Chapter 30
Sage
“Tell us about yourself, Lady Sage,” Cobalt said, and I realized all nine men were watching me, waiting for me to say something interesting or charming or whatever it was fae women said in situations like this.
My mind went blank. I couldn’t talk about my family. I couldn’t talk about most things.
“I’m ah… still getting used to the Garden.” Yes, that was a safe thing to say.
“Your family must be proud,” Cobalt said. “A new arrival the whole court is already talking about.”
My throat tightened. “Ah… yes.”
“The attack must have been so frightening,” another man said from across the circle, his voice dripping with sympathy that didn’t reach his eyes. “Were you badly hurt?”
I didn’t want to talk about the attack, didn’t want to remember any of it, didn’t want to think about how similar being surrounded by these men felt to it.
“I’m recovering,” I forced out.
“And what do you look for in mates?” the turquoise-eyed one asked. I think someone had called him Raven.
My stomach dropped. “I… I haven’t given it much thought, to be honest.”
“Surely you have some idea,” Cobalt said, and his hand settled on my forearm.
My muscles tensed, my body locking up. I should pull away, demand he let me go, but I couldn’t do it. Everything Edred had beaten in to me screamed to stay small, stay quiet, stay demure.
Zinnia had told me I could demand what I wanted, that fae women were in control, but I wasn’t in control.
I had no choice but to be in this garden with these men, I couldn’t run away or I’d face the High Priestess’s wrath, and I couldn’t stop thinking of the look on Wells’ face…
on the look on all the faces of the men who’d thought they could force a mating bond on me. Hungry, certain, entitled.
Just like the expressions on the men surrounding me.
Why did I have to be here? Why couldn’t I be back in my suite or with Ash.
Father, I missed him so much. I hadn’t wanted to have sex with Talon, I’d wanted Ash and I wasn’t sure how I was going to survive the High Priestess’s suitors without him.
Cobalt’s grip on my wrist tightened, his fingers pressing into my skin, and I couldn’t tell if he was trying to hold me still or keep me from jumping to my feet and running away.
“Do you like music?” Pine asked, leaning closer. “I heard there’s going to be a concert next week in the central garden, or maybe you prefer dancing—”
“Your marks are covered,” someone behind me interrupted. “I heard they were stunning.”
“I ah…”
Someone grabbed a strand of my hair, not pulling, just holding it between their fingers. Pine pressed even closer on my other side. The sound of the fountain kept rushing and rushing and rushing, filling my head.
I bit the inside of my cheek. I’d survived worse. I had. I just had to get through this.
“You’re so beautiful, my lady,” Pine said. “Your hair is amazing. Red this shade is rare.”
Cobalt leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. “Relax, my lady.” But his voice was too smooth, too practiced. I didn’t trust him.
A palm pressed flat against my back. Another hand closed around my other wrist. Pine’s hand settled on my waist. My skin crawled everywhere they touched. I couldn’t get enough air. The garden tilted, the men’s faces blurring together, and all I could hear was water pouring from the fountain.
Pull it together. Get through this. You can get through this.
But I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think past the hands touching me, the bodies pressing close, the sound of the water.
I tried to look for West, but Pine shifted and blocked my view of the archway.
“Where are you going?” he asked, and I realized I’d started to lean away from them.
The hand on my back slid lower. Someone’s fingers pressed into the side of my neck near my collar. More bodies crowded close, blocking the light, and my chest got tighter and tighter until I couldn’t pull in enough air.
Please, Father. Please.
My gaze jumped from crack to crack between their bodies, desperate to see past them, to find something, anything—
There, a lone figure standing near the statue of the goddess by the second entrance.
Everything within me froze.
He had white hair and yellow eyes and the same smirk he’d worn when he and Wells had cornered me in the secret nook.
Crane.
Oh, Father!
He was here. He was watching. Why wasn’t anyone stopping him? Hadn’t Sir West noticed him? Was this all part of the High Priestess’s plan?
I wrenched my gaze to the man with the turquoise eyes, desperate to figure out if he’d been one of the men in the sacred chamber.
But I couldn’t ignore the press of the men’s bodies, their hands all over me. I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t—
I lurched to my feet. “I need to go.”
My voice cracked and I hated it, hated how weak I sounded.
“My lady?” Pine frowned, confused and clearly oblivious to the turmoil raging inside me.
Cobalt seized my wrist, his grip hard enough to hurt. “Her Brilliance wanted you to get to know us.”
I tugged against his hold, but he didn’t let go. The men on the benches closest to me stood, blocking the way back to the exit, and all I could see was Crane’s yellow eyes watching from across the garden.
“Please—” The word came out strangled, barely a whisper.
My vision narrowed, darkness at the edges threatening to smother me. My chest heaved and tears pricked my eyes but I fought to keep them back. I wouldn’t cry in front of Crane.
I. Would. Not.
But Father, please.
Then a shadow fell over us and Pine was shoved out of the way. Before I could fully register what was happening, enormous, glaring Sir West had grabbed me. He picked me up and cradled me in his arms as he stormed across the garden back into the Divine Residence.
“Sir West, the High Priestess decreed—” someone yelled.
Fear shivered down my spine that Sir West would stop. The High Priestess had commanded this gathering after all. But Sir West didn’t slow down, didn’t even glance back at the men.
I clutched at the top of his metal chest plate, needing something to hold onto, and squeezed my eyes shut, unable to stop myself from shaking.
Had Crane actually been in the garden or had I just imagined it? And why had Sir West rescued me? He’d agreed not to tell the High Priestess about my mating marks, but I thought that decision had been more because Lord Rider and the others had threatened him.
But pulling me out of the forced social engagement went against the High Priestess’s wishes. Did that mean I could actually trust him?
Or was this all part of Her Brilliance’s game to get me to fall in love with Sir West.
I glanced up at him, but he wore the same, hard, grim expression he always did, giving no hint as to what he felt or thought.
Whatever it was, he’d gotten me out of there, and I was grateful.