So much for believing we could be more than forty yards apart. Next stop—the fae castle on the hill.
11
It turns out that travel by fae magic is eerily similar to traveling by witch magic.
Which is unfortunate for me.
One moment I’m hurtling through the air at breakneck speed. The next, my body comes to a lurching halt atop a stone floor. My legs fall out from under me, and I drop to my hands and knees.
A wave of pain slams down my shins as vomit erupts from my mouth and splatters across the floor.
The upside is that it doesn’t land on anyone’s feet.
The downside is that IfeelFeylin’s displeasure before I see him. The air constricts as if it’s a living, breathing thing that’s fully irritated.
I wipe my mouth, and before I can apologize, the vomit disappears. A shoed foot steps beside me, and when I gaze up, Feylin eyes me steadily, his hand reaching out in an offering.
He’s not smiling. He’s not frowning. There’s no emotion on his icy face.
Yet he’s offering his hand.
I slide my palm over his and feel that same explosion ofheat radiate up my arm. Once again, a completely unwanted and nemesis-level lusty urge grabs me by the throat.
Would he moan if I nibbled his ear, and if so, how loudly?
It takes all my focus to shove that thought away.
“Sorry about the travel sickness,” he murmurs.
“It’s fine.” Those thoughts and that heat still surge down my spine, but the moment I rip my hand from his, they both stop.
Thank you, joining, for screwing with my head.
“Everyone,” he says, “this is Addison Thornrose. My fiancée.”
The equilibrium shift must’ve really knocked my senses clean off my head because it’s only then that I realize that lined up before me, on either side of a grand hall, stand two dozen fae.
Who all saw me puke.
My knees threaten to buckle again from embarrassment. Men dressed in smart black suits and women in tailored ebony dresses with white collars and cuffs all smile at me as if I hadn’t just lost my dinner right before their eyes.
I don’t know what’s worse, that they’re pretending it didn’t happen or thatI’mpretending it didn’t.
Yet my shame evaporates as I drink in their presence. These people are ethereal, radiating with magic that’s on a different plane than that of witches, wizards, werewolves—even vampires.
Their skin shines like they’re illuminated from within. Small tips of their pointed ears slip through their hair, and their skin, which is all different hues from light to dark, glows under the chandeliers.
They smile at me expectantly and my gut clenches. I suddenly feel awkward, very much a magical failure compared to their flawless grace and beauty. It takes all my will not toscream that I’m an imposter and dash out the door toward home.
But the buzzing of Feylin’s skin beside me is a quick reminder that even if I run, I won’t get far thanks to the magic locking us together.
“Hey there,” I say brightly to the crowd. “Thank y’all for saying hello. It’s so”—my gaze travels to the arched ceiling, the skylights filled with winking stars—“beautiful here. Wow. This is amazing. You get to look at this every night? How do y’all get any work done?” They’re looking at one another as if I’ve lost my mind. I probably have. I clear my throat and clasp my hands in front of me. “Anyway, I’m just really excited to be here.”
Feylin motions with his fingers, and a bright-eyed fae woman approaches. Her dress isn’t black, it’s dark emerald, matching her eyes. Her chestnut hair’s lifted in a high ponytail that trails down her back, and her honey-colored skin is perfectly creamy.
“Ophelia will take you to your room.” He hesitates, his gaze dropping to my hand. He shifts his weight as if trying to decide what to do next, but he settles on a simple, “Take care of her,” to Ophelia, and to me a slight bow topped off with, “Good night.”
Then he spins on his heel and leaves, abandoning me to this hall full of his people.
