Chapter One
The Autumn Court was coming.
A chilly breeze brought with it the burning scent of the raging bonfire that had been lit in celebration of the Feast of the Fae. The sky was alight from the blaze of it where an orange glow flickered against the dying summer light. Trumpets sounded in the distance.
Shifting on my feet, I glanced up at Liam, who stood broad-shouldered beside me. His scowl was as deep as the color of the orange sky, a match to his bonfire hair and eyes. No one had seen or heard from the Autumn Court Royals in almost three months. They’d gone eerily silent after our battle against them in the Autumn woods, and any attempt to breach their lands had been stopped by a magical barrier they’d put into place. Finn thought it was a sign they’d given up and were licking their wounds. Liam, on the other hand? Well, he wasn’t quite so optimistic.
“Turns out you’re going to get a good look at Queen Viola. Our scouts have informed us that she’s on her way,” he said, clenching his jaw as his gaze locked on the distant rolling hillside. A winding dirt-packed path cut through the luminous grass, leading down to the bustling festival grounds in the valley where we stood. “Though you’re going to have to make yourself scarce when the...eventhappens.”
It was the Autumn Equinox, the changing of the seasons. The bright, sparkling, warm summer of Otherworld’s free territory was transforming. After tonight, the deep green leaves would fall from their towering trunks and die.
In the human realm, I’d always loved fall. But here, things felt different. It felt like a herald of terrible things to come. Probably because the Summer, Spring, and Winter Courts planned to ambush the Autumn Royals after the official Changing of the Seasons, a ceremony that would take place at the end of the night.
Their attacks on the changelings were considered treacherous and treasonous, and the other Courts demanded justice.
“You sound surprised she showed,” I said, shoulders tensed from anticipation. Soon, those Autumn Court Royals would crest over the hill. “From what you’ve told me, there was never a chance Queen Viola was going to miss this thing, even knowing the other Courts are angry with her and her fae.”
“You’re right. Of course she would never miss it.” His jaw rippled as he held a hand over his eyes to shield the setting sun. “She’ll want to lord the arrival of Autumn over everyone, especially us Summers. Her powers are strongest tonight, you know, and ours are weakest. She wouldn’t be Queen Viola if she didn’t take full advantage of that.”
I arched my eyebrows at the wary tone in his voice. “You don’t think she’ll try something, do you?”
Something dark flickered in his sunset eyes. “I wouldn’t put it past her, not after what her Court did to the Academy. That’s why we’ve made sure all the changelings are spread out in the crowd. She can’t focus on you if you’re not an easy target. Hell, I wanted to leave you all at home, but Alwyn was insistent that the Queen would know something was up if the changelings didn’t attend the Feast of the Fae.”
“Great,” I said, voice tight. This wasexactlywhat I’d hoped to hear. Danger, incoming. I, and the other changelings, would likely be the target of more Autumn fae anger. Several of us had already died at the hands of the Autumn Court. I couldn’t bear the thought of more innocent blood on the ground. There’d already been far more than enough.
“Don’t worry. She’ll want to make sure the Changing of the Seasons ceremony happens. She wouldn’t risk attacking until after, and we’ll hit hard before she has a chance to do a thing.”
Chills swept down my spine. Queen Viola, I was warned, was nothing like Redmond, her underling I’d faced off against. She was much more vicious, much more cruel. And much smarter. Not to mention the fact that she was one of the most powerful Autumn fae alive, according to Rourke, my Autumn fae instructor.
Over the past few months, I’d begged and pleaded for us to go after the fae responsible for the attacks, but not even Liam was willing to take the risk. It was far too dangerous, they’d said. Queen Viola would be expecting an attack. And she’d be prepared for it. Her “subjects” adored her. In their minds, any move taken against her was a terrible treason, and there would be hell to pay.
So, we’d gone back to Academy life as if nothing had ever happened, though I didn’t miss the whispered conversations between my instructors when they didn’t think I was watching. They’d been planning something. Biding their time. Waiting for the right moment to strike. Until now.
At the top the glistening hill, six horses appeared along with their riders, all decked out in varying hues of oranges, browns, and muddy reds. As if by instinct, Liam’s hand whispered across my back. My entire body clenched tight, and my lungs gasped for air. Liam’s touch had been an elusive thing these past few months, a fact that made me feel as though I hadn’t eaten in weeks. In truth, all of my instructors had put a strange, unspoken gulf between us—or at least that was what it felt like to me. Flirtations? Sometimes. Gazes that said more than their words ever could? Affirmative.
But my skin burned from the absence of their physical touch. Not even Liam would allow himself to be alone with me. Not even Kael.
And every time I tried asking why, every single one would have mysterious plans that made them disappear before I’d even finished voicing my thoughts and questions aloud.
They were still my ever-present, overprotective instructors, of course. But it was almost as if they were trying to push away that bone-deep bond I knew we all felt.
Or, at least, I’dthoughtwe felt. Maybe I’d been wrong.
Liam jerked back his hand, almost as if he’d suddenly realized how his body had betrayed him, and he glanced around furtively. Frowning, I narrowed my eyes.
“You look far more worried about someone seeing you touching me than you are about the arrival of Queen Viola.” My words came out in a snap.
“I wouldn’t want to give anyone the wrong idea.”
What the hell does that mean?
Liam’s eyes cut toward the procession of Autumn Court Royals. They were now close enough for me to make out their distinguishing features, and it was clear in an instant just how Autumn they truly were.
The front of the pack was led by a female fae with long, flowing auburn hair, the color of falling leaves. The low light of the sun glistened off her dark strands, casting a burnt yellow glow across her sharp face. Her cheekbones were hollow; her jawline and nose were sharp and pointed. She was beautiful in a breathtaking kind of way, but she was also severe, sharp, and uncompromising.
“Well, I can see now why people find her intimidating,” I murmured to Liam.
“And her bite is a hell of a lot worse than her bark, darling,” Liam said in his familiar drawl.
