A Court of Lightning & Fire

1. Touch

I don't like that anyone would die to feel your touch. Everybody wants you. Everybody wonders what it would be like to love you. [Gold Rush - Taylor Swift]

ALESSIA

I swore under my breath as I stood at attention in the dining room, awaiting the arrival of Helion and Eris. The room was full of noble men and women, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the High Lords. I looked over the room, my eyes narrowing at the puffed up old men fussing over their daughters, so ready to throw them at the High Lord of the Autumn Court. It left a sour taste in my mouth, and I clenched my jaw to reign in my disgust.

"What's got your panties in a twist?" I snapped my gaze to the dark-haired warrior beside me. Jaimes was smirking at me, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement. I scowled at him, cursing myself for ever sleeping with him. He was handsome, sure, but the man was insufferable. I wondered briefly what I'd done to deserve being stuck on duty with him. He'd been a last minute addition to the night's roster.

"Shut the fuck up, Jaimes," I snarled, rolling my eyes at him.

"You need to work all that anger out of your system," he replied, his voice lowering. I glared at him, clenching my jaw. "I'd be more than happy to help," he added, waggling his eyebrows at me suggestively.

"Over my dead body, Jaimes," I huffed, turning my attention back to the dining room, just as the guards stationed at the doors opened them, signalling the arrival of the High Lords. The room fell silent as everyone turned their attention towards the two men. Helion held his hands up at his sides, an easy smile stretching across his features as he strode into the room, Eris following behind. My scowl deepened as my eyes fell on the High Lord of the Autumn Court. He was dressed in all his finery, the deep green of his embroidered tunic bringing out the golden tones in his amber eyes. He followed behind Helion as they approached the table at the head of the room, positioned on a raised dais. I stood behind the table, tightening my grip on the hilt of the sword sheathed at my side as they drew closer.

Helion stood before the table in front of his seat at the centre, gesturing for Eris to take the one at his right, directly in front of me. Eris brushed past me, his eyes locking with mine for the briefest moment. His lips curved up into a smirk as his eyes trailed up and down the length of my body, making my skin crawl.

"Welcome," Helion's voice boomed throughout the room, every guest standing at their tables, looking in his direction. "I am pleased to welcome Eris Vanserra, the newly appointed High Lord of the Autumn Court, as our esteemed guest. Please, enjoy the night's festivities!" The crowd broke into enthusiastic applause, before taking their seats as the many Day Court attendants begun to bring out trays of food. Eris relaxed in his chair beside Helion, lazily picking up a glass of wine, swirling the contents within with small movements of his hand. He craned his neck over his shoulder, looking back at me. I refused to meet his gaze, instead focusing my attention to the dining room beyond. He cleared his throat pointedly, and I saw him extend the wine glass to me in my peripheral vision.

I looked down at him, raising my eyebrows in question. His stare was intense, his eyes resembling molten gold under the soft lighting from the chandeliers overhead. "Would you mind?" He asked, his voice low. I glanced at the wine glass in his hand, my lips thinning into a tight line. "You can never be too careful these days," he added, his lips curving up into that irritating smirk of his once more. I bit down on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from snapping at him. "Of course," I replied, my tone clipped as I took the glass from him.

Our fingers brushed, sending a shock of heat up my arm from our point of contact. I withheld my gasp at the sensation, bringing the glass to my lips. I held his gaze over the rim of the glass as I took a small sip of the rich wine, swallowing pointedly as his eyes bored into mine. I held my chin high as I handed the glass back to him, narrowing my eyes at him. His eyes appraised me once more, skimming over me from top to bottom, and I tightened my grip on the sword at my side to stop myself from squirming under his gaze. Seemingly satisfied that I hadn't dropped dead and that the wine was free of poison, he brought the glass to his lips, his eyes meeting mine once more. I held his stare, refusing to break first, as his tongue darted out and licked the rim in the place where my lips had just been. I narrowed my eyes at him, biting down on my bottom lip as my gut burned with irritation. Eris took a leisurely sip from the wine, before turning his back on me, like nothing had happened. I scowled at his back, fisting my hands at my sides.