“Moonlight.” Another fae laughs, her nude body perfectly formed as she lounges in one of the hot baths. “What a ridiculous thought. The sun gives light. The moon is only a sad reflection of what we have here in the day realm.”
It’s not as if I’d been treated better by the high fae in the night realm, but even so, I don’t like how she speaks of my home. Solano’s words come back to me. I’m supposed to choose my words wisely. I bite my lip to keep from retorting and turn away from her.
“I mean, look at you. No color on you anywhere. You’re practically a dandelion fluff.” She laughs and plenty of the females join in. “Take your clothes off. I want to know if I can see through you.”
“I can see through you just fine.” I cross my arms.
She sits up, her pert breasts dripping as she gives me a burning glare. “I said take off your clothes, changeling.”
“No.”
A gasp goes up around the room. Even the high fae in a clique at the very back pool stop talking and look my way.
“You dare tell me no?” The sunning fae stands and stalks over to me.
I rise to meet her. “Get used to it.”
The noble sitting beside me cackles. “Oh, Ilyana, are you going to let her speak to you like that?”
“You will do as I say.” The angry fae reaches for my hair.
I dart back and put up my fists. Fighting is normal in the changeling village. I grew up swinging my fists around to keep amorous boys and mean girls at bay. Not to mention the coven fights I used to watch under the crescent moon. Fighting a fae can’t be too different from fighting a witch, which I’ve done. I lost, but I fought. The same may happen now.
“Come here.” She reaches for me again.
I hit her arm away, and the scandalized twitter that rushes through the room puts a cold sweat on my palms.
“You!” She lunges for me.
I swing hard. My fist goes astray and hits her in the neck, the smack of skin on skin an ugly noise as she adds a shriek and finally gets a handful of my hair. Yanking me forward, she shakes me as I claw at her and kick.
Someone nearby laughs, and the amusement soon spreads as the fae drags me toward the pool she was just occupying.
“Let’s see how long it takes a changeling to drown, shall we?” She pulls my hair so hard I fear it will rip away, but I fight her.
“Ilyana.” A quiet voice somehow cuts through the din. “Stop.”
The high fae with a grip on my hair pauses. “Lunarie, this is none of your concern.”
“I said stop.” Her voice is so soft and sweet, the tone something akin to someone who fears being a bother.
Ilyana looks at her, and Lunarie smiles. “If you’d like me to summon Gwen, I certainly can make—”
The vicious female releases me, her eyes still burning with hate. “Get out of my sight.”
“Come.” Lunarie offers me her hand.
I straighten and push my hair from my face as I walk to her. “Um, hi?” I take her hand.
She smiles. “So nice to finally get a chance to talk. Shall we?” She gestures to a table in a corner near the back of the bathing area.
“Okay.” I’m wary, but this noble doesn’t seem like she wants to drown me. It’s not like I have much of a choice. Holding my own with these harpies is the only way I can get a foothold here and be more than just the king’s harlot. Though, come to think of it, being his harlot doesn’t sound so terrible at the moment.Damn that vow.
A servant hurries up with tea and little cakes.
“Thank you.” Lunarie slides a silver coin to her, but she refuses it.
“I think the king pays them.” I realize how dumb my words sound but can’t swallow them back down.
