When the letter arrived, Cassian had gone down to the lobby and returned with a coffee and strawberry Danish for himself.
A Nymph knocked on their door, flowers braided through her long golden hair. Without saying a word, she handed them a tan envelope that green moss grew over and left.
Faryn broke the seal, moss flaking and falling to the floor.
It was a summons.
Her hands shook as she held it, her fingers ripping the flowers that had been pressed into the sheet. Chrysanthos Thales ordered their appearance at his palace within the hour. The Green Man. Had it been those Spirit Court members who had alerted him to who exactly was seeking refuge in his city?
The Green Man was part of the Narcissus Court though. A small court compared to Spirit and Winter. Of its members' loyalties, Spring the Beauty was loyal to the Winter Court as her husband and daughter were Moroz and Snow Maiden. As for every other member, that was a mystery.
Cassian took the letter, his eyes scanning it. "We should pack as if we aren't coming back."
"Are we fleeing then?"
He opened a dresser drawer and pulled out his clothes he'd worn from Eiraacia. "We'll be hard pressed to leave the city now that he knows we're here."
He changed and asked Faryn if she would store his new ones in her bag. He actually asked it rather politely—in the voice he used for those people on the plane—which meant his clothes ended up in her bag. With the addition of her new boots, her bag was swollen. He'd have to find his own soon.
To go before the Green Man, Faryn dressed for a fight. Not that her dagger would do a thing against the Spring King.
Outside white limo waited for them. The scent of Cassian's magic brewing was in the air he was ready to lash out at a moment's notice.
Their driver had pointed ears, and Faryn's nostrils flared as they sat down. Diwata, a type of Elf. She only recognized the scent because of the other Diwata she'd met. Fae and Elves and Thorine had distinct scents from one another, but other kinds of Acurials, like Alkine and Laihr, couldn't pick up on them.
A bottle of champagne chilled in a bucket of ice. Though her mouth went dry at the condensation slowly crawling down the side of the bottle, it was best if she didn't have any. Should Chrysanthos attack, she needed to be able to at least dodge a vine.
Cassian rubbed his palms over the top of his pants. His eyes flicked to the champagne and back to her.
It wasn't a smooth ride to the palace. The cobblestones jolted the limo, and Faryn didn't know how anyone was supposed to attempt to drink anything while it was in motion. She couldn't talk to Cassian, couldn't ask what he expected when they arrived. Not when the Diwata would report anything they said back to the Green Man. If they spoke too friendly, they'd be called allies, too harshly, and they'd probably say she was somehow holding Cassian prisoner. If they really thought she could bring down Claus, they could rationalize anything.
Would the Green Man turn them into the Winter Court as some sort of offering to establish an alliance?
The limo pulled in front of a gleaming white mansion, fit for a Greek god living on Mount Olympus. Stepping out of the limo, she felt swallowed up by the shadows of the columns that stretched up into the sky. Dark spring-green vines wove around the trunks of the columns as if they too could soar to the clouds.
This was a palace for giants. Though the hotel they were staying in was larger, there was something about the Green Man's palace that made Faryn inconsequential to the world.
She'd never felt so screwed.
Chrysanthos Thales was powerful. While he was not a god, many humans had once believed the Green Man to be a deity. There were probably still a few who did.
Like Santa, the Green Man was an inherited title, and this particular line of magic always passed to the eldest son. Magic was a fickle beast and could one day decide to throw their world into a tailspin by giving the title to another descendent. It would do what it wanted, and no one could change that. But for now, it seemed content on sticking to the eldest son becoming the Green Man, biding its time until it suddenly decided to choose the youngest daughter.
Their driver said the Green Man would see them inside, and that was their indication to start walking.
They climbed the steps laden in chartreuse-colored moss, acting as a cushion for their joints against the large steps. Once at the top, they passed between the columns and through the stoa, where two iron doors, easily the height of three, barred them from entering. In row after row, the iron depicted the Green Man's face that sprouted leaves and branches. Was the iron a warning to Fae? Being a Nymph, the Green Man was Elf. Iron affected neither Elf nor Fae, but humans had often believed it would ward against Fae. Chrysanthos's exact feelings regarding Fae were not well known, but even if they were negative, he wouldn't try anything against the Tooth Fairy's son and heir, right?
Ata, she swore under her breath as the doors inched open with a groan. The next Tooth Fairy. There hadn't been time to think about what that meant, and to picture Cassian in the role was impossible. He'd be a full member of a court, possessing the power and fame that came with that position. He'd be the beloved figure children around the world waited on to rewarded them for their fallen teeth. No. Definitely not. Her brain would not accept that picture. She hadn't even seen his wings.
Through the doors the hallway beyond was bathed in an amber glow. Ethereal music from what sounded like a harp drifted toward them. She couldn't name the other instruments that floated in that mix of chords and strums. The music sounded—felt as if it were sung by the very air she breathed.
Together they walked inside. Two Elven men stood guard at the doors, their nostrils flaring as Faryn and Cassian stepped past them.
Flowers had blossomed along the marble walls, over patches of moss. The flowers were in the brightest, richest, most vibrant shades she'd ever seen. Tiger and pumpkin orange lantanas were peppered over the floors and the walls, peeking out from the patches of moss. Magenta rhododendrons and boysenberry aliums streaked across the walls. Spanish carmine carnations and cyan hydrangeas spiraled in circles. Cadet blue and rosé pink delphiniums sprouted along the edges of the floor. The sight took her breath away.
Petals in the softest shades of pink and white rested on the marble floors, forming a path. They followed it down the expansive hallway amid the lush greenery, a showcase of Chrysanthos's powers.
At the end of the hall, the petals led to the right. As they walked, Faryn kept close to Cassian, expecting someone to jump out from the doors or darkened alcoves they passed.
Another set of double iron doors loomed before them, smaller but still magnificent. The doors swung inward as they approached, opening into a throne room. White stairs led up to a moss-covered throne, green and as vibrant as the flowers that bloomed from it. Standing before the throne halfway up the stairs was a beautiful Nymph male, his brunette hair rustled across his forehead, a crown of silver branches that sprouted upward, emeralds in the place of leaves set into the boughs. The Crown of Eternal Spring.
The Green Man's smile was feline, his bright green eyes even seemed to glow as if they belonged to a cat. "Faryn Morozko and Cassian Etend, welcome to my home."
Seated at the top of the steps was another Nymph, his skin an ochre brown and eyes the color of crushed blueberries. In his lap was a boy, a toddler, his skin a lighter shade of ochre than the male's. His brown curls were an almost golden bronze.
Were she and Cassian meant to bow? But Cassian made no move to and so she didn't either.
On the other side of Chrysanthos stood a light-skinned man and woman. She was younger than the man, only a teenager. Brown curls tumbled from her head, and both of their eyes glowed like the Green Man's.
Chrysanthos motioned to the seated Nymph. "My husband Ries and our youngest, Macario." He held out a hand to the other male. "Our eldest Kiril." With Chrysanthos's long-lasting youth, they looked as if they could be the same age. "And our daughter, Kaisa." The girl dipped her head, her smile as animal-like as Chrysanthos's.
There were no columns in this room. Shining marble floor stretched between her and the Fata and the Thales family. The only piece of furniture was the throne. Moss and flowers grew over the walls and ceiling. Moss covered the chandeliers that hung above their heads.
"You summoned us." Cassian kept his tone cool, indifferent.
There was no one else in the room. No members of the Winter Court were in sight but that didn't mean they weren't somewhere within the palace. Faryn's hand itched to wrap around her dagger. Why had the guards let her keep it?
Chrysanthos examined his nails and walked down the steps until he stood at the base of the stairs. "It's been a long time since I allowed a Fae to enter my home." Instead of looking to Cassian when he raised his eyes, they were directed at Faryn. "You've had quite a tumultuous few days, haven't you?"
She shifted her weight between her feet. "Am I to understand you've summoned us here to hand us over to Winter?"
"You've yet to prove you've done anything wrong. When I heard you were in my city, I wanted to make sure you were safe." His gaze drifted to Cassian and darkened.
Ries's eyes were trained on his husband, and he had paused his playing with Macario.
"My mother had nothing to do with Nick's disappearance."
Chrysanthos cocked his head, more cat like than Elf. "Yes." Though he didn't sound as if he meant it. "How could she have? She's Nick's friend, right?" He looked over his shoulder at Ries. "It's not as if a Fae has never led others to believe they were friends."
Cassian gritted his teeth. "Nick is Alkine."
"Yes, though that doesn't mean your mother isn't a suspect. I don't think she did it, but that just makes me even more confused about why you helped Faryn, an Elf. I just don't want to hear one day that yet another one of my kind has fallen prey to yours."
Cassian trembled. "I am an heir to a seat on the Midas Court. You should not make baseless claims about what I will and won't do."
With a snarl that had Faryn stepping back, Chrysanthos flashed his forearm. "They are not baseless." Even with the Nymph on his dais, Faryn's keen eyesight was enough to see the inch long scar along his skin where his veins ran green. He flipped his arm, and a matching scar was there on the other side. "A Fae I was in love with tried plunging his hunting knife through my heart when he thought I was asleep." Clapping his hands behind his back, Chrysanthos approached them, his eyes trained on the Fata. "We're sport for your kind. To get us to finally break, to trust you even when our every instinct screams against it."
Cassian swallowed hard, his jaw tightening. "I have no time for grotesque games—that are played by both sides, mind you—not when I'm now forced to defend myself against Faryn's court."
"They're not my court." She rolled her jaw. "Green Man, I appreciate your concern. I really do. But to be frank, I don't have the luxury of not allying with him even if I did believe he wanted to harm me."
"Chrys," Ries spoke up, "tell them."
Chrysanthos took a deep breath. "I will not betray you to the Winter Court. You are welcome to stay in New Corinth as long as you both wish, but that won't stop Winter from tracking you down. Either find Nick or ally yourself with those who are also suspects." A glance at Cassian. "Flozzie or Peter Ton. But as you're so certain your mother is not behind this, you'll need to pay Ton a visit. See if Nick is with him or if he will help you." The Easter Bunny? For decades, Santa has been the most beloved among Humans, the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny constantly playing second fiddle. If there was a gap, they could build up their power, their adoration.
Faryn chewed on the inside of her cheek. "My brother isn't a suspect?" She hated referring to her mother's son as anything to her.
"Aah Niklaus." Chrysanthos smirked. "Beautiful with a heart that doesn't match, but loyal to a fault to his father. You've never met him, have you?"
"I hadn't even met my cousin until the other day." Ata, was it only two days ago?
"A shame to be barred from such a powerful family."
"I have no interest in them."
He gave her a look that called her a liar. "You know where to find Peter?"
Cassian nodded.
He lived in the United States, in a state called Nebraska, far away from any Acurial cities.
Ries stood and approached them. "Should you decide to leave New Corinth, we will provide you transportation to the airport." There was no animosity in his eyes when his gaze landed on Cassian. The Acurials' train system was out of the question for the two of them. Human transportation was really their only option.
The Fata gave her a nod. They were in agreement then.
They were going to Nebraska.
Hello, loves. What is your favorite holiday?
The next update will be Wednesday.