Two Wicked Courts

Chapter 6

There was a bold line that divided the continent into north and south that cut around the mountain ranges and waterways. The north, painted in rust and dark greens and grays, was labelled with Unseelie Court. The south, painted golden and shining, was the Seelie Court. Both of the main courts were divided nearly in half, as much as nature allowed. The southwest quarter, dominated by a large peninsula, was the Summer Court and to the south in the sea was a group of islands that must have been the Cidrian Isles. The southeast, detailed with many rivers and tributaries, was Spring Court and the northwest was the Autumn Court. The northeast, sectioned off from the rest of the continent by seemingly large mountain ranges, was the Winter Court. Other lands were hinted at on the edges of the map, but lacked any details.

Leander pushed the tray over for me to eat, interrupting my study. I forced myself to eat slowly and finished off the rest of it despite my stomach's protests as other male Fae started to file in. They disregarded my presence and sat around the table in silence, arranging documents in front of them.

Moments later, the king walked in with Cia nearly on his arm. Her hand dropped from his elbow as I glanced between them and wondered at their relationship. Cia was the younger sister of the former queen. I didn't know why she would have moved from the Isles with her sister and never marry, although the latter was an assumption on my part. Certainly the few interactions I had seen between the king and herself made it seem as though they were close—closer than the sister of a former wife usually was.

They stopped at the sight of us and the king spoke. "Leander, would you care to explain yourself?"

"I'm here and on time. What is it?"

The king looked directly at me and I schooled myself into the most blank expression I could muster. "Why did you bring the human?"

"You didn't say I couldn't."

"You brought a human to our royal war room. Even glamoured it's too much of a risk."

He didn't know Leander no longer used glamour on me and I glanced in Leander's direction but he made no move to correct his father.

"Any number of our secrets could be discovered, given to our enemies..."

"Enemies?" Leander laughed. "What, the Unseelie Court? We wiped the Winter Court out years ago. The Autumn Court wouldn't dare..."

Cia ignored them to address me, lips pursed unhappily. "Get out, human."

I had no desire to be between them and their power in another argument. If I wasn't at risk of getting maimed, the glamour was going to make me spill my stomach contents. I stood and bolted, but their voices continued to raise behind me.

"The heir was still alive! Don't you realize how dangerous that is, you ignorant child?"

"If he would have retaliated, he would have done so by now. It has been decades. We made sure he couldn't. You told us he couldn't."

"You are too naive to realize the need for vengeance doesn't fade with time, especially when it comes to family."

"Family? Do you not think I felt the same with Mother?" Leander's voice shook. "You're getting paranoid in your old age..."

The door slammed behind me and all sound and the effects of their glamour cut off. It was a disorienting feeling. I shook my head to steady myself and glad I didn't have to hear whatever followed that insult.

The corridor was empty. No guards, no servants. I was alone.

My head started to spin with ideas. I wasn't allowed to be at the meetings and studies, which Leander was supposed to attend on a daily basis. Lys never cared to remember me unless I was actively bothering him. I would have hours, every day, without them.