ISTUMBLED THROUGHcourt with tear-filled eyes.
Dusk had fallen above without me noticing, dimming my vision even more, but I didn’t care. My feet wandered aimlessly. I didn’t know where I was going. To find Soren? No. Because what could he do for me? Nothing. To find my way outside into the freezing snow where an invisible wall would turn me away? That would be stupid.
But as I stopped in front of the buffet table where the evening meal had been set out, Ididwant to do something stupid.
I picked up a shimmery gold glass with deep red liquid. It sloshed as I brought it to my nose. Inhaling, I breathed in the delicious sharp but sweet scent of the fae wine. It smelled incredible.
“It’s the king and queen’s favorite batch,” a fae voice rasped in my ear. Her smoker’s voice didn’t match the giggle that followed or the wispy green hair as she reached a scrawny tree-branch arm past me to snap up a glass as well. “You know what that means.” She tapped her goblet against mine, and the glass rang out softly. Another giggle. “I’ve already had some. Trust me, you won’t regret it.”
Oh, I probably will, I thought darkly.
But without a word or a second to change my mind, I tipped my head back and chugged the wine in one big gulp.
I let the glass fall.
Instead of shattering, it bounced on the grassy floor.Another disappointment,I thought with a snort-giggle of my own.
Knowing Soren or his friends might show up any second, I snatched up another glass of wine and took off into the crowd, not ready to talk to anyone yet. Bending, weaving, and dodging under an arm here and there, I passed wild fae with a bravery that I definitely hadn’t had a minute ago.
I gulped down the second glass of wine and welcomed the dizziness.
“Here you go.” I gleefully handed my glass to a floating body with a tray. They probably weren’tactuallyfloating. I was definitely seeing things, but who cared?
I felt lighter.
Happy, even.
“You should dance,” someone whispered in my ear as they passed.
How did they know?
Dancing was all I’d ever wanted.
Running back to the dance floor on the other side of the room, I jumped in amongst the fae, breathless and giddy.
I leapt in circles and swayed, laughing.
