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“I sent him many letters asking him to come,” I say. “They went unanswered.”
My king taps his temple. “He is near. I hear him.”
“He’s eavesdropping?” I ask.
My king nods.
“Show yourself!” I shout.
A bunny hops out of the bushes and looks up. Intelligent fae eyes stare back at us before they fade away, and my friend and Chloe’s brother walks up. Once he reaches the gray bunny, he picks up the animal and speaks softly to it before releasing him from the spell and approaching me and my king.
The years at the farm have been kind to him. He’s well groomed, and his dark red hair is pulled back into a tight, high pony tail, but his attire is outdated for the modern court, which tells me he didn’t have time to commission a uniform or hadn’t planned on getting caught being here.
With a bow, he greets the Summer king. “King Et’enne. It’s a pleasure to see you again. Congratulations on your marriage.”
“Thank you, Alestho. How have you been?”
“Never better.” His eyes, the same large green eyes as his sister’s, narrow. “I hear my best friend put my baby sister on the Spring throne. The next thing you know, he’ll be the one lover she takes.”
“Watch it,” my king says. “The last time I suggested lovemaking to D’Artaron, he punched me in the face.”
“I bet he did.” He points at me. “Because he has a history of leaving the people who love him, and he’s already left enough people in my family. In fact, he left our entire province for your court.”
Unwilling to indulge his petty accusations, I simply shake my head.
“D’Artaron honors his promises,” my king says, “and his duties. It is an honorable thing. The same can’t be said about you.”
“This isn’t about me. Why did you invite me here?”
He invited him? I press my lips together and glare at the Summer king.
King Et’enne tilts his head. “I didn’t invite you.”
Something uncomfortable tingles up my spine.
“I was bird-watching this morning, and the fate who sees all that’s come to pass walked out of my wine cellar.” Alestho rolls his shoulders and makes a face, likely because seeing a veiled fate strolling out of his cellar creeped him out. “She said I must come here. On King Et’enne’s orders.”
“Except, I’m not your king, so you didn’t have to follow my orders.”
Alestho snorts. “You and I both know I can’t disobey you. D’Artaron would come after me.” He turns to me. “Do you deny it?”
“I wrote to you,” I say, refusing to answer.
“I burned your letters.”
“Awww, you guys sound like lovers.”
We glare at the king.
“Tell him,” I say to my king, who raises an eyebrow at my order, but humors me.
“You will take D’Artaron’s place at court,” King Et’enne says.
“Which court?” Alestho asks.
My king smirks, looks from me to him, then says, “Your sister’s court.”
“Respectfully, I decline.”
