them in their tracks. The wind died. The lightning winked out. And Norley fell with a black blade buried in her heart.

Ignoring the commotion that followed, Heliconia took another step, a slow, deliberate movement, her eyes sweeping the room once more before re-settling on me. “It’s nice to see you again,Princess.”

People gasped, and fury flushed my cheeks. She was insinuating I’d met with her willingly.

“There’s nothing nice about you,” I spat. “Which is why I tried to kill you the last time.”

“You froze like a coward,” the dark queen scoffed. “Just like you’re doing now.”

“Enough!” My mother’s voice cut through the tension, her golden gown shimmering in the lantern light. “We will not tolerate your intrusion. Guards!”

The handful of royal guards stationed nearby surged forward, placing themselves between Heliconia and the dais where my parents stood. The soldiers pointed their swords at the dark fae queen.

She rolled her eyes.

“Be gone from my court, demon witch,” my father demanded.

He stepped out from behind his guards as power shot from his unharmed hand—a burst of heat with enough power behind it to spark as it flew. It struck out with lethal precision at Heliconia’s chest, only to sizzle away like steam before it could pierce her flesh.

“I’ll come and go at my will, old man, not yours,” Heliconia said coldly. “My business is not yet finished here. And you will address me as a queen.”

“We have no business with you,” my father said. His voice was steel, but his eyes… his eyes betrayed his fear. “And you have done nothing to earn that title except to steal it. This court doesn’t recognize thieves.”

My stomach roiled. If King Tyrion was afraid…everyone should be.

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