Dark Promise by Annika West

25

The haze around Hux and I was still dense, but it didn’t have that mindless push anymore. Staring at Oz wasn’t a struggle, and neither was my caustic reply.

“Oh, that’s rich, coming from the guy who nearly had a chair thrown in his face.”

He blinked at me. “How does that logic work in this context? You threw the chair.”

“I don’t know!” I cried out. “I just had an orgasm, okay? Brain stuff isn’t my priority. Huxley Cayne, take your fingers out of me while your brother is present. It’s weird.”

Hux was rigid, and I didn’t mean in the sexy way.

He slipped his hand out of my pants. Slowly.

Enough to make my breath hitch.

Oz made some noise of irritation while I struggled to keep my composure.

“Calm down, Huxley,” Oz said. “I’ve no interest in pushing your little mate bond buttons tonight. In fact, I’m here because we’re both interested in keeping Aster safe.”

“I doubt it.”

As I fixed myself and straightened my clothes, I decided it was best to make a dash for the food table, and avoid this little family squabble.

And avoid what you just did with Hux,my bitchier side added.

But we ignore her after garden orgasms. Just as a general rule.

“Okay, well, that’s my cue. You two have a nice chat! Bye, now!”

I fled the gardens. It really would have been more appropriate if I was in some gauzy ballgown with long bell sleeves that would flap gracefully behind me.

So dramatic. So picturesque. I was seriously going to put in some clothing requests when this night was over.

If I survived the night.

If there was one thing I knew, it was that I needed food. Lots of it.

The crowds were thick on the main floor, and spirits were high. Flower petals floated down from the sky and landed on the partygoers, clinging to hair and costumes.

There were people with fawn legs. Mini faeries with petite bodies and iridescent wings. Most everyone had the characteristic pointed ears, but some were more pronounced than the others.

One thing was certain, though.

Once again, I was the one standing out. And I was also at the bottom of the pecking order.

People either ignored me or scowled. The angry ones got even angrier when they saw the mark on my cheek, since that was the clear sign that some noble fucked someone illegal and had an illegal baby.

So I smiled my illegal, psychotic smile at all of them. What else was a half-faery Cut girl to do?

Well, besides eat.

* * *

“I knew I’d find you here,” Willow sighed. She sounded bored, but her scarlet eyes never stopped scanning her surroundings. She was the definition of alert.

I was the definition of a pastry dumpster. In less than five minutes, I devoured an entire plate of chocolatey croissant-like things. They were flaky and buttery like croissants, but there was a flowery taste to them, and they were lighter than air.

“Mhphmmm,” I agreed through my mouthful.

Oz stepped up onto the dais and whispered something to Adair.

The fae lord’s gaze found me instantly, and he nodded to Oz, who stepped down and merged with the crowd once more.

I felt Hux before I saw him. Just the slightest shiver down my spine told me he was directly behind me.

“Let your hair down,” he instructed.

Music floated through the air like some ethereal spell and drifted across the dance floor. People cheered and couples began to move to the sound.

Hux sighed. “Ignoring me won’t hide the marks I left on you.

The curse flew out of my mouth, along with a few chunks of food.

I glared at Willow. “You weren’t going to tell me?”

She gave me a withering stare. “Your first outfit of choice looked like it was a burlap suit three sizes too large. I’m to expect you have standards?”

My eyes rolled so hard that I probably looked like I was mid-exorcism. “Why don’t you go find some black lipstick and say something dry and critical? It’s like she has no imagination or sense.” The last part was a comment I gave to no one in particular, since I was obviously not speaking to Hux.

“I’m imagining a few things at the moment,” Willow replied coolly. “Your suffering, one of them. Trust me, I can be creative when it counts.”

“Goth wannabe.”

“Stupid child.”

Oz emerged from the crowd, grinning. He slung his arm around Willow’s shoulders and pulled her into him roughly like some frat boy who’d spotted his next beer pong partner. “And what are you two lovely ladies chatting about?”

“Murder,” Willow and I stated in unison, and then pretended like it never happened.

Oz’s open mouth was the picture of apprehension. “Uh… okay. Just letting you know that our special little guest of honor has an introduction coming up!”

“Adair hasn’t introduced the Winter Lord yet?” I asked.

Willow tried to extract herself gracefully from Oz’s bro embrace, and failed. She exhaled sharply and crossed her arms, letting her elbow jab into his ribs.

He coughed but otherwise didn’t indicate he noticed. “Who? Oh, that guy. No, no, I’m talking about —”

The music stopped. Voices lowered to a soft murmur. The crowd stopped dancing, and the lights dimmed.

Only the lights around Adair remained at their full brightness. He stood and smiled generously down at the crowd. His pastel pink, yellow, and sky blue ensemble fluttered around him as he strode forward.

“He looks like a baby shower mascot,” I realized. “An ancient baby shower mascot.” I nearly expected him to announce the guess how many candies are in the jar game.

A woman dressed in a scaled onesie whirled and hissed at me to be quiet, so I stuck my tongue out at her.

Her eyes turned a poisonous green, and I was pretty sure she just dribbled venom from her fangs. But we both paused when a name rang out through the square.

“Aster King II!”

The floating lights above me illuminated.

The entire faery congregation shifted to look at me.

I swallowed thickly, feeling woozy. “I didn’t plan a speech.”

The words came out in a tiny, sad whisper.

A strong hand supported my arm and guided me forward.

Hux. Of course, it’s Hux.

What the fuck is Adair doing? He didn’t ask me about this. What if I vomit on the crowd? What if I pee myself?

I walked up the stairs. Hux waited at the bottom but faced the crowd.

It was as protective and possessive as it got.

Adair was talking, and I guessed I was supposed to listen.

“… that is why I have brought you all here tonight. Thank you to the Winter Court for attending. Thank you to the Free Folk for gracing us with your presence. You hold no loyalty but to the spirits, which is why I believe this to be a vital step toward ensuring we survive and thrive as a species.”

Not everyone appeared happy, though. Most of the fae looked mildly interested. A few appeared enraptured. Several, however, had an outright hostile look in their eyes.

It was the emotion I felt anytime I thought of Gary, the Union mail guy. Or Marigold, the stunning, ancient piece of shit who plastered magic around my soul room for over a decade.

Adair continued. “You are here because you are unafraid to admit the truth. Our magic is fading. It has been for centuries. Tonight, I am here to present a solution to save us all.”

He held out a hand to me.

Alright. I guess I’m going with this. What’s the worst that can happen?

I smiled awkwardly, and wiggled my fingers. “Sup.”