Chapter 20
It had been a few years since I’d traveled through the Autumn Court. The chill in the air raised goose flesh on my arms and made me shiver. The leaves shifted from a vibrant, lush green to amber, scarlet, and gold. The forest thinned, the sun filtering through the gaps in the trees left by the bare branches. Our silent journey was punctuated only by the crunching of leaves under our horses’ hooves.
After an hour of enduring the brisk air nipping at my skin, I tersely informed Fenn I needed to stop at a modiste in Florien before we reached the royal sector. Although it had been a while since my last visit, I could still be easily recognized. Many people in the Autumn Court knew me. My visits had certainly not been discreet, especially considering that at one point, I had expected to become Queen of the Autumn Court.
The reminder slithered through me, accompanied by vile memories that made my stomach twist into knots so tightly it felt like my body was caving in on itself. Bones collapsing. Muscles shriveling. Blood draining. My body seemed to be disintegrating in that singular, terrifying moment.
My horse gave a loud snort, jolting me from my thoughts. I blinked, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand.
Get to the modiste. Put on my princess persona.
I refused to think about arriving within those palace walls I tried so hard to forget. No, I wouldn’t dwell on that yet.
I traced the faint black marking surrounding my knuckle—a reminder of my bargain with Fenn .
But it was also a reminder of why I was doing this. For my family. For my people. For my kingdom. I thought of the laughter in Gigi’s eyes, of her youth and innocence. She still had so many years of life left in her. I had to save her. I had to do this.
One step at a time. And right now, the first step was getting to the modiste.
The farther we journeyed, the more tightly I gripped the reins, my shoulders rigid and my breathing coming in short spurts. I felt Fenn’s curious gaze on me often, but I ignored him, keeping my gaze fixed steadfastly on the ombre of orange and red leaves before me. The warm colors looked like a burst of flame.
Like a firebird.
Unbidden, a smile crept along my face as I thought of Fenn’s nickname for me. But I squashed that thought, too.
Clear thoughts. Nothing but the burning leaves before me.
We reached the center of Florien before noon. The forest path widened to a cobblestone street, filled with elegant square buildings with cream-colored pillars and wrought iron balconies. All around us, people bustled about. Carriages jostled past us. The townsfolk cast us several curious gazes, and I lifted my chin, resisting the urge to fix my hair or straighten the fabric of my dress. At the Fellspar Inn, the dress had seemed luxurious and fine. But here in the center of a big city, it felt nothing short of shabby.
“Try to smile, little firebird,” Fenn murmured. “They are watching.”
I felt my lips twitch in response.
When we reached the modiste, I took a deep, steadying breath. Fenn and I were here together. This was just another part of our ruse. I could play this role. I could pretend.
For my kingdom. For Mother, Father, and Gigi. Yes, I could do this for them.
My insides squirmed with unease, and I yearned for Mal’s comforting presence, for the way he would nudge my hand with his snout, sensing my distress.
But he wasn’t here. And the sooner I got through this, the sooner I could return to him and take to the sky.
I squared my shoulders and dismounted my horse. Fenn extended his arm to me, and I had to suppress the urge to slap it away. His smirk told me he knew what I was thinking.
“Fix your face,” I muttered. “Keep looking at me like that and people will think you have ill intentions.”
He leaned in close, his whisper tickling my ear. “And what if I did?”
A completely new kind of shiver rippled over me, and I swallowed hard.
He chuckled, the sound low in his throat. “I told you, Aurelia. I have a reputation. Even here in the Autumn Court, people know of me and my exploits.”
“I didn’t,” I challenged. “And my court is next-door.”
He rolled his eyes. “Didn’t we already discuss this? You’ve isolated yourself. But perhaps our efforts today can remedy that.”
I bristled at the implication that I was a problem to be fixed, but I bit my tongue as we stepped through the doors of the modiste. A bell chimed, and a woman with brown skin and thick locks of black hair turned from the mannequin she was gathering fabric around. Her brows puckered together as she looked us both over.
“Ah, darling, you were right,” Fenn said, his voice loud and confident as he casually draped his arm around me. “This place is lovely. Purchase whatever dresses you require. You know our coffers are good for it.”
I raised my eyebrow at him. The only reason that statement wasn’t a lie was because he knew I only required one dress. He flashed me a sly grin in response.
“Don’t neglect your own appearance, dearest,” I said in my most cheerful, simpering voice. “We wouldn’t want to announce ourselves at court looking like peasants.”
He snorted and disguised it with a clearing of his throat.
The seamstress uttered a short gasp and stepped around her mannequin to approach us. She was plump, and only came to my chest, but her steely eyes and strong chin revealed her shrewd, determined nature. “Bless my soul, is that Princess Aurelia? I haven’t seen you in ages, my dear!” She swept into a curtsy and straightened, her eyes gleaming. “Look how lovely you are!”
I smiled warmly at her. “Thank you, Mera. It has indeed been a long time. This is Prince Fennick of the Midnight Court.” I gestured to Fenn, who bowed deeply.
“A pleasure, my lady.”
Mera blushed. “Oh my. I’ve heard things about you, Your Highness. What brings you to the Autumn Court?”
“Our engagement, of course.” Fenn flashed a dazzling smile.
Mera’s mouth fell open. “ Engagement ? To whom?”
I forced a smile on my face and took Fenn’s hand, lacing his fingers in mine.
Mera’s eyes grew wide. “To—To Princess Aurelia?” She pressed a hand to her chest. “I—Well…” She took a deep breath, clearly at a loss for words.
This was not the reaction I was expecting. At any rate, I needed to keep the conversation going before things got out of hand. I gestured to a violet dress in the corner. “What about that one, Fenn?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure it’s your color, dearest. I think a nice maroon or umber would suit you nicely.”
I stared at him. His eyes twinkled with amusement. “Perhaps you’re right,” I said slowly, then turned to Mera. “Do you have anything available in those colors? I understand you have a business to run, and we can pay you handsomely for the rush order.”
Mera smoothed her hands on her skirts, composing herself. “I—Yes, my lady. Of course. Let me see what I can find.” She turned, then glanced over her shoulder at us in clear bewilderment before disappearing behind a curtain.
I couldn’t help myself. I snorted loudly into my hand, my face on fire. “Gods, that was a disaster.”
“Get used to it.” Fenn leaned casually against a wooden beam that supported the ceiling. “People said for years I would never marry. And… they seem to know you well here. It will be harder to pull this off if people have a reason to doubt our relationship. Anyone who knows you would laugh at the idea of us marrying.”
I nodded absently. “Yes. They would.”
I felt Fenn’s probing gaze on me, but he didn’t ask, and I didn’t volunteer the information. It was hard enough returning to this court after everything that had happened. I wouldn’t dredge up those memories just to sate his curiosity .
It didn’t take long for Mera to bring out several fabrics for me to try. She seemed to have overcome her initial shock and chatted away merrily about the Harvest Festival and the latest gossip at court as she took my measurements. She found a midnight black suit with a hunter green vest that complimented Fenn’s eyes. It fit him almost perfectly, though it was a bit short on his legs.
When she took the clothes behind the curtain to make the finishing touches, I slumped against the wall, my head throbbing from keeping up my persona for so long. At least at Dreya’s inn, we’d had frequent breaks where we could remove our masks and be ourselves. This was the longest stretch of time I’d had to keep up the charade.
“Can you handle this?” Fenn asked quietly. I hadn’t realized he’d leaned against the wall alongside me, his eyes uncharacteristically somber. “We don’t have to announce ourselves at court.”
My eyes closed. “Yes we do. We’ve already told too many people, and I’ve already sent word to the royal family. To not make an appearance would be a grave insult, especially after—” My mouth clamped shut.
“After what?” Fenn prompted.
I said nothing, my brows scrunching together as I tried to ward off memories.
“To hell with this, Aurelia.” His voice was low and closer than before. I opened my eyes to find he’d moved directly in front of me, his face inches away from mine. “If I am to play the part of your betrothed, I need to know what history you have with this Court. If I show up and someone mentions it and I don’t know what they are talking about, it will give everything away.”
My stomach was in knots. I swallowed around the hard lump in my throat. “Prince Tyrone and I were once betrothed.”
His head reared back. “You and the Autumn Prince?”
I nodded. “Well, the Autumn King now. His father recently passed.”
“I see.” His jaw ticked back and forth. “How long ago was this betrothal?”
“Three years ago. Nothing official was announced, but everyone expected it with how often we were seen together.”
Silence fell between us. I couldn’t look at Fenn, but I knew he was expecting more. My eyes closed again. “I ended the arrangement. My father smoothed things over. And I haven’t returned since.”
This time, the silence was thick with tension, a palpable thing drifting between us like smoke.
“That’s why we have to maintain good relations with them,” I went on, if only to fill the awkward silence. “To travel through the court without a formal announcement would strain things even further, and right now, we can’t afford to make an enemy of Autumn.”
“Aurelia,” Fenn said slowly. “What actually happened?”
“I’m not obligated to answer your question.”
“Aurelia.” His tone was impatient.
Fortunately, at that moment, Mera returned with my burgundy dress draped over her arm. She beamed at us both. “Some of my finest work, I think. Come, my lady. Let’s make sure it fits.” She gestured that I go behind the curtain with her.
I followed, then paused and glanced at Fenn over my shoulder. “Prince Fenn should come, too.”
Fenn blinked and Mera looked uncertainly between us.
“But I’ll be fitting you into your dress, my lady,” Mera said hesitantly. “It isn’t proper.”
I leaned close to her and whispered conspiratorially, “It won’t be anything he hasn’t seen before.” This was technically true, given our state of undress while the healer tended to us at Fellspar Inn.
Mera’s blush returned, her cheeks coloring so vividly she looked like her skin had been burned.
“Besides, he will need to dress too, won’t he?” I continued. I felt Fenn’s amused gaze on me, but I fiddled with the silk fabric of my dress in Mera’s arms. “It will be more efficient for us to get dressed together.”
Mera shifted her weight and cleared her throat. “Erm. Well. If—If that is what you wish, my lady.”
I nodded tersely and strode for the curtain, the heavy footfalls of Fenn following behind me. After a moment of muttering to herself, Mera came along as well.
“Naughty little firebird,” Fenn murmured in my ear, making my skin pebble .
“You would have done the same thing,” I whispered back.
He merely chuckled in response.
The dressing area was stocked with racks of frilly dresses, and a lengthy mirror stood on the opposite end of the room, flanked by a pair of mannequins. Mera positioned me in front of the mirror and gestured I step out of my travel-worn dress. Her eyes shifted to Fenn, who stood in the corner, arms crossed, not even pretending he wasn’t watching.
Mera unbuttoned the bodice, and I slid the straps of my dress down, wriggling until it puddled at my feet. My underthings still covered most of my body, but it was sheer, leaving nothing to the imagination. My curves, my breasts, my thighs, were on full display, shrouded only by a thin, translucent fabric.
My eyes locked onto Fenn’s through the mirror. His pupils flared, the green of his eyes seeming to burn as he watched me. Fire coiled low in my belly at the heady lust brimming in that look.
I lifted my chin at him in a challenge. “You look as if you’re seeing my body for the first time, darling.”
Fenn laughed, the sound low in his throat. “Every time is like the first time, my little firebird.”
My cheeks burned at the term of endearment. There was something intimate about the nickname, and to have him utter it in front of Mera made the flush in my face only deepen.
Mera exhaled sharply as she helped me into the corset and petticoat. I sucked in a breath, my rib cage screaming in protest. Ordinarily, we didn’t wear corsets in the Summer Court as the stifling heat was already too constraining. But here in the Autumn Court, there were different expectations, and it had been far too long since I’d worn one. My back went rigid, and the breath whooshed from my lungs.
With practiced ease, Mera gathered the mass of burgundy fabric around me and fastened it tightly. I grunted from the force of her movements.
“Everything all right, my lady?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said breathlessly. “It isn’t painful. It just takes some getting used to.”
She chuckled. “Things are far different in the Autumn Court, aren’t they? ”
I smiled. “Indeed.”
“You know, we abhor corsets in the Midnight Court,” Fenn said from across the room. “Too restrictive.”
“Is that so?” I said. “And are you speaking from experience?”
He grinned wolfishly. “Would you be shocked if I said I’d worn a corset before?”
I laughed loudly, and Mera let out a sharp squeak of alarm. I quickly apologized and fixed my gaze away from Fenn before I snorted and Mera told the entire kingdom about the piglet princess from the Summer Court.
When Mera was finished, she stood back to admire her work, a satisfied smile gracing her face. The heart-shaped neckline scooped low, revealing an ample amount of cleavage. The sleeves were small and capped, cupping along my upper arms and leaving my collarbone and shoulders exposed. The skirt fanned out widely and was studded with tiny golden gems along the edges.
While the fabric looked burgundy on its own, when it was on me, it transformed into amber and gold, shimmering with each movement. This was Mera’s specialty—her fae magic brought her designs to life, but only when they were worn by the subject.
“You truly are a miracle worker.” I twirled, watching as the fabric shifted color.
Mera blushed and waved a hand. “It’s all thanks to the fae magic, my lady. My work wouldn’t be half as fast without it.”
I looked at Fenn in the reflection again. “What do you think, darling? Is it as stunning as you imagined it?”
His eyes were pinned on me, his lips parted slightly and a look of awe and surprise etched into his face. He swallowed, his throat bobbing, as his gaze roved over me slowly. After a moment, he said in a strained voice, “It’s… magnificent.”
Mera curtsied. “Thank you, Your Highness.” She gathered my hair together, running her fingers through the strands to sort out the tangles. She twisted it into a knot and pinned it to the top of my head. Elegant, but simple. With a smile, she turned to Fenn. “If you’ll step in front of the mirror, I’ll dress you next.”
Fenn obeyed, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. I stepped back, my skirts bumping into the racks of clothing in the process. I caught one dress before it fell in a heap to the floor, then took extra care to replace it on the hanger.
When I turned back to Fenn, he was shirtless, and he was removing his trousers.
My throat went dry. Oh, gods… His tanned skin was a masterpiece. His arms were taut with well-tone muscle that flexed as he moved to loosen his trousers. My eyes dragged over his abdomen and chest, the rune marking below his collarbone, then lingered on the V-shape just above his waistline.
His britches clung to his muscular thighs, and the bulge between his legs…
I dropped my gaze at once, my face on fire.
“What’s the matter, dearest?” Fenn teased. “You act as if you’ve never seen my full body before.”
My blush deepened, but I forced myself to meet his smug expression in the mirror. “Your body is a work of art, Fenn. And it disarms me every time.”
His eyes heated, and a single eyebrow arched. Half his mouth quirked upward in an alluring half-smile that made my stomach turn molten.
It didn’t take nearly as long for Mera to dress him, as Fenn assisted with the buttons and didn’t have to don a corset and petticoat like me. The vibrant green vest complemented his olive skin tone and emerald eyes, and the midnight black fabric of the suit made the tawny tones of his hair stand out.
When he was finished, he turned to face me and spread his arms. “Well, dearest? What do you think?”
In truth, he looked elegant. Princely. The type of gentleman Gigi would drool over.
I took a shaky breath and said, “You will make all the ladies swoon, my darling.”
His grin widened.
Mera made some last-minute adjustments before declaring our attire perfect. She even gave us two extra parcels wrapped in silk lavender ribbons, claiming they were a gift for giving her the honor of outfitting us. I tried to refuse, but she insisted, and since being at the Autumn Court would require multiple dazzling outfits fit for royalty, I couldn’t help but be impressed by her foresight .
As we passed through the curtain once more, I offered my sincerest thanks to Mera for her stunning work. Fenn took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to it. Her blush returned.
“It was lovely to make your acquaintance,” Fenn murmured in his most sultry voice.
I turned so Mera wouldn’t see me rolling my eyes. Fenn paid her with a pouch of gold coins, and we took our leave, now fully prepared to announce ourselves at the Autumn Court.