Prisoner of Darkness (Whims of Fae Book 2)(34)

“I was listening to you, not preparing to be attacked by a pillow.”

“Lesson two: always be prepared. You don’t think someone wanting to hurt you won’t distract you? The stronger the distraction, the more vulnerable you’ll be.”

She’d show him distraction. Using her magic, she threw a pillow at Kaelem.

He caught it. “Lesson three: know your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. I can read minds, and unless you learn to keep me out, I’ll always know your next move.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Aww, darling, hasn’t anyone already let you in on the secret that life isn’t fair?”

“Don’t mock me.”

“I’m not. But if you want to make it in the fae world, you need to learn no one plays fair. It isn’t in our nature.”

Our nature. That included Scarlett now.

She wasn’t a human anymore. And if she kept acting like she was, she’d never save Ashleigh.

“Being fae isn’t as bad as you make it seem,” Kaelem said.

“You’ve never been human.”

“Neither have you, not really.”

Scarlett glared at him like he’d just insulted her mother. But he was right. Even if her fae nature had been masked, she’d always had it in her.

But being mortal was all she knew. Sure, humans could be selfish and backstabbing and spiteful. But they could be kind and generous and selfless, too. The fae were too proud. Magic and power were their currencies.

Scarlett and Kaelem trained more, until finally Scarlett’s magic ran too low to even lift a feather.

“I need a break,” Scarlett said. “I’m going for a walk.”



Scarlett wore the heaviest jacket she could find from the closet. The Winter Queen had provided clothing for all the Solstice guests from other courts, as a way of showing her hospitality, or so she said.

It was all a ruse if you asked Scarlett. When Kaelem had prepared her for what to expect, he’d told her that the Solstice was when Winter Court fae were at their strongest.

She’d remembered Cade explaining the courts to her. It seemed like so long ago when she’d spent that day with Cade, when they’d played in the waves. He’d been carefree then, if only briefly. It was a side of Cade she questioned still existed. Scarlett had learned how the fae courts worked. How each seasonal court was tied to Faerie and at their most powerful during their respective season.

But Scarlett and Kaelem weren’t tied to a season, so their magic was stable. It should give them an advantage. The numbers, however, weren’t in their favor: two against who knew how many. The pressure overwhelmed her.

Scarlett needed fresh air. She walked down the staircase and found the front door guarded by one fae. When she approached the door, it opened.

“Thank you,” she said as she stepped outside.

Instead of following the path that headed into the forest, Scarlett veered off to a path that led around the castle. Hedgerows bordered the path, coated in a thin layer of snow. The cobblestone beneath her feet was perfectly clear.

An opening in the bushes appeared. Scarlett entered a round garden area, miraculously free from any snow or ice. How was that possible?

Rose bushes lined the area, planted on the highest tier. The next row had hydrangea and irises. The bottom row had tulips in every color. Although she hadn’t inherited her mother’s green thumb, Scarlett found comfort in the presence of the flowers. They were the one thing that had kept her mother calm on her worst days. She’d prune the garden while talking to the voices in her head. It was strange how much Scarlett missed those days.

In the center of the area, someone sat on a bench, his back to Scarlett. When he turned his head, Scarlett saw it was Jaser.

“Hi,” she said. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“Join, if you’d like,” he said.

Scarlett sat next to him. “It’s beautiful. How are all the plants alive in the cold?”

“Magic.”

“Of course.” That was the answer for everything.

Jaser chuckled. “Not a fan?”

Scarlett shrugged. “If you would have told ten-year-old me that there was a world where magic was real and someday she’d have powers of her own, I would have peed my pants in excitement.”

“Peed your pants, huh? That’s attractive.”

“It’s a human expression,” Scarlett said. “Guess I shouldn’t use it anymore.”

A rose that had fallen to the ground drifted upward and over to Scarlett, hovering in the air. “You might physically be fae now, but you’ll never erase your mortal memories.”

She took the rose and twirled it in her hand. “Thanks.”

“You’re okay, though?” Jaser asked. “I was glad to see you didn’t die, but surprised to see you with the Unseelie King of all people.”

“He’s helping me.” Scarlett inhaled the scent of the rose, its sweetness tingling her nose. “I’m still learning how to be fae.”

“And what about Raith?”

“Raith?” Could Scarlett trust Jaser to keep a secret? Jaser and Raith were friends, but Jaser now worked for Cade. If he told Cade that Raith still lived, Cade would hunt him down.

“He’s alive,” Jaser said, watching Scarlett as if waiting for her reaction.