Page 14 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

She softly shushed me, glancing around to make sure no one heard me. It was the truth, and she knew it. I was here because it was my birthright. My father had been a terrible king, a horrendous leader, and an even worse husband and father. I suppose my outspokenness in those facts encouraged the people of Faerie to at least trust that I would get us out of this mess.

While the nobility of Faerie wanted rank, privilege, and wealth, they most certainly did not want the responsibility of a cursed kingdom to rule.

A coup was the last thing on anyone’s mind.

Even within a ballroom filled with people, I felt disconnected from it all. My legs were spread out to the corners of the chair, leaning back to rest my cheek in the palm of my hand. I tried not to seem bored as nobles approached and music floated through the background. Apparently I was failing. Kaia nudged me gently, giving me a chastising look, a scolding crease formed between her brows.

“What?”

“Mind your posture,” Kaia leaned in, whispering, her voice playfully scolding. I rolled my eyes, swatting away her hand. She considered it a minor success. “And fix your face.”

The overwhelming desire to laugh was difficult to ignore, and I covered my mouth with the back of my hand to block the smirk that begged to appear. Only Kaia would speak to me this way . . . and Corvo.

“Lord and Lady Stone approach,” she whispered as a high fae couple dropped the masquerade masks they’d held up to their faces. Those accessories always seemed to be a nuisance. I’d rather a mask that tied, but so many nobles wanted to beseen, so they often used the type that was handheld. The vanity was obnoxious.

I inclined my head, greeting them by name, which clearly pleased them. Points to Kaia. She had an impeccable memory for names and faces.

“King Vareck, you’re looking exceptionally handsome tonight.” The woman curtsied, holding the flowing fabric of her gown to the side. Pieces of her bodice shimmered in a unique way I’d never seen before.

“I say, this is the best party I’ve attended in ages. Wouldn’t you agree?” her husband added, bowing slightly in respect.

“We’re pleased you could attend,” I said, wishing they would go away. “I hear your greenhouses are doing well this year. We owe you many thanks for all you provide to the kingdom.”

Faces I may forget at times, but their importance to the kingdom was something I always knew. In a land of perpetual winter, greenhouses were a primary source for growing food. Only half of our livestock could handle the cold—long-haired cattle and draft horses—while the remainder were housed in a similar fashion in order to survive. They needed warmth too, so greenhouses were the solution for both. It was how our kingdom survived. That and trade with the human world.

The Stones’ greenhouses were our source of kale, zucchini, lettuce, bell peppers, and a various assortment of other greens. Every year was different as to whether the crop yielded results, and the past year had seen a decent bounty. Much of the kingdom had been pleased to see the return of those items in the markets, though the greenhouses with fruits weren’t fairing as well.

So delighted that I had acknowledged them, they jumped into conversation about how production had been. I nodded politely on occasion, but otherwise I found it difficult to focus.

Another tug in my chest pulled my attention, twisting uncomfortably. I gripped the armrest of my throne. I idly searched the crowd, skipping over nobility. It was a lost cause. She wasn’t here. I would have seen her by now.

That was when it hit me. A strong note of citrus caused my nostrils to twitch, and my eyes began to search through the crowd. The air was fresh, like a new day in spring. Soft rain could have poured down in the room, clearing the earth of decay and ruin. It was enticing.Intoxicating.

My eyes widened, pupils turning into thin slits as I desperately scanned the crowd, and still nothing. My frown deepened, and the scent was lost when I spotted Prince Damon. Of course, my nephew was here to be the life of the party.

Damon tilted his wolf mask up to wink at the two fae he was chatting up. He must have said something amusing because they were soon laughing. The blushing one almost spilled her wine down her pale green and yellow dress. I figured she must have had too much to drink to find him humorous, or she assumed she could gain status by bedding him. Tucking a blonde curl behind her ear, the woman held out her hand to the prince, and he took delightin kissing the back of it. I forced myself to look away as Damon took the other woman on his arm.

“Pissant fuckboy,” I huffed, moving to press a finger into my temple.

“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty?” Lord Stone asked, standing near the foot of the stairs by the throne.

I looked down at him, unsure of what to say. He stared at me in question, and I looked to Kaia for help. I could see the mild annoyance in her eyes. A look only I knew. And one that only she could get away with.

Kaia jumped in, saving me. “Your incorrigible brother-in-law, sir. The one you were just telling us about.”

“Yes, your wife’s brother. He is obviously a fool of the people,” I added, thinking about my nephew. “Just because he knows how to charm them, they see him as perfect.” Kaia stole a glance toward me but remained silent, the noble’s face turning to excitement that I had so readily agreed with him.

She and I both knew the sentiments were held exclusively for Prince Damon. His level of charisma was mildly annoying. He knew how to get what he wanted without being pushed over, all while making someone else think it was their idea when it failed. Twerp.

“Those are my exact thoughts, Your Majesty. It’s like you—like you plucked them from my mind. How invigorating!” the noble continued to falsely praise me over nothing. I was slightly thankful that my input was relevant, if only so I didn’t have to reply a second time. It wasn’t until a few minutes later that Kaia finally took pity on me.

She stepped forward, placing a hand over her chest. “The king must now prepare for his speech.”

“Oh, my. Yes. Thank you, Your Majesty.” The man stumbled over his words with a bow before he and his wifegiddily scurried off. My shoulders dipped in relief, and I continued staring straight ahead, hoping to find the woman I’d spent years searching for.

“Well, you certainly made him the happiest man of the evening,” she mused, returning to her position at my side.

“That’s what I’m here for,” I said dryly.

---