Cade wrapped his free hand around her and pulled her toward him.
Why was she acting like this? She didn't even know him. Sure, Scarlett had done her share of things with guys. But she'd never felt so out of control of herself. His mouth nibbled on her neck. A sigh escaped her lips. Her body fell further into his and her hands moved to his chest.
Cade's mouth grew more aggressive on Scarlett's neck until he groaned.
The air around Scarlett cooled as Cade's touch left her.
"Sorry, beautiful. Duty calls." He let go of her hand and stepped backward. "Don't worry. I'll find you again." After the words left his mouth, he disappeared.
Scarlett jolted upright in her bed.
"Of course you'd ruin my perfectly good dream," Cade said as he pulled out of Scarlett's mind. Raith's voice had broken his connection to her.
Scarlett. Such a lovely human. Something about her called to Cade. To be so infatuated with a mortal wasn't something he'd admit to. But after only a few minutes of her in his dreamscape, magic blazed again through his veins. His training had grown brutal over the last two weeks. His mother insisted he intensely prepare himself for the upcoming battle against his brother. Cade didn't see Raith as much of a threat. As far as he knew, Raith didn't even train. But Raith was older, his mother constantly reminded him, and had had more time to learn his power.
"To live in dreams is a waste of reality, dear brother," Raith said. "Preying on the innocent little humans."
Raith's loose tan shirt was half untucked from his pants as if he'd just rolled out of bed. Sloppy, if you asked Cade. That and his unruly chin length hair made him look more like a beggar than a prince.
"Oh, please. I give them good dreams that they won't even remember." Cade pushed himself up from his bed. "What do you care? You don't even associate with them."
Raith shrugged. "The king wants to see us."
Cade followed Raith to the battle wing of the castle. Here, the new military recruits trained each spring. The Summer Court hadn't been attacked in years. They'd defeated the Winter Court a half-century ago in a small war, but still, the threat of another attack kept young, sturdy summer fae signing up to keep the kingdom strong. Cade was too young to know anything but the history of the war. Now that summer had come, this part of the castle was empty except for Cade and Raith's training. At the end of the summer, Cade would challenge Raith for the Right of Heir. As the oldest son of the King, Raith was granted the title until Cade, his only sibling, was of age. Any time after age nineteen, a younger sibling could battle against the current heir. Most waited years, as fae power was unpredictable and harder to manage in early adulthood. But their father grew weaker every day, and Cade's mother urged him to challenge right away.
The temperature of the battle wing was at least ten degrees cooler than the other parts of the castle. Cold promoted magic alertness. Cade walked a few feet behind Raith. The two had been close as children. Playing in the fields. Pranking the castle staff. Sneaking into the forest they were forbidden from entering. As the two grew older, the distance between them swelled. Cade knew Raith was jealous of him. His own mother had died, and Raith never accepted Cade's mother as his own.
Their father waited in the battle room in the training tower. His salt and pepper hair almost reached his shoulders now—a big change to the short hair he’d had when Cade was a child. He wore a gold crown atop his head. Wrinkles had formed on his face. Such a rare occurrence for a high fae.
The walls of stone stood high in the large room. Swords, staffs, and other weapons hung on the far wall. The king stood in the middle of the room. His hands clung to his sides, and his eyes remained closed.
"My sons," he said, his voice weak. He turned to them and opened his eyes. The quick deterioration of the king was peculiar. Most high fae lived for centuries. A benefit of the magic that coursed through their veins was good health. Something had caused the king's health to dwindle.
Cade rarely saw his father lately. Spring was a quiet season for the Summer fae. The festivals and dances happened mostly in the summer.
"Summer is here. Your battle will be the center of the Summer Festivities. Come closer." He motioned toward them.
Cade and Raith stepped closer. Both boys stood taller than their father, Cade the tallest of the three. Raith had steel blue eyes that matched their father's, while Cade had inherited his mother's. The King placed his hands on each boy’s shoulder. "The Battle is inevitable, I know. As an only child, I was fortunate enough not to fight for the Right of Heir. But I never had the blessing of a sibling as you two do. I pray you remember that you will always be brothers."
The king had grown sentimental as his health decayed. Hoping for a brotherly relationship between Cade and Raith was wishful thinking, but Cade wouldn't be the one to ruin a dying man’s dream.
"Of course," Raith said as he mimicked his father's gesture. "The Right of Heir should go to the most capable. No hard feelings if my younger brother wins." Raith patted the king's shoulder. He grinned at Cade, and Cade knew that Raith had as little faith as he did that they would ever be as close as they once were.
The King took his hands back to his side. "The Festivities will start next week. You will both be obligated to attend each event. Each of you should spend most of your time training over the summer. You are each assigned a guide from my guard to help you prepare. Please restrain from any physical harm to one another, in the meantime." A twinkle flickered in his eye, reminding Cade of a younger version of his father. One he hadn't seen in a very long time.
"Certainly," Cade said.
A coughing spasm attacked the king, who excused himself to his bedroom to rest.
Cade saw Raith smirk as they left the battle room. "Laugh now, but I will defeat you."
Raith patted his brother on the back. "I expect you to try."
"My magic is stronger than ever," Cade said. Raith always underestimated him, patronizing Cade every chance he had. "I have secrets that even you don't know."
After another chuckle, Raith replied. "So do I."
It had been a long time since they'd fought. Cade had almost forgotten how it felt to have the brotherly love they once had. Or Cade had. He used to wonder if Raith ever loved him, but not anymore.
All that mattered now was preparing for the battle.
Cade's mother had spoken to him on his nineteenth birthday.
"You must challenge your brother. Your father is ill, and if something happens to him, I fear for our safety," she had said. "You are strong and far more of a leader than Raith." She spat out his name as if it were poison. His mother had little love for her stepson.
Cade remembered the determination in her eyes. He couldn't disappoint her.
He must win.
Chapter Three
Raith watched his little brother hurry away, probably running to tell his mother about the meeting with the king. Cade was a momma’s boy to the core.
Raith had no mother. Not anymore. She’d died long ago, and Raith had learned to take care of himself. His father had been seduced by Kassandra, the new queen. From the moment she had greeted the king at the Winter Ball, he was in trouble.
Kassandra was sweet to the eye, with long platinum hair and icy blue-green eyes. But as Raith grew, he saw through her beauty. He sensed her greed. Her pride. Her jealousy. All the desires the King was blind to.