I glance towards Verity. Her skirts are wrinkled, her hair mussed, and her cheeks are flushed pink. I feel a wave of shame seeing what I’ve done to her in front of the Fae. Verity isn’t one of us. She isn’t as animalistic as we are. I drop my chin and take a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, Verity,” I say.
“It’s okay,” she stammers.
“It’s not,” I snap. “I have to go.”
“Go?” Verity follows me up the steps towards the doors. She clutches at my jacket. “You told me you wouldn’t leave me. Where are you going?”
I tear my arm out of her hands, feeling the well of desire growing in me again. “I can’t be here with you, Verity. I can hardly think straight. You’ve sworn yourself to me and I-I don’t know if I can stop myself.”
“Stop yourself from doing what?” She asks, reaching for me again.
I dart out of reach of her elegant fingers. “I’ll come back when I’ve calmed down.”
She inhales sharply, eyes filled with worry. “Please don’t leave me here.”
“Navi,” I say, ignoring Verity’s words. “Find Thal and keep Verity close to you.”
“Thal?” Verity’s brow wrinkles.
“Thal can keep his head better than I,” I say softly. “I’ll be back.”
I spin away and bound out of the ballroom, leaving Verity behind. My heart clenches in my chest as I fight against the urge to return to her. But I know that if I do, I’ll just fall back into the haze of desire. I stalk away from the ballroom and lean against the wall.
In the past, I used to dive into the revelry of Summer’s Eve. I would celebrate our past with the others, dancing under the arch of flowers. I would even find a Fae woman, sometimes more than one. But it’s been hundreds of years since I celebrated Summer’s Eve, and I lost my head to the haze. It was stupid of me to bring Verity to the celebration, stupid of me to think it would be just like any ball. The Fae haven’t celebrated Summer’s Eve like this in years, they will throw themselves into the cloud of Summer’s Eve without a second thought.
Navi is stronger than most, more stubborn. She can resist the temptation as well as the older Fae. Despite Thal’s playboy nature, he’s never participated in Summer’s Eve. I trust them more than myself to take care of Verity. She has to stay for the length of the party. When the moon sets, I’ll announce our engagement.
“Your Grace,” a voice says behind me.
I twist, taking in the messenger standing in the hall. He leans imperceptibly towards the music floating towards us from the closed ballroom doors. “What is it?” I ask, my voice hoarse.
“I have news for you from your general on the border, General Kane,” the messenger says. “While patrolling, he found one of the guard towers in ruin.”
“Ruin?” I sober up immediately. The towers along the border have always been repaired throughout the years, even during the curse. We’ve never let one of our precious protections against the Bloodbane fall into disrepair.
The messenger bows. “He said it was completely destroyed and there were no signs of the soldiers stationed there,” he says seriously.
I press my lips into a thin line. “You may go.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” The messenger runs off down the hall.
I pace the hall, picturing the crumbling guard tower. We only have one enemy that would dare to do something like this; the Bloodbane. I curl my lip as I think of Maaz. She won’t crawl into a hole and give up after being defeated. Whatever her plan, I know she won’t rest until she’s destroyed every Fae in Alnembra, and perhaps the world.
Fury lances through me as I picture her giving the order to destroy the tower. A message for me, telling me that nothing will stop her from taking what she wants. Her curse failed, the lazy way of leading my kingdom to ruin failed her. Now she’ll try to take over my kingdom in a more traditional way – a more violent way.
If she wants a war, I’ll give her one.
Chapter 7
Cleo
The chill wind of the summer night pricks at my fingertips as I clutch the hilt of my deadwood broom. I squeeze the wood tighter, ignoring the pain of the frigid air. Below me, Altair’s palace is sprawled out and glowing with lights. Carriages trundle up the long drive and music floats up into the sky to reach my ears.
The hood of my blood red cloak is drawn up to protect me from the chill. The light fabric rustles in the wind. The young Bloodbane beside me sighs dramatically, as if our mission here isn’t interesting enough. I scowl. Even Maaz doesn’t appear particularly interested in Altair’s movements. Since we summoned Sadal, she has had eyes for him alone. I’ve taken it upon myself to study our enemy for weaknesses. Maaz has grown complacent, too proud to see how dangerous a war with Altair could be.
I watch as a group of Fae women prance up the steps and into the palace, their thin gowns shimmering in the starlight. I sigh through my nose at the sight of them. There was once a time when Maaz and I celebrated Summer’s Eve with the wildest of the Fae. Their parties were never truly enough to sate us. We preferred the old ways – the violent and bloody sacrifices, the lusty rutting. Now, we don’t celebrate Summer’s Eve at all.
I lean forward, careful not to drive my deadwood broom any closed to the ground. The celebration is in full swing. I wonder briefly if the Curse-Breaker is enjoying it, or if she’s frightened. I grin
