Page 10 of Court of Lies and Deceit

I suck in a gasp at the view that is now visible before us.

Gone is the darkened forest. Instead, a sprawling city with rushing waterfalls and flowing rivers meets us below the small hill we’re standing on. I gape at it, completely stunned.

Once again, my preconceived notions about the Unseelie Court turn out to be entirely false. From what we know of the Unseelie Court, they are supposed to be our dark counterpart. So I had been expecting a city hewn from dark rock, maybe even underground, with crude dwellings and harsh monuments.

But instead, I stare at the most beautiful city I have ever seen.

Grand rock formations frame one side of the city, and rippling waterfalls tumble down over the edges and into a massive pool that glitters in the starlight. The water from that pool then flows right through the city in several sparkling rivers that the fae have directed perfectly between buildings and streets by creating canals made of stone. On the other side of the large city, those rivers tumble down another cliffside beforejoining the grand river beneath which flows out through the fields and grasslands below.

My heart patters against my ribs as I stare at the incredible architecture before me. All the houses are made of pale stone, making the city look bright and clean, while the red tiles that cover all the roofs add a splash of color.

There is a grand arena in the middle of the city. It looks like the arena we fought inside during the Atonement Trials, except ten times as large and oval instead of round. The massive amphitheater looks to be the beating heart of the city.

Next to the glittering lake, with the cliff formations as a protective barrier behind, rises a beautiful castle made of shining white stone. It stuns me how similar it is to our Golden Palace in the Seelie Court. However, while ours gleams golden in the light, this one shimmers in silver instead.

It’s breathtaking. The entire city is a work of art. And it’s not at all what I was expecting to find in the infamous Unseelie Court.

“Wow,” Lyra says from right next to us.

I blink, tearing my gaze from the stunning view, and slide it back to the six people around me instead. Except there are seven people here now.

Lyra and Alistair are standing side by side, gaping at the city below in much the same way that I was doing. Isera, on the other hand, doesn’t appear to be very interested in the view. Instead, she watches Orion like a hawk as he speaks quietly to another fae man. The stranger nods and waves his hand, which makes the glittering portal sink into the ground. Then he closes his eyes and begins moving his hands again, as if summoning another portal.

“This is probably a trap,” Galen whispers as he comes to stand next to Draven.

Draven glances over at him. “You know how it works. Unseelie faealwayskeep the bargains they make.”

“I know. But they always try to trick people into more than they think they bargained for. Which means that this guy we’re supposed to assassinate is probably going to be incredibly difficult to kill.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

However, before either of them can say anything else, another portal shoots up from the ground. Through it, buildings and a stone street are visible.

“Well then,” the Unseelie King says, that vaguely threatening smile once again on his lips. “Let’s go see my healer.”

CHAPTER FIVE

The second portal takes us to a street close to the castle. Since it’s the middle of the night, the buildings around us are dark and silent. But the entire street is still flooded with light. Glowing white faelight gems have been set atop swirling lampposts all along the street, illuminating the pale stone houses and lush trees that line it. I stare at them, my delirious mind trying to figure out why we never had lampposts like these in the Seelie Court.

A door is shoved open to my left. I turn my head towards it, which makes my vision swim. Once it has cleared again, I find a fae woman with curly brown hair rushing out of the door and towards us.

“Your Majesty,” she says, and hurriedly drops into a curtsy. “Please forgive me. If I had known that you were coming, I would have?—”

“It’s fine, Haldia,” Orion interrupts with a wave of his hand. “Are you in the middle of something?”

“No, no, not at all.” She casts an uncertain glance at the rest of us. “What can I—” Her sentence is cut off abruptly by a small gasp when her gaze lands on Draven, Lyra, and Galen. Shock pulses across her features as she snaps her gaze back to her king,and she works her mouth up and down a few times. In the end, all that makes it out is a confused, “Your Majesty?”

Orion flicks a hand in my direction. “The silver-haired fae?—”

“Selena,” Draven cuts in.

The Unseelie King gives him a slow and bone-chillingly cold smile before he echoes, “Selena.” Then he turns back to his healer. “Has been struck by ice fire from the Silver Dragon Clan. I want you to save her, and also fix her spine which has apparently been severed.”

“Of course.” She turns to Draven and holds out her arms. “Give her to me.”

Draven’s arms tighten around me for a moment, as if he is reluctant to let me go. But then he carefully places me in Haldia’s arms.

To my surprise, the healer doesn’t even stagger from the sudden weight. She must be a lot stronger than she looks.

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