Chapter 21
KORMAC
Winter Keep was decorated with silver and purple ribbons hanging from the ceiling, floating lanterns to match, candles flickering within them. Every inch of the building glittered with fine decoration. Even some pink rose arrangements in ornate vases were dotted around to symbolize Valance.
Another party, though this wasn’t one any angelus would throw.
We reached the ballroom, Valance leading me toward a newly erected dais rising above a throng of bodies applauding him. Regal fae dressed in fine clothes, every single one of them immaculate. Fae of the restored Winter Court.
An orchestra of human musicians waited silently beside the dais, brandishing harps and violins, one of them sitting at a fine white piano.
Valance took to the dais, beckoning me to join him.
I did, clearing the two steps in one movement.
I moved to stand behind him, keeping my eyes off the stares of the congregation.
As much as we were all on the same side, the dark fae and the Tuatha lords and ladies made me uneasy.
Because of Winter’s history, the old tales of a desire to bring eternal winter to Faerie, of tyranny and cruelty.
Was that where Valance was headed?
The applause continued until Valance lifted his arms. Silence fell over the crowd so thickly it felt like the room had plunged into some strange existence.
“Thank you, everyone,” Valance finally cut through the silence, his tone clear and powerful.
“This is an important night, a celebration of the darkness to come. It seems an odd thing to say, as is celebrating war an odd thing to do. Yet this is it. We are on the precipice of change. This is Winter’s chance to rise, to assert ourselves into the world under my rule.
The past is now the past. The old desires dead.
What is alive is the need for change, the need for revenge.
From the darkness of war, we can bring a new light, a world of hope, of progress. ”
I shivered hearing that. Would that happen? Could it? Valance held the dark caress of the Tuatha inside him. What would it mean? How much hope could he offer before he dragged Faerie into his tyrannical grip? If he even had a grip like that.
The conflict within me stung like a tumble into a bed of roses, thorns biting flesh. I wanted to be here with him, to help him. To see him take his revenge. But not at the expense of the world.
Maybe I could hold him back, keep him from losing himself to his dark caress.
“In a matter of days, we will attack those who wait at our borders,” he said.
What? The borders? He hadn’t mentioned anything about that.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one taken by surprise.
I cursed myself for not talking about the war with him back in his bedroom, like I’d planned. Instead, I’d been thinking with my cock yet again.
Valance took a pause, let the gathered whisper, his eyes terrifyingly dark—far darker than normal.
“They’re waiting,” he said, halting those whispers, “at the edge of northern Autumn. Trying to cross the trenches to scale the mountains. Brave darklings and shades keep watch as my magic prevents entry. But I cannot sustain it forever. We must repel them. And we will, within a few days.”
Wouldn’t I have noticed him using his magic to help at the border?
“We must march now, Majesty!” a man cried.
Valance shook his head. “Not yet.”
“What about the eastern border at the Bridge of Stars?” a woman asked.
The Bridge of Stars once linked Winter and Summer, crossing the violent sea between them. It was long destroyed.
“They cannot cross the water,” Valance answered. “It is far too dangerous for anyone. Though, let us not be complacent in that.”
More whispers.
Valance silenced them. “We will defeat the enemy, have no doubt about that. Spring may wield metal and this weapon of iron fire, but they don’t have life on their side.
” He smiled. “Be run through with a sword. I will get you back on your feet. Burn to death from being struck by a flaming arrow—I will correct the horror. There can be no defeat for Winter here. Trust me.”
I shivered again. He and his army would be unstoppable. I had to make sure he didn’t lose himself.
Can you?
“Tonight, we feast, we dance, we celebrate our impending victory. There will be pain, there will be suffering, and there will be glory. Be fearful, but do not fear death. I will not fail you.” The smile on Valance’s face brought smiles to the gathered.
They erupted into applause as Valance offered me his hand.
“What are you doing?” I asked, my throat dry.
“The first dance to officially open our celebrations,” he said. “Don’t you remember?”
I did. We’d had this conversation in his room—the only one before lust took over. “Yes…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Let’s… let’s dance.”
Our fingers interlocked. “Thank you,” he responded. “I chose a musical piece my mother used to enjoy.” He led me off the dais. “It’s called ‘As We Kissed in Summer Rains’.”
The applause died down as we reached the center of the ballroom, our hands breaking apart momentarily. The congregation formed a circle, giving us space to dance.
My stomach twisted into knots. Was I really about to dance with the Tuatha king?
“You can lead,” he whispered.
I certainly could. I slipped my right hand in his, placing my left hand on his hip.
He felt so warm.
Every eye in the room bore into us. A hushed silence, a build of anticipation so thick it was almost a breeze, then the violin started the first chords of the song. A beautiful yet lamenting sound, followed by the piano and harp.
I’d learned to dance in Riverleaf. Lasair taught me behind the tavern one warm afternoon.
Autumn was a country of rain and plenty of cold, though nothing like here.
But there was also plenty of beautiful weather throughout the year.
Sunshine and blue skies with crisp air in the lungs.
The perfect days. On a day like that, Lasair showed me how to dance because she’d been in that kind of mood.
A break from her hard stance and permanent seriousness.
I just couldn’t understand her thinking in this business with Florent.
“How are you feeling?” Valance asked as we twirled within the circle of bodies.
“I’m fine.” I steadied myself, keeping hold of him.
Soon, all thoughts on Lasair were crushed. The sway of Valance’s hair, the twinkle of the candlelight in his obsidian eyes, everything about him took my breath away. I could dance all night with him, never leave this ballroom. I felt like I was floating, moving across clouds.
“You’re good at this,” he said.
“So are you.”
He smiled, enough to make my knees want to go weak.
So beautiful…
How did we get to such a lovely moment, the prince and me?
King…
I spun him, pulling close, noses almost touching. Kiss him? Take him on the dancefloor?
Don’t be stupid!
We broke apart, him spinning me this time. I laughed, feeling like a silly angelus. There was something about dancing that made a mind and body soar into a giddy freedom.
Valance stopped, his hands sliding to my hips. Gently, he pulled me a little closer. “Are you ready to walk?”
Another surprise? “Walk?”
“I thought we could walk through the city and the encampments. Show ourselves off some more.”
“You mean show yourself? I’m not important.”
“Please don’t say that. None of his would’ve happened without...”
“My sacrifice.”
“I’m sorry.”
My forehead ached. “Don’t be.”
“But I am.”
I kissed his hand, happy gasps drifting from the crowd. “I’ll walk with you.”
The crowd cheered their king, following us through the grand ballroom door into the corridor, out into the freezing night as the dragon roared in the sky to join in.