Page 71 of Crown of Briars
This was one of the reasons why I loved revels. Here, I was no longer the Shadow King, but an ordinary unseelie fae eager to embrace his nature. We were all one at the revel. No titles. No expectations.
Nothing but freedom.
Already, I felt my body relaxing as I strode deeper into the room. The orbs of light from my Lumen had been dimmed, and all around me, figures were lurking in dark corners or sprawled along the floor. Against the back wall was a long table with faerie wine, chocolate tarts, and some alcoholic drink I didn’t recognize. An orchestral tune was playing loudly, but I saw no instruments. I wouldn’t have been surprised if some fae were using their magic to conjure the sounds. We tried to allow the revel to proceed without the assistance of staff or servants, so I knew no musicians had been hired for the event.
I strode through the ballroom, sidestepping two naked males groping each other along the floor. To my left, a group of females danced provocatively, laughing and shouting withdelight. To my right, a fae male sat on a large cushion with a female on his lap, grinding mercilessly against him. He cupped her breast with one hand while drinking faerie wine with the other.
When I reached the refreshments table, I grabbed a glass of faerie wine and sipped it. The strong fruity flavor assaulted my tongue and burned as it trickled down my throat. I took another sip for good measure, allowing it to settle comfortably within me, bolstering my spirits and loosening something in my chest.
A teal sofa rested next to the table, and I sat on it, crossing my ankle over my knee and smiling contentedly at the laughter echoing around me. I downed my drink, then grabbed another, letting the burning liquid melt away my fears and concerns.
This was worth it. This moment, when I could see my people enjoying themselves and forgetting about the terrors waiting outside these walls, made the revels worth it.
A collective gasp sounded from the other side of the room, and the music faltered for a moment before continuing. Several couples sprang apart, turning to stare at something I couldn’t see.
I straightened, setting my glass on the table and frowning at the disruption. What had happened? Was it the Necro Shadows?
I rose to my feet and moved toward the commotion. Fae were whispering to one another in shock and surprise. I followed their gazes, then went rigid when I saw what they were staring at.
Sybelle had entered the room, and she wore nothing but a thin scrap of lacy red fabric that barely contained her breasts. A flimsy skirt floated just below her navel, revealing a wide expanse of pale skin along her thighs. The same amber necklace she often wore rested against her collarbone, and the diamond tiara from our wedding ceremony sparkled atop her head. Herwavy hair was down and fell just past her breasts, and her caramel eyes sparkled in the low light.
I found myself entranced by her. She stepped into the room with confident strides, her chin lifted and her expression regal. She looked at each fae she passed and nodded at them as if she recognized them.
Perhaps she did.
Then, her gaze slid to mine, and she stilled. I saw the moment she realized my attire was just as revealing as hers. A faint blush crept into her cheeks as her eyes dipped to the cloth tied at my waist. She noted the long, barbed tail that swished behind me, and the shadow of my wings visible just past my shoulders.
My nostrils flared, and I gritted my teeth. What was she doing here? This revel was a celebration meant for unseelie fae. Her presence alone could make my people feel uncomfortable just for being themselves.
I had kept my distance from her over the past several days, hoping that once her temper cooled, she would see reason and accept my request for her blood. But this was not the setting where I wished to have that conversation.
I strode toward her, intent on telling her to leave before she ruined the festivities, when a figure appeared beside her—Enzira, Sybelle’s maid. The fae was wearing a black dress that hugged her curves and fell just past her knees, with a long slit exposing the side of her thigh. Though the dress covered a bit more than Sybelle’s, it still showed off a good deal of her violet skin.
To my surprise, Enzira looped her arm through Sybelle’s and laughed at something the human said. Sybelle glanced at someone over Enzira’s shoulder and grinned broadly, then waved one of her pale arms in recognition.
A few of the unseelie around her began to move and chatter among themselves, somewhat appeased by this. As Enziratugged on Sybelle’s arm, pulling her forward to dance with another crowd of fae, my shoulders relaxed slightly. After a moment or two, the room settled into normalcy. Couples resumed their lovemaking, and shouts of laughter echoed once more.
I loosed the breath that had tightened in my chest, then glared in Sybelle’s direction. Her arms were in the air as she swayed her hips in rhythm to the music. Her smile was so wide it showed off her blocky white teeth.
Everything about her stood out as a testament to why she did not belong here. Her thin and wispy hair, her short and stubby fingernails, even her large doe-like eyes.
She was a stranger, intruding on a moment reserved for the fae. Perhaps she didn’t know any better, but I, as her husband, had a duty to educate her about these things.
I made my way over to her as her laughter rang out around me. When I was only a few steps away, Sybelle twirled, then collided straight into me. I gripped her waist to keep her from toppling over, and her hands braced against my chest. Her mouth opened in surprise as she met my furious stare.
“Varius,” she said, slightly breathless.
“Sybelle,” I bit out.
Our gazes held, and I waited for her to wilt under the wrath of my fearsome scowl. Instead, she swayed her hips again, her body writhing against mine as a sultry smile spread across her face.
“Come to dance with your wife?” she asked.
I could only blink at her. Was this the same human who blushed when I teased her about consummating our marriage?
I gripped her wrists, tugging them away from my chest as I leaned in. “Why are you here, Sybelle?” My voice was a low growl.
“Tislora invited me.”
