Page 21 of Dark Sun (Wicked Lovely 6)

Who gets excited about an arm, for goodness sake?

Katherine shoved those thoughts away, but she knew she was shifting inside and wasn’t sure why. Was it meeting another faery? She’d grown up with one, so that seemed wrong. Was it an age thing? Mid-twenties didn’t seem terribly significant.

All she knew for sure as she followed Gina into a diner was that the need to wander was pressing in ways that were both sudden and exciting. She was becoming less human, and in the process, she felt an insistent urge to be . . . somewhere, anywhere, not held by walls.

ChapterTen

Aislinn

Inside a room that seemed more jungle than anything indoors ought to be, the Summer Queen was pacing. As she walked, blossoms burst forth, and for one moment--as sorrow filled her at the thought of those she loved being in peril--lightning and thunder rolled through the indoor garden.

Gram is safe.

Seth is safe.

What about the rest?

The odd truth was that the Winter Court regent and her consort—the faery who had once cursed Aislinn by choosing her—were friends of a sort. Leslie, consort to the Dark King, was a friend from before all of the changes in their lives. What would happen to the Dark King if she were hurt? Or to Donia if Keenan were?

Or to the Dark KingandAislinn if Irial were?

Aislinn felt embarrassed that the whole situation frightened her so. She was barely an adult in mortal years, but she wasnotmortal at all. She’d lost that via a curse that had stolen the mortality of countless other girls. Her attempted—and nearly successful—seducer had stolen her humanity, her future, and in return, she’d walked into battle to face one of the first faeries.

One would think that after such things, peace would come.

And in its way, it had, but faeries were capricious creatures, and Aislinn by birth and by curse was a faery. That “by birth” part felt like an accidental curse of its own. Sure, it meant her grandmother, who was well over one hundred years old despite looking not quite half that, was still alive.

It meant Aislinn was better able to learn how to manage her newfound powers and court.

It meant she had relatives.

And that was the trouble. Her grandfather, former Dark King and now the embodiment of Chaos, was enough of an upset to the delicate balance between the courts. Now to have a contender toher throne? What was she to do with that?

“Do you need space or distraction?” Seth asked.

Aislinn looked up to find her beloved watching her. He was not going to hate her no matter what she chose. Sometimes, she honestly thought he had adapted to the world they were in now better than she had done.

“I have had more than enough space,” she said, hoping they could finally discuss this—or perhaps just wanting to discuss her life instead of her reign.

“I’m here now,” Seth said lightly.

Sometimes she wished he could be more focused on them, on what she felt like figuring everything out on her own. Then she felt guilty. He’d become a faery for her. Shouldn’t that be enough? They were still together. They had eternity now. And he was content.

But I’m not,a small voice whispered. She couldn’t even say what she wanted other thanmore.More time. More support. More love.

“What’s your plan for dealing with the attack?” Seth asked.

“I’ve asked for the Hunt,” Aislinn admitted.

“Rightly. You were attacked in your home.” Seth stayed in the doorway. “And how does the Dark feel about this?”

“Niall offered them to me.” She shrugged, biting back her sense that Seth ought not care what the Dark Court felt. He ought to ask how she felt.

Seth nodded. “Better you hunt Urian than Niall. Ifyouattack Irial’s son, you are protected from Irial’s rage because you are his blood family. Having you strike preemptively is wise on Niall’s part. Did he call you ‘impulsive’ to goad you? Or appeal to your youth? Suggest I am in danger . . .?”

Aislinn sighed. “Your logical side isvexing.”

Seth chuckled. “Tell me that next time you have an exam and want a study-buddy.”

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