They stood back when that was finished and I waited for them to discover I was still missing shoes. Eventually, Darynda smiled and said it.
“She needs something on her feet. Something simple but beautiful,” she mused as she tilted her head and her lips lifted in the corners. “She also needs to learn how to smile more.”
“Darynda,” Zara said as she walked into the room.
“Well, she does,” Darynda said, smiling triumphantly as she fluffed her shoulder length auburn curls.
“Does she have a name? Maybe you should use it,” Zara said with an authoritative tone.
“You can all call me Synthia, and yes, I’d very much like something to cover my feet,” I said, stopping the argument in its tracks if that was where it was heading. I was nervous enough, and having them bickering would only make my nerves get worse.
Darynda clapped her hands and a gold box appeared. She smiled triumphantly and dug through the box instead of just glamouring on shoes. She held up jeweled sandals that looked anything but comfortable. I held out my hand and accepted them anyway. I had other things to do today besides playing dress up.
The shoes were surprisingly comfortable, and the jewels, even though they looked rough, didn’t scratch my skin at all. They’d been smoothed until they were soft on the tender skin of the foot. I turned and gave myself a quick once-over in the mirror. Holy freaking Fairy buckets, these girls were good.
I looked like a princess!
I mean, I was a princess…which was weird to say, (Not that I had out loud very much), but still, I actually looked the part now.
“Is it true that you hate Fae?” Keely asked, and got a stern shushing from Meriel.
“Who told you that?” I asked, ignoring Mariel’s shushes.
“Claire said that you hated Fae, and made a living off killing us.”
“Did she now? I used to hate everything Fae, but only because I watched the people who raised me slaughtered by them. They killed my family, and yes, I have killed Fae before. In fact, I killed a few just last week. I was raised by humans. I actually thought I was a human until Ryder brought me to Faery for the Wild Hunt.”
“Do you still hate us?” Darynda asked, coming into the conversation.
“I’d have to hate myself in order to do that. No, I now understand that not all Fae are bad, just like all humans are not good. I can’t blame an entire species for what happened to my parents. But, I also think you shouldn’t listen to rumors.”
“Claire said you took Ryder from her, she also said that you think you are above us. I personally like to give people the benefit of the doubt. I’m not one to judge a book by its cover, or listen to idle gossip from jealous women either.”
“Well, I think you should stop while you are ahead. Claire doesn’t like me, I get it. She obviously went above and beyond to feed the rumor mills with crap. I’m not going to indulge her in a battle of wits, because to me is seems she is missing hers and that wouldn’t be a fair fight, now would it?” I asked, meeting Darynda’s blue and green eyes with a grin.
“Wow, she wasn’t kidding when she said you didn’t play with words.”
“Probably the only thing she told you that was the truth. I hate word games, and I could care less who hates me over some lame ass rumor started by a bitter ex. So you were right to ask me, and I have nothing against the Fae in this world. ”
“Claire isn’t bitter. She’s enraged and rightly so since you have been moved into what is supposed to be reserved for the Queen of the Horde. Her sister is contracted to marry Ryder, this would traditionally be her room,” Zara blurted.
My head snapped around to stare at her. “Ryder plans on marrying?” I felt my blood pressure spike and my anger rise as I waited for the answer.
“He’s the King of the Horde; of course he will marry,” Darynda said carefully as if she wasn’t sure she should be discussing it with me.
“Claire’s sister?”
“Well, her half-sister. Ryder’s father made the contract, but he signed it. He has been engaged to her for years, but it’s uncertain how long before Cornelius demands they marry. Claire says it should be soon.”
“I thought the Fae married for gain.”
“And Claire’s family is one of the largest and most powerful in the realm, minus Ryder’s own family. He accepted Claire into the pavilion because she was gifted, but Abiageal is the oldest. The Horde normally stays within the Horde for the first marriage.”
“So Ryder will marry within the Horde?” I felt sick to my stomach.
“Well, yes. It’s been the custom of the Horde for as long as history has been recorded.”
“I thought that Ryder’s mother was the first wife, and she was a Dark Fae,” I said softly, trying to rein in my emotions at this sucker punch.