Chapter 23
I stood dutifully outside Aurelia’s chambers, hands clasped in front of me, looking more like a stoic guardsman than a prince. I would have barged into her rooms and insisted on staying right by her side, but she threatened to run me through with her dagger if I didn’t give her privacy, and since I’d seen just how artfully she could wield a blade, I thought it best to remain in the hall.
I would strangle that bastard Autumn King. Ever since Aurelia had confessed her history with him, I’d done nothing but envision all the painful ways I could end his pitiful existence.
Gods, no wonder. No wonder Aurelia refused to let anyone into her life. No wonder she closed herself off, isolating herself and her court and turning away any potential allies who came her way. I wasn’t sure if she was even aware that she was doing it. But the Autumn King had broken her, and now she was incapable of letting anyone in. No suitors. No friends. No one but her dragons. The only creatures she knew would never betray her.
I blinked several times before adjusting the silk crimson ascot around my neck. I wasn’t sure why I was so sympathetic toward her. I owed her nothing. She made her hatred of me abundantly clear.
Even so. No one deserved that. Not even someone as insufferable as the Summer Princess.
After what felt like an eternity, her chamber doors opened, and a maid scurried out, curtsying hurriedly at me before bustling down the hallway. I peered through the open door, catching a glimpse of a wide, sweeping scarlet skirt before Aurelia stepped into view.
My first impression was that her body had been completely swallowed by the dress. I could barely make our her features amongst the scooping skirt that swished with every movement. It was so wide she could barely fit through the doorway. I had to take her hand and all but pull her through.
Laughing, I looked her over. The dress hugged her waist, and delicate ruffles lined the bodice, giving her the appearance of rose petals. The neckline dipped low enough to reveal the curve of her breasts. A smattering of freckles lined her bosom, and the sight of them in such an intimate spot made my mouth go dry. Her capped sleeves hung low on her shoulders, and I found myself following the line of freckles on her collarbone, desperate to run my fingers along it.
“A bit much, don’t you think?” Aurelia said with a breathless chuckle.
My eyes snapped to hers, and I cleared my throat. “I—Ah. N-No, I think it’s quite—quite?—”
Her eyebrows lifted, her eyes sparking with mirth. Her crimson-painted lips curled into a satisfied smile. “Why, dearest fiancé of mine, has my appearance left you speechless?”
I moistened my lips. Damn this woman to the stars… Why was it so hard to speak? I drew in a breath and straightened, throwing my shoulders back and struggling to put my court mask into place. “You are a blossom among wretched thorns, my dear.” Her hand was still clasped in mine, and I bent at the waist to brush a kiss against it. When I straightened once more, her breath hitched, and a warm blush spread across her cheeks.
“Thank you. You look dashing as well.” Her eyes roved over me, and I couldn’t help but smile at the way her pupils flared and her lips parted slightly.
I knew I looked exquisite. The midnight black suit matched the one Mera had designed for our entrance to court, but the crimson vest was new and had an elaborate paisley pattern stitched into it.
I leaned close to her and whispered, “Try not to swoon.”
She swatted my arm, which I extended to her with a smirk, and together we strode down the hall toward the staircase .
When we reached the top of the stairs, Aurelia gripped the bannister with a trembling hand, her breath shaky. Below us, the light and chatter of the event filtered up to where we stood.
I glanced at the princess. Her cheeks were flushed, and a few strands of her light orange hair had come loose from the elaborate crown of braids adorning her head. I leaned close to her, using one of my fingers to tuck the hair behind her ear.
“You are a firebird,” I reminded her. “And you are magnificent.” A sudden boldness took over me, and I pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.
We had never crossed this line before. We weren’t in public; there was no reason for the display of affection.
But in this moment, I knew she needed a distraction. And as much as she infuriated me, this lovely creature was frightened, and I had to remind her that I was with her. I was her ally. She had nothing to fear from me. Not tonight.
Her eyelashes fluttered as she turned to look at me, her brows puckering in confusion. Her face was so close to mine that I could count every freckle if I wanted to. There wasn’t even an inch of skin that wasn’t covered by at least a faint smattering of freckles. The blush in her cheeks deepened, and she moistened her lips. My gaze was pulled to her mouth, which was painted crimson to match her dress. Gods, those soft lips looked so succulent.
Her breath hitched, and she blinked before turning, breaking the connection between us. “I’ll be fine,” she reassured me, patting my arm.
She was reassuring me.
My insides twisted. Was that rejection? Had I been about to kiss her? And… had she denied me?
I wasn’t accustomed to this feeling.
I swallowed, my thoughts a dizzying array of confusion as I led her down the stairs. She kept one arm on the bannister and the other laced through mine, clinging to me for support.
The warm glow of the lights grew as we descended. Sconces lined the walls, emitting a vibrant golden glimmer that shone across the entire hall. Below us, hundreds of guests flitted about in Autumn’s signature colors: gold, amber, and scarlet. Several waitstaff bustled around with trays of champagne flutes. From down the hall came the echoes of a sweeping melody from the orchestra, and I was certain couples would already be dancing in the ballroom.
“You’ll have the opportunity to show off your dancing skills soon, firebird,” I whispered to her, and I was rewarded with a slight quirk of her lips.
“Afraid you’ll be bested again?”
I snorted. “I would hardly say you bested me. Surprised is more like it.”
“I think we surprised each other.” Her blue eyes met mine and held them.
“Indeed we did.” My voice was low and soft.
We reached the bottom of the stairs, and a servant immediately approached and offered refreshment. Aurelia took an apple tart, and I accepted a flute of champagne, bringing the glass to my lips for a sip. The overly sweet nectar was so pungent it stung on its way down my throat. “Gods, I forgot how awful the wine here is.” Before the servant left, I gave him back the flute, unable to hide my grimace of distaste.
Aurelia laughed. “You are such a snob.”
“You say that now, but once you taste the sparkling fire wine in the Midnight Court, you’ll understand.”
She rolled her eyes and turned away, her expression brightening as a blond woman in a golden dress that matched her hair bobbed into view, her curls bouncing.
“Aurelia!” she squealed, rushing toward us.
Aurelia dropped my arm to embrace the woman with both hands. “Julieta, it’s so wonderful to see you again!”
Julieta withdrew to kiss both Aurelia’s cheeks. “It’s been far too long! I forbid you from leaving before you tell me every detail of the last three years, including this…” Her gaze slid to me, her brown eyes sparking with a mixture of delight and curiosity. “My, my. You are not what I expected the Midnight Prince to be.”
I bowed low and offered her my most seductive smile. “Princess Julieta, you are a gem indeed. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Julieta beamed and curtsied. “I don’t suppose you’ll save me a dance?” She tilted her head at me, her gaze sweeping over my form, her eyebrows lifting in an invitation.
I almost laughed at her boldness. She and Aurelia could not truly be friends, not if she was openly flirting with me in front of my fiancée.
She was beautiful, no doubt about it. In any other circumstance, I would have accepted her offer, perhaps brought her to my rooms for a dalliance afterwards.
Instead, I said, “I fear my dances are reserved only for my beloved.” I took Aurelia’s arm in mine once more, and to my surprise, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to my cheek. I looked at her, wondering if this was a demonstration of affection in response to the kiss I’d given her earlier, or if it was entirely for show. But Aurelia wasn’t looking at me; she was offering a sympathetic smile to Julieta.
“Apologies, Julieta,” Aurelia said. “But the Midnight Prince has been claimed for the evening.”
Julieta only grinned. “It was worth a shot.” She placed her hand on Aurelia’s arm. “Let’s catch up later, shall we? I know my brothers are waiting for you in the ballroom.”
Aurelia stiffened, but Julieta didn’t seem to notice as she disappeared into the crowd. I chuckled, shaking my head. “She’s brazen, I’ll give her that.”
“Pay her no heed. She’s more flighty than Gigi.”
“Your sister is flighty?”
“Oh yes. Her only desire is to find a match with a wealthy and handsome lord, but she has fawned over no less than a dozen different eligible men in the past year.”
My eyebrows rose. “How old is she?”
She smacked my arm again, and I laughed. “I am only curious to know if she is close to marrying age or not.”
“She is not. She’s sixteen.” The smile that had warmed Aurelia’s face slowly slipped, and I knew she was thinking of Gigi’s predicament; lying unconscious, unable to be roused. For a moment, she must have forgotten.
We both had. Here at this festive event, it was easy to slide into the typical court routine we were both accustomed to.
But we were here for a purpose. We had to sell the concept of our engagement. It would benefit us both. I would get the Dragonfire my kingdom so desperately needed, and she would get the stardust required to break the sleeping curse.
I couldn’t allow myself to forget that this was a business transaction and nothing more.
We made our way through the crowd, stopping to exchange pleasantries. I was impressed by how many courtiers Aurelia was able to greet by name, as if no time had passed from her last visit. Her smile seemed genuine, and she inquired after their families and affairs, asking personal questions that led me to believe she had known these people quite well.
When we reached the ballroom doors, I leaned in to whisper, “You were truly prepared to be the Autumn Queen, weren’t you?”
She glanced up at me, her expression unreadable. “Even if I wasn’t, I still care about these people. They are my neighbors and allies.”
“You don’t have allies, remember?”
“Just because my people are on poor terms with yours doesn’t mean there aren’t other courts I associate with.”
My eyes narrowed. She hadn’t been associating with other courts in three years, but I wasn’t about to bring that up. I now knew why. And tonight, she didn’t need that reminder.
Instead, I said nothing, guiding her through the open ballroom doors as the orchestra’s music blared louder. Before us, several couples spun in unison on the dance floor, skirts swishing and arms moving with exquisite grace. Garlands of red roses, golden marigolds, and orange dahlias were strung about the room. In each corner of the ballroom, coils of orange flame circled the air, no doubt conjured by magic. I watched for a moment, unimpressed by the faint and feeble attempt to dazzle the crowd. It was nothing compared to the awe-inspiring beauty of our Nightfire.
“Ah, there they are,” said a voice nearby. The piercing grip of Aurelia’s fingers on my arm told me who it was before the king approached, a gold crown gleaming atop his head. His umber vest was lined with gold lace, and the brilliant shade of crimson on his waistcoat made my eyes throb.
King Tyrone placed a hand on my shoulder as if we were old friends. I went rigid from his touch, tempted to knock him on his ass for it.
“You two look quite the couple,” Tyrone said with a smile, looking Aurelia over with that possessive look I’d noticed in the throne room.
I brought my arm around Aurelia’s waist, bringing her closer to me. “Thank you, Your Highness. We are honored to be here.”
“The ball is magnificent,” Aurelia supplied, for which I was grateful. I couldn’t truthfully compliment an event with mediocre wine and droll party tricks.
Tyrone beamed. “Only the finest for our equinox, of course! Save me a dance, my dear, won’t you? For old times’ sake?” He winked at Aurelia and vanished into the crowd before either of us could say anything.
I huffed a laugh. “What an ass. You won’t be dancing with him, don’t worry.”
Aurelia was stiff and unmoving in my grasp, frozen like a stunned creature.
“Aurelia?” I asked.
“I have to,” she whispered.
My eyebrows lowered. “You don’t. According to these people, you belong to me and no one else. You don’t owe him anything.”
She turned to me, her eyes flashing with anger. “Don’t be a fool, Fenn. To refuse a dance from the king would cause the greatest offense. I have to.”
“Aurelia—”
She shoved out of my grip, ignoring my outstretched hand as she moved away from me and melted into the crowd.