Alpha Ember (ALPHA KANE BOOK 2)

1. Down the Rabbit Hole

Tyra

"What the hell is that?" my dad demanded, jabbing a finger towards my forehead.

Elzeria, the Autumn Court's most prestigious designer and the faerie who has brought to life some of the most beautiful, craftiest clothes known to fae scattered all across the globe way before my own great grandparents were even born and who had recently agreed to be my personal stylist just last week raised a brow at my dad. "Don't you know what a pimple is, Franz?"

Dad blew out a breath. "Yes, Elzeria, that's a pimple on my daughter's beautiful forehead. A beautiful forehead which, might I remind you, is your job to keep spotless. I wasn't aware one with your prestigious reputation was capable of slacking off?"

Elzeria- who had been stroking the double branches that protruded from her head and curled across each of her shoulders like braids- froze, one of the green leaves fluttering onto her desk as her thorn lashes lowered over suddenly flashing blue eyes. "Are you calling me incompetent?"

There was danger lurking beneath that question, something my Dad would have warned me to be cautious of if it had been directed at me. Something he didn't have to worry about since he didn't have a drop of human blood running through his veins. "Do you have another word for it?" he asked angrily.

Very slowly, Elzeria rose from her chair. She was six feet tall, practically nothing more than bones with how skinny she was and to a normal human looked entirely harmless. Could be labeled an albeit strange but beautiful woman with her bizzare lashes and braids, small face and chic dress with random holes in it, giving seductive glimpses of her pale white skin beneath the red fabric. But if that human kept looking, they'd notice the pointed edges of her ears marking her as a fae. And with fae, the harmless looking ones were sometimes the most harmful ones.

As if to prove my point, Elzeria bared her fangs and sharp spikes each the length of my arm shot out from the holes in her dress, one of them impaling her table like it was cheese.

Eyebrows raised, I opened my mouth to speak, almost forgetting our rule if Dad hadn't stopped me with a raised hand.

I closed my mouth, remembering Dad's words. With fae, it was best to keep your mouth shut- especially when they were angry. A closed mouth cannot agree to anything, nor can it provoke the faerie further enough that they'll decide to shut it for you. (Seriously, some might try to sew it shut.)

"Why have you got your leaves ruffled when you're the one who's failed to do your job?" Dad asked.

The leaves on Elzeria's branches were turning a flaming red. "How dare you come here insulting me and my abilities when you're the cause of all this in the first place?" she asked.

Dad frowned. "I gave her that pimple?"

I would've laughed if he hadn't looked so horrified.

"Your daughter is a half human who can eat fae fruit without dying but even she isn't exempt from certain side effects. I've been trying my best to keep her together but you continue to push her over and over-"

"The festival tonight is the last time," Dad cut in curtly. "After this she will never have to eat another piece of fruit again."

My mouth twitched at that. Involuntarily, my fists clenched in my lap.

Neither of them noticed. Elzeria's eyes narrowed, her spikes slowly retreating inwards. "Do you truly believe that?"

"The Lord of the Autumn Court himself has invited her to his palace," Dad said, standing up. "His son has expressed a romantic interest in Tyra. He will not fail to fall for her charms during tonight's celebration, and by the time dawn is upon us he will be ready to sell his soul to have her for his own. She will finally have the very best of everything- just like she deserves."