Reign of Summer by Nissa Leder

Author:Nissa Leder [Leder, Nissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-08T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-One

Scarlett watched fae talk amongst themselves as they waited for something to happen.

It had been an hour and no sign of Raith or Cade spearing the beast. The announcer had told the crowd that once it had been killed, the brothers and the boar would appear back in the courtyard.

She’d thought the ball was full of fae, but there were at least twice as many here now. The ball had been adults-only, but now children ran around their parents, trying to make the most of their freedom.

She wondered if the fae lived their lives as humans did. Did they marry and raise a family? Work a job to pay bills? Or did magic make everything easier? She didn’t even know if all the fae had magic.

Ever since Raith and Cade had disappeared, Scarlett kept quiet a few feet from the thrones.

When she’d first arrived at the day's event, she’d been drained from Cade’s siphoning her emotion. But as she waited, her brain cleared, which had been happening faster the longer she’d been in Faerie.

Kassandra had a human servant bring her a glass of wine, which had been magically refilled three times now. The king sat on his throne, back straight and glossy-eyed. He hadn’t spoken, not even when the servant asked if he’d like wine, too. His expression remained forward as if he was looking for something off in the distance.

Scarlett felt odd just standing there, but she wasn’t sure where else to go. Occasionally, she’d catch the gaze of someone in the crowd. Some eyed her curiously, probably wondering who in the hell she was to be accompanying a fae prince everywhere. Some glared. Some seemed to pretend she didn’t even exist.

Kassandra motioned for her servant. “Bring me a plate of fruit. I’m famished.”

The servant, around Scarlett’s age, nodded and rushed off, brown eyes full of panic. Her black hair was pulled into a bun that accentuated her long neck. She came back with a platter of grapes and apples.

“Where are the strawberries?” Kassandra asked as the servant tried to hand her the plate.

“I…They…” She replied.

“I won’t accept it until there are strawberries.” Kassandra shooed the servant girl with a brush of her hand.

She hurried away and came back with strawberries on the plate. Kassandra took it this time, with no thank you, and the girl returned to the side of the crowd.

Kassandra turned her head toward Scarlett. “What are you staring at, human?”

Scarlett hadn’t realized she’d been staring, but she’d been focused on the queen as the servant had given her the fruit. “Nothing. Sorry.”

“Come here.” The queen beckoned her.

Scarlett stepped slowly toward her. She didn’t have much of a choice. Disobeying the queen’s orders wouldn’t win her any favor, no matter whom she supposedly belonged to.

As she walked, she straightened out her dress. When she reached Kassandra, she curtsied to her and then to the king, who didn’t even blink.

What was wrong with him?

“For whatever reason, you’ve been blessed with misery that helps my son.”

Scarlett just gaped at her.

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