City Hall was not the same City Hall as I knew it to be, and it was all because of magic.
There was already traffic surrounding the building – no. Building was the wrong word. This was a castle, a glass palace. I was sure it was made with Never Glass, though why the Fae would do such a thing when we had proved it could be broken despite its reputation was beyond me. The arrogance was difficult for me to understand, if I was being honest.
Crowds of people lined the streets. My hands glistened with sweat, and I rubbed them on my thighs for the fifteenth time since I said goodbye to Robin and everyone else. My stomach had butterflies fluttering around inside of me. I didn’t even know why I was nervous. It seemed silly. I already knew my name was going to be selected. The Imp had basically guaranteed that.
Perhaps it had to do with the fact that I was so close to discovering the truth about what happened to Michael and John.
Even as ridiculous as it sounded, I knew I would figure it out here. I didn’t know how, but I knew that much.
“I’m going to have to drop you off here,” Alice said, turning to look at me. “I’m sure Pan or someone else will detect my magic, and if he sees the two of us together…” She let her voice trail off before she plucked something from the dashboard. Body spray? Without warning, she began to spray me. “Sorry about this. The thing with Pan is, his nose is extremely sensitive. Since I don’t know what to expect, I don’t know how close you’ll be and I’m pretty sure he’d be able to pick up my scent on you, and that would be the worst thing that could happen to you.”
I rolled down my window, trying not to have a coughing fit.
“Okay, I think that’s good,” she said. “Remember, the ceremony will take place indoors. From what I hear, there’s going to be a welcome reception inside later tonight. I would work on getting Pan to fall for you as quickly as possible. The second he takes you to bed, that’s when I would do it.”
“I thought you didn’t want him dead,” I said.
Alice sighed. “I don’t,” she said. “Well, I don’t know. I don’t know what’s right, and I don’t know the consequences either way. And that scares me. Even if you did manage to kill Pan, there’s still his parents to contend with.”
“And the Mad Mage,” I said.
She didn’t reply.
“Like I said, find the right time, and do…do what you think is best,” she finally said. “I trust your judgment.” Before I could ask her why, she flicked her hand at me. “Go on. You have to leave now before we’re seen together. And before it starts.”
I got out of the car and shut the door. I stared up at the palace, my mouth dropping open. I had watched the past couple of press conferences, so this shouldn’t surprise me, but the fact was, I couldn’t contain my awe if I wanted to. The fact that they were able to craft something like this in under a month –
It’s not the Fae, I reminded myself. Don’t you remember? They have human slaves. They might not come out and say it because the townspeople wouldn’t like it, but they have people that do this. Plus, they still have their magic.
I closed my mouth, trying to shake off how impressed I was at the stark reminder of how this palace came to replace the boring City Hall building, but even the knowledge of how the palace came to be wasn’t enough to completely remove it from my psyche.
The palace sat at the heart of Wonderland, its presence both commanding and harmonious. Unlike extravagant castles I saw in books or movies, it embraced the enchanting elements of its surroundings, blending seamlessly with the whimsical atmosphere of the small town. Which was strange, considering I never expected them to utilize a human town into something as opulent as their Fae palace, especially with their clear bias against humans.
The palace was constructed from a combination of white marble and ethereal crystals that shimmered in various shades of green and blue, reflecting the magic that permeated Wonderland.
I frowned.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the magic used belonged to Wonderland, or if the Fae used theirs. I wouldn’t be surprised either way, but my gut told me it had to be Fae. No way would they trust human magic with something as important as their palace.
Though grand in appearance, the palace maintained a sense of intimacy and connection to its environment.
From where I stood, I picked up the whispers and the low sounds of surprise of the other townspeople. There were so many women here, varying in age, all dressed to seek acknowledgment. Some wore tight dresses that were both short and low cut, hoping to attract attention through the use of their body. It might have been perfect, considering Pan owned his own nightclub.
I couldn’t help but shift with discomfort in my simple jeans and T-shirt.
Alice knows what she’s doing.
I looked over the large crowds and caught sight of a podium just in front of the entrance where I was certain a representative would come out and explain what to expect. The podium itself was rather boring in comparison, despite the carvings in the wood that clearly represented the Fae. The small intricacies and attention to detail astounded me.
Behind the podium was the entrance to the palace itself. It was intricately carved wooden doors, depicting scenes from ancient folklore with a heavy theme of nature. Butterflies, trees, and leaves were symbols throughout the palace itself, whether carved into doors or arranged in the adjacent garden currently roped off to visitors.
There was beauty here and a deep reverence for nature. I could fault the Fae for so many things, but this wasn’t one of them.
“...think they’ll choose you, Brie?”
“Of course, he will. He’d be stupid not to. My father was city manager after all.”
“But I thought it was a lottery,” another girl said. “Everyone in town gets the same chance at being selected.”
The girl, the one I assumed was Brie, didn’t hold back her scoff. “Oh, please,” she said. “They say that, but do you really think the Fae will let any old human into their home? I saw someone from The Zone here. As if. There’s no way. I’m sure Chief Wynter and some of his officers are here just for that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, duh.” Brie paused, probably to add a dramatic touch to her story. “If they don’t get selected, which they won’t, there’s going to be riots. Think about it: your life is going to change forever. Forever. One human gets a chance to win the Fae Prince’s hand in marriage. It would be a personal travesty to not get that chance.”
“Why would anyone want to marry him?” a third voice asked, though at least she had the common sense to whisper. “Everyone knows he’s a criminal.”
“Oh, shut up, Tanya,” Brie said. “He’s still a Prince. And he’s the one in charge.”
The smart criminals usually are, I thought to myself.
Before I could listen to more of their conversation, a hush went through the crowd. I frowned before I realized someone moved up to the podium, all grace and nuance. There was something sensual about the way she moved. Though I was positioned further in the back, I could make her out clearly. She had on a sleeveless bodysuit, sky-blue with diamonds embroidered on the material, like the stars if they shone during the day. There was a thin hood attached to the suit she wore in order to protect her dark skin from the sun. Her black hair was hidden underneath it. Her dark eyes scanned the crowd, waiting. Though what she waited for, I didn’t know. Everyone had already silenced themselves. Unless it had something to do with power and being in control.
After another moment, she smiled, and it completely changed her face. Instead of being cold and beautiful like a marble statue, she looked positively angelic.
“Thank you all for coming,” she murmured. There was no microphone, but her voice projected clearly across the small landscape in front of the palace. “We’ve just closed off the pit, which means we will not be taking any more names. If you didn’t get a chance to add yours, I do apologize for the inconvenience.”
A couple of older women walked off, their lips contorted into a strange mixture of a scowl and a disappointed frown.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the Imp had truly been able to add my name. Was I wasting my time being here? I shifted my weight, trying not to stare at the Fae at the podium or the palace behind her or anything else. For some reason, I felt like I had a target on my back, but that could be because I was the only person here wearing something casual and non-revealing. I thought I’d be blending in, but apparently, Alice was right and the majority of women here would be trying to catch attention visually.
“I’m sure most of you are familiar with what a lottery is,” she said. “The last two weeks, we have had a simple black box in the lobby of city hall where any eligible woman can put in her name. The only rules we specified was that the woman be between eighteen and thirty-five, be unwed and unattached, and wanted a chance to wed our Prince Pan. The box had over four hundred responses, and for a town with two thousand people in it, I would say you all showed your support. The Prince is extremely lucky for your consideration. Alas, only one name can be drawn from the box.”
Maybe the Imp put my name in, but how was he going to guarantee it was my name that was selected? What if the Fae recognized his magic and didn’t select me because of the trace magic he left? Wouldn’t they have seen the Imp turn in my name? I didn’t think someone could enter anyone else because that would violate one of their rules.
Calm down. You’re not paying attention.
“Before we begin, it’s imperative that I remind you what duties you would be entrusted with should Pan select you as his wife,” she continued. “For one, a Princess must submit to her mate, especially to her Prince. I know human women have much more equal footing with their human husbands, but such independence isn’t appreciated in our culture. There’s a reason why we thrive, and it’s because we allow our husband’s to take the lead, and we look for a Princess who would embody that value.”
I wrinkled my nose, crossing my arms over my chest.
I highly doubted I could submit to any man, especially Pan.
What if it was Robin? Would you be able to submit then?
I swallowed, pointedly ignoring the question.
The Fae began to recite a list of duties, ranging from a perfect appearance to creating a charity organization. She would have to host others, she must always be polite, and she would have to bear heirs to the Prince within three years of marriage, or he would annul it and seek out a lesser wife for the task.
“One thing to keep in mind: Fae royalty marry multiple women,” she said, scanning the crowd. “Not out of arrogance, but out of duty. It is a tenant of the Royal family to extend the legacy, and since the Fae cannot always guarantee a match that produces a child, the Prince must have options. However, as True Wife, you are bestowed with the title of Princess, and should your union produce children, it will be your children that would directly inherit the throne. The other children are not prohibited from inheriting, depending on the circumstance.”
From my peripheral, I noticed a couple of the women jerk back like they had never heard of such a thing before. A murmur tore through the crowd. It was clear that there were some who wouldn’t tolerate a husband being married to multiple people, and while I did understand the sentiment, I also wanted to know what they expected. The truth was, this was a known fact. Why would they assume it was different?
“And,” the Fae continued, “before you ask, no, you, as wife, do not get the same privilege of marrying multiple suitors. Our Fae men are incredibly possessive, and the Prince would see it as a slight were you to do such a thing.”
Hypocrite, but not surprising.
“The last thing I want to mention is the terribly boring but essentially vital part of this exchange,” she said. “The truth is, by opening up his home to mortals, the Prince is placing his faith in you. Should any of you betray that trust in any way, you will be arrested immediately and held in the prison below the palace. You will adhere to Fae law, not human law, and the police will have no jurisdiction over your punishment. Shall anyone attempt to harm the Prince, that will be deemed as an act of terror and you will be immediately restrained on sight.” A brief pause. “And by restrained, I mean put down.”
Another murmur swept through the crowd.
“What does that mean?” a voice whispered next to me.
“I don’t know,” her companion whispered.
“Death,” I found myself saying though I wasn’t sure why. “It means you’d be put to death, probably on sight.”
My gut twisted at the thought. I wished I had my bow and arrow with me. I was confident with that. I could aim true and kill him with that.
As it was, the second I saw an opportunity, I had to take it.
No hesitation.
No doubts.
No Alice in my head, wondering what the right task truly was.
If I was going to do this, I had to commit to it fully, or else I was going to die.
“Now that that is out of the way, I request that the Box of Obsidian is brought to the podium.”
My stomach jerked with bowling balls, my heart jumped like it was a kid on a trampoline. I crossed my arms over my chest tightly, hoping the pressure would alleviate some of the tension, but it only seemed to enhance it. It smothered me.
A black, obsidian box was placed on the podium by a servant, who disappeared as quickly as she had come.
The Fae at the podium didn’t even acknowledge her.
“When I reach into this box, I will select one piece of paper and read the name,” she said. “That person will be expected to come into the palace immediately and begin her journey on winning the Prince’s heart, along with the other contestants who are already settled inside.” She slowly reached her hand into the box.
What if it wasn’t me?
What if the Imp messed up?
What if it wasn’t my name?
But…but what if it was?
“And the lucky mortal who will be stepping into the Never Glass castle is…”
Could I really do it?
Could I really take out Pan?
And would I find out what happened to my brothers?
“Wendy Darling.”