Page 22 of Spring of the Cursed Fae

Rhoswen stepped forward and threw her arms around me with a grin on her face and excitement in her sea-green eyes. She was beautiful, with golden blonde hair and milky skin that showed no imperfections. She was right at a hundred years old but didn’t look a day over thirty. I could feel the softness of her earthy green dress under my fingertips.

“Thank you for letting us come,” I began, but before I could finish my sentence, a whoosh of wind blew past us, and a loud roar filled the sky.

Aidan flew by as his dragon, a reddish blur in the air. Several elves rushed out from within the castle to take in the sight and Aelfric erupted in laughter, slapping Bayleon and Bastian on their shoulders.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise! Come on you two, Iston’s waiting inside. I want you to try this new mead I brewed. Let’s hurry before Aidan gets settled and drinks it all.”

That made me laugh. The last time Aidan visited the elvish kingdom, he drank several bottles of their berry wine. When it came to having a good time, Aidan was known for it.

Bayleon and Bastian glanced at me once and I nodded for them to go. They were now free from their pain, and I wanted them to enjoy everything they could.

Rhoswen stepped back and grabbed my shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell me Aidan was coming, too?”

Luckily, it didn’t seem as if she minded. On the contrary, she appeared really happy about it. That was a plus for me. The last thing I wanted her to realize was that I needed him here so he could use his magic on them.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “It was a last-minute thing.”

A spark of mischief flashed in her eyes. “No need to apologize. My niece, Cathlyne, is here; we both know how much she fancies Aidan. Now that he’s a king, he’ll be looking for a queen.”

I snorted. “I wouldn’t be too sure of that. I think he’s enjoying his freedom.” But then the realization of her words dawned on me. Releasing a sigh, I looped my arm with hers and we walked up the stairs into the castle. “Please tell me you’re not trying to play matchmaker again? We saw how things ended with Iston and Ella.”

Rhoswen sighed. “Iston’s heart was broken there for a while. Still, I’ve been longing for a royal alliance between our people,” she said, letting go of my arm as we reached the grand staircase.

I smiled confidently. “It’ll happen sooner or later,” I said, knowing I still had two single female cousins. Anything could happen.

In the next moment, Aidan stepped into the room, clad in his court warrior leathers with his power radiating around him.

He stretched out his arms and jokingly said, “It looks like no one waited for me.”

Rhoswen and I both laughed at his remark. “Aelfric wanted Bayleon and Bastian to test his freshly made mead before you gulp it down,” she answered and hugged him, kissing his cheek lightly. “Nice to see you, Aidan. The men are in Aelfric’s study.”

He winked at me and took off down the hallway, his chuckle echoing off the walls. He reminded me so much of his father, my uncle Drake.

“Come,” Rhoswen called, nodding toward the stairs with a mischievous twinkle in her sea-green eyes.

Taking two steps at a time, we ascended to the top of the staircase and turned down another hallway lined with fragrant flowers on either side. The scent and decor created a sense of cozy familiarity.

We stopped at a large wooden door covered in a mass of leafy vines, and Rhoswen opened it to reveal an opulent room decorated to give the impression you were outside. The walls were painted the same hue as an early morning horizon, and the floor was made of soft grass. A large canopy bed with flower petals draping from it stood regally in the center of the room; it was a stunning sight.

“This is perfect,” I gushed. “Thank you.”

Rhoswen flourished a hand toward the door. “Bayleon and Bastian’s rooms are just down the hall. I’ve also put some clothes in their closets in case they’d like to wear them to the ball tonight.”

Smiling, I opened my arms and hugged her. “I’m sure they’ll appreciate that. I’m looking forward to the festivities.”

And then, once tonight was over, it was down to business and searching for information.

Rhoswen let me go and stepped back toward the door. “I’ll go so you can rest. One of my ladies, Maylin, will be up here in a little while to help you get ready.”

I nodded and bowed my head. “That would be lovely. Thanks again.”

Rhoswen bowed and opened the door. “Until this evening.”

She shut the door gently behind her and I walked over to the bed, sitting down on the soft mattress. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the two necklaces with amber stones my mother had given me before I left. The last time anyone wore them was when Bayleon and Bastian wanted to be invisible during my last training day. My mother wanted me to have them on hand in case we ran into trouble. I didn’t want to think about anything bad happening to us, but there was a feeling in my gut I couldn’t shake. There were too many possibilities, too many things that could go wrong. All I knew was that I needed to be prepared.

* * *

The ornate gownRhoswen left for me was the epitome of ethereal beauty. She’d chosen an exquisite fabric of warm cream with golden threads woven into delicate flowers at the waist and the hem. Maylin had spent hours curling my long, red locks before adorning my head with a crown of fresh, fragrant flowers. It was just as gorgeous as the crown the Land of the Fae had given me when I became queen.

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