Chapter 14
Ashton
I’m surrounded by a group of fae women, each more stunning than the last, their laughter like music vibrating through the air, wrapping around me in an embrace.
Their coy smiles beckon me closer, a siren's song promising delight and distraction. Any other night, I’d lean into their charm, savoring the effortless banter, letting myself forget the weight of the curse for a while.
But tonight, my focus is elsewhere. Or rather, on someone else.
Alette.
Across the room, she sits awkwardly, a stark contrast to the effortless grace of the fae women around her. There’s a stiffness to her posture that catches my attention, the way she fidgets slightly, her fingers tapping anxiously against her thighs.
My gaze keeps drifting back to her like a tether I can’t break. There’s a magnetic pull that draws my attention, a hunger that gnaws at me and refuses to let go. It has to be the dagger, or maybe the goddess's magic at work.
Why else would I feel this pull toward her, this strange connection?
I can see something in her eyes, even from across the room.
It’s more than just that she’s out of place here.
It’s something deeper, a wound she doesn’t let anyone see but can’t quite hide.
I find myself wondering what she has been through, what darkness lurks beneath the surface of her guarded demeanor.
What is it about her that has all the fae kings staring at her instead of the banquet of women in front of them? Whatever it is, I’m determined to find out.
Flashing a smile at the women around me, I murmur a quick goodbye before weaving my way through the crowd.
The closer I get to the tiny human, the more that feeling inside of me intensifies.
That pulling feeling from me to her. Maybe it’s my powers.
Maybe it’s the dagger. But whatever it is, I want to be near her.
“Alette,” I say, liking the feel of her name on my lips. It rolls off my tongue with a certain warmth, as if it were meant to be spoken, as if it were a song that needed to be sung. “Would you do me the honor of having a drink with me?”
She hesitates, her brow arching as if she’s trying to gauge my intentions, which bothers me. I’m not used to people being reluctant around me.
With a breathy sigh, she finally nods. “Fine.”
“Wonderful.” I grab two goblets from a passing servant, the cool metal glinting in the light, and gesture toward the balcony. “Shall we?”
As we step outside, the cool night air wraps around me like a soothing balm, a welcome reprieve from the stifling heat of the ballroom.
The stars stretch endlessly above us, twinkling like diamonds against the deep blue canvas of the night sky, a sight I’ve seen countless times, but somehow it feels new with Alette standing beside me.
I hand her a goblet and lean against the railing, the smooth wood pressing against my back, grounding me. I steal a glance at her, watching her expression shift from guarded to hesitant curiosity as she studies the night sky.
“So,” I say, keeping my tone light, “how are you doing?”
She gives a strange stare. “You’re asking how I’m doing?”
“I am.”
“I’m fine.”
I smile. “Surely, you have more to share than that. Did you enjoy watching us use our powers?”
“I don’t know.”
She doesn’t know? “Magic must be fascinating to see.”
“It’s not really my focus.”
“What’s your focus?”
“Going home.”
I try to keep the disbelief out of my voice. “Because home is better than here? A beautiful palace with gardens and powerful fae everywhere you look.”
She doesn’t look convinced, and I’m not sure why I want to convince her. “If it’s a choice between home and here, I choose home.”
The vulnerability in her voice tugs at something deep within me. “Is there something, or someone, waiting for you back home?”
She seems to think for a long minute before answering, “Not exactly.”
“Then why are you so desperate to go back?” The question slips out before I can stop it, and I curse myself for sounding so… jealous of whatever in her world she deems more important than us and our quest.
“Because it’s my home. It’s all I’ve ever known,” she says simply, as if that’s reason enough. And maybe it is.
“Most people would jump at the chance to stay here,” I say, keeping my tone casual. “Land, a castle, power… all things people would kill for.”
“I’d rather die than spend my life surrounded by fae.”
Her words hit me harder than I expect. “Because you see us as monsters?”
Before she can answer, the sound of footsteps interrupts us. I turn to see Oberon, Sylvian, and Cassius stepping onto the balcony, their expressions varying degrees of irritation and curiosity. Of course, they’d pick now to show up.
“What are we talking about?” Oberon asks, his sharp gaze darting between me and Alette, his posture suddenly demanding.
I sigh, knowing there’s no point in trying to avoid the topic. “She was about to tell me why she hates the fae.”
Alette looks away. The moment has broken. Whatever answer she planned to give, I’m not sure I’ll ever hear it.
Oberon scowls, Cassius raises an eyebrow, and Sylvian just watches her with quiet intensity. It’s clear she has their attention now, and I can’t decide if that irritates me or if I find it amusing.
“Why don’t you tell us?” Sylvian asks, his voice gentle but firm.
She shakes her head and takes a step back from us.
“Alette,” I say gently.
She takes a deep breath. “We all know I’m just a human. Nobody special. Why play this game? You only need me for this challenge, for this labyrinth. Why pretend you want more than that?”
“We’re kings, we don’t need to explain ourselves,” snaps Oberion, which is, well, just like the fire fae asshole.
Her expression is crestfallen.
“We do need you,” Cassius says quietly. “The goddess was clear about that. Even you’ve seen that with your impact on our powers.”
I see her accepting it. See that maybe she’d already known this deal was done, maybe from the moment we struck the deal with her in the first place. But maybe she had to try.
“So what else do I need to know about what we’re going to do?” she asks quietly.
What else? Fuck. The kings and I exchange a look. We need to prepare her properly for what she’s going to face, but if we tell her too much, will she try to run again? She already believes all fae are monsters. What happens when she finds out about the real monsters?
“Is it that bad?” she asks after a long minute.
Well, yes, yes it is, but we can’t just say that…
“However bad it is doesn’t matter,” King Oberon says, his jaw clenched. “In two days' time, we ride for the labyrinth.”
The fae are getting restless. They’re showing more and more concerning signs that their bodies can’t handle being detached from their powers for much longer. Getting back our powers isn’t just about our powers any longer, it’s about our survival.
And we all know it.
Still, I look for the others to soften his words, but no one does. And somehow, an ominous feeling settles over our group. The truth is, none of us really know what we’re going to face. The only fae who entered the labyrinth out of desperation didn't come back.
This is an adventure into the unknown. Not just for Alette, but for all of us.
I attempt a smile that feels false. “Not to worry, we’ll be at your side every step of the way.”
Not just to protect her, but because without her we’re doomed to die in the labyrinth. We need both our powers and the goddess’s blessing if we have any chance at saving our people.
Alette whispers softly, “I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”
And maybe she’s right. Because everyone knows the goddess created this labyrinth to torture us, to punish us, and now Alette is caught in that web too. Even though she doesn’t know it.
I almost feel sorry for her.