“I’ll leave you here,” Cobalt says, then leans in closer. With a shiver, I think he might steal a kiss, but his words whisper in my ear, “You remember what I told you? About the fae ritual?”
How could I forget? “Yes.”
“You won’t do it, right?”
I raise a brow. “Do I look crazy to you?”
“Well, you are about to become my brother’s mate.”
“Fair enough.”
A shadow falls overhead, bringing my attention to the top of the stairs. I find a silhouette stark against the clear blue sky, a tall, lean frame with antlers. Even with Aspen’s features obscured in shadow, I know he’s glowering. But is it at me or his brother?
Cobalt all but leaps away from me, then proceeds up the stairs. As he reaches the top stair next to his brother, the two face each other. I can feel the tension between them until Cobalt turns ahead and continues out of sight.
Aspen faces me and extends his hand, like darkness itself beckoning me to join him.
“Go on,” Foxglove says with a gentle touch on my shoulder.
With trembling steps, I make my way up the stairs, trying my best to keep my head held high. I’m momentarily blinded as I cross the threshold from the dim staircase to the open air of the balcony above. When my eyes adjust, I take in the wide platform opening before me. Its floor is of smooth citrine and the perimeter is lined with a golden rail. Two throne-like chairs perch on a raised dais at the far end, with a bronze silk rug leading to them from where I stand. On each side of this rug are nearly a dozen unfamiliar fae. Since the balcony is set at the pinnacle of one of the palace’s highest towers, nothing but open sky surrounds us, giving way to views of distant hills colored in all shades of red, gold, and brown. The sound of crashing waves and crying gulls echo from far below.
It’s the first time I’ve been here, and I must admit it’s beautiful. For a moment, it’s enough to make me forget the fae male before me.
All it takes is a breath for the moment to shatter. I can feel Aspen’s eyes burning into me, hand still outstretched. My eyes flash toward him, taking in his elegant bronze suit beneath a red and gold cape lined with leaves and raven feathers. A crown of gold shaped like maple leaves and dotted with rubies sits between his twining antlers, slightly obscured behind the feathers of his mask. His mask matches mine, and the same four ribbons are tied around his body. Part of me wants to laugh at how comical the ribbons look in contrast to his regal bearing and elegant state of dress. But this is no time for laughter.
I swallow hard, then accept his hand, allowing him to steady me as I take the final stair to stand at his side. “You look beautiful.” His words are so quiet, I have to question whether I heard him right.
“Meaningless flattery,” I mutter through my teeth.
He lets out a low grumble and leads me forward. I try to remember what Foxglove told me during our preparations.First, walk to the other end of the balcony, hand-in-hand with the king.
We take a step, and the sound of harp begins to float in the air. Our next step prompts the beat of a low drum. I seek out the source of the music, finding a fae at the bottom of the dais, strumming an enormous harp. The fae has a feminine, human-like upper body and a long, fish-like tail. She must be a siren. Next to her sits a stout, heavyset fae with leathery skin and long, green hair who beats a wooden drum. The music picks up with every step we take, rumbling beneath my feet as we walk down the aisle between the fae.
My attention moves to these unfamiliar figures dressed in elaborate gowns and eccentric suits. These must be the ambassadors Foxglove told me about during our preparations. He said an ambassador from each court would be present for the ceremony today. Each fae wears a mask, although none are as embellished as mine and Aspen’s. As we pass, they stare down at me with their piercing eyes. I do my best to keep my gaze trained straight ahead. My composure remains intact until we reach the other end of the balcony and I find a face I recognize. Ahumanface. Sableton’s vicar nods to me as we pass him, looking quite out of place in his somber black robes and unmasked face. I’m surprised by his presence, even though Foxglove did say a human would be here today to bring word of our actions back to Eisleigh’s council. It just never occurred to me it would be someone I know.
Once we reach the base of the dais and the two thrones, we pause, then again face our audience. The music trails off into silence. My breaths grow shallow as I recall what’s supposed to come next. Every pair of eyes is upon us, and I suddenly regret not paying more attention to the previous days’ preparations. This ceremony may mean nothing to me, but that doesn’t mean I want to look like an idiot in front of these strangers, not to mention Sableton’s vicar. I blink a few times, clearing the fog from my mind. Aspen still clutches my hand, and I feel my palm growing sweaty in his.
“Are you ready?” he whispers.
“No.”
I can see his smirk from the corner of my eye. Without another word, he lifts our hands, and the music begins again. The beat is deeper, heavier, the harp slow and sensuous. Dread fills me.
That’s right. It’s time for the stupid dance.
The fae shift to form a semi-circle around us. Aspen releases my hand and takes a step back. I mirror his steps, recalling all the times I practiced with Foxglove these last few days. We step in again, our hands touching, then break away once more. This time when we come back together, Aspen reaches for the red ribbon around my hips. It’s a struggle not to flinch from his touch as he pulls one end of the bow. “The earth in you is the earth in me,” he says, and the ribbon falls away from me.
We step away. Return. This time I must do the same with him. “The earth in you is the earth in me,” I mutter, yanking on the ribbon until it comes from around his hips.
We step to the side, hands touching, then face each other again. He takes hold of the yellow ribbon at my waist. “The fire in you is the fire in me.”
My turn again. The music pounds in rhythm with my heart, and somehow I manage to keep the beat with my motions. I take his yellow ribbon and echo his words.
We turn, backs facing each other. Step to the side. Face forward. Aspen takes the blue ribbon from my brow. “The air in you is the air in me.”
Turn. Step. Turn. Echo. My breaths go heavy as we near the end of the dance. Step forward, step back. To the side, turn. Side. Turn.
We face each other, and Aspen pulls the green ribbon at my chest. “The water in you is the water in me.”
