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Chapter6
Rage. A hazy red fiery rage was all that coursed through me as I stared, frozen in place, witnessing Noah and Vanessa laughing on the stone stairs in front of the entire castle.
The beautiful blonde hair of the fae with Noah, curled to perfection in ringlets, shook like she was in the middle of a movie as she moved her head. She threw her head back, touching his arm as she laughed so loudly, I could hear it above the din of the crowd. The murmurs rolling through the staff and other fae in the palace were many.
But I didn’t say a word. Instead, I seethed. Watching her being handsy with Noah. I didn’t know shit about her, but I hated her. It was as though my heart hardened toward her the longer I watched the obvious show she was putting on for everyone.
My human world had been disgusting, judgmental opinions thrown out about me, one after another. I was the rough kid. The bad girl. Trouble. The rebel.
The list was long from what I’d heard said about me to case workers, teachers, parents of potential friends who suddenly couldn’t hang out with me anymore. They were all snap judgments made without knowing me at all.
It had been so common that I’d grown used to it, but that didn’t stop the crushing disappointment that stayed inside of me like stones weighing me down.
And the fact that I was doing the same to Vanessa didn’t matter. Not at all. Not enough to stop the jealousy.
A hand touched my arm, and I yanked away from it.
“Cora,” Nicole said quietly.
I shook my head, refusing to say a word. There may be a new shiny object in the palace, but that wouldn’t stop the staff around us from having their always listening, gossiping ears open to hear anything I’d say. Even saying I didn’t want to talk about it would imply something. I didn’t have time to be the subject of rumors and idle prattle.
The king and queen stepped forward, finally breaking up the two lovebirds, and Vanessa’s attention immediately went to them. Fawning as they escorted her up the castle stairs. Noah waved to the fae of the kingdom, the perfect princely move because the crowd ate it up and clapped.
The king and queen paused their exit and the beautiful, perfect-looking Vanessa, in her pale blue gown that swished so elegantly any time she turned, was ushered forward from them. She bowed her head and blew a kiss to the crowd of fae that was already cheering Noah.
Cheering their prince and a woman who had already won them over just by being a beautiful fae dignitary. The love story that was most likely weaving through everyone’s mind was making its way into mine as well.
She was flawless in front of the public. Infatuated with Noah. Adored by other fae. All the qualities that one would want a queen to have. An Unseelie queen to have.
“You’d think she trained her whole life to be the Unseelie queen. Barely a blink and these fae are welcoming her as some perfect creature.” Nicole sniffed in disgust after she lamented the audience. She hadn't been speaking to me but rather to anyone who would listen. But I couldn’t respond. Not right now.
Noah waved once more to his people, and though he looked out at them, his eyes never turned toward the staff. Never looked for me.
Once the royals were away from view, Ms. Trapsbury herded everyone back toward the castle. I walked mindlessly, shuffling along with the rest of the staff to go about our daily duties. And the closer we moved toward the castle, the more I dreaded how at some point I’d have to see Noah and Vanessa together again.
“Yo, are you listening to me?” Nicole shoved into me as she spoke, and I hit the stone wall with my shoulder.
I grabbed at it and grimaced at her. “What is wrong with you?”
“Me?” she said, her nose wrinkled in disgust. “You’re the one acting strange. Whatever.” Nicole turned down her own hallway as I departed for mine. “I’ll see you in twenty at training. Maybe that will straighten you out.”
Twenty minutes. I had twenty minutes and then I could unleash the jealousy that had overtaken me and the ugly knot twisting me up and turning me into whatever it was I was becoming.
* * *
My mouth gaped open and closed, trying to suck in air to no avail. I closed my eyes as the tightness in my rib cage throbbed and I tried harder to get my breathing back.
It was the third time in less than ten minutes Captain Coltrain had knocked me off my feet, and hard.
He wasn’t holding back despite my clear distraction. While feeders normally trained with their fae, Noah obviously wasn’t planning to be here today, but I came anyway, feeling as though I could use the release.
“Cora, I’m not sure what’s going on, but if you don’t get your head in training, you’ll end up with a broken rib instead of a few bruises. Again.” He reset his body, facing me in his attack stance and not bothering to offer to help pull me up on my own two feet. “You’re better than this.”
I rolled over on the plush grass outside, grunting as my breathing returned to normal.
Training had been moved from the towers to the outdoors now that the weather in Faerie was turning warm. While normally the outdoors and sunshine were a good thing, today was not so fun since I’d spent most of the time eating dirt.
Rolling my shoulders back after I stood, I tried to center myself. Nicole was with Gabe, who was taking a break across the yard. Actually, most of the fae and feeders were on a break. Which was code for watching me get my ass kicked by the captain.
