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"Mattias, right?"
The Fae nods, and I look him over. The fading sunlight illuminates his tawny-gold skin as he stands uncomfortably still, holding his elbow with his opposite arm. He is utterly awkward, and I can’t help but laugh. Leave it to Cherie to find the misfit in a court of charmers.
Mattias has brought his father with him. An equally awkward Fae I recognize as a scholar. His half-moon spectacles sit on his nose, but when he smiles, I can feel the room warm up with love.
Within moments, my mother hugs Cherie. "Good luck, my dear!"
Moments later, my sister is standing in front of Mattias. The way they are looking at each other.
My heart squeezes.There’s no way… No way that Cherie found true love. Not in this place.
They stand close, almost embracing as they hold each other’s arms. Leafy vines with small, white flowers appear out of thin air and wrap around them.
There is no priest. No representative from the gods.The ceremony begins as my sister opens her mouth.
“Mattias, from this day forward, I promise to love you, give of myself, and hold you closely.For this life and the life to come.”
I go deathly still. No one uses those words in a Summer Fae marriage. Giving someone that kind of power over you is far too dangerous.
Tears spill down Mattias' cheeks and his voice cracks. “Cherie, I am yours. Give me what you will when you can, and I will do the same. I will turn away all others for youin this life and the life to come.”
My jaw drops open.
There are no tricks. No conditions that will eventually lead to separation.
It’s impossible.
The vines glow, and the newly vowed pair embrace each other with a sweet, tentative kiss.
Struck dumb, I watch them whisper in each other’s ears.
The Naming.
They not only give each other no conditions, but they also give each other their True Names. In doing so, they have given each other the ultimate power.
With True Names, a being can force a Fae to do anything.Of course, it’s rooted in the traditions in every court, but it has become almost unheard of in the last five hundred years.
I want to curse Cherie for being so stupid, for giving someone so much power, but… he gave her his Name as well.
There is complete and total vulnerability between them. A place where love can be nurtured, where love can flourish.
Tears prick my eyes, and I see Mattias' father also crying.
I have been wrong about this place. Maybe there is love to be found here.
Maybe.
Chapter14
I'm Not a Good Fae
ELVA
“I’m going to kill you.” I whimper, kneeling on the floor next to the iron door.
My head rests on the wooden frame, the only part of the wall that doesn’t burn my skin every time I touch it. Despite the weekly ice baths they keep dropping me into, my hair is greasy, and my skin is covered with a slick layer of grime.
I've grown so weak that I can barely stand on my own anymore. Sitting is easier.
