Page 70 of Crown of Briars
I nodded.
Ramia stepped further into the room and squared her shoulders. “Then, I will, too.”
I snorted loudly, then quickly covered my face with my hands as Ramia’s eyes bulged. “Sorry,” I said. “It’s just—Ramia, there will be naked fae. Doing… naked things. Are you sure?”
Her face turned ashen, and her lips thinned. “I—I should be withyou, my lady.”
Enzira, who had been watching our exchange with a slight frown, said in broken Terrish, “I go with her.” She gestured to me. “All night, I be with her.”
Ramia looked at Enzira for a long moment. I expected my lady’s maid to refuse, to insist that the best and only person who could keep me safe was herself.
But Ramia nodded once. “Very good.”
I glanced from Ramia to Enzira, my mouth falling open insurprise. Did that mean Ramia trusted Enzira? Or was shethatreluctant to attend the revel herself?
“Don’t look so shocked,” Ramia said to me. “Enzira is quite capable. She’s proven as much since we arrived here.”
Enzira beamed at the praise, which I thought was well deserved.
“I’ll leave you to your… festivities, my lady. Please send for me if you need anything.” Ramia bobbed a quick curtsey before leaving the room.
Enzira began digging through the drawers of the armoire. “Would you like any jewelry, my lady?”
“Just my amber necklace.” I touched it for reassurance, then paused as an idea came to me. “Actually… what about the diamond tiara from the wedding ceremony?”
In answer, Enzira lifted the gleaming tiara. My eyes fixated on the diamonds glittering around the piece. Just the sight of them gave me a boost of confidence.
If there was any night that I needed courage, it would be tonight.
I smiled. “Perfect.”
After witnessingthe terrifying shadow storm, the last thing I wanted to do was attend a revel.
But with evacueescoming to the castle, the people needed reassurance and comfort. And they needed to know that I was there for them.
The shadow storm could wait.
At least, that was what I told myself.
I stood in my chambers, trying to muster the strength to face my people and pretend like everything was fine. I flexed my fingers twice, then curled them into fists. A deep, cleansing breath whooshed from my lungs.
I wore nothing but a tan cloth that fell halfway down my thighs, as was the custom for the Unseelie King. My wings were on full display against my back, and my hair was loose, curling just above my shoulders.
By unseelie standards, my attire was modest. I knew the majority of unseelie fae preferred to attend revels in the nude as a way of embracing their unseelie forms.
I was not quite so bold.
My eyes closed as I tried to collect my thoughts. But all I could see was that raging funnel cloud roaring as it came toward me, and the decimated homes left in its wake.
Lives destroyed. A villageobliterated.
My fault. My fault.
The words rang in my thoughts so loudly I could hear nothing else. With a roar, I slammed my fist into the stone wall, causing it to crack. My hand throbbed, and bloody scrapes lined my knuckles.
But the pain pierced through the haze of my thoughts, bringing me a moment of clarity. With a sigh, I brushed the dust from my hands and strode to the door. When I threw it open, the ballroom awaited me, the smells and sounds of the revel swelling and beckoning me closer. The tart raspberry scent of faerie wine floated in the air, tickling my nostrils, and already the sounds of fae pleasuring each other filled the room, their moans and groans mingling with the music.
I stepped into the room, and only a few fae glanced up at my arrival, inclining their heads politely. The others continued with their merriment.
