Page 54 of Lady of the Lost Fae

She’s my second in command.

Together, we’ll rule this court and protect these people from enduring further trauma. They deserve a life of peace and comfort after being cruelly locked away for so long.

“I wish Dreyden was here,” I sigh as I approach the doors leading to the balcony.

Shortly after calling the Sky Court meeting, Dreyden received an urgent message from Fire Court and had to return. He was in such a rush he wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, but that he’d try to be back by the end of the day.

“We don’t need amanto ruin this for us,” Lyra scoffs as she slips silver hoops through her ears, dramatically rolling her eyes to the back of her head.

Lyra and Izan haven’t spoken since we made the decision to leave Fire Court. They both seem to be hurting, but neither of them are willing to talk about it. I tried pushing Lyra to vent, but I only made her mood worse. I figure she’ll talk about it when she’s ready… she’sveryclearly not ready right now.

A soft knock has us both turning in the direction of the the door. “Lady Adeena?” Edlynne’s voice calls out from the other side of the wood.

“You may come in, Edlynne,” I say loud enough for her to hear me.

The door knob creaks as she turns it, slowly peeking inside. “Are you dressed?” she asks, shielding her eyes just in case.

I offer her a gentle wave as she pokes her head through the door. “I am. How’s it looking out there?”

She steps inside room, eyes wide and glowing as she assesses the two of us. “You both look absolutely exquisite. Your fashion choices perfectly represent not on the court we now reside in, but the people within it. They’re going to love it.”

Lyra grips the tulle of her dress, swaying it back and forth as she twists and turns. “They are beautiful, aren’t they?”

A softness covers her face as she nods, “Yes, they are.” She turns her attention to me, grinning as she says, “It looks like everyone is here. From what I’ve been hearing and seeing, everyone has their memory back. You’ve got quite the fan club out there, High Lady.”

I cross the room to the window, subtly pulling the curtain back to sneak a glimpse of the lawn.

It’s overwhelming to see twelve thousand of the most powerful and gifted fae gathered in one place, and it’s even more unthinkable to know that I am their leader. They’ve followed me here, and now they stand together waiting for my formal introduction.

Wandering eyes outside catch me through the window, and one of them men shouts, “There she is! High Lady!” His hands wave and point through the air as he jumps up and down, drawing attention toward me.

“It’s the high lady!” a woman shouts from the other side of the lawn, and before I know it there are twelve thousand sets of eyes focused on me.

I step back, catching my breath as I look between Lyra and Edlynne. I don’t want to feel nervous, but I am. There are a lot of people out there, and each time I speak to them, they give me their undivided attention. There’s a lot of room for error when I address them, and I hope they won’t think on it too much if I stutter on my words.

“Adeena! Adeena! Adeena!” the crowd begins to chant, the sound roaring through the side of the manor.

Edlynne giggle as she stands beside Lyra. “I told you there was a fan club waiting for you out there. They’ve been captivated by you, now go address them.”

Doubt clouds my mind momentarily. I shake my hands at my sides, trying hype myself up.

Edlynne sees the hesitation as she watches me. “They’ll follow you anywhere, and so will I.”

Lyra grabs my hand, then leads me to the wide double door leading to the balcony. “I’ll be standing behind you the entire time.”

I inhale as deeply as I can, calming my nerves as Lyra and Edlynne each place a hand on the door knobs.

Lyra is all about girl power the last few days, but I’m really wishing Dreyden was here right now. He always knows how to calm my nerves and he’s a professional in addressing his people. He makes it look effortless, but maybe that’s because he has been doing it for hundreds of years. Perhaps, with time I’ll become as graceful with my words as he is, even in front of twelve thousand people.

“Open the doors, please,” I request as I straighten my back, forcing my posture into the most confident position I can.

The knobs twist under their hands, squeaking as they turn. A warm breeze floods through the door as it opens, caressing my face as it rushes past us. I exhale as I take a step into the light, revealing myself to the Lyke faeries.

Gasps and wide eyes spread across the lawn as I come into focus, and I can’t help but grin knowing this is how they’re reacting to me.

The lake glitters in the background, mirroring a blazing sunset. Golds, tangerines, and reds set fire to the sky, battling the incoming darkness.

This is it. I’ve made it.

---