Page 23 of Accidentally Ever After
A cold smile touched his lips. “If I had not been, you would know.”
Before I could respond to the veiled threat, the music changed again, and I was passed to a new partner—a fairy lord whose name I vaguely recalled from one of Thaelon’s lessons. As we danced, I caught glimpses of Caelen with different partners, his expression polite but distant.
By the time the formal dances concluded, I had been passed between at least a dozen fairy nobles, each taking the opportunity to subtly assess me. Some were openly curious, others barely disguised their disdain, and a few seemed genuinely interested in how a human was adapting to court life.
When I was finally returned to Caelen’s side, I was exhausted from the constant scrutiny and the effort of remembering proper etiquette with each new partner.
“You did well,” he murmured, his hand resting protectively at the small of my back.
“I feel like I just went through the world’s most passive-aggressive job interview,” I replied under my breath.
His lips twitched. “An apt description of court interactions.”
The formal portion of the evening concluded, the gathering shifted to a more relaxed atmosphere. Courtiers broke into smaller groups, servants circulated with beverages that glowed and occasionally changed colors, and the music became more ambient.
Caelen guided me to a relatively quiet corner, procuring two goblets of a blue-violet liquid that tasted like wild berries and midnight. I drank gratefully, the fairy beverage instantly soothing my frayed nerves.
“I notice several of the Eastern Province nobles sought you out for dance,” Caelen observed. “That is significant.”
“Why?” I asked, still struggling to keep track of fairy politics.
“They traditionally align with my father’s conservative faction. Their willingness to engage with you suggests shifting alliances—or at least curiosity.”
“So me not falling on my face during the dance was actually politically important?” I asked, only half-joking.
“Everything at court has political implications,” he confirmed. “Including my decision to adapt the dance.”
“Which pissed off your dad,” I noted.
“A not unwelcome side effect,” Caelen admitted, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Though my primary motivation was ensuring your comfort.”
Before I could respond, a shadow fell across us. Lady Ellaria stood there, her crystalline gown capturing and refracting the light in a way that was almost painfully beautiful.
“Your Highness,” she said to Caelen, completely ignoring me. “The king requests your presence for a discussion with Lord Thalior regarding the border concerns.”
Caelen’s wings stiffened slightly—the only outward sign of his annoyance. “Now?”
“Affairs of state wait for no one,” she said with saccharine sweetness. “Not even for… entertainment.”
The slight was obvious, her implication that I was merely Caelen’s diversion rather than his consort.
“Very well,” Caelen said, his voice cooling to that formal tone he used when annoyed. He turned to me. “Will you be alright for a few moments?”
“I’ll manage,” I assured him. “Go do your princely duties.”
He squeezed my hand briefly before following Ellaria toward a group of serious-looking fairies gathered near the king. As soon as he was out of earshot, I exhaled heavily, leaning against a crystalline column for support. The constant performance was exhausting.
“Tired already, human? The night is still young.”
I turned to find a fairy I didn’t recognize watching me with amusement. He was tall, even by fairy standards, with wings of deep emerald green and hair so black it seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.
“Just pacing myself,” I replied cautiously.
He laughed, the sound like distant wind chimes. “Wise. The Autumn Court’s gatherings are known for their… endurance.” He offered a formal bow. “Lord Faelan of the Eastern Glades. I don’t believe we had the pleasure of dancing earlier.”
I returned the bow, carefully measuring it to the quarter depth Thaelon had drilled into me for lesser nobles. “Consort Morgan. A pleasure to meet you.”
“Impressive,” he said, looking genuinely surprised. “You bow with perfect depth for my station. Someone has been training you well.”
