Muffled voices surrounded me. My head was swimming. I tried to blink away the darkness, but my eyelids were so damn heavy…
Hands shook me roughly. A cold palm pressed against my cheek.
I jerked awake to find a pair of wide blue eyes next to my face. My body was numb, and I could barely lift my head up. I tried to ask what was going on, but the words came out strangled and slurred.
Gradually, my surroundings came into focus, and Adira’s pale, stricken face loomed above me. Relief flickered in her eyes as she exhaled.
“Thank the stars,” she whispered. “You’re awake.”
“Where are we?” My tongue was heavy in my mouth, like I was speaking around a mouthful of rocks.
“I don’t know.” Adira glanced around, her breaths sharp and fast. “But this place is strange. It’s exactly like our castle in Allsburg, except…” She trailed off, shaking her head.
With a grunt, I sat up, my head spinning. Dizziness threatened to overcome me, but Adira was crouched next to me, clutching my shoulders for support. Cursing the sleeping potion, I squinted as my vision took a moment to adjust.
A sparkling chandelier gleamed from above. Light poured in from the massive window that took up the entire wall in front of me. The sun shone high in the sky, illuminating a spacious bedchamber. Adira and I sat huddled against a wall, her cold hands still holding me in place. Across from us was a familiar four poster bed where a blond figure sat, straight-backed and unmoving. My mouth fell open as I took in the rows of porcelain dolls lining the shelves next to the bed.
“Stars,” I whispered, bracing one hand on the wall as I staggered to my feet. “This is Irene’s room. That’s—That’s Irene.” I pointed to the prone figure sitting on the bed.
“Yes,” Adira said breathlessly, “except…” She clasped my hand, guiding me around the bed, then gestured to Irene.
The younger princess’s eyes were closed. Quite different from the wide, all-white eyes from before. Soft, slow snores filled the air, and I exchanged a shocked look with Adira.
“She’s sleeping,” I said in bewilderment.
Adira nodded. “It’s like she’s waiting to be woken up.”
I frowned at that, but before I could respond, echoing footsteps sounded outside the door. Adira gasped, and panic pulsed through me, warming my blood and spurring my body into action. All numbness fled from me as I grabbed Adira’s arm and tugged her behind the silk white curtains. She collided with my chest, uttering another gasp. I quickly covered her mouth with my hand, giving a short shake of my head as the door opened. I shielded Adira with my body, pressing her into the glass window, my hips aligned with hers. She pressed her face into my shoulder, and her chest rose against mine with her rapid, frightened breaths. The thick curtain covered us both, but I had no idea if whoever approached had magic or not. Would they be able to sense us, even if we were hidden?
Footsteps echoed, and a cheery female voice said, “Wake up, darling! They’re almost ready for you.”
Her words were followed by a loud exhale, and a bleary, “Hmm?”
“I know that pretty little head of yours must be dazed. Drink this. It’ll help.” The voice sounded older and matronly, like a nursemaid.
There was a clink of glass, and a long, slurping sound. Then came Irene’s hoarse voice. “Where am I?”
“The Court of Dreams, dear. You’ve been here before, but you may not remember it. Don’t worry; your sisters are here, too.”
Adira stiffened in my grasp, her head rearing back as she looked up at me in surprise. My brows knitted together, and I shook my head again.
“My sisters?” Irene repeated. “All of them?”
“I believe so.”
“Addie. And—And Marek. They—” Irene yawned loudly, then cleared her throat. “I can’t… remember.”
Adira’s eyes flared, wide, and I knew what she was thinking: Irene was remembering the plan we’d discussed with her. But the components of the enchanted tea were keeping her mind sluggish.
“Don’t worry, dear, you’ll feel better after that tea sets in,” said the woman. “Come! Let’s get you dressed.”
Footsteps shuffled, and there was a rustle of fabric. The woman hummed to herself as she dressed Irene. Meanwhile, Adira and I remained huddled against the window, my hands on either side of her, palms against the glass as I caged her in. She chewed on her lower lip, her gaze distant as she cocked her head, no doubt trying to hear what was going on. But Irene and the woman remained silent.
A million questions flitted through my head. What did Irene need to get dressed for? What was the Court of Dreams? I had no doubt that whatever tea Irene had drunk was also laced with some kind of magic. But what was in it? Would it bring her memories back? Would she remember that Adira and I were trying to find her?
Adira’s racing pulse matched mine. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and her breath tickled my neck. Her hands pressed into my chest, her fingers toying with the laces of my tunic. Every thought homed in on that singular movement, of her hands against my clothes. My skin warmed as if she were touching my bare flesh. My breath hitched as I glanced down to find her eyes open and fixed on me. Her cheeks were tinged pink, and she moistened her lips, drawing my eyes to her mouth.
Only then did I realize just how close our bodies were crushed together. Every muscle of mine was aligned perfectly with her curves. Her breasts rose and fell, pushing against my chest and making me painfully aware of every spot where our limbs overlapped. Her knee was nestled between my legs. My nose brushed the wayward curls at the top of her forehead. Her fingers trailed up my shirt until they brushed the bare skin of my collarbone. Her hands were still ice-cold, but my skin was on fire, so I hardly noticed; if anything, the chill was a welcome relief to the sweltering heat coursing through my veins.
Her delicate fingers were now toying with the few chest hairs peeking out from under my tunic. I stifled a groan at the point of contact, leaning into her touch, pressing my hips more fully against hers. She exhaled, the sound almost like a sigh. Her lips parted, her eyes closing once more. I dragged the tip of my nose down her cheek, bringing my lips to the column of her neck. I didn’t allow myself to do anything other than breathe, but just the puff of air from my mouth against her skin made her shiver, her back arching. Her hips ground against mine, and gods above, I wanted her so damn much…
“There!” chirped the woman, jolting me from the hazy fog of Adira’s body entangled with mine. All heated thoughts fled from me as if I’d been doused with a bucket of cold water. Shit, what the hell was wrong with me?
A small sound escaped Adira’s lips, but I couldn’t bear to look at her. I was certain I would find shame or embarrassment on her face. Instead, I closed my eyes, leaning my head back as I inched backward from her ever so slightly, trying to put some distance between us without risking being seen.
“You look lovely,” the woman said brightly. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“I suppose,” Irene said, her voice distant, as if she weren’t fully focused.
“Come now!” The woman clapped her hands together. “The others are waiting. They are so excited to see you!”
Footsteps retreated. The door snapped shut, and silence filled the room. I waited, counting to ten, before I decided it was safe to come out. I threw back the curtains and darted away from the window, trying to put as much space between myself and Adira as possible.
“So—So my other sisters are here?” Adira asked, her voice weak. “All of them?”
I shook my head. “We don’t know if that’s true. The woman could have been lying to urge Irene to get ready.”
“Not if she’s fae,” Adira pointed out. Fae couldn’t lie.
My gaze roved around the room, taking in the shelves, the fireplace—all of it was identical to how Irene’s room looked in the castle in Allsburg. “This is uncanny,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
“We need to follow them,” Adira said, moving toward the door. “I don’t want to get lost in this castle.”
“Addie, wait—” I grabbed her arm, and she spun to face me, her cheeks still rosy and her eyes alight with an array of emotions—terror, determination, and something else, something heated that I was too muddled to identify.
“We need to get to my sisters,” she insisted. “That’s why we’re here.”
“Unless we can get your sisters alone, that isn’t a good idea. We need to stay hidden and figure out where we are first. Alone, the two of us can’t get past the soldiers and castle staff. But if we can figure out where this place is, we can get word to your father and send an army to get your sisters back and arrest whoever is behind this.”
“We’re supposed to just watch them do whatever the hell they want with them?” she asked, her nostrils flaring.
“Addie, if we get caught it’s over. No one knows we’ve come here. No one will rescue us. We need to be smart about this.”
Her eyes flashed with anger. “So you’re saying my idea isn’t smart?”
I sighed. “I didn’t say that.”
“You were the one who deferred to me because I’m the future queen!”
“Yes, and I am trying to protect that queen by keeping her from getting captured or killed! But this is battle, Adira. We are in enemy territory. This is my expertise.”
“Oh, I see,” she snarled. “So you’ll only let me make the decisions when it suits you best. But when you’re the expert, I have to do whatever you say?”
I groaned, turning away from her to cover my face with my hands. “Gods, Addie, you are so difficult! Why must you fight me at every turn?”
“Because you drive me mad with your talk of queens and responsibilities and hard choices, as if you know what any of those things are like.”
“How can you say that? I only work for a bloody queen! Like I don’t make the hard choice every day of my damn life with this damn leg!” I lifted my injured leg.
“But you ran away!” Adira cried. “You ran away from that hard choice. Instead of telling me what you wanted, you left with barely a goodbye.”
My mouth fell open as I turned to face her once again. Rage contorted her features, but her eyes glimmered with tears. “You just… left, Marek. Like I—Like I was nothing. Like this wasn’t your home and none of this mattered.” She shook her head, her throat bobbing as she swallowed. “And when you came back, it felt like things were different, and they were, but… I just don’t understand.” She let her hands fall at her sides, her frame drooping in resignation. “If being in the Court of Midnight is what you truly desire, I won’t push the matter any further. I will remain silent and let you live your life. But—But if it isn’t, will you please just tell me? Tell me what it is you want in your life! You are my closest friend, Marek, and all I want is to know what will make you happy. Whatever it is, I promise I can handle it.” She lifted her chin as if to prove her resolve.
All the irritation within me deflated as I stared at her, my chest constricting from the broken despair in her words. Gods, had I done that to her? Had I broken her by leaving?
How could she think that I’d believed her to be nothing? That I didn’t care?
Then again, how could she not? Because that was exactly what I had done.
“Shit,” I whispered, running a hand through my hair once more. “Addie, I—Stars.” I closed the distance between us and placed my hands on her shoulders. Chaos swirled in my mind, but I couldn’t sort through logic or reason right now.
She deserved the truth. She needed the truth. Even if it shattered me completely, I couldn’t let her go on thinking she meant nothing to me. An echo of her words resonated in my mind: I see you as my anchor. My strength. My flame, always burning and always lighting my way.
If she could be open with me about that, then I could be open with her right now.
“Addie,” I breathed, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. She blinked up at me, eyes shining. “You are everything to me. My burning sun. My beacon of light. My ray of hope. I left because you and your father had begun to travel in search of a match for you. For the good of your kingdom. And I couldn’t just stand by and watch you fall in love with someone else. Not when I’ve been in love with you for my entire life.”
Her breath hitched, and her hand lifted to grasp mine, squeezing tightly. I forced myself to continue, “I found purpose with the Court of Midnight. I felt useful. I’m good at my job. And I never felt like I was a burden to anyone. But the truth is, as much as I love to be valued for my skills as a soldier, I have never felt more at home than when I am with you. And it kills me to know that someday you’ll take a husband and will rule with him by your side. Because I know it will never be me.”
“Marek,” she said in a strained voice, inching closer to me, placing her other hand against my cheek. “Oh, Marek.”
I closed my eyes. I couldn’t look at her, couldn’t face the pity that was likely filling her eyes as she thought of me, the injured soldier who would pine for her the rest of his days. My chest felt like it was splitting, cracking in two as I laid myself bare before her.
But she deserved the truth. She deserved so much more.
“Marek, you aren’t—” Adira broke off as more footsteps echoed in the hallway. She stiffened, and my eyes flew open. I quickly backed her into the wall next to the door, drawing the dagger from my boot, my hand poised to strike if I needed to. We waited, breathing hard, as the footsteps drew nearer…
But whoever it was walked past the door. The steps continued, fading in the distance until the hallway fell silent once more.
With an exhale, I placed the dagger back into my boot and stepped away from Adira, unable to look her in the eye. “We can’t stay here.” I swallowed hard. “You’re right. Finding your sisters is our top priority. We need to make sure they are safe. But we can’t be seen. Do you understand?”
She nodded quickly. “I’ll follow your lead. You were right, too, Marek. This is your expertise. I know you can keep us safe.”
Relief filled my chest at her words, and I tried to smile, but it felt more like a grimace. “All right. Stay close to me.” I clasped her hand in mine before hauling open the door.
Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling glass panels that lined the hallway. After ensuring the hall was empty, Adira and I crept out of the bedchamber, our footsteps echoing around us. I swallowed down my fear and led her forward, wishing I had access to powerful glamour like other fae. But all I could manage were subtle appearance changes that would be no help to us now. Besides, the usage of my magic might possibly alert other fae to my presence. And we needed to remain discreet.
Adira’s hand was warm in my grasp, and I focused on that as we inched forward, making our way down the hall. Adira’s eyes swept over the sconces on the wall and the gleaming gold filigree that decorated the walls.
All of it was identical to the castle in Allsburg.
“You never told me how we arrived here,” I whispered to her. “I’m assuming you never fell asleep?”
She shook her head, her eyes still roving around the hall. “I felt something sharp and powerful tug me forward. I blinked, and then we were here. Like we hadn’t traveled at all.” She frowned, and a wrinkle formed between her brows. “And I’m beginning to wonder if we did travel. Marek, this castle is exactly like mine. Down to the last detail. What if… what if we never left?”
“That’s impossible. How can that be? Whoever owns the castle must have mirrored it off of yours. Remember, the spell included a portal.”
“Right,” she said, but she sounded unconvinced. And I couldn’t blame her. If we hadn’t taken the enchanted potion, I would have doubted we’d left the Allsburg castle at all. But the air smelled different; my fae magic could detect different energies here.
This was definitely not the same place.
Using my powers to detect any approaching fae, we slowly moved down the hall. When I sensed someone coming, I grabbed Adira’s arm and pulled her against me before ducking into the shadows of the nearest pillar or alcove, clutching her tightly to me until the fae passed. Every time Adira clung to my chest, her body pressed to mine, that same heat from earlier flooded my veins, threatening to consume me entirely.
Gods, how could I continue like this? It was a constant reminder of why I’d left the Court of Twilight in the first place; the intoxicating allure of her skin, her scent, her eyes luminous with emotion and passion… It was too much for me, to have her so close but never able to call her mine.
Silence fell between us, but I felt her gaze flicking to me often, a question in her eyes. A question I couldn’t answer. I knew she had things she wanted to say, but this wasn’t the time or the place. In fact, I was deeply regretting my confession to her in the bedchamber. I should have remained silent.
Because this… it was pure agony.
The growing tension between us only thickened with each step. My hand felt clammy in her grasp, but she never let go. If anything, she seemed to draw closer to me the farther we went. Though we were unsure of where we were headed, I followed the hall toward the staircase that led to the ballroom. If this truly was identical to the castle in Allsburg, then everything would be the same.
Sure enough, the winding staircase opened up to a vast space filled with people.
Not people—fae.
Once more, I pulled Adira into the shadows, and we peered around the corner, surveying the crowded room. Dozens of fae stood in elegant ballgowns and three piece suits, chatting merrily and sipping champagne from tall flutes. I squinted, trying to locate Adira’s sisters. But they were nowhere to be found.
“What do we do?” Adira breathed in my ear.
I shook my head, at a loss. If we stepped into the room, in plain sight, we might be recognized as strangers. After all, we were in drab apparel compared to their finery; we would stick out immediately.
A high-pitched chime met my ears, and I stiffened, searching for the source. Gradually, the chatter faded, and the crowd as one turned to face the front of the ballroom. I edged out of the shadows to get a better view.
“Lords and ladies,” bellowed an unfamiliar male voice. “May I present to you, the queen of the Court of Dreams, Her Majesty, Rosalina Blackbriar!”
My heart lurched in my chest as applause filled the room. A figure emerged, dressed in an elegant crimson gown that fell in layers of fringe around her legs. The neckline was low, highlighting the gleaming ruby hanging on a necklace at her throat. Her golden hair was piled in a sweeping twist atop her head, and pointed fae ears poked out from underneath. Her vibrant blue eyes surveyed the room with smug satisfaction.
Beside me, Adira gasped, her fingernails biting into my arm. But I hardly noticed the pain. My gaze never strayed from the queen. My blood ran cold, and every nerve within me fired off a terrible warning.
“Mother,” Adira whispered.