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But when I stepped out of my laboratory and ventured down to administer the potions, I could hear the whispers spreading through the castle. The fae spoke of their fears in this coming fight and took bets on who would betray us first, Rhoan of Taliesin.
My stomach dropped. No one trusted the men I needed on my side. I wished I could have shown my people the number of times that both men had saved my life. If it weren’t for Tal’s early intervention, then I wouldn’t be here today.
Clearly, morale sucked ass. Something needed to be done about that.
I administered the potions to the sleeping fae with Ostara’s help. We stood in the renewed silence, savoring the emptiness of it, when I decided to speak up.
“I can’t bring conflicted soldiers into the final battle of a war.” I spoke as I stared down at the nearest crystal coffin. “Morale is ruined right now. Between Rhoan’s change in status and the nightmares in here, no one knows what to think right now. I want to show everyone that no one here is a threat to their safety. In fact, I made sure to only bring in those I thought I could trust.”
Ostara stilled. “Are…are you asking for my advice?”
I lifted my gaze. A wide smile lit up her face. She rushed around the crystal coffins and excitedly took my hands in hers. Practically bouncing on the balls of her feet, she was a beacon of light in a room full of sleepers.
“I—I think so. I just need to figure out a way to show everyone that no one in my court is going to betray anyone else.”
Even as I spoke, I recalled Del and the blade she’d shoved through my back. She’d literally backstabbed me, which really set a bad example. Her involvement in the fight had been on different terms, though. We’d paid her to keep her on our side, and the moment that something more important came along, her allegiances changed.
Rhoan and Tal weren’t like that. Their allegiances hadalwaysbeen to the Seelie court.
“I think we should throw a party,” Ostara suggested. She held up a finger for me to wait because I already had objections prepared. “Hear me out first. If you want to paint your allies in a good light, put them in that light. A party will help everyone relax, and once they see your allies with their metaphorical hair down, they’ll feel as though they’ve seen the real versions of them.”
I wrinkled my nose. A party seemed awfully frivolous in a time like this.
“Oooh!” Hilda said, appearing atop a crystal coffin.
I shooed her off the coffin because it seemed wildly disrespectful to me, but Hilda was otherwise unfazed. She wagged a finger in my direction.
“We could all use a good party. A hootin, hollerin kind of time. Now, I have a deal with a nice man back in the mortal realm. All right, so it’s less of a deal and more like I took his name and now he has to help me whenever I call on him, but that seems a lot like a deal to me.”
I closed my eyes and squelched my rising frustration. “Get on with it.”
“Ah, yes. So, I can reach out to him and get my hands on some lights and fog machines for a really good time. They’re the same ones they use for concerts at the fairgrounds. Why do you think I stuck around that place? The shows are pretty decent, and I can get a lot of fun mortal foods.”
Ostara chuckled at Hilda. She found the brownie amusing, which was good at least.
“All right, we’ll have a party,” I decided. “But we’re going to make it as mortal as possible.”
Ostara started to object, but Hilda cut her off.
“Have you seen how short mortal lives are? If anyone knows how to live life to the fullest, it’s them. They’ll take a minute and make it feel like a lifetime. Believe me, I’ve been to the DMV. Worst cleaning job of my life; I felt like I would never be able to leave.”
“You’re not exactly selling me,” Ostara said with a scowl down at the brownie.
Hilda paused, lips twisted to the side as she mused on what she’d just said. “You may have a point, but I promise this will be a night to remember.”
That’s how I found myself back at my apartment in the mortal realm. The silence of my old home greeted me first. Then the smell of flowers and herbs welcomed me a heartbeat later. I breathed deep and savored the quick respite.
Rhoan touched my lower back and looked down at me questioningly. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
I leaned into him so that he would wrap his arm around me. “No. Not at all. But I want the court to see you and Tal in a different light. Hilda seems convinced that the different light we need comes from concert lasers, but who am I to question her?”
Rhoan chuckled. I stepped away to retrieve some of my cooking gear. There was no way that I was going to throw a mortal party without some buffalo chicken dip and glazed meatballs. A part of me hoped that I traumatized some poor Seelie fae’s palate with both.
I sent my friends a group text while I was in the mortal realm, too. They all replied with enthusiasm except for Ness and Ryder. The last time I’d been involved in a party with them, everyone had gotten hooked on fae wine.
Rhoan spun me around and pushed me back against the counter. At first, I thought he would try to get spicy, but he gently touched my cheek and kissed my forehead.
“I know you miss being able to spend time with them,” he said.
