Page 132 of Fated to be Enemies

“Leanna uses shadow insults while Caden is direct,” the man in the middle across from Caden, the brother, observed. His shaggy, midnight-blue hair complemented his blazing teal eyes and olive skin. He bumped his arm into Kaley’s. “However, he lacks the warmth that is a requirement for that attribute. He should leave that to us Summer Court members.”

This was what I needed. If their insults continued to escalate, I could sneak out and get away from all this craziness. Either that, or I’d wake up from this dream … or nightmare. I wasn’t sure what to call it.

“Eamon, we’re not here to be petty,” the dazzling woman across from Leanna bit out. “We traveled to the Summer Court to see Alina with our own eyes before announcing her return to the kingdom and discussing the open seat on the court.” Her turquoise gaze landed right on me.

Okay, no one was supposed to be reasonable. I already didn’t like this nameless woman who, with her full peach lips and wavy butterscotch hair, could pass as otherworldly.

Orla sighed, loosening her grip on me and straightening her shoulders. She appeared very much the queen. “Quinley is right. Instead of meeting at Rioghail Tower, we agreed to meet here to decide how we will announce her return. We need to make sure there isn’t a revolt, especially in the Summer Court, since many will want her to be queen.”

Pressure squeezed my chest, and I became more eager to get away. Not only were they set on me being Alina, but they also wanted to introduce me to who knew how many people as this fae princess I most certainly wasn’t. I had to find a way out before that happened. “Maybe we don’t tell them.”

And there went my mouth.

All seven of them turned to me and stared at me as if I was the strange one.

If I kept this up, I wouldn’t be able to sneak away. I might as well have put a target on my back—or maybe the pig outfit they all found so disgusting and intriguing.

Orla’s brows rose so comically high that it had to be magic. “You don’t want our people to know of your return?”

Fuck no, I didn’t. But my brain caught up quickly enough to keep those words from spewing out. Maybe my sense of self-preservation hadn’t vanished. “I’m a little out of sorts. It could be best if we kept my return on the DL for a while.” For a while was code for forever.

“DL?” Quinley asked, placing a hand on her bare chest just above her low-cut neckline. Her black dress was trimmed with gold thread that decorated the loose sleeves hanging on her arms. “What in summer is that?”

I wanted to pinch myself to see if I could startle myself awake. “Down low?”

“You want to keep the information that you’re back on the floor?” Eamon scratched his head. “That’s not possible unless I’ve missed something crucial in my six hundred and twenty-five cycles.”

My jaw dropped, and I was surprised it didn’t hit the floor. Come on. Now they were just seeing how far they could take this joke before I had a meltdown. Nope. I wouldn’t let Ember get the best of me. “Only six hundred?” I scoffed.

“You’re right.” Eamon wrapped an arm around Quinley’s shoulders. “It’s nothing compared to the one hundred and seventy-five cycles Quinley has on me.”

“Get your balmy arm off me before you make me thaw.” Quinley’s nose wrinkled, and she stepped sideways, her heels clanking.

Did every woman in this place wear heels? I needed to find my sneakers—stat—before they tossed them. I didn’t care if they reeked of beer; my toes were already aching. Anything would be better than wearing these shoes.

My heart thudded, and my traitorous gaze landed back on the Winter King. He stared at me unabashedly, and his nostrils flared as if my mere presence offended him.

I hadn’t done anything to offend him—I didn’t think—but that look of disgust couldn’t be misinterpreted. Worse, my heart ached from it.

I tried not to focus on that. I needed to pay attention to the one thing I could control: putting King Kieran in his place. That was the thing with bullies—if you didn’t set boundaries, they would escalate things to the next level. “What’s your problem, coldy?”

“Alina,” Orla chastised, her eyes bulging. “Even though he’s Winter Fae, he’s the king. You can’t call him that.”

He stalked toward me. With each step he took, my blood chilled. I wasn’t sure if it was fear or his magic working on me, but my flight instinct was coming in fast while another weird sensation that felt like longing slipped through me.

Yeah. I was becoming one of those girls. But I refused to be attracted to a toxic man.

I didn’t know where the hell to go. I didn’t know the layout of this … castle? The only rooms I’d been in were the bedroom and here.

When he stalked up to me, my blood turned to ice, which had my anger brimming to life. I wasn’t afraid of anyone.

“I don’t know what in the summer you’re trying to pass off here, but this is not Alina.” King Kieran leaned into my face. His scent hit me—fresh winter snow.

Unfortunately, that was one of my favorite smells since we rarely got snow in Nashville.

He reached out and touched the ends of my hair, and my breath caught. A mixture of emotions churned in my chest. I wanted to push him away and pull him toward me. I wanted his arms wrapped around my body.

“This isn’t even her hair.” He tugged a piece back and stared at my ears then frowned. “Though she does have pointed ears, that doesn’t mean she’s your sister, especially given her atrocious behavior. She could be glamoured for all I know.”

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