“A Fae Prince dresses as he likes and goes where he will, in this Realm or out of it.” Lucca spoke back with a sexy challenge now, as he lifted a straight blond eyebrow at her. “I am not a stranger to the human world, Ariana, though my father has forbidden Fae to travel or live there. I think much can be learned from the way humans have evolved from an extremely warlike society to one that is far more cooperative in the modern age. The shortness of their lives led to much bickering over resources in the past, but now as technology rises in their world… things have changed. In a way I think we Fae can learn from – challenging ancient conventions for a better way of life. A more egalitarian, equal way.”
As he spoke, Ariana cocked her head, Lucca’s words echoing Quinn’s desires for his Vampires so deeply that she was astonished. “Quinn says peace and equality are problems in Vampire society… are they a problem in Fae society also?”
“Deeply.” Lucca answered with gravitas as he motioned her up the curved staircase he’d made flower with his magics. Nodding, Ariana headed up with him following. “For eons, we Fae have been no better than Vampires – those with greater magic dominating those with lesser magic for generations. Sometimes I think we Fae are worse, with our haughty isolationism and belief that we are superior thanks to our angelic origins. Additionally, there is a deep rift between thehavesandhave notsin Fae culture – a rift between Royal and High Houses versus Low ones. It’s not as bad as the Scarlet Fae, but our Royal and High Houses have historically kept those of Lower Houses as servants, and there is very little upward mobility for those of lesser birth. My father’s laws these past six hundred years do not help, deeply stratifying our society, plus isolating it from the outside world.”
“So Fae society stays stratified and isolated. And all of that makes your people restless, which makes trouble.” Ariana commented as they reached the upper floor. It was similar to the lower floor with a lovely sitting-parlor, though it contained a massive dining table growing right up from the middle of the space with ornate chandeliers of twisting branches, leaves, and swirling Fae lights above. Enormous throne-like chairs of silver wood had been grown up around the table. Curving all around the edges of the space, elegant stairs led to ten bowers coming off the dining room at intervals all through the twisting tree, as it spiraled up to lost heights.
“Indeed.” Prince Lucca spoke seriously as he turned, facing her. “The Summer Fae are very close to a civil insurrection right now, Ariana. And my father does nothing but squash the Lower Houses down harder with his stubborn ways. But we will talk more about that later.” Gesturing to one elegant bower halfway up the twisting trunk, lit by bright blue and gold Fae-lights, Prince Lucca nodded her up. “A sleeping chamber has been prepared for you, and you will find suitable garments. Food will be laid out here on the table by Alleno, so we can eat while we prepare your case. Just up there,” he motioned to a space right above the dining room, “is my study. Come join me when you are freshened, and we will do the bulk of our endeavors there. We’ll probably be at it most of the night. There is a lot to learn about Fae law, Ariana… and you have very little time.”
“Wait.Ihave to learn Fae law?” She blinked, turning to him. “Aren’t you going to be with me when I plead my case tomorrow?”
“I cannot be seen to support you in such a public fashion as of yet.” Lucca spoke seriously to her now as he held her gaze, apology but also firmness in his eyes. “Your trial will be open to the public, with the High Houses able to attend. As Prince of my people, I cannot be seen to take your side; it would be a direct violation of my father’s laws. I’m sorry, but you will take the stand on your own tomorrow, which is why we need to spend time tonight preparing you. I will be there, however… and if you need strength, you have but to look in my direction, and I will give it.”
“So I’ll be my own lawyer tomorrow. Fantastic.” Ariana inhaled a deep breath, suddenly feeling like this was far too dangerous, even though she really didn’t have any other options. “Time to cram. And hope I retain enough to not be totally useless keeping myself out of jail.”
“Something like that.” Prince Lucca spoke seriously now, and Ariana noticed he did not refute her.
Frowning, Ariana pierced him with her gaze, needing to know one more thing. “Prince Lucca. If I lose tomorrow… do I go straight to Fae prison? Or die?”
But Lucca thawed now, and moving close he reached out, taking her hand. “I would never put you in so much danger, Ariana. No, I have secured a promise from my father that he will extend you amnesty tomorrow, to not be accosted by his Brightwatch as you arrive for the proceedings. Likewise if you lose, you have free passage until sundown to retreat someplace safe, before he begins hunting you again. Though he is a stern man, he is not unreasonable; he knows you would never risk coming to the palace for a trial if you were just going to be ambushed. If you lose, I can have those I trust spirit you away to safehouses my father doesn’t know about. Where you and I can rendezvous later… and discuss your future.”
“As an outlaw.” Ariana sighed, but Prince Lucca’s hand was warm upon her as he smiled.
“Hopefully, it won’t come to that.”
As he paused suddenly, Lucca’s lips fell open like he might say more. But then his summer blue eyes became wry as his shimmering aura whirled in a tight gust of wind. Smiling at Ariana, his touch slipped from her, but not before she felt it linger, heated with his sun-gold radiance. Nodding her up towards her bower, he smiled genially, though it was sad.
“Go on up. Our meal will be ready soon. And then we shall prepare you for your trial.”
Inhaling a deep breath, Ariana nodded. And then she headed up the silver staircase inside the great treehouse – to see what else was in store for her in this never-ending night.
CHAPTER 21 – FATE
The next morning, Ariana woke bleary. As morning sunlight streamed into her bower through the Livingtree’s open-air walls, she flopped back into the pillows of her green silk canopied bed, wondering how today was going to go. Last night, she and Lucca had gone over so many laws and cases throughout Summer Fae history that she had eventually wound up with her face in a gilded tome, asleep. She had woken to Lucca carrying her upstairs to her room for the night, but had been so exhausted that not even a hint of ardor had risen as he’d taken her up. Tumbling into bed, she had been beset by vivid dreams of rainbows and dark magic.
And being chased by a faceless king of writhing black smoke.
Awake now and in a dark mood from her dreams, Ariana debated whether she should get ready for her trial or simply ask Lucca to take her right back to the Vampires. Summer Fae law was complex, and it wasn’t something she had learned about as a child; as she thought back through her very late night being grilled by Lucca on dates and cases and arcane Fae laws to bring up during her trial, Ariana’s head swam. She was blessed with a good memory, but with everything that had happened yesterday and her one-night blitz of Fae law, she felt exhausted even before the day had begun. Her trial wasn’t until noon, but even so, she wanted to just go back to bed.
As she wondered if she had even the faintest hope of winning her freedom today.
Glancing at her discarded Fae outfit of a forest-green women’s vest and trousers with a white silk shirt that she’d borrowed last night, Ariana saw they’d been neatly folded by someone while she slept. They now sat with her Vampire negligee upon the silver wood bureau rather than the floor where she’d shed them the night before. The massive tree-grown armoire she’d found the outfit in yesterday was open now. An ornate russet-red and grass-green gown cascaded from it in feathery silks, a note pinned to the hanger. Glancing to the vaulted doorway that led to the rest of the tree, Ariana hesitated to get out of bed naked to read the note. But her doorway had been overgrown with a beautiful screen of white blossoms while she slept, and sliding out of bed she moved to the armoire, taking up the note.
Please wear this for your trial today. You’ll need to look like the High Houses to encourage the Maestros to listen. Yours, Lucca.
The gown was decadent, and as Ariana slid her fingers over it, she found it far more gossamer even than the things the Vampires had for her. The gown Lucca had left looked like woven spider’s silk and sunlight, set with thousands of jewels that sparkled in the morning sun. Dripping in layers, the dress seemed to move like water as Ariana touched it, as if dew caught in a spider’s web could be made into fabric. It was gorgeous, and as Ariana took it from the hanger and slipped it on, she found it clung to her perfectly, cascading off her in long, ornate sleeves that left her shoulders and forearms bare, and a slim, trailing skirt that poured over her frame like waterfalls.
A belt of diamonds, peridots, and emeralds cinched at her waist like dewdrops on morning grass, complementing the dress. The reds in the gown were the perfect color of fallen leaves, a match to Ariana’s fiery red hair, the bright greens a stunning complement to her eyes. As she found a case of matching jewelry, donning ornate armbands for her forearms and upper arms where they showed through the fabric’s slits, and a gorgeous torque for her neck with matching ear-cuffs, she realized Lucca had given her a gown that looked like Summer Fae nobility. And as she saw the last piece of jewelry in the case, a beautiful coronet, her throat suddenly closed.
Fearing to wear what she suddenly knew was an emblem of a Fae Royal House.
“Your case will go better if you wear the crown.”
A man’s voice spoke suddenly from her doorway – and Ariana whirled with her hands up, before she saw it was Lucca’s man Alleno leaning against the doorframe. The lattice of flowers was gone now as he crossed his arms, watching her with his piercing emerald gaze as Ariana let out a slow exhalation to calm her suddenly spiked pulse, lowering her hands.
Dressed in a grey-green vest that shimmered with silver embroidery in a vine pattern rather than his assassin’s gear today, Alleno’s ensemble was completed by dark grey breeches and tall boots. His white shirt was open at the high collar, an ornate men’s torque of silver and emeralds at his collarbones, matched by cuffs around both wrists. Though his chin was still twisted by his scar, his vivid emerald eyes were penetrating, his dark brows level as he watched her, his golden chestnut hair artfully styled. He looked like a lordly rogue, stunning this morning, and Ariana blushed suddenly.
Alleno far more handsome than she had thought previously.
