"The grand duchess' daughter, Catalina."
For a moment, there was only silence.
A few heartbeats after Queen Titania announced the name of Glen's future fiancée, hundreds of girls and women alike slumped with disappointment.
"It should have been me." A chorus of petty whining clouded the air, while applause filled the grand ballroom as the crowds parted.
Diandre craned his head to get a look at the faerie that was approaching, along with every other curious guest on the dance floor. I couldn't bring myself to look up. All I felt was numb as a gorgeous girl drifted through the masses of creatures in attendance, wearing a breathtaking smile.
The duchess' daughter of Summer Court was lean and thin with dark, toffee skin that complimented her kind, brown eyes. She carried herself with unwavering elegance as her gown of golden beads trailed across the marble floor. Her wings gracefully fluttered from her delicate shoulder blades, surrounded by thick curls of Raven hair. Even her teeth were bright and shining as she waved to the cheering guests. I glanced over at the girl's family, who were grinning proudly as they held each other with moist eyes.
Catalina. She will make a good queen someday.
The entire realm seemed to hold their breath as the duchess' daughter approached the prince. Her posture was intelligent, her dimples friendly and approachable. Queen Titania had chosen well.
Catalina curtsied to Glen, her dress and bracelets trickling in rivulets of gold and wealth. I watched as Glen bowed back to her, dipping down to swiftly kiss her hand. The crowds went into an admiring frenzy, chattering gently about how beautiful the couple looked together. A part of me agreed. Another part of me, selfish depths in my soul, felt splintered into pieces.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Catalina." Glen greeted the duchess' daughter with a dashing smile.
Catalina blushed flawlessly, her eyes sparkling. "Likewise, your highness. I'm honored to be your partner for tonight."
A chord stuck in my heart, wrenching it so painfully that I rested my hand on my collarbone. I found that these words hurt more than the killing curse itself. Ugly emotions churned inside me as I hovered among the hundreds of faceless people. Heartbreak might kill me faster than any curse ever could.
I'm his partner. I always have been.
Queen Titania stood atop the balcony of the staircase, shooting me a triumphant, wicked smirk. She knew that she was winning. Lifting a single finger, the summer queen cued the band to begin playing. Every head in the crowd turned towards the musicians as they performed a flowing, romantic piece that seemed to soar into my ears. Offering his arm, Glen led Catalina into the center of the dance floor. More excited people began to gather outside the palace. Young children pressed their faces against the wide windows of the ballroom, eager to peer inside at the dance of the night. The entire realm was here to witness the first dance of Summer Court's future rulers.
The duchess' daughter placed her hand on Glen's shoulder, and he laced his arm around her waist as the melody lulled them into an intricate dance. No one could take their eyes off the couple as Glen and Catalina began to sway, their gazes not leaving each other. Locked in each other's eyes, Glen twirled Catalina in a slow, entrancing circle. Her gold gown plumed around her body as she spun back into his arms. The music mesmerized the onlookers as Glen and Catalina turned and stepped in perfect synchronization, their bodies flowing together like pieces of clockwork. They were undeniably stunning; I felt acid climbing in my throat just watching them. The song built up faster and faster until the couple was a blur of gossamer wings and golden riches as Glen took Catalina in his arms and dipped her down towards the dance floor.
"Marissa," Diandre murmured beside me. "Are you alright?"
I hadn't realized that my hand was curled around my sword hilt. I released my grip on the weapon at my side, letting my fingers fall limply.
"I'll be fine," I told him, not looking him in the eye. "She'll..." I struggled to force the words from my lips. "...She'll make Glen happy. She'll make the kingdom happy." I could see the adoration in the eyes of the people as they watched Glen and Catalina in fascination. "It's supposed to be like this."
Diandre gave me a concerned look, but I was already brushing through the crowds. I wanted to get as far away from the ballroom as possible. I wanted to close my eyes and be back in The Grimwood, clutched in Glen's arms as we kissed each other with everything we had. I wanted to go back to waking up next to him in Colorado. I wanted to go back to yelling at him desperately after Lorely had saved his life with a potion. I wanted to race him through the sky. I wanted to hear his amused laugh as I shot him some witty comeback.
I wanted to relive it all. Over and over again.
Tears welled in my eyes as I cursed myself for being such a fool. It would have been easier if Glen had never dragged me through that mirror at Summer Academy. It would have been easier if we had always stayed rivals. It would have been so much easier that way for me to let him go.
"I've grown soft after all." I whispered.
Suddenly, the ballroom went oddly quiet. The romantic melody had been cut off. Around me, elves and nymphs blinked in confusion.
"What's going on?" A winter faerie muttered.
I slowly turned around, my hand still gripping the door handle. In the center of the circle, I watched as a strand of Catalina's hair drifted into her face. Beneath the golden lights, I could see it tickling against her cheek as Glen held the duchess' daughter in an elegant dip. His fingers gently took the piece of her hair and a soft smile surfaced on his face as he began to tuck it behind Catalina's ear.
Don't. My heart had lodged itself in my throat.
That's when Glen's fingers loosened, and the strand of hair fell limply back into Catalina's face. The duchess' daughter looked up at him in utter puzzlement as Glen stood frozen in the middle of the ballroom. His green eyes were far away, but that smirk on his face was all too familiar.
"I sincerely apologize," he announced, guiding Catalina to her feet. She struggled to mask her confusion with a wavering smile as Glen released her. "It was a pleasure dancing with you, Catalina." He offered the duchess' daughter a respectful bow before turning back to the waves of silent guests. "But there's a debt that needs to be paid to me, and I was promised that I would receive it."
Queen Titania gaped at her son in pure outrage. Slowly, my fingers slipped from the door handle. A broad smile glowed across my lips.
Glen sauntered around the ring created by the elves, faeries, gypsies, and nymphs. "You see, a very important partner of mine made an oath to me." He explained. "And she owes me one thing before the end of tonight." A grin stretched across his face. "A dance."
Shock rippled through the crowds like wildfire. Catalina's eyebrows furrowed together in complete astonishment that mirrored the rest of the people.
I snorted in a very unladylike manner, "You're such an ass."
Every breathing person in the ballroom reeled towards me in horror. I must have snorted a little louder than I thought.
Glen's head snapped in my direction, his face lighting up with hope at the sound of my voice. He spotted me at the edge of the crowd. I watched his eyes widen in raw bewilderment as he admired my ballgown that fanned out from my hips, coated in falling snow. Glen's expression ignited with joy and awe as I approached him, my wings fluttering beneath the gazes and heated whisperings of hundreds.
The trim of my dress slid across the polished marble as my long braid swung down at my back. He seemed to be frozen at the sight of me, his lips captured in a proud smile as I drew closer to the center of the ballroom. I didn't even bother to glance at the swarms of creatures surrounding us. They had faces that didn't matter. The only one that mattered was the one right in front of me.
"She's from Winter Court," The summer fae spat.
"She's a knight." An elf observed in disgust.
Their remarks made me smile wider. Glen and I closed the distance between us as the crowds permitted me into the center ring of the ballroom.
"There's nothing that makes you stand out more than insulting the prince of half the world." Glen smirked, gently cupping my face.
"I'm the only one here to keep your ego in check." I protested with a grin. My smile faltered slightly as I saw Titania clutching the banister in a death grip out of the corner of my eye. "You know you shouldn't do this, Glen." I murmured quietly, tilting my head up to see his face. "You shouldn't dance with me in front of all these people. I got you into enough trouble as it is."
Glen placed his hand on my waist, tugging me against him. We were so close, all I could feel were his breaths brushing against my face.
"Do you think you can back out of your promise that easily, partner?" He smirked into my ear, his voice deepening. "I want that dance more than anything right now. And I don't care if you trip and fall on top of me while we're doing it."
"Good," I replied softly, placing my hand on Glen's shoulder. "Because I've already chucked myself down the stairs tonight and I can't make any promises."
"Besides the one you're trying to break right now?"
"Just shut up and dance with me."
The musicians began to play, their instruments filling the weighted silence with a soaring melody that struck our feet into motion. Glen glided me to the left, my gown rippling across my body beneath the lamplight. I didn't look away from his face; I didn't want to see the swarms of people staring back at me.
I took a nervous, shuddering breath as Glen spun me in a slow circle around him, and my wings began to beat together to the rhythm as I prayed that I wouldn't stumble and crash into the ground.
"Relax," Glen whispered into my ear as he pulled me closer. "Don't think of it as a ballroom." His eyebrows rose up and down mischievously. "Picture it as the fighting ring."
Picture it as the fighting ring.
The moment his words registered in my mind, the golden walls seemed to melt away into the rough tree bark of The Gathering Tree. The ring of dancers had become a roped off circle of dust. The judgmental whispers dissolved into wild hoots and defeating cheers while the scent of roses faded to the welcome smell of blood and sweat.
I was no longer in a gown but in training armor, and in front of me was my opponent. I glanced down, watching Glen's movements carefully as his boots slid through the dust. I copied his pace exactly, matching his battle stance.
"You can see it in your mind, can't you?" Glen grinned.
I nodded, feeling the thrill of a fight singing in my veins. It had entirely replaced all anxiety.
"Now," Glen instructed, his wings fluttering as we circled each other. "Attack me."
With a laugh, I swept towards him in the form of a roundhouse kick. Glen caught my foot in midair, and slowly twirled me around on one leg with a devilish smile before flipping me into the air. My instincts barreled in, forcing me to grasp his hands and flip him backwards off his feet. Glen landed smoothly with a smirk, catching me as I fell. I leaned back in his arms.
Once you were in the fighting ring, you couldn't step out.
To the tune of the instruments, we dipped and slid together across the ballroom, trapped inside that fighting ring where no one in the crowd could find us. It was just me and him.
"You're a better dancer than I thought, flower boy." I remarked.
Glen looked down at my face smugly. "But can you keep up?"
He broke away from my arms, hovering from side to side. I chased him down, slightly aware that my ballgown was rising and falling in the air like a balloon of snow. It didn't take long for me to find Glen's weakness point.
Jutting my hand out, I caught ahold of his arm and spun him until he was resting against me. I could feel his heartbeat galloping against mine.
I was faintly reminded of how Glen had pulled me against him as I struggled to leap through the mirror portal back at Summer Academy. We were locked in the same embrace right now.
"Don't try and let go." Glen murmured softly.
My entire body went rigid.
"I won't." I whispered. Our hands were pressed together tightly as we held on to each other for dear life. I could feel the desperate pressure between our fingertips, sizzling with despair. "I wish things would stay this way. I wish we could keep dancing like this."
Glen's eyes softened as we swayed together.
"It was you." he said.
My eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What?"
"When you asked what I was most afraid of losing after you had saved me from The Master's spell, it was you." Glen explained softly. "When I was trapped in sleep, I watched you die over and over again." His face contorted with pain. "I don't want to watch it happen when I know it's not a dream."
My eyes closed as I squeezed his hand.
"I'm sorry," I told him. "Dammit, I'm sorry for everything."
Glen's breaths shuddered against me. "Don't say that, Marissa."
"I have to," I protested gently. "Because you've given me more in the past week than someone could have given me in a lifetime. And you have no idea how grateful I am for that." My eyes clouded with tears. "I'm just sorry that I didn't know what was in my heart until I felt it dying."
Glen held me tighter, but when I turned my head to look at him he was wearing a hopeful smile that could shred my soul apart and make time itself stop.
"We still have time," he said. "I haven't lost you yet." We rocked slowly back and forth as the melody hummed in my ears and Glen looked down at my face for a long time. "To be honest, Marissa, I could probably kiss you right now in front of all these people, and I wouldn't regret a single damn moment."
"Good," I smiled. "Because I think I've fallen in love with you, and I haven't regretted a single damn moment."
That's when I decided I was done with hiding.
I grasped the front of his uniform and tugged Glen towards me, our lips meeting together in a forceful flash of passion that nearly sent me staggering into the dining tables. We kissed each other for a long time, our mouths smiling against each other's as Glen ran his hand through my pale hair. I could taste the nectar lingering on his lips, intoxicating and sweet. I breathed in the scent of dew grass on his sleeves. I could see blinding colors popping behind my closed eyelids as I drank in every beautiful, despaired moment.
Even the moment when the entire realm gasped in astonishment.
Glen and I slowly broke away from each other, our lips drawing apart to find that the ballroom guests had stopped their dancing and were gaping at us. Hundreds of jaws had dropped to the floor.
I still couldn't find it within myself to actually care.
Queen Titania finally broke the shocked silence as Glen and I began chuckling at each other. "I'd like to announce that dinner is now served in the dining hall just off the ballroom." She informed all of the guests, gesturing to the double doors to the left.
All at once, the people of the realm began to slowly leak out towards the food, chattering with confusion and rumors. They streamed towards the exotic scents of spices, cooked meats, and juicy fruits that beckoned them away. Queen Mab entered the dining hall as well, wickedly smirking up at Queen Titania's barely concealed expression of pure rage. She gave Glen and I a delicate wink before her diamond dress vanished in the crowd. I blinked, my eyes resting on Diandre who was talking to my classmates whom I recognized from Winter Academy. They were engaged in whatever he had to say, but I could see them sneaking looks at his back where his wings should have been.
That didn't bother me as much as the look I got from Diandre as he disappeared into the dining hall. His eyes collided with mine, but they shifted away almost immediately as his back turned to me and dissolved along with the hungry guests.
My heart panged hollowly.
Meanwhile, Queen Titania stood very still on the golden balcony, gripping the railing with whitening knuckles. Her blood red lips were curled with disdain as a vein pulsed against her forehead.
A summer guard crept between the moving bodies and grasped Glen's arm, pulling him away from me. He leaned in close to Glen's ear, whispering as inconspicuously as possible, "The queen demands your presence, your highness. Immediately."
"Wait," I argued, but Glen put out a hand to stop me.
"It's alright, Marissa." He assured me with a smile and shrug. "You've already taken responsibility once, I won't allow you to do it again."
Before I could protest, the guard was escorting Glen up the golden stairs and to the top of the balcony where Titania stood glowering down at him. My blood ran cold. The summer queen's eyes settled on me, and she gave me a simmering glare that expressed nothing other than raw hatred. I took that as my hint to leave. My boots echoing on the marble floors, I crossed the ballroom and entered the royal gardens through a wide, glass door.
Outside, the air was humid and made my braid cling to my back as I found myself surrounded by breathtaking bushes of roses. They were of every color, every shape, glowing beneath the light of Midsummer's moon. Paths of cobblestone weaved along lanes of trees and wild plants, dotted with lover's benches and stone statues. It was oddly quiet compared to the rest of the court at this hour, nearly silent besides the gurgling of the water fountains and the gentle lulling of the lake. I peered up at the towering maze in the distance, a labyrinth of hedges. A part of me wanted to race inside and become so lost that I would never have to surface again. The breeze whispered against my gown, daring me to step inside its menacing boundaries.
My wings flapped nervously as I stared at the maze for a long time, and I hurriedly looked away before continuing on through the gardens. Wind chimes rang gently as I brushed past them, venturing near the apple orchards. Buzzing above my head, the golden dome of the protection spell shimmered brightly like a confident angel watching over us.
I wish I had known in that moment that there was one thing an angel can do that can send the entire world into an uproar.
It can fall.
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