Chapter 2

Oh, sun, moon, and stars, my mother was going to kill me! Even gentle Master Duncan would skin my hide for this one.

I stood, brushing the straw and dirt from my backside, and glared at the pig.

“Eh, what ye doin’ in ’er?” a young female voice said, and I spun. According to my studies, she had the accent that was associated with the poorer class that lived in the northern part of the Ethereum realm. She was a portly woman with bright red hair and dirt smudges on her face.

“Got lost. Fell down.” I spoke as little as possible, trying to make my words plain and easy to understand. Royal seelie such as myself were known to have a posh accent, but I’d taken lessons to correct that just for such a moment.

The woman grabbed her shovel and shook it at me. “Well shoo, I don’t have any work for ye!”

I didn’t want to be told twice, so I ran out of the barn and onto a bustling street. Freezing air slapped me in the face, and I gasped. Yes, I was definitely in the frigid Northern Kingdom. The last place in the world a Summer fae wanted to be. Oh why couldn’t I have been dropped on the warm sandy shores of Soleum?

I turned in a quick circle to take in my surroundings, my heart hammering in my chest as I processed the fact that I had royally screwed this up already. The fae who passed only gave me a cursory look before going on their way. In all the simulations I’d run with my tutors, only once did we speak of an incident where the portal would not spit me out at the feet of an Ethereum lord.

Master Duncan’s words came back to me now: If that happens, you get to the nearest capital city. Find a royal guard or someone of the lord’s court and tell them you have an urgent message for the Ethereum lord.

Okay … I’d messed up. Big time. But I could still turn this around. No big deal. If I was in the Northern Kingdom of Ethereum, I would need to go to Noreum, the capital, to find one of the black-hearted lords. I could still save my people.

No big deal. This was fixable.

Sucking in a deep, calming breath, I reached into my bag and pulled on some gloves to stave off the chill. Then I reached into the pocket of my cloak and pulled out my Ethereum coin purse. Previous champions had brought back coins to use, and I now intended to buy myself a ride to the city.

As I pushed through the busy street, my gaze raked over the men and women and a stone sank in my gut. All of the women were wearing dresses. Not high fashion like I was used to, but pretty pastel-colored wool with fur trim. And their hair was down and loose.

Reaching up, I pulled the milk braid from my hair with quick fingers and loosened it until it fell around my shoulders. Clearly my intel was out of date. A hundred years to be exact. I should have known styles would change.

I didn’t have a dress, so that would have to do. There were some market stalls up ahead, and next to them a tavern.

Yes.

Taverns, even in my world, were where you went when you needed something. Someone there would be able to give me a ride to Noreum.

I rushed that way, weaving in and out of the throngs of people, popped up on the step of the tavern, then a man darted in front of me, and I slammed into his chest.

His head was down, and he wore a thick, hooded cloak, but my eyes bore into the insignia on the breastplate of his armor.

It was the snake eating a skull. The symbol of the Northern Army.

My luck had returned. Northern Army men in Ethereum were known for their high moral standing and duty to their lord, that very same lord I intended to kill. This fae would know how to get me where I needed to go.

“Good sir.” I opted for a well-to-do accent from the north without the seelie lilt I usually used in my homeland.

His head lifted, giving me a glimpse of his face, and I suddenly felt like I’d been punched in the gut.

His blue eyes were the color of the Summer Court sky on a clear day; his hair was a rich dark brown only a few shades lighter than black. He had high cheekbones, a straight nose, full lips, and was looking down on me with a bemused expression on his face. I’d heard about the captivating men of Ethereum, but now I was witnessing it up close, and there was little doubt he was the most alluring male I’d ever encountered.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

His voice was deep and melodic, and as I stared into his cerulean eyes the world felt like it tilted on its axis. My mind fuzzed over, and I swayed toward him, but the moment his hands connected with my arms to steady me, the world snapped back into focus and the dizziness passed.

I quickly stepped back, putting an appropriate distance between us, and his hands fell away.

“Good sir,” I repeated, and then cleared my throat, careful to keep my gaze fastened on the insignia on his chest rather than his face for fear my brain might muddle again. “I need assistance in getting to the castle in Noreum. Could you take me? I can pay you.”

When my request was met only with silence I chanced another look at the stranger’s face. It was just as gorgeous as before, but my mind didn’t go fuzzy on me this time, which was a relief.

“I’m not familiar with the terrain and I don’t have a horse, but I have urgent business there that cannot wait,” I clarified when he continued to just stare at me.

“I’m not a coach for hire, my lady. Noreum Castle is several days’ ride away,” he finally said, cocking his head as he regarded me. “And I only have one horse.” His gaze raked slowly over my body then, and I felt my cheeks heat.

Days. That was certainly inconvenient. Every minute that passed, more and more of the Summer Court was falling prey to the curse. And one horse wasn’t exactly proper, but my mother wasn’t here to scold me, so what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

I huffed. A lifetime worth of training and my court put into jeopardy all because I couldn’t keep my mind focused for one minute while I stepped through the portal between worlds. But there was nothing to be done about it now except start my hunt for the Ethereum Northern lord. He would likely be in his castle, so that’s where I needed to go.

“Well, that’s not ideal, but it will have to do. Name your price. We should probably leave before nightfall,” I said, and jingled the sack of coin at my waist.

“We?” he asked.

“Yes, we. I already said I’m not familiar with the terrain and will need an escort.” Was this fae daft? That would be a pity, but perhaps he was only blessed in the physical sense and lacking in mental capabilities.

The fae chuckled. “Well, little bird, I’m sorry to say that we are not going anywhere together. Like I said, I am not for hire. I am headed to the tavern for a pint of mead and a good game of cards. If you’re looking for transportation to Noreum, I suggest you inquire with the bartender. He might know of a guide willing to take you for the right price. Good day,” he said, and then tipped his head in farewell, but I caught his arm before he had a chance to turn and leave.

A guide in these parts could lead to me being sold into slavery or raped. No, only a royal guard would have the reputation and good moral standing to get me there in one piece. I would have to weave a partial tale to get him to take interest in getting me to his lord.

“As a royal guard in the Northern Army, your duty is to protect your lord, is it not?” I asked.

His eyes squinted in annoyance, and he looked down at where I’d hooked his arm in my grip. “Of course, my duty to protect Lord Roan is above all else,” he stated.

Roan. I had a name.

I nodded. “Then you must get me to see him at once, for my business in Noreum is with him.”

“Is that so?” he asked, his face washed in amusement.

“Yes, it is,” I replied, getting slightly nervous that this guard might not take me to his lord unless I gave him a specific reason.

“I’m sorry to inform you that nowhere on the royal service charter does it say we are required to accompany citizens seeking council with Lord Roan, no matter how lovely they may be.” His eyes again raked over my body and the tight-fitting clothes and clung to it. “But I’ll be sure to take that up with our lord the next time we speak.” He yanked his arm from mine, and with a mock bow he turned on a heel and strode toward the tavern.

No!

I watched him leave, panic rising up inside of me.

He’d said Noreum Castle was days away. That meant my people would have to wait days until I returned with the heart. What were the odds of another royal guard passing through this small village? And paying a villager to take me into the city of Noreum was risky. I knew from the journals that the outskirts of Noreum were rife with danger. They carved you up and sold your organs to blood witches. No. I needed him. He might be annoying, but I felt like I would be safe with him.

“Wait,” I shouted and chased after him. “You don’t understand,” I said when I caught up. He didn’t stop walking, nearly at the tavern door now, but he slowed his steps and turned his face toward me. “I have to see Lord Roan urgently. And it’s your duty to take me to him because I have an important message to deliver. I have intel about …”

I racked my brain for information that would be important to an Ethereum lord. I didn’t know anything about current events and happenings in this realm, and only had book knowledge of their land and customs. I didn’t have many options here.

Stepping closer to the fae, I lowered my voice conspiratorially. What I was about to do was taking a big chance. I had one big card to play, and the fear was that by playing it I could show my hand, but I needed to be assured access to Lord Roan. I couldn’t cut out the evil fae’s heart if I couldn’t get in front of him.

“I have intel that I know the Northern lord will want to know. His life depends on it.”

The guard’s face immediately darkened, and he pivoted on his heel, turning to me fully.

“What information?” he demanded, and my heart leapt. I knew I had him, but I was careful to keep the glee off my face.

“I can tell no one but Lord Roan. I’ve probably said too much already.” I glanced around, pretending to be worried someone would overhear us. “So you see, it’s imperative that you take me to your lord.”

The stranger narrowed his eyes as he regarded me. He looked me up and down, taking in my clothes and the tip of the dagger’s hilt at my waist, settling his gaze on my face. I knew he was considering my words, trying to figure out if I was truthful or not. Bringing highly sensitive and important information to his lord would surely bring him reward for his efforts, but if I was lying there would be repercussions for him.

I did my best to look innocent and earnest, with a touch of desperation. At least that last emotion was genuine. I was desperate to find an Ethereum lord. Desperate to carve his heart from his chest. And desperate to take it back to my realm.

“Relay to me your intel and you have my word that Lord Roan will know.”

I shook my head. “No. I have to be the one to tell him. It’s the only way I can be assured he will get the message properly.”

“Where are you from?” he said quickly, his brow knotting together in the center of his forehead as he ignored what I’d just told him. My heart hammered in my chest.

“Here. Obviously.” Did he know I was from Faerie? If he did, I was dead.

His eyes narrowed. “Here, meaning the Northern Kingdom? Your clothes are dated, and your accent is too precise for this part of the land. It’s clear you’re not from the north, and you say you can only relay a message to the Northern lord? That his life is at stake? Why do you care about a lord that is not yours?”

I swallowed hard, my mind trying to think up an answer he would accept.

“So I’m going to ask you one more time, and I’m warning you, if I think you’re lying I’ll haul you to the local magistrate officer myself and help him torture the information out of you.”

My heart pounded harder than a solstice drum, but not because I was scared. He might be larger and stronger than me, but I wasn’t worried about his threat. I was trained to take down opponents larger than him and was confident I could fell this fae in under three seconds if I had to. What made me nervous was being in this close proximity to him. It caused my cheeks to flush and my stomach to warm. He had some type of effect on me that I was embarrassed to admit.

He pursed his lips. “Where. Are. You. From?”

He couldn’t have figured out I wasn’t from this realm so quickly. There was just no way. If he knew I wasn’t from the north, fine. I’d play that card.

“I’m from the Midlands,” I said, keeping my voice steady and level, my eyes connected with his.

The Midlands were a small geographic area at the center of the four kingdoms of Ethereum. The fae who lived there were said to have no specific association with any of the kingdoms yet picking up customs and trading with travelers from each. It would make absolute sense that my clothes and hair were outdated and my speech different if I were from the Midlands. They were a melting pot of all fae.

He nodded, seeming satisfied with that answer.

My first trial in this new land was not a battle of swords but a battle of wits. And I was about to win. Master Duncan would be proud.

“And what is the nature of your message to my lord? Tell me or I will not take you to him and I will ban anyone else from taking you,” he threatened.

I swallowed hard. I’d have to give him something good to get him to take me to his lord. “Fine, I know of an assassination plot on Lord Roan’s life,” I breathed.

His entire body stiffened at my declaration. Then in one swift movement he grabbed something from beneath his cloak and then had both of my arms bound in front of him. I’d fought with the strongest and most powerful fae in all of Faerie, and I’d never seen a man move as fast as he did.

There was a click, and then something bit my wrists, just above my gloves. I yanked my hands to break free and strangle him when a searing hot pain sliced into my skin. A bloodcurdling wail leapt from my throat, and I looked down in shock to see that he’d cuffed me. But these weren’t just any cuffs, they had tiny, serrated blades that dug in if you tried to fight their hold.

“You slimy bastard!” I snarled in the most unladylike way possible.

He grinned and my knees went weak at the sight. His teeth were pure white and straight, and the whole action made him look even more attractive. “You are from the Midlands.”

Attractive or not, I still needed to take him down. I moved to headbutt him and then give him a good kick in the groin, when he reached out and yanked the cuffs slightly.

I hissed as fresh pain bit into my wrists.

“Madame … ? What’s your name?” he asked.

I felt absolutely murderous at that moment. “Dawn.” No point in lying. He wouldn’t know me from Faerie.

“Madame Dawn, you are under arrest for harboring information about a life threat to an Ethereum lord. You will get your wish of being brought to Noreum to deliver your intel to Lord Roan after I have my mead and card game.”

My chest heaved with anger. I pulled the cuffs up ever so slowly so that they wouldn’t inflict any more pain. “Harboring information? I was trying to tell him!”

He shrugged. “Until Lord Roan hears the information, you are withholding it. Unless you want to tell me all of the details and then you have no need to go to Noreum?”

Rat bastard! He’d played me.

I shook my head. I had to get in front of Lord Roan. “Are these necessary?” I bit out.

He looked me up and down. “I think you’ve proved they are.”

Again staying calm, I stared him straight in the eyes. “I never tried to hurt you. These barbaric things are not needed.”

His eyes glowered. “Do they teach you nothing in the Midlands? The guardian cuffs only dig in when you mean harm. They will fall away completely when you no longer seek to hurt me.”

The blood must have drained from my face because dizziness washed over me. I looked down at the damn things for the traitorous bastards they were. It was like drinking a truth serum or something. This fae would know every time I wanted to take a swipe at him.

Squaring my shoulders, I dropped my hands before me and took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

Think peaceful thoughts. This fae is good-looking and all is well. I mean him no harm.

I opened my eyes, but the cuffs still hadn’t fallen off.

“And what’s your name?” I asked him.

He grinned and again my knees went weak because his smile made him ten times more attractive. He was like a siren, no doubt luring me to my death with that smile. “Commander Zander Warrick.”

I nearly died right there. “C-Commander, as in commander of the entire Northern Army?”

There was only one commander, right? That meant he was a big deal. Probably only second to Lord Roan himself. What was he doing out here in what was obviously a small fringe village?

He mock bowed. “At your service, little bird.”

Then he walked inside of the tavern and left me stewing in so much violent hatred that the cuffs clamped down harder, and I had to bite my tongue to keep from crying.

What had I gotten myself into?