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Chapter1
Lia
Icould sense them . . .bothof them.
Bayleon and Bastian were close, but I couldn’t see them. The wind blew through the wisteria trees, making the blue and purple petals dance in the air as they fell from their vines. It almost looked like snow billowing all around me.
Stopping in the middle of the grove, I held my breath and scanned my surroundings, squinting against the sun. It was bright overhead, and I could feel its rays beaming down on my skin, only it wasn’t hot in the Spring Court, not like it was in the Summer Court. Every now and again we’d get a rainstorm, and it didn’t matter where I was, I always made my way outside to enjoy every second of it. It was my own tradition, which I planned on upholding when I became queen of my court.
I breathed in quietly and stepped toward two interlocking wisteria trees; they were wide enough to allow Bayleon and Bastian to hide behind them and not be seen. Ever so slowly, I closed the distance and placed a hand on my sword hilt, ready to unsheathe it within a moment’s notice. But when I stepped around the massive trunk, they weren’t there. I had a feeling they wouldn’t be; it was too easy.
Everything was quiet except for the wind and the melodic chirping of a group of yellow warblers above me. They were native to the mortal realm, but someone in my court loved them so much they brought them to the Land of the Fae.
Was it forbidden to bring over animals not native to our land? No, but there was always a risk they wouldn’t survive.
I inherited an affinity for nature and animals from my mother, meaning I could understand creatures in ways no other fae could. The warblers were much happier here than in the mortal realm. Their chirps sounded like gleeful laughs as they bounced along the branches, making more wisteria petals fall on me. But soon, their song changed its tune.
It turned into a warning . . . someone was near, but I already knew that.
Bayleon and Bastian’s presence felt like a warm blanket wrapping around me. I didn’t have to worry about anything with them nearby. When they offered to be my protectors, I knew I didn’tneedthem. My mother and father had trained me to fight and take care of myself since the day I could walk. It was more as if IwantedBayleon and Bastian to be close. They were part of the Tyvar—a group of handsome fae men cursed with the power of seduction, able to enthrall any woman with just a simple glance into their captivating midnight-blue eyes. Most of the Tyvar didn’t see it as a curse, but Bayleon and Bastian did.
When my mother met them many years ago, she helped them see there was more to life. The others enjoyed luring in women and pleasuring them until they died. That was why Bayleon and Bastian left their home in the Mystical Forest to live in the Spring Court, vowing never to enthrall any women in my court. The penalty was death if they did. They wanted to change, and my mother believed they could. Of all their years in the Spring Court, they haven’t yet slipped up once.
Being a royal, I was immune to their powers, so it wasn’t their magic that had gripped me; it was something else, something forbidden. I’ve kept the truth hidden deep within the confines of my soul for the past seven years, ever since they became my protectors. The only problem was it was becoming harder to live with that secret with each passing day. I was in love with both men—made more complicated by the fact they were twin brothers. I couldn’t have them both, and there was no way I could choose between them. And because of that, my heart would forever be doomed.
The ache in my chest grew, but I forced it away. I couldn’t let anything distract me, not when this was my final test. I didn’t need to prove to anyone that I could be queen and protect my people, but Ididwant to prove it to myself. I’d been able to thwart Bayleon and Bastian’s attacks for the past year; it was the one goal I wanted to achieve before becoming queen of my court . . . the Blossom Court. It would still be a part of the Spring Court, but it would be my own. I had never been more ready for anything in my life.
Today I was just a princess, but tomorrow I would be a queen.
I sensed a shift behind me and smiled. The guys were good at hiding, at being the predators. I’ve trained my entire life to be a warrior, never to be the prey, and today was no different. I knew today’s test would be the hardest of all, and I was curious to see what Bayleon and Bastian had in store for me. I took cover behind one of the wisteria trees and peeked around the edge, knowing very well that the guys were gaining ground on me; I could hear the subtle swishes of the grass as they approached. But where were they? I could hear them, but I couldn’t see them. It was then that I noticed the wisteria petals dancing in the wind through the small meadow between the trees, but there were two invisible outlines which the petals couldn’t fall through.
“You guys are smart,” I said, unsheathing my sword with my right hand and my dagger with my left, “but not smart enough.”
I stepped away from the tree, and heard the guys pull out their swords. Still, I couldn’t see them, but the grass flattened with their steps as they rushed toward me. Even though I couldn’t see them, I concentrated on the sounds and attacked.
Fighting blind was a skill I’d practiced but never fully perfected. Today was going to be the day I mastered it. Swinging my sword, it connected with a blade, and I quickly used my dagger to swipe low, drawing it across my attacker’s leg. I heard Bayleon’s growl and rolled across the ground away from him, knowing that Bastian wasn’t far from his right. Hurting them made my stomach clench, but I had no choice.
Strong arms encircled my waist, and I felt a familiar warmth. The manly smell of sandalwood reached my nose, and I knew it was Bastian. I headbutted him in the face, earning a snarl in return as I shifted out of his hold and swiped my sword across his back. The metal slicing through his skin was a sound I never wanted to hear again, not when it was with someone I cared about.
Blood dripped onto the green grass, and it shimmered in the sun on my blade. Hurting them was part of the test, and I didn’t realize how hard it would be. I’d been told there might come a time when someone I loved would betray me, and I’d have to make a tough decision.
Would I be able to hurt them? The answer was simple . . . I’d do what I had to do. I drew blood from the two men I cared most about, and I never wanted to do it again.
“All right,” I called out, “I’m done.”
Bayleon and Bastian appeared within seconds right after they took off the magical necklaces that made them invisible. Both were dressed in their dark green warrior leathers of the Spring Court and their eyes hidden behind the silver masquerade masks they have to wear at all times. It was the only way they could be around the women in my court without condemning them to death by seduction. Sadly, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to look into their eyes. In their hands were the silver chain necklaces with a honey amber crystal attached to each one. After sheathing my sword and dagger, I stared down at the magical stones. The crystals belonged to my parents, a gift from my uncle Ryder who transferred some of his invisibility magic into the stones; my parents were very protective of them. It would be disastrous if they fell into the wrong hands.
“Was it my parents’ idea or yours to use the stones?” I asked, glancing back and forth between the brothers.
They were over two hundred years old but didn’t look a day over twenty-five with their golden blonde hair, midnight-blue eyes, and angelic features. The only physical difference between them was their hair. Bayleon kept his silky and long while Bastian had his cut short like most of the young warriors in the courts; it was a trend that carried over from the mortal realm. One of the things I enjoyed most about them was how they spoke and carried themselves; it was very proper and gentlemanlike. Their voices were regal, almost as if they were brought up as royalty, and smooth like honey. I don’t know much about their father—he wasn’t something the guys ever wanted to talk about—but I knew their mother loved them and did her best to raise them right.
Bastian stepped forward and winced in pain as he held the necklace toward me. “It was both,” he confessed. “You did very well, princess.”
Instead of taking the stone, I grabbed his arm and sent my healing magic straight into him, healing the sword wound on his back. In addition to the affinity of nature and animals I’d inherited from my mother, I also had the power of healing, and the ability to control water inherited from my father. I couldn’t see Bastian’s eyes clearly through his mask, but I could still see them. I watched as his lips parted, and a sigh of relief escaped.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
I squeezed his arm. “I’m sorry.” He tried to hand me the necklace, but I shook my head. “I trust you with the stone.Youcan return it to my parents.”
