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Fae staff come out of her and father’s bedrooms carrying boxes. I hear a jingle that sounds like glass.
“Whoa! Whoa! What’s in that box?” Grandmother says, pointing at the very guilty-looking fae.
She turns to me. “Do you mind if I get back to the move? These fae seem to know a lot about moving gold, gems, and silk around, but give them something hearty, and they’re all butter-fingers!”
It’s hard not to laugh at the insulted looks on the fae’s faces. Especially because, while a lot of my grandmother’s stuff has interesting textures, not a lot of it… looks pretty. Like the messed up frog my dad carved for her that’s currently sitting in a box in the fae’s hands.
“Don’t let me interrupt you.” I plant a kiss on her cheek and give her hands a squeeze before heading outside.
She gets back to hollering at the fae about what to take and what to leave behind, but I try to tune her out. Wondering where my father is and how he feels about all of this. Wondering if there’s a quiet place I can hide from all of this and come up with some kind of incredible plan that means my family gets to keep all this happiness, and I don’t have to share a bed with four giant fae.
To my shock, my father sits outside in a very nice, brand new wheelchair. We’ve never been able to afford one for him to get around in, and just seeing him in one makes my heart squeeze. Just that wheelchair alone will allow him freedoms he’s never had before, and I think he knows it. I think he knows all of this is going to open doors for him because he looks so damn happy.
The sight brings a smile to my face.
A fae’s pushing him around, and he’s directing some of the packing onto the wagon himself. When he sees me, he tells the fae to stop pushing his chair. “My daughter. Queen of the four courts. I can’t believe it.” He claps his hands together.
“I’m not that yet,” I tell him, feeling oddly embarrassed.
He waves me closer, his smile widening. “How did it happen? Tell me everything!”
I give him a very brief review of last night. Skipping as much as I can without it seeming like I’m skipping anything. Basically, I paint the picture of going to the fae ball on a whim to see the pretty fae only to discover my matches. The four princes.
“So, no one has asked about your fae heritage?” he asks when I’m finished.
A chill rolls down my spine, and I get the feeling the servants are listening. “No, but there must be a fae in our family line.”
He stares down at his lap. “That must be it.” Then he smiles again. “Come here and give me a hug. What an incredible opportunity.”
I lean down and hug him. His arms wrap around me, squeezing me tightly, and the sense that my choices are slipping away settles around me like a bear trap. I can’t help but wonder, have I been presented with an opportunity or caught in a trap? The benefits to my family in this arrangement appear endless. I, however, might be trapped in four miserable marriages, lying my ass off, with no idea how I’ll be treated by my spouses.
Opportunity.For some reason, the word rings false.
As I go to stand, he holds on to my hands. “They’ve given us a cottage in the castle’s garden. I get to keep my chair, and I have an appointment with the fae healer. All because you were brave enough to go to the Solstice ball last night.” He squeezes my hands, and tears form in his eyes.
“It wasn’t brave, it was stupid,” I tell him honestly.
And so reckless, I want to scream.
He shakes his head. “No, it was brave. And no matter what your grandmother says, you got that from me.”
I plaster a smile on my face. I desperately want to tell him the whole truth and let him know this could all come crumbling down if anyone finds out about the spell and me, but I can’t tell him right now even if I wanted to. Not with the fae here listening. Not when I’d only be burdening him with something he doesn’t need to know.
He directs another fae, then looks at me. “They even think I might get the use of my legs back. And your grandmother… They have books that she can read. Hundreds of them! She cried when she heard!”
The happiness they both feel now tugs at my heart. That’s why I said yes to Prince Sulien. It’s why I went to the ball in the first place. This is the better life I wanted for my family.
“All because of my brave daughter, not even knowing she was fae, and taking a chance at the ball.” It’s been years since I heard him like this, so positive. Like he actually has something to look forward to.
“That’s great, Dad. You’ll love living on the castle grounds.”
I freeze, wondering where I’ll be sleeping tonight.Am I moving into the castle too? Will I live in the garden cottage with my family?I don't know anything. Which is terrifying. “I’ll let you get back to directing the packers. You and Grandmother have a busy day ahead of you.”
He smiles up at me with glistening eyes, and the fae behind us wheels him away.
I walk back to my room, where the royal fae servants pack up my belongings. My drawers are splayed open, and they’re carefully refolding my clothes and packing them into ornate trunks. My few trinkets are carefully wrapped in paper and placed on top of my clothing.
It only takes three trunks to pack up my whole life, which is strange. This house holds far more memories than those few items, and I’m suddenly bothered at the thought of leaving this place. I guess when I made the agreement with Prince Sulien, I never really thought about what that life would look like.
