Chapter 15 Rivals & Revels #2
“Antenor,” he said, extending his now-empty hand, “Captain of the Pallasian Court Guard. Naturally.” He gave a small nod over his shoulder to his own pair of wings.
These were not like any possessed by the children of the Arden—at least, not that I had seen.
They were massive, reddish-black, and bat-like, with a wickedly sharp talon atop each joint.
He flared them out, and I attempted another smile as I took in the pair of black rams horns curling around each side of his head, which glinted red in the light when he moved.
“Marina.” I put my hand in his and he leaned in to kiss it, the long braid containing his thick, dark hair brushing over my forearm as he did so.
“Forgive me, but I have visited the Arden every year for over a century, and I believe I would have remembered seeing such radiance before. Are you a newcomer here?”
“Yes,” was all I could say, struck dumb by the sudden, unwarranted attention.
He raised an eyebrow. “And without an escort?”
“Well, I-I do have—”
“I might’ve known you’d be skulking around in my wake, bat boy.” The loud, harsh words came from Devil, who shoved one of Antenor’s great wings aside to reach me.
“Puck,” Antenor spat. “Do not tell me this beautiful creature is being accompanied by the likes of you.”
“This creature has a name,” Devil retorted, “and yes, she is.”
“Such a pity, Marina,” said Antenor in a smoother tone, “that your escort lacks the decorum and foresight not to leave you alone for even a moment.”
“You told me the children of the Arden knew nothing of decorum,” I said to Devil with a smirk, trying not to enjoy his obvious discomfort.
He glanced down at me and scoffed, “Antenor is not a child of the Arden.”
“It’s Captain, now, actually,” said Antenor stiffly. “My promotion was made official just before I arrived, but I know you do not stay abreast of such things.”
“Or perhaps you ought to have commissioned a bigger sword,” Devil sneered. “I hardly noticed that one.”
Antenor gritted his teeth and turned his attention back to me. “My lady, I am also an outsider at the Arden Court and would be most comforted by the company of another visitor.”
He offered his arm, but Devil gave me a look that plainly said ‘don’t you dare’. Unfortunately for him, I was very much in a daring mood.
“I think…” I said slowly, pausing to take a gulp of wine, “that you and I will have much in common, Captain.” Sweeping the silk cape out behind me, I draped my hand over Antenor’s leather-clad forearm.
He did appear every inch the soldier in a black leather cuirass, stamped with an intricate knotted symbol, matching bracers over a deep burgundy shirt, and tall, black boots.
At his waist hung a beautiful longsword with an egg-sized red stone set in the hilt, and tied beside it on his belt was a mask in the likeness of a snub-nosed bat.
We began walking slowly down the length of the hall with Devil trailing after us, looking murderous.
“So, tell me what brings you to the Arden,” Antenor said pleasantly, “and where you are visiting from.” I scrambled for a moment, feeling a bit silly now that he actually wanted to make conversation, and bought time by taking another long drink.
When I allowed myself to really taste the faerie wine, however, I knew I might be in trouble.
It was smooth and rich and sweet. Warmth spread over my skin, like a net of poor choices I’d soon be tangled up in if I wasn’t careful.
“Can a lady keep no secrets to herself?” I asked with a small giggle.
Antenor smiled—a much-too-handsome smile to match his much-too-handsome face.
“You certainly may. Although, if I might hazard a guess, you are clearly here at the invitation of my dear cousin, Lord Oberon. He would send no one else but his faithful lapdog to escort an honored guest, but I certainly wish he had entrusted you to me instead.”
I dared a glance back at Devil, whose eyes were pinned on me as he followed us through the crowd. So, that’s who your master is? The faerie king himself?
I fought to suppress the nerves suddenly coiling in my stomach so I could respond. “Once again, I’m afraid I am not at liberty to say just yet.”
“Ah, well, perhaps I will learn more during our dance.”
“O-our dance?”
He took the bat mask from his belt and held it over his eyes. “It is my natural instinct to pursue the moth, is it not?”
I couldn’t help but laugh and took another sip of wine, which made me bold enough to say, “Does that mean I will end the evening speared by your talons, Captain?”
“Perhaps,” he mused, “or perhaps you will end it in my mouth.”
This exchange seemed to be a bridge too far for Devil, who strode around Antenor and planted himself in our path.
“Lord Oberon was very clear that I was to be Marina’s escort this evening,” he said, voice quiet with simmering rage, “and I know the rules of hospitality still mean something here, if not in your backwater excuse for a court. You wouldn’t want to offend, I’m sure.
” Antenor looked between us, then gave a noncommittal shrug and bent to kiss my hand again.
“I do hope to see you again, lady moth. Preferably without this…abomination lurking nearby.”
Devil replied before I had a chance, his tone snide. “And I do hope you’ll find the platter of mosquitos set out specifically for your enjoyment, you blood-sucking weasel.”
Antenor’s hand flew to the sword on his belt, but Devil’s wings flared out dramatically and his eyes glowed with blinding white light as he sent sparks flying from his fingertips. They swarmed and nipped at Antenor’s exposed skin, causing him to pull back with a yelp to shake them off.
“Coward,” he snarled, spitting on the ground at Devil’s feet. “If you were even half a man, you would fight me fairly, instead of using your tricks!”
“If you were even half a worm, those tiny sparks wouldn’t prevent you from drawing your blade.” Devil stood in front of me with his wings spread wide, daring Antenor to act. All eyes nearby landed on the pair, and I looked around nervously, uncertain if I ought to intervene.
“Devil,” I said quietly, reaching through the long feathers to take hold of his wrist. “That’s enough.”
Antenor drew in a sharp breath and stepped back. “The Arden’s laws prevent me from doing violence in my cousin’s house,” he said, “but you know I will not forget this.” He stormed away, while I dragged Devil to the side of the hall, close to another alcove echoing with unspeakable sounds.
“In the name of all the gods, what is the matter with you?” I hissed.
“Arachne told you not to trust anyone here,” he spat back. “When will you learn to listen?”
“We were just walking, and you told me I could dance with anyone I like!”
“Not him.”
My laugh came out more like a cackle. “Oh dear, have I fed the flames of some petty feud? What is it, Devil, are his wings bigger than yours?”
Devil just scowled and backed me up against the wall of trees, using his wings to box us in together, so I could see nothing but him and his feathers. “Would it please you to be right, May? To know that seeing you on his arm made me unspeakably jealous?”
“Perhaps,” I said, leaning closer to him with a smirk. “Since I have neither wings nor magyk I can use to cause you misery, I suppose I must use my womanly wiles. Making you jealous does seem like a highly entertaining use of my time here.”
He laughed, loud and harsh. “Well, you shall have no such satisfaction from me. It was not jealousy you saw, only loathing. Antenor acts the part of a gentleman, but he is a snake in the grass—willing to fuck or fight anything that moves just to advance his own interests, or to spite me. If he had his way, you’d already be on your back and that gown would be trampled under his boots.
” He jerked his chin at the nearest alcove, and another blush crept up my face.
“Would it be any different if you had your way?” I asked, the faerie wine making me much braver and stupider than usual. His breath hitched and he looked genuinely surprised, as if I had spoken a dangerous secret, but he recovered quickly.
“If I was ever privileged enough to have your attention,” he said quietly, “I would not squander it on this debased public spectacle, and I certainly would not share you with anyone else.” His eyes flickered over my face and down to the torque at my neck, then back up.
“Is…is that what those rooms are for?” I asked, holding his gaze. “Sharing?”
His answer came accompanied by a fiendish grin. “The children of the Arden are…notoriously promiscuous, especially during a celebration.”
I struggled to clear my throat and switched the topic back. “Very well, consider me warned. I shall only seek out dance partners who meet your very strict standards.”
“Wait,” said Devil, gently grasping my arm as I tried to leave the little cocoon he had us in, “I beg you to listen to me. There are those in this forest who would see you come to harm, and I cannot allow that.” His eyes were wide and earnest, tugging at something deep inside me, so I relented.
“Then, you must stay with me, and not wander off like a hound following a scent,” I told him, putting my hand out. He tucked his wings in and smiled before threading his arm around mine and holding it tight to his side.
“As you wish, Mayhem.”