“Because…” Frowning hard now, Alleno blinked then fidgeted, then blinked again – suddenly staring at Ariana like she’d grown three heads. “I don’t know, actually. Normally, I wouldn’t say a damn thing in this kind of situation. How are you charming me, Dark Fae, to tell you such secrets?”
“I don’t know.” Ariana blinked, as startled as Alleno at what was happening between them. Meeting his gaze, she spoke truthfully. “Are you a strong Fae? You said you come from a Royal House. Quinn and his Vampires think my abilities are awakening only to those who are quite strong in their magics.”
Inhaling a breath, Alleno stared at her for a long moment. “My Fae power is very strong, yes. I am a Royal in my magical strength, not just my birth. If you are able to affect Royal Fae thusly, to compel them to spill deep truths to you… you may have a better chance at Court than Lucca or I thought.”
As Alleno trailed off, Ariana found herself astonished – suddenly seeing a pattern happening among the Vampires and now the Summer Fae. Since she had stepped through from the human world into the Twilight one, everyone had been almost ridiculously honest with her – even spilling deep personal secrets that Ariana had been shocked to hear. But discovering the truth had always been a very deep need inside her, and part of her innate instincts. It was part of what made her such an excellent art authenticator, the fact that she never gave up until she knew the truth. It made sense suddenly, if somehow her power had been acting to make everyone around her give it to her straight about her new situation.
And what their true agendas were.
“The truth. My power is making people with strong Vampire or Fae magic speak the truth to me. Maybe even if they don’t want to.” Ariana breathed. Staring at Alleno, she knew her mouth had fallen open, though she couldn’t shut it. Watching her, he slowly stood from his seat at the table, then moved to Ariana.
Sinking down on one knee before her.
“Faeadonna…” He breathed with something viciously hopeful in his eyes now as they blazed a bright spring green. “If you could wield a power like this for Lucca… you might be able to compel the King to admit his many transgressions, and get him to step down without bloodshed. If King Archivolio Bellari admitted the vast and heinous crimes he commits in the shadows, our people would demand he step aside and let his son take the throne. We could have peace with Lucca’s new laws of progress and equality, without a civil war.”
“And I would have my freedom under Lucca’s new laws also.” Ariana breathed, a light of possibility opening up inside her now. Sitting up with a deep inhalation, Ariana digested Alleno’s words. But it was all too much suddenly, as she shook her head. “I can’t think about that right now. I have to focus on the trial. Then… I can think about more.”
“Yes. Forgive me.” Alleno spoke quickly as he rose, flushing as if embarrassed he’d gone down on one knee. But they had both seen how fervently he’d responded to even just the idea that Ariana could help diffuse the Summer Fae’s unrest before it caught flame.
Ariana was certain the sword-honed Alleno wasn’t often fervent about anything; and as they gazed at each other, his gaze flicked away, his chiseled cheeks flaming with a hot blush. But Alleno’s impassioned response just now suddenly made Ariana understand both Quinn’s actions around her these past few days and also Lucca’s. Something about her magic wasn’t just raising passionate emotions inside her, it was also making strong Fae and Vampires vastly passionate around her also.
As they felt compelled to tell her the truth.
Possibility opened up suddenly in Ariana, as she realized what she might be able to achieve with her magic. It was a wild power still, but she wondered if it was a magic that could be honed, as she and Alleno made ready to leave. As Ariana rose and Alleno offered his arm, nodding towards a set of stairs, thoughts about her power churned inside her. A flood of moon-silver shadows and golden light cascaded from her again as they exited through a vaulted passage at the base of the tree’s trunk and came out upon a mossy grove with flowers blossoming through a sun-dappled field. As they exited the Livingtree, Alleno waved a hand over the door, causing the doorway to blossom with thick vines that sealed it from intruders.
But even as she watched, Ariana was thousands of miles away.
Wondering how she might use her power – to change her fate among both Fae and Vampires.
CHAPTER 22 – COURT
Ariana had taken a manticore carriage with Alleno away from Lucca’s Livingtree and into the city. Focusing on what lay ahead with her trial, she was nonetheless stunned to have her first real look at the vibrant Twilight Realm city of Florence as they left the forest behind. Watching the city pass now beyond the carriage’s open windows, she saw strong buildings carved from ancient stone or stuccoed, topped with red clay roof tiles just like the oldest areas of Florence in the human world. But beyond that, the Summer Fae and Vampire city departed from that of the humans.
A gloriously-kept haven of Italianate artistry and natural beauty.
Waterspouts devoured the city; lion’s-head fountains, gryphons, and mermaids adorned every street corner with entire piazzas given over to ornate works of marble and blazing white granite. Masterful parks sprawled through it all, wild yet beautifully tamed, sculpted city greenswards blossoming with flowers in hundreds of varieties. Every building was festooned with art of gossamer, precious metals, and gems shining in the midsummer sun. But as the carriage crossed a cobblestone bridge over the Arno river to the massive entrance of the Summer Fae Palace, Ariana was floored by its grandeur.
Ten times the size of the Pitti Palace, the Summer Fae Palace of Light had entire sections sprouting from the central building with butterfly- and dragonfly-wing domes that didn’t exist in the human world, their shining reaches beautifully haunting and ephemeral. Every stone block was ornately inlaid with Faeanic sigils and script that shone silver, gold, and platinum in the high summer day. Vaults along the front of the palace were made of white marble, carved into delicate filigree and artfully devoured by flowering vines that looked thousands of years old.
All that blazing white and gold dazzled Ariana beneath the noon sun, and she almost couldn’t take it all in, it was so bright. The entire front of the palace was given over to a massive gravel promenade, surrounded by ornately elegant gardens similar to the city beyond. It was clear the Summer Fae loved their parks, as Ariana saw no fewer than three dozen Fae gardeners growing the grounds with their magic as they drove in. As Ariana watched, a gardener made an entire grotto of wisteria grow three additional feet in length and burst into blossom; another caused a massive stone fountain of mermaids to surge with twining waterlilies in full bloom.
As their driver pulled the manticores to a halt before the main entrance with a lashing of their tails and a roar, Ariana saw Fae of the High Houses mingling along the white gravel promenades. Each wore an outfit as ornate as Ariana or better; and she was humbled by the wealth of the Summer Fae as Alleno escorted her down from the carriage. Fae moving about the palace grounds nodded to her cordially as if she were one of them, while a few cocked their heads with curiosity. Alleno was recognized, and a number of Palace staff in gold-white uniforms gave him deep bows, to which he inclined his head as he escorted Ariana out of the carriage.
But as they moved towards an open-air walkway with blue and gold butterfly-vaults, lifted in shimmering spires to let in the summer day, a commotion suddenly devoured the gardens and promenade. As noblefae startled in their elegant silks, Alleno’s hand tensed upon Ariana’s – as dozens of Brightwatch guards in full silver-gold Fae armor with long spears suddenly came flooding down the marble steps of the palace and out from arches on both sides. As Ariana gasped and Alleno growled, he whisked her behind him, backing up close to the carriage. Ripping longknives from sheaths on his hips, Alleno blazed with an intense silver-green aura nearly as massive as Lucca’s.
That wrapped around Ariana now like a protective shield of light.
As the Brightwatch surrounded them, leveling spears at Ariana like she was the most wanted criminal in the city, shock devoured her. As Alleno blazed before her in his snarling crouch, a Brightwatch soldier maneuvered through to stand before them. With a quick breath, Ariana recognized the same commander who had held the standoff outside Quinn’s Hotel – Commander Junius Alterri. As the Commander pinned Ariana with his fierce green-purple eyes, another commotion suddenly flooded down from the palace ingress.
Looking up, Ariana saw Lucca storm down the palace steps, flanked by six elderly Fae men in long dark blue robes like judges. Wearing an ornately embroidered silver and sky-blue vest with a high collar, white silk shirt, dark grey breeches and boots, Lucca was glowing perfection as he came for the Brightwatch Commander like a thundercloud. A stunning set of twisting silver and sapphire men’s cuffs at his wrists and a matching torque around his neck shone in the sun as Lucca blazed with his fierce white-gold aura – sharpened like a thousand blades as he hammered Brightwatch aside, carving a path to Ariana. An ornate silver and sapphire men’s crown was woven through his sculpted ash-blond hair, and Lucca’s deep summer blue eyes pierced Ariana with all shades of wrath and apology as he clasped her hands.
And then extended his other hand, touching Alleno’s blades and making his liege-man slowly lower them.
“Commander Alterri, what is the meaning of this?” Lucca spoke with a furious regality as he turned, his searing eyes pinned to the Commander. He did not relinquish Ariana’s hand as his straight blond brows knit in a vicious frown, his aura wrapping around Ariana now with Alleno’s, protecting her. “FaeadonnaAriana Summers has safe passage today, to have a fair trial before the Magistros of the High Court.” As Lucca nodded to one elderly Fae man with long silver hair back up on the palace steps, wearing blue judges’ robes with ornate silver embroidery, the man nodded sagely.
“Apologies, my Prince.” Commander Junius Alterri spoke cordially now as he signaled his men around the Prince to raise their spears, though his gaze was darkly pleased as it rested upon Lucca. “But we have orders from your father the King to arrest the Dark Fae should she abandon the halls of the Red Letter Hotel Florence and step foot anywhere beyond.”
“Ariana hassafe passagetoday for her trial, by orders of the King himself!” Lucca growled now as his eyes blazed a menacing white-gold at his father’s Commander. It was clear there was no love lost between them as all around the promenade, noblefae stared now in their fine silks. A deep hush settled as a crowd gathered, watching their Prince hold a tense standoff against his father’s guard. Hundreds of Fae held their breath now as their magics swirled in astonishment in the hot summer noon.
