Page 68 of The Dark Rises
His hand cups my cheek as I draw away, and his intense blue eyes burn with unspoken words for me.
“Someone cleans up nice.” Leandra’s smoky voice is mocking. She peers down at her own dress and gives Cormal a stiff nod. “Thank you for getting the purple.” Her draped dress is equally beautiful in an ombré silk dyed in different shades of purple. Hugging her body, it showcases all her best assets.
Leandra never wore purple. Ever. I didn’t realize it until now. I watch her fingers gently smooth the fabric. The way she’s fingering the dress makes me think her choice of color is sentimental.
Her brown hair is also in an updo, although much more intricate than mine, and her swirling eyes are on full display. She takes a deep breath and flashes me a satisfied smile.
Cormal’s suit is black, of course, and in the same style as the one he wore to my coronation, but this one has accents of deep red to match my dress. Callyx suit is all black as well, but with zero embellishments.
I flick my hand and silver threads appear, making it seem like a fancier version of a pin-striped suit. “Better.”
He gives me a dry look. “Are we ready to go?”
Cormal holds a hand to his ear. “Rivan says they’re at the side door. Let’s move.”
The plan was for Oryn to meet Madoc and Rivan at the back door of a secret garden in the rear of the palace. They will then make their way through the lush flowers and bushes to a side door very few use. We’ll meet them in the ballroom.
“Ready,” I murmur.
My nervous stomach feels the same as it did during my coronation, except the stakes are much higher. Tonight could be the beginning or end of Leandra and me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
MADOC
Over three thousand years ago, I stood in this very spot, staring at the same obsidian throne. My father was ailing and the time for my coronation was near. Nerves were getting the better of me, so I came to assure myself I was ready.
Gleaming black spears, made from the same obsidian material, extend from the back like a spiked halo, a reminder to all dark Fae that their ruler wields the power of The Wild Hunt and all the duties it entails, including the command of the creatures in the Wilds.
Surrounding the dais, brilliant diamonds adorn dark velvety walls and the ceiling, in a pattern reflecting the feeling of a cold starry night. Platinum chandeliers flicker tiny lights across the room and over the lords and ladies standing with me in the starkly beautiful great hall.
Double doors open wide, heralding Denir’s entrance. Striking his most debonair pose, the one I found him practicingoften in the mirror when we were children, he waits for the court to pay him homage. After, he arrogantly waves a hand, motioning for them to rise, he strides through the crowd. Tall and lean like most Fae, the ladies used to consider him handsome and suave. It doesn’t seem like he’s changed much. Slightly fuller in the face, and if you look closely, a cruel twist around his mouth.
His eyes swing toward the area I’m standing in, and I slide behind Lady Karee from the Autumn Court, who’s wearing an outrageously orange gown with a matching headpiece.
When he passes, I slowly make my way to the servant’s entrance on the side and open the door. Callyx moves into the room, like a shadow, dark and swift. Leandra is light and quick like a bird, picking a spot behind a tall pillar. Meri is a burst of fire in the cold dark of night. I almost choke at the sight of our dress on her; suddenly wishing we had picked something more substantial.
“Mmm, court attire suits you well,” she says in a low, husky tone when she passes by me and takes her place near Leandra.
Cormal’s low chuckle tells me I’ve been staring at her for several precious seconds.
“More material next time,” I growl to him, but he lifts a lazy shoulder in response.
“Wait until Rivan sees her,” he returns, his eyes anxiously scanning the room.
Not for Rivan, who’s positioned on the other side of the room, but for his sister, the current Queen of the Dark Fae.
“She’s not here yet,” I tell him.
The crowd parts, and I spot Lord Theron and Lady Arden. Regal in his navy court attire, he’s the perfect foil for her form-fitting ice blue dress. Usually stoic, he’s clearly irritated by the looks the males in the court are giving the woman on his arm.Ice spreads from beneath his feet, pushing back those crowding around them.
She laughs and whispers something into his ear. The ice melts around them.
Cormal reaches out and grabs my arm. I turn toward him. He’s staring at the dais.
My eyes shift to the front of the room and find Oryn escorting the queen to her throne. The careful ways he handles her tells me a lot about his feelings for the stunning royal. Dark hair, same as Cormal’s, but instead of a vibrant blue, her eyes are ice-blue and blank. Like the most exquisite porcelain doll, there’s not an ounce of emotion in her eyes or face. Once seated, she folds her elegant hands in her lap and pastes a serene smile on her lips. Dressed in black with a gleaming gold torque around her long neck, she sits there staring at nothing.
“She may not recognize you,” I warn him. Again. “Remember Rivan’s visit with his sister. It didn’t go well.” I’ve had this conversation with him several times over the last two days, but he’s brushed me off.
