My stomach flutters. My sister . . . I look closer, studying her features, the high cheekbones, the large golden eyes, how her hand rests delicately on her cheek. “She looks peaceful.” That’s not how I recall her feeling in any of my dreams, but maybe there was a time when she was.
“It’s from a story,” Faelan says, “‘The River Queen,’ about a young woman who fell in love with a water wysp only to have it kill her, drowning her in her own tears. It’s silly, really. And an insult to Queen Lily’s legacy to be pictured in it.” He sounds sad.
I turn to him, about to ask him if he’s going to be all right, but his features shift to anger as he spots someone over my shoulder and a voice comes from behind me.
“Welcome, my love.”
A chill works up my spine.
Kieran.
He moves to stand in front of me, his gaze scraping over me in a way that has heat climbing my neck and cheeks. “I’m breathless,” he says. “You are a sight.” And without turning to look at Faelan, he directs his next words to him. “She’s going to be the death of us both, isn’t she, bastard? This one is true fire in the flesh. It’s too bad you’ll never taste her.”
My pulse skips at his insinuation.
“Fuck right off, prick,” Faelan growls.
Kieran just laughs softly. Deadly. “Poor castoff. You have certainly gotten yourself in trouble this time, haven’t you? You’re completely taken.”
Faelan steps up to loom over him.
They size each other up, and the more Kieran stares at Faelan, the harder his features become.
I wave a hand between them. “Hey, I’m right here.”
Kieran turns to me, and I step back at the stone in his eyes. “He apparently feels something more for you than a simple protector bond. Does he have reason to?”
“What?” I ask, trying to play dumb. “What do you mean?”
“His spirit is tuned to yours,” Kieran says as he looks me over. “And yours to his.”
I release a nervous laugh, crossing my arms over my chest. I’m pretty sure it will be really bad if he thinks there’s something between Faelan and me. So I lie. “The guy can’t stand me. And I’m not exactly a fan of his either. He’s a huge downer.” I shrug. “He thinks I’m gonna go bonkers and become some kind of killer.”
Kieran glances at Faelan, who’s frowning at me, his jaw working.
“But you know, it’s a party, so . . .” I wave my hand aimlessly at the crowd upstairs. “Have fun measuring dicks, boys.” I step back, then I turn and say over my shoulder, trying to sound unaffected, “I’m off to find the bar.” As I walk away, I focus on breathing, praying it’s not obvious that every inch of me is shaking.
I wander aimlessly through the crowd for a while and am relieved when no one seems to know or care who I am. I get a few second glances from a group of men around a smoky pool table, but I walk past them and head into a long hall where the milling people thin out. The shadows grow and the light dims as I work my way along. The people I see are either making out or talking on their phones, not paying attention to me.
I was supposed to be getting to know this place, this world, but here I am hiding like my old self. Maybe I’m not ready for this. After that moment downstairs, I realize I’ve got no clue how to keep from falling into a trap—and everything’s a trap.
I find a door at the far end and knock, going halfway in when there’s no answer. It takes me a second to realize I’m not alone in the room; the sound of rustling makes me freeze. It’s too dark to see, though.
“Hello?” I say, backing out. Could Kieran have made it past me when I wasn’t looking?
I put my hand on the handle and push the door open more.
Light from the hall casts into the room, falling on something on the far side, in the corner.
A bird.
I spot the light switch and flick it. A dim glow comes from a chandelier above.
It’s a black bird. A raven, perched on a stack of books.
I step into the room again and study the creature. As I look around, I realize I’m in a library.
Oh wow. It’s huge, two stories high, bookshelves floor to ceiling, full to the brim.
The raven squawks.
I walk into the center of the room. As I get closer to the bird, I realize it’s huge, almost unnaturally so. There’s an odd patch of silver feathers on the right side of its neck. It tips its head and eyes me sideways, like it’s making sure I’m allowed to be in here, then it hops closer and opens its shiny beak, releasing a low caw. It keeps staring at me as if it has something to say, and all I can do is stare back and wonder if it’s really just a bird. In this place, who can tell?
“What a party, huh?” I say.
It tips its head again. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear it’s keying in on my boobs, but that’s just—
A flash of yellow light reflects on the wall behind the raven, and I realize it’s a reflection from my medallion. It must’ve caught the bird’s eye.
The creature screeches again, then flies up and perches on the edge of a higher shelf. The sound of wings continues, though, and I swear I smell roses . . . smell ice . . .
The ground tilts, tingles washing over me—
“You shouldn’t be in here,” a clipped female voice says from behind me.
I spin and see Princess Mara standing in the doorway. She’s glaring at me like she’s completely offended that I’m in this library with her pet bird instead of out mingling.
She glances up at the raven. I could swear fear flashes across her features for a second. “This room stays locked. How did you even get in?”
I shake my head and point at the door. “I knocked,” I say stupidly.
She considers me for a second and then looks back at the bird. “This isn’t a safe place for a newblood princess.”
It’s a library.
“You need to go back to your party,” she adds.
I almost say, “Yes, ma’am,” like I’ve been scolded by a teacher for not having a hall pass. Instead, I just nod and back out of the room. What was I thinking wandering around this place alone? The door slams in my face, even though Princess Mara’s hands stay clenched at her sides.
It’s official: everyone’s having fun at my party except me. Well, or Faelan. I’m pretty sure that wherever the guy is, he’s miserable too.
I find Aelia and her coven laughing and cooing in a room full of young men. One of the girls, Victoria, is doing a magic trick, floating playing cards around her hips. Each time a card flies out, one of the guys catches it. If it’s hearts, she kisses them. Long, slobbery kisses. I gag and walk away after the third guy. I’m pretty sure she was flicking the kissing cards on purpose, like a rigged Spin the Bottle.
I wander outside and wish I could just drive myself home. As I settle on a patio chair, a shadow falls over me. I know right away that it’s Faelan.
“Where’ve you been?” I ask.
“Following you,” he says. “Watching Kieran.”
“Sounds thrilling.”
“You’re miserable.”
“I am.” I glance up at him. “Your world is sorta boring if you’re not into drinking countless cocktails, gossiping, or playing tonsil hockey with strangers.”
He sits across from me, ignoring my snark. “Did you notice that Kieran’s been avoiding you?”