Chapter 18

After eating breakfast, washing up, and packing away camp, we left when the sun was just peeking out in the sky. The entire six-hour ride north I pestered Zander about the Wise Ones. Apparently they were extremely powerful immortal fae. Because they had small horns on their heads, they’d been seen as unseelie and exiled here when the royals of Faerie kicked everyone out. Each soul could ask them one question and they would answer. They knew everything there was to know about everything, and spent their time hunched over books and scrolls for eons. But Zander said he suspected they also possessed a supernatural psychic ability—knowing things that had not yet come to pass.

“Why do you think that?” I asked as I leaned into his embrace. Omen was riding steadily to the Northern Mountains where the Wise Ones lived.

“I went to see them when the rondak took over my kingdom. I asked what I could do to get my kingdom back.”

I nodded. “And what did they say?”

I imagined they gave him a detailed battle strategy or something.

He chuckled. “Nothing.”

I frowned. “What?”

“They said, ‘Nothing.’ There was nothing I could do to defeat the monster that had stolen my kingdom. I was so confused and furious at that answer that I left and wrote them off as fools. But now I see.” He tipped my chin to look up at him. “They were right. It was always supposed to be you. I was waiting for you to hand me back my kingdom, and you did.”

Chills broke out onto my arms at that. Could they know the future?

“So what’s your question going to be?” he asked as we pulled Omen up to the base of a looming mountain and stopped.

We’d arrived? Already?

I swallowed hard. “Is there anything else that I can do to save the people of Faerie from the curse, other than taking the heart of an Ethereum lord?”

“Yes,” Zander said quickly.

“What?”

“That is a yes or no question. That’s the answer you will get. You need to ask it better.”

Oh. My heart thumped wildly in my chest. I was totally going to screw this up and then my people would all die and—

Zander pulled my face into his hands and met my gaze. “What can I, or anyone else, do to save the people of Faerie from the curse, other than taking the heart of an Ethereum lord?”

I nodded. “Okay.” Now I just needed to remember that in the moment.

Zander dismounted Omen and pulled me from the saddle, keeping his hands on my hips. I’d never let a man touch me so much in my entire life, and now I didn’t want his hands off of me. I wanted to glue them to my hips forever.

There was a flash of heat in his eyes, but when he bent to kiss my forehead his lips barely brushed my skin before he pulled back. I could tell from the look on his face and his tight grip that he wanted more, but this wasn’t the time or place. I stepped back, ready to meet these Wise Ones.

A gust of wind funneled around us, whipping up ice particles and sending my hair in all directions. I quickly braided the longest strands to keep them from flying in my face. With the loss of Zander’s heat, a chill ran through me, making me shiver.

If I was going to live in the Northern Kingdom with Zander for the rest of my life, I was going to have to make peace with the cold. Maybe I could talk him into visiting one of the kingdoms with a more temperate climate a couple times a year, because this Summer fae was not used to these temperatures.

Zander must have seen the chill run through me, because a moment later he draped his cape over my shoulders and fastened it around my neck. The leftover warmth from his body seeped into me and I stopped shaking.

“You don’t need it?” I asked, willing to pass the fabric back, but he stayed my hand before I could undo the tie.

“I’m built for this climate. And even if I weren’t, I wouldn’t let you go cold. Your comfort is more important than my own.”

I smiled at him gratefully, feeling my insides go a little gooey. “Thank you.” Going up on my tiptoes, I planted a quick kiss on his lips.

The heat in his gaze kicked up a notch, but he didn’t try to pull me in for more than the chaste kiss I’d offered. “If I had known I’d be rewarded with a kiss, I would have given you my cloak the first night we met,” he said with a smirk.

I let out a very unprincesslike snort. “Would that have been before or after you tricked me into bathing in front of you.”

Zander leaned in, his voice lowering. “I have a confession. The moment I realized the curtain wasn’t completely opaque, I turned around. I only let you believe I’d watched you because I so enjoyed seeing you riled up.”

The memory of that night made blood flood to my cheeks. Even if Zander hadn’t looked, I’d gotten an eyeful before I turned away. The images in my mind’s eye were clear as day. Zander’s mouth quirked in amusement. I’m sure my thoughts were written across my face clearly as well.

Shaking my head and taking a big step away from Zander, I refocused on the task at hand.

“Now what?” I asked, eyeing the frozen mountain in front of us. It looked as if it went straight into the air. I couldn’t even see all the way up because a thick cloud ringed the top. Good thing I was an expert climber. And not afraid of heights.

“Now we climb,” Zander said, and I nodded.

Zander and I shed whatever we didn’t need for the climb, which left us in only the clothes on our backs. I ridded myself of all my hidden weapons and Zander did the same, telling me they were not allowed. Right before we started our ascent, Omen came over and nudged me with his head. I rubbed his nose and told him we’d be back soon, even though I was sure the horse didn’t understand me.

“Should we be worried about Omen wandering off?” I asked.

Zander shook his head. “You haven’t figured it out by now?”

“Figured what out?”

“Omen is a faehorse. He’s bonded to me, and also to you through me. He actually helped me find your trail after you fled Noreum. I owe him for that. He’ll stay put unless he senses danger.”

A bonding between a fae and a horse. How interesting. I didn’t question it. I had felt a level of kinship and connection with Omen.

After giving the horse a gentle kiss, Zander and I started to scale the mountain. Despite his size, Zander moved with ease up the rock wall behind me. More than once, the wind whipped strongly enough that I had to stop and cling to the rocks to keep from being blown off the mountain, but as soon as the gusts dissipated we continued on.

When we reached the area where the clouds swallowed the mountain, I lost sight of Zander beneath me more than once and had to control my panic that he’d fallen to his death. Every time, he would eventually catch up to me, offering me up a smile of encouragement and reassurance that he was all right.

By the time we reached a plateau, my nerves were shot, and my fingers were numb. I pulled myself over the ledge and collapsed on the ground. It wasn’t even a full minute before Zander followed me, offering me a hand up.

“Well done, little bird,” he said with a soft smile.

“I think I lost a few years of my life on that climb,” I admitted.

He looked over his shoulder, but the cloud made it impossible to see the entirety of the rock face we’d just scaled. “That little climb?” he teased. “But you scaled the rock face with the agility of a monkey. Perhaps I should be calling you little monkey instead.”

“Don’t even think about it,” I warned, but there was a gleam in his eye that said he was definitely considering it. “Besides, my anxiety wasn’t over myself. I was worried you and your giant body would plummet to your death.”

“Oh, little monkey, you were worried about me?”

“Yes, big gorilla, I was.”

Zander laughed at my jibe, and I lifted a brow to say that two could play this game.

Point to Dawn.

Another wind gust whipped up frigid ice and small rocks, and Zander and I stepped away from the ledge.

“Are we close?” I asked, looking around. The cloud made it hard to see, but the two options were to continue climbing or follow the narrow path along the mountain’s edge.

Zander nodded and indicated I should go in front of him along the path. Although it looked treacherous, I was grateful to be done with climbing for the moment.

“The Wise Ones live in a cave not far from here,” he said from behind me.

“A cave?”

“An enchanted cave,” he clarified.

We trekked our way along the path for what felt like forever, weaving back and forth and slowly ascending the mountain. Zander and I took the time to share stories of our childhood. I found out that Zander was the youngest of his many brothers, and therefore the newest to ruling his kingdom. Even though the four current Ethereum lords shared the same birthday, Stryker was technically the oldest brother still alive, and had ruled the longest out of all four of them. He’d stepped up as ruler of the Eastern Kingdom when he was still a teenager after their older brother died unexpectedly in an avalanche. According to Zander, Stryker had barely had a childhood before the mantle of ruling had fallen to him, and despite myself my heart began to soften for the hardened fae.

Eventually we punched through the cloud cover. It was well into the afternoon and the sun’s rays lit our way until the path ended and a large opening yawned in front of us. It was at least two stories high and just as wide, but I couldn’t see anything past the entrance. It was like a black hole, waiting to swallow me up.

I glanced at Zander with uncertainty.

“This is as far as I can go,” he said with a frown.

He’d warned me I’d have to visit the Wise Ones alone, but it didn’t mean I had to like it. But I was a Summer Court princess, a trained assassin, and the mate of an Ethereum lord. I could do this for my people, for my kingdom, and for myself.

I nodded at Zander and turned from him, marching toward the darkness. I didn’t hesitate when I reached the cave, but continued forward with my head held high, staying alert as I strode into a space darker than night. I was only a handful of steps in before I was completely blind, which told me this darkness was magical in nature. With the sun shining outside the cave, I shouldn’t have lost visibility so quickly, but now I needed to rely on my other senses. Zander told me my magic wouldn’t work in the cave, or else I would have used my sunlight magic to light my way.

With every stride, the sound of rocks and sand crunching beneath my feet echoed in the space around me. I put a hand out as I stepped tentatively. Eventually the air warmed, and moisture clung to my skin, yet I still couldn’t see anything.

After a few more steps, I heard a hiss, so silent at first I thought my ears were playing tricks on me. It grew louder as I moved forward until I realized the hissing was actually whispers. I stopped, trying to figure out where the whispers were coming from, only to realize they were all around me.

I spun in the darkness, disoriented, but starting to pick out bits and pieces of the whispered words.

“Princess … visit … black heart … curse.”

“Who’s there?” I called into the void, but the whispers continued to be a jumbled mess I couldn’t fully understand.

I grunted in frustration, sweat collecting on my brow and making fine hairs stick to my forehead. It was getting so warm I was tempted to peel off some layers of clothes to get some relief, but instead I took off in what I thought was the right direction, blindly stumbling over rocks and bumping into the cavern walls. The whispers became so loud I had to cover my ears. It felt like I was going crazy.

I moved forward as long as I could until finally I stopped. Squeezing my eyes shut, I crouched on the ground and screamed at the voices to stop. My shouts bounced off the cavern walls, and it wasn’t until my own echoes quieted that I realized the whispers had ceased. When I opened my eyes, I gasped to find myself in a candlelit room with no ceiling, the stars sparkling down from above.

I stood and turned to see four male fae seated upon rock thrones in a semi-circle in front of me. Even though they weren’t standing, I could tell they were short by fae standards. Their skin was the color of luminescent pearl, and two small horns peeked out from each of their shaggy heads of hair. But what disturbed me the most, and what Zander had neglected to warn me about, were their eyes. Four sets of completely white orbs stared down at me.

“Welcome, Princess of Faerie,” the Wise One directly in front of me said. Although I heard the words as if spoken aloud, his mouth didn’t move. Something else Zander left out.

“We have been waiting for this day for ages,” the one to his right said. His mouth didn’t move either, but the sound came from that direction.

Ages? Just how old were these fae?

“For—” I clamped my mouth shut. I’d almost asked, “For what day?” which might have used up my one question.

The corner of the mouth of the Wise One to the far left tipped up, and although I probably should have been relieved because it was the first facial expression any of them had displayed, it creeped me out slightly.

“Speak freely, Princess of Faerie. The time for your one question has not yet come,” he said.

Had he read my mind?

“What day have you been waiting for?” I asked, hoping I hadn’t just been lied to.

“The prophesized day when the daughter of Faerie and the son of Ethereum would bond, starting the healing to both kingdoms.”

How did he know we were bonded? Wait, what? Both kingdoms? What did Ethereum need to be healed from?

My mind spun with what they had just said.

“What—?”

“The time has come for your one question. Choose wisely,” the Wise One to my right said, cutting off my words.

Stars help me. My hands shook as I looped the question over and over in my head, trying to ensure I wouldn’t get distracted and screw up like I had when I came through the mirror portal to Ethereum.

I took a deep breath. “What can I, or anyone else, do to heal the curse of Faerie and save my people?” I realized my error and rushed out the rest. “Besides taking the heart of an Ethereum lord?”

The lips of one of the Wise Ones quirked and then they all shared a look, nodding one by one as if sharing one mind. I hoped I had asked the right question, that it was worded in a way that would yield the most descriptive answer.

There was movement to my right, and the Wise One startled me by stepping off of his rock throne and approaching me. I steeled myself, praying I would obtain the answer I’d sought after for so long.

“Dawn Ambrose, daughter of Summer, mother of children yet to be conceived, wife of Lord Zander Warrick yet to be wed.” The Wise One circled me and my breath caught in my throat at the long title. It was proof that these men did see the future, my future wedding to Zander. A wedding I had yet to tell anyone about.

His mouth didn’t move and yet his voice was so close it was as if he were speaking right into my ear.

“You have completed one part in a four-part puzzle to break the curse over your people forever.”

I gasped, trying not to react or meet his gaze. He walked with perfect precision as he circled me. “When you, a Faerie princess, bonded to an Ethereum lord rather than take his life like so many before you, the curse was weakened.”

Zander and I bonding was all I had to do? That was the easiest thing in the world. I wanted to shout out with joy, but kept my lips shut, knowing I had one question and would only be given one answer.

He stopped in front of me. “Three more tasks must be completed by the champions of Fall, Winter, and Spring for the curse to break forever and your worlds to be restored.”

Fall, Winter, and Spring? Did he mean the other princesses of Faerie? They had a role in this as well?

I didn’t move, didn’t breathe. I didn’t want to miss a word about what the final three tasks would be.

He nodded, and then walked back over to his rock throne, climbing up the two steps and sitting down.

“Uh, do you mean the other princesses? What are the three tasks they need to complete?” I asked.

The Wise One who had spoken to me before, frowned. “Your question has been answered. No more will be allowed. Farewell, Dawn.”

They all bowed, and I ran forward frantically.

“No! You don’t understand—” Everything went black then, the night sky above disappeared, along with the Wise Ones, and any source of light. I was thrown into complete darkness.

“Please. I need to know how to save my people,” I whimpered, feeling the panic rising up inside of me.

“Dawn!” Zander called out somewhere far off.

Feeling defeated but with a little bit of hope, I started back, my hands out in front of me.

They had answered my question, technically. There was four tasks needed to save my people, and I’d already completed mine. They’d also confirmed there was a way to break the curse, once and for all.

I just wished they’d given me a little something else so that I could be proactive and help. Never before had a princess from the Winter, Fall, and Spring Courts entered Ethereum, so the Wise Ones mention of them having their own task to complete felt shocking.

“Dawn!” Zander’s sharp voice came to my right, and then suddenly the darkness was lifted, and he was there, pulling me into his arms. I clung to him, burying my face in his chest and inhaling his sandalwood scent.

Pulling back, he brushed the hair from my forehead and looked down at me with wild eyes.

“What did they say? Did you figure out how we can help your people?” The concern in his voice made my heart melt. He didn’t even know my people. For all intents and purposes he should hate them. We’d hunted his kind and killed them for centuries. But because I loved them, so did he. He was a true mate.

“Well, that’s the good news.” I roused a small smile, threading his fingers through mine. “Our bonding was a piece of the puzzle that needed to happen in order to break the curse.”

He smiled then, a full smile that made my knees weak.

“That’s wonderful.”

I swallowed hard and nodded, and Zander’s face darkened. “But?”

I heaved a sigh. “But the other three princesses of Faerie have a part to play in ending the curse as well. They each have tasks to complete, but I don’t know what they are because I’d already used my question.”

“Then it must be as I suspected,” he mused, looking far off into the horizon.

“What’s that?”

He looked at me as if he almost didn’t want to tell me. “I think that the remaining princesses of Faerie are the bonded mates of my brothers.”

I swallowed hard. My mother had said as much in my dream-vision. “What makes you so sure?”

“Every Ethereum lord ever killed was single. We do not marry unless we find our bonded mate. Cal was bonded to Brienne, but none of my living brothers have found their mate. When my mate didn’t present herself either and we were coming up on one hundred years since the last assassination, I began to wonder. I fear that—”

“We’ve been killing our bonded mates all these years?” Tears bit the back of my eyes, but I blinked them away.

Zander looked incredibly sad at that. “Yes.”

My mother saying it in a dream was one thing, but hearing Zander say it was another. It was almost too awful to consider.

“Zander …” I was suddenly filled with panic.

“Yes, my love?”

“In the dream-vision I had, my mother was going to evacuate my people to Fall. It’s never happened before, but there is a protocol for if a champion princess doesn’t make it back before the portal closes. Fall is next.”

He frowned. “So when you don’t show up back home, they will send another?”

I nodded. “And another and another. Until one of your brothers’ hearts lies at the end of a dagger.”

Genuine fear washed over him. “I have to warn my brothers.”

“We have to be careful though. They could hurt her. Aribella doesn’t know any better than I did. She will come here thinking you’re all evil and try to kill an Ethereum lord before he can even speak.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “She should be okay, so long as she doesn’t wind up in front of Stryker.”

I agreed that would be the worst lord of all to find herself with. May the fates have mercy on any woman who was his bonded mate.

* * *

“Oh, Dawn, you are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” Alexandria gushed, and I couldn’t help the huge grin that spread across my lips.

“Yeah, not bad for a seelie princess.” Nysa winked, and I reached out and punched her arm lightly, causing her to laugh.

Zander had wanted only one week of planning before the wedding, but I slowed him down and we’d made it two. The girls had gotten here a few days ago and took the news that I was getting married so quickly in stride. Alexandria and Nysa had jumped into wedding planning, helping me pick my dress and flowers, and going around the villages with me to meet Zander’s people—soon to be my people too. The Northern fae were wonderful. They loved Zander, so in turn they loved and embraced me. When I walked into the market with Zander and my friends, they threw flowers at our feet, a local blessing for a newly engaged couple.

Now I stepped in front of the mirror and looked up, my breath catching in my throat. My light blonde hair had been pinned back into a cascade of curls that hung over my left shoulder, and small baby pink roses were artfully set inside some of the curls. My dress was custom made by Zander’s palace seamstress. It was a cream satin that fit my bodice snugly and then belled out at the waist with long lace sleeves.

My mother would approve.

A pang of sadness hit me at that thought. My mother wasn’t here on my wedding day. My people were in turmoil and fleeing to the Fall Court. It was hard to be happy when I’d failed them. But remembering the dream where my mother admitted to knowing Zander was my mate and still wanting me to kill him hardened my heart toward her a little. I still loved her. I knew she was only parroting what she was taught as a child, but what we’d been doing for thousands of years was wrong.

Now there was another way, the way the Wise Ones had spoken about, so I was going to push forward and focus on that. Zander had already sent letters to two of his brothers inviting them to the wedding and telling them about the other princesses of Faerie. I would meet them tonight at the ceremony, and Zander said he would explain more to them. We were hoping in the event Aribella, the Fall princess champion, came through the portal and tried to kill one of them, they wouldn’t harm her. We asked instead that they send for us so I could explain everything to her.

We invited Stryker to the wedding but decided against telling him about the princesses. It might only make him look for Aribella to kill her, and we didn’t want that. We needed time to figure out how to convince Stryker to work with us, not against us. If any of the princesses were to appear before Stryker, I had no doubt in my mind he’d kill her immediately, ending any chance we had at destroying the curse once and for all.

I walked over to the window and peered outside, up at the moon. It was a Northern tradition to be married under the moon and stars. Looking up at the night sky, watching the multicolored lights of the northern aurora dance up above, I could understand why. Pinks and purples and greens streaked over my head, taking my breath away. It was achingly beautiful, and although I never would have thought of having a night wedding, now I wouldn’t want to wed the love of my life under any other sky.

It had been one full moon cycle, almost a full month since I’d portaled to Ethereum. So much had happened in such a short time it was hard to believe it had only been that long. At exactly midnight tonight the portal to the Summer Court would close and I wouldn’t be able to return to my world. But I truly believed we’d find a way to heal Faerie without having to kill anyone for it, so a spark of hope that I might someday be able to visit my beloved people remained in my heart.

There was a knock at the door, and I spun. “Come in.”

It opened to reveal Zander’s attendant. “We’re ready for you, my lady.” He bowed deeply.

I peered at Alexandria and Nysa, both looking gorgeous in floor-length evening gowns. They gave me smiles and thumbs-up, and I walked to the door with my friends trailing behind me.

When we exited the castle, warm air caressed my skin, a gift from Zander who had arranged for fae from his brother’s kingdom in the south to heat the air during the outdoor ceremony. Zander had said he wanted me to feel comfortable and bring in some familiar elements of my court to our wedding. Besides the heated air, he’d also shipped in as many summer-blooming flowers as he could in the short time. I’d seen a peek of the gardens as we’d walked past a window on our way out of the castle, and it looked like the aisle was lined with orange daylilies and pink peonies. The scent of fresh lavender and honeysuckle hung in the air, making my eyes mist to think of his thoughtfulness.

Zander wasn’t a perfect fae. Then again, neither was I, but I knew with certainty that he was perfect for me. I couldn’t wait another moment to be his wife and make him my husband.

Just then, a stable hand rounded the corner leading Omen, who wore an embroidered white satin blanket over his back.

“Hey, pretty boy, you look beautiful.” I stroked Omen’s neck and he nuzzled into me.

“We’ll go grab a seat and see you soon.” Nysa squeezed my arm before leading Alexandria away down the path where the wedding event was being held.

With Zander’s attendant’s help, I carefully mounted Omen, sitting side-saddle, and then arranged the voluminous skirts over his flank. When I was settled, I clicked my tongue and Omen took off at a slow trot, knowing exactly where to go.

My heart hammered in my chest as the nerves finally reached me. I was about to marry a man I’d only known a month.

I giggled out loud at that. In royal terms it wasn’t the worst I’d heard of. My great grandmother married a prince she knew for six hours. I let my mind wander to the first time I saw Zander, after crashing into him on the street outside the tavern. The moment he spoke, it was as if a spell had been woven over me. I’d been disarmed and let my guard down without even realizing it. Every moment that I spent with him after that just made me fall deeper. It now felt like I’d known him forever.

Omen turned the corner, walking between two thick hedges, and I gasped when I saw the hundreds of tea lights placed between the flowers lining the aisle. People sat in rows and rows along the castle lawn that spanned for what felt like miles. They’d been lightly talking when I arrived, but as soon as Omen and I stepped into the aisle they fell into a reverent silence and stood.

Zander had told me it was custom to invite every single person in the Northern Kingdom to our wedding, over ten thousand fae, and to seat the laborers and farmers closest to the front, and the socialites and aristocrats farther out. It was the one day to honor those who sacrificed and worked so hard for his kingdom. They were our guests of honor.

As Omen and I began our walk, it was easy to recognize the wealthy and privileged subjects right away. The women, wrapped in rich fabrics or layer upon layer of soft tulle, wore beautifully crafted gowns that were constructed to enhance their features, including any horns, wings, or scales if they had them. The men’s jackets and slacks were perfectly tailored to their forms and embellished with gold and silver stitching.

As Omen and I progressed, I peered down at the fae who beamed up at me and gave them a wave as a smile broke out onto my lips. I was amazed at all of the people who had shown up to support Zander and me, and in this moment I couldn’t think of one negative thing. The curse over my people was gone from my mind as I was struck with such gratitude for these people here on my special day.

How could I already love his people as my own? I would do anything for them.

I kept my eyes on the fae to my right and left as Omen brought me down the aisle, wishing I could personally thank each and every one of them for the way they’d welcomed me with open arms. Near the front, I saw a nymph like Nysa wearing a torn satin gown. She waved at me with hands that had clearly seen years of labor. Next to her sat a little girl, her miniature. Her daughter.

“She’s beautiful, Mommy,” the little girl said too loudly, and everyone giggled, including me.

I blew her a kiss, and then looked up and my breath caught.

When I’d started down the long aisle, Zander had been only a little speck in the distance, but now he was clear as day. His usually unruly dark hair was brushed back, allowing me to see every handsome curve and cut of his face. He was wearing a royal blue overcoat with a gold-stitched vest beneath that hugged his broad chest and muscled arms. A ceremonial sword was sheathed at his side, and his black slacks were tucked into shining black boots that ended just below his knees.

After giving him a once-over, I trailed my gaze back up to his eyes and nearly forgot how to breathe. The love and desire shining from his gaze as Omen stopped just shy of the wedding pergola was palpable. As if he’d reached out and touched me, goose bumps broke out on my arms, and I could only hope he was reading the depth of my feelings for him in my eyes as well.

My heart felt like it was lodged in my throat as I waited for Zander to descend the few steps and stop in front of me. He spared Omen a single pat before offering his hand up to me.

“Little bird,” he prompted, waiting for me to take his outstretched hand with an arched brow.

I slipped my fingers into his and he gently pulled me from the faehorse’s back, taking an extra-long time to set me down. Wistful sighs rose up from the crowd when he finally released me and then bowed to place a soft kiss on my hand. I felt that chaste kiss all the way down to my toes, and knew my cheeks were flushed. I should probably be embarrassed at how easily Zander could undo me with a single look or touch, but I was too wrapped up in him to care much.

When he straightened, a roguish smile lifted the corner of Zander’s mouth, making him all the more handsome. “Are you ready?” he asked.

I smiled up at him and nodded. “Are you?”

He leaned forward to whisper in my ear. “My love, I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment for eternity. I’ve never been more ready for anything.”

I felt the same way but was incapable of words when he pulled back slightly and then tucked my hand in the crook of his arm to lead me up to the dais where the officiant waited.

The ceremony passed in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it boisterous cheers filled the castle grounds as Zander wrapped me in his arms and then dipped his head to press his lips against mine—our first kiss as man and wife and lord and lady of the Northern Kingdom.

The cheers from the thousands of wedding attendees was almost deafening, but when Zander nipped my bottom lip and deepened the kiss, the noise faded to the background. We were far from alone, but at the moment it was just him and me.

When he pulled back, I swayed toward him, lightheaded in the most delicious way. Zander took one look at my face and released a low chuckle that I felt low in my gut. “Later, my love,” he promised, and then stepped a respectable distance from me. “First we have a reception to attend.”

Directly following the ceremony, a grand reception was to take place for us and our closest several hundred friends in the castle ballroom. Alexandria and Nysa were my only invited guests, but since we were rulers, there would be hundreds in attendance who I didn’t know.

Revelry was happening all around Noreum tonight and throughout the Northern Kingdom as our fae not only celebrated their lord’s wedding but welcomed a new ruler as well. I had learned that usually when a lord married, his wife became his consort, but Zander wouldn’t hear of it and had made a decree that the moment we were married I would become an equal ruler of the Northern Kingdom. I was now Lady Dawn Ambrose. Which was akin to their queen. It was unheard of in Ethereum history, but so was the pairing between a princess of Faerie and lord of Ethereum. It was time for things to change in both realms, and our marriage and co-rule was just the beginning.

Tucking my hand in the crook of his arm once again, Zander turned us toward the castle grounds and the cheers got impossibly louder. I wouldn’t be surprised if you could hear the noise all over the kingdom. We smiled and waved at our subjects, their excitement infectious. After several minutes, Zander laid a hand over my hand resting on his arm, gave it a squeeze, and then led me to the side, where we could enter the castle to change our outfits for the reception. There was no way I could sit in this giant dress, and Zander said it was tradition that he wear his military uniform to dinner and make a toast to his men.

Two of Zander’s many assistants led us to a bedroom and opened the door. I peered inside and my stomach dropped when I realized it was the room we would live in as husband and wife. Draped over the large four-poster bed was a slim-fitting blue dress, and Zander’s military uniform.

“We will meet you in the reception hall,” Zander told his attendants, and they nodded, bowing before they left.

I slipped inside the room as Zander shut the door, and my stomach bloomed with heat as I thought of changing in front of my new husband.

Reaching behind me, I fumbled with the lacing to my dress to no avail, and then Zander was there. He reached out and brushed his warm hands over mine. My dress slowly loosened, and then finally fell to my waist.

I was bare from the waist up, my heart hammering in my chest as Zander stood behind me.

Clearing my throat, I wiggled out of the dress, now only in my undergarments.

That’s when I felt his breath on my neck. Delicious heat scorched a path down my body before settling between my legs.

“I know I said later but I lied,” Zander huffed in my ear, and I moaned in relief.

Spinning around to face him, I watched in delight as Zander let his eyes rake over me slowly.

His blue irises practically glowed as I undressed him slowly, first coat, then shirt, and finally his trousers. Without warning, Zander reached around my waist and lifted me onto the bed, causing an excited shriek to leave my lips. As he lowered himself on top of me, he stared into my eyes.

“Dawn Warrick.” He used my new married name as he dipped low to nibble at my bottom lip.

“Yes?” I panted.

“I plan to satisfy you in every way possible,” he promised, and I nearly exploded right there.

“Yes please.”

* * *

Forty minutes later, and with slightly messed-up hair, Zander and I entered the main part of the castle wearing goofy grins and stealing glances at each other. We were greeted with even more well-wishers and spent the better part of a half-hour welcoming fae, mostly the castle staff and attendants, before making it to the ballroom, where several hundred guests waited for us to arrive.

After we were announced, Zander pulled me into the middle of the dance floor. A sweet melody filled the air, the notes smooth and whimsical, and we started to move as one.

“Have I told you how unbelievably beautiful you look tonight?” he asked, his deep voice rolling over me like honey.

“As a matter of fact, I don’t think you have,” I said, trying to sound offended, but I’m sure I missed the mark because of the giant smile I couldn’t wipe off my face. Lying with Zander, my husband, was much more special than I thought it would be. If it were possible, I felt even closer to him, even more cherished by him.

“My deepest apologies, my lady.” His hand tightened on my waist, and he pulled me closer than what was considered proper. I didn’t mind in the least as he dipped his head and whispered in my ear. “You’re the most stunning creature I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

Tilting my head up to meet his blue gaze, I licked my lips and Zander’s eyes dropped to my mouth. “You clean up quite nicely as well.” I ran my gaze over his neck, down his shoulders, and across the military buttons that adorned his coat before returning to his face.

His eyes took on an almost feverish glow as he stared back at me, leaving no doubt in my mind where his thoughts had drifted. “I’m glad you think so,” he murmured, and slowed our dance so that we weren’t doing more than swaying back and forth now. The heat between the two of us was palpable.

I swallowed hard, my thoughts on our earlier lovemaking. My mother had always told me that saving myself for marriage would be worth it, and right now I had to agree. I couldn’t imagine sharing that with anyone else.

“Excuse me,” a male voice interrupted, and I realized that at some point another song must have started, because we were no longer alone on the dance floor. Other guests were moving and twirling around Zander and me, and a fae stood in front of us that I’d never seen before, yet he still looked familiar.

“Zane!” Zander said, and immediately pulled the stranger into a hug. “I’m so glad you were able to make it.” When Zander stepped away from the dark brown-haired fae, they both wore matching grins, and I felt like I was missing something.

“Technically, I’m not here,” he said with a wink. “If anyone asks, I’m currently safely tucked in Windreum.”

Zander released a hearty laugh. “As if you won’t be recognized.”

The fae shrugged before turning to me expectantly.

“Dawn,” Zander started, taking my hand, “this is my brother, Zane, lord of the Western Kingdom.”

Oh. Ohhh.

A bolt of apprehension shot through me, and I had to resist the urge to look for a weapon. The last brother of Zander’s that I’d met had tried to kill me—rightly so, since I was there to cut out his heart, but still.

In contrast to his brother Stryker’s darker hair, Zane’s hair was a shade lighter than Zander’s, with a tint of auburn. It was shorn close on the sides and longer on top, a few strands hanging roguishly over one brow. One of his eyes was the exact same color as Zander’s, but the other was half-blue, half-brown. He was taller than Zander by at least a couple of inches, which made him almost a giant, and Zander’s comment about him being recognized was spot on. Already guests were staring at us and whispering behind their hands, smiling and waving as if they’d seen a famous bard.

Zane smiled back at me with a look that so strongly reminded me of Zander that my unease melted away.

“Lady Dawn, it is absolutely a pleasure to meet the maiden who has captured the heart of my favorite brother.” He held his hand out to me, and I let him take it. He showed me the honor of bowing low, even though he himself was a ruler and didn’t need to address me as such, and then placed a kiss over my knuckles.

Zander released a low growl of warning when Zane didn’t immediately release my hand, which only made his brother’s grin widen.

“Let’s get off the dance floor,” Zander suggested, taking my hand and leading me to a semi-private corner of the room.

When we reached the spot, his hackles lowered, and Zander shook his head at his brother. “Just wait until it happens to you. Just the thought of another man looking at your mate will threaten to send you into a rage.” Zane glanced at his brother quizzically and Zander nodded. “It’s true. It’s just as our father described it to us.”

A wistful look blanketed Zane’s features as he glanced back and forth between the two of us. “I’m very happy for you.”

“Thank you, brother.” He clasped Zane’s shoulder, and then peered over the crowd. “Where is Adrien?” Zander asked.

Stryker had not even graced us with a response to our wedding invite, but Zane and Adrien were both supposed to come.

Zane pursed his lips into a tight line. “Something came up last minute. He couldn’t make it but sent this.”

Zane pulled a small silver box from within his coat and handed it to me.

I looked at Zander, who smiled and nodded that I open it.

I lifted the lid to the silver box with little fanfare, and then grinned when I saw the small round dessert balls of some kind covered in powdered sugar.

“They are cookies made with dates that grow on certain trees you can only find on the Southern Kingdom’s beaches. A delicacy in my brother’s land,” Zane told me.

I popped one in my mouth and released a moan. Sugary goodness splashed across my tongue, and Zander smiled before grabbing one, and then Zane was next.

“Thank him for us,” I said through a mouthful.

“What came up last minute that he would have to miss his brother’s wedding and send pity cookies instead?” Zander asked grumpily.

Zane licked some powdered sugar off his fingers and frowned. “Pirates again,” was all he said, but that got Zander sitting erect.

“Is he okay?”

Zane nodded. “All is well. Let’s enjoy this night.”

We spent the next while with me getting to know Zane, and he and Zander catching up. After that initial reaction, I fell into an easy comradery with Zane. He was jovial, personable, and kind, everything Stryker hadn’t been. Zane seemed like the kind of fae anyone would get along with, and I could see why he and Zander were so close. Apparently, there was some tension in his court right now, so he hadn’t initially thought he’d be able to travel to our kingdom for the wedding, but he’d figured it out, and seeing the happiness on Zander’s face that his brother was here made me glad he’d found a way—especially since Stryker and Aiden never showed.

Too soon, Zander and I were pulled away from Zane and spent the next couple of hours visiting with the various guests. I was delighted to find that Brienne and the boys made it to Noreum for the wedding. I danced with Kipp and Kegan, laughing as we all kicked up our heels, until their eyes started to droop and Brienne took them to retire early. I also made sure to carve out some time to spend with Nysa and Alexandria, who were all smiles, even the usually stoic Nysa. I saw her looking over at one of Captain Regis’ men at one point, and the soldier glanced back at her with a grin which made me wonder what might be going on there. I didn’t get the opportunity to ask before I was pulled away by Zander to meet some rich fae who’d traveled to the ceremony from the eastern part of our kingdom.

Hours slipped by, and my cheeks hurt from smiling, and my feet ached from standing and dancing, yet I’d never been happier.

“My love,” Zander whispered, as he came up behind me, causing goose bumps to break out all over my skin. He slipped his hands around my waist, tugging me against his chest. “It’s almost time.”

Midnight was supposed to be the official end of the reception, yet it was clear that the party was nowhere near winding down. But Zander had assured me that once the fireworks were set off at twelve we could slip away from the night to celebrate on our own.

Twisting in his embrace, I placed my hands against his hard chest and went up on my toes to kiss him. It was just supposed to be a swift kiss, but like most things with us, it heated quickly.

I pulled back just enough to speak. “Do we truly have to stay through the fireworks?” I asked, and then ran my tongue over my sensitive bottom lip.

Zander released a low groan as he tracked the movement with his eyes. “I’ve shared my wife long enough tonight,” he said, and a thrill shot through me when he called me his wife. “The fae here are deep enough into their cups. They will hardly notice our absence.”

Yes. Finally.

Taking my hand, Zander led me around the edge of the room, dodging and hiding from the guests as he went. It wasn’t long before we were at the entrance doors, and by the time the first firework exploded high in the night sky, Zander and I were already out of the ballroom and rushing down the hall. A second firework exploded, and the lights shone through the windows, casting the hallway and Zander in pink and purple lights. I giggled and he grinned back at me.

I opened my mouth to tell Zander how much I loved him, how magical this night had been for me, when a scream split the night air. We froze. The scream seemed to have come from the ballroom behind us.

Another firework was set off, and then more screams and shouts followed. We looked at each other, and then immediately sprinted back to the ballroom. When we rushed through the doors, we froze again, taking in the scene in front of us.

The room was chaos. Fae were shouting and running and crying in between the bodies of fallen fae who were scattered across the room. The fireworks were still going off, adding to the madness.

I scanned the room, trying to figure out what was wrong, and spotted a pair of delicate wings off to my right.

Alexandria.

Without telling Zander, I took off, sprinting down the steps and then running toward my friend. When I reached her, she was bent over a green-skinned fae, Nysa. I laid a hand on Alexandria’s shoulder, and when she turned I gasped. Black veins shot out from around her eyes. I looked around her and saw that the snaking black streaks also covered Nysa’s arms and face. Nysa was unconscious, but I could see her chest still moving up and down.

“Alexandria, what’s happening?” I asked as I fell to my knees beside her.

“I don’t know!” she wailed. “Nysa just fell to the ground. And now I feel weird. Like some part of me is being taken away from me.”

Were they poisoned? I felt fine, and we all ate the same food.

“They’re all magically ill,” Zander said, suddenly appearing next to me.

Alexandria gasped.

“What is that?” I asked.

“Their magic is being drained from them,” Zander explained with a grimace. Lifting my gaze, I took in all the fae who were lying on the floor, some even writhing in apparent pain, or sitting with black veins on their faces or limbs.

“Will they be all right?” I asked, scared for my friends, but also scared for our people.

Zander didn’t get to answer before Zane suddenly appeared behind him. “It’s the unseelie. All of them seem to have been afflicted with same magic illness at the same time,” he said.

I looked over the crowds, and it confirmed what he said to be true. All the fae who seemed to be afflicted had wings or horns or scales or different-colored skin. Not a single seelie appeared affected.

Just then I remembered something the Wise Ones had told me. When they said they’d been waiting eons for that day, and I asked them what that meant they’d answered, “The prophesized day when the daughter of Faerie and the son of Ethereum would bond, starting the healing of both kingdoms.”

I was confused that they’d said “kingdoms” at the time, because only Faerie was cursed, but what if this is what they were talking about? A Summer princess had always returned to Faerie with the black heart of an Ethereum lord—up until now. Whatever was happening tonight started at midnight, the moment when the portal closed for me. What if my not bringing a black heart back to Faerie had triggered a curse here in Ethereum as well?

I looked up at Zander, horrified, and he dropped to his knees next to me. “What is it?” he asked.

“What if this is my fault?” I said, and then quickly explained my theory to him.

Zander’s face grew darker and darker.

“You didn’t do this, Dawn.”

“This is not a normal sickness, Zander. This is magical. You said so yourself. It has to be. Everyone was struck down at the same time.”

“This may very well be the curse, but that doesn’t mean it’s your fault. It’s just further proof this curse needs to be destroyed.”

“I have to go,” Zane cut in, having just heard every word. “I need to see if this has happened to my people as well.”

Zander nodded in understanding. “Send word when you reach so we know how widespread this illness is.”

I held up a hand, trying to assure Zane. “If this is anything like the curse of my people, it starts in one court and bleeds slowly to the rest one at a time.”

Zane looked horrified at that. “Which court would be next in your world?”

I swallowed hard.

“The Fall Court.”

He frowned. “What about here?”

I didn’t know that, but I had a feeling that whoever Aribella’s mate was, his kingdom would befall this curse next if she didn’t complete her task. Which I was now hoping she wouldn’t, because I didn’t want any of Zander’s brothers to die.

“I’ll check on my kingdom and send word,” Zane told us. Zander nodded back, and the brothers embraced one last time before Zane took off, rushing through the crowd and out the ballroom doors. I hoped with everything in me that whatever had happened here tonight wasn’t happening in the other kingdoms. Despite whatever Zander said, I still felt responsible.

I pulled Nysa into my arms, my eyes threatening tears, but I held them back. I was now the ruler of the Northern Kingdom and our people needed me to be strong. Now wasn’t the time to fall apart. Taking Alexandria’s hand in my own, I squeezed it tightly, giving her what comfort I could offer.

“We’ll figure this out,” I promised her.

“We will,” Zander echoed, and then laid a hand on my shoulder. “Together.”

I looked over at him and nodded. We would.

The fall equinox wasn’t for two more moon cycles, but that’s when the portal to Ethereum would open in the Fall Court for princess Aribella. She would come to Ethereum, and then we’d find her and bring her to the Wise Ones. The Wise Ones said that all four princesses would need to complete a task to end this curse, but how could both worlds bear the curse for that long? Maybe Aribella could find a way to destroy this curse once and for all, and then we’d finally see the end of all this pain and suffering … in both realms.

Until then, I’d stand with Zander, my co-ruler, my husband, my mate. We would keep our kingdom together for our people and for each other. I was a princess of Faerie, and he was a lord of Ethereum. Individually, we were strong, but together we were unstoppable.