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If only she understood…
“There’sfourof them,” I say, trying to blink away the tears that gather in my eyes. “They have expectations. AndI’mnot going to fill any of those expectations.” I pull my hands from her and gesture to the room. “They’re used to this! I’m used tocleaningthis!”
She shakes her head. “If you don’t meet their expectations, they’re crazy, and they don’t deserve you.”
I wish she could understand. I wish she knew the truth. Her opinion of everything would change if she knew I wasn’t really their mates. If she knew I tricked them, like some snake in the mud.
“Cassia, just don’t do what you always do in these situations. Don’t get stubborn. Don’t hide behind your fear. You’ve missed out on so many things because you were scared to trust…”
A knock at the door quiets us. Beatrix jumps and scurries to the bed, pulling a pillow out of place and then straightening it. I want to tell her that she doesn’t have to do that, but know deep down that I have to answer that door, and she has to play the part of my maid and not my friend.
This is my life now, after all. Even if it breaks my heart a little.
Later. We’ll finish this later.Because her words are clinging to me like fresh wounds. They make me uncomfortable in my own skin, which probably means I need to think about how much truth there is in them, and how they apply to my current situation.
Feeling wounded and vulnerable, I open the door and Lady Takara stands in front of me, flanked by two fae I’ve seen before but can’t identify. I stare at the three of them in confusion.Why the hell are they here?And why do they look like they’re all dressed for different events?
Lady Takara is wearing a bright pink dress with glitter on the fabric, on her skin, and in her blonde hair. Beside her, a woman stands stiff as an arrow, with harsh green eyes. Her ears are pointy, making me think she might be from the House of War, or the House of Memories. She wears brown and green clothes that have a masculine air, even though they wrap her figure perfectly. On Lady Takara’s other side, is a woman I know has to come from the House of Cosmos. She has curly black hair, gentle brown eyes, and silver wings. Her dress is silver too, as are the large gems woven into her hair.
“Can I help you?” I ask, wanting to have more of an attitude for Lady Takara’s benefit, but not willing to be an ass to the two unknown women.
Beatrix slips out of the door, taking my only friend with her. None of the fae notice. But, of course, they only notice humans when they’re going to be their new queen.
“I’m Lady Nova from the House of War,” the green-eyed one introduces herself, head held high.
“I’m Lady Starlite from the House of Cosmos,” the one with the curly black hair adds, with a little bob.
Okay…
“I don’t think we’ve formally met. I’m Lady Takara from the House of Wealth,” Lady Takara announces in her high-pitched voice, then barges into the room.
I bristle and stand up straighter. I don’t like Lady Takara being in my space. Well, the only place close to my space anymore. There’s just something about her I don’t like.Maybe it’s the planting stolen jewelry on me and getting me fired thing. Bitch.But I ignore her like the useless irritant she is to me now, and focus my attention on the other women.
Lady Starlite takes my hand. “The stars aligned perfectly on the night of the Summer Solstice. The celestials put on a show that night, making a tapestry that determined your future and a great future for the four courts. You were fated to be our queen. You managed to harness the energy of the retrograde and attract the princes. It is still in you. I can feel it. So much good is coming to the kingdom that–”
“How areyoua fae?” Lady Takara interrupts Lady Starlite, glaring at me. I can tell she has more to say, but she clamps her mouth shut.
If she thinks she’s going to intimidate me any more, now that my job doesn’t depend on being nice to her, she’s sorely mistaken. “I imagine someone in my family fucked a fae, or the other way around. And here I am.”
She snarls at me. “Well, who's a fae in your family line?”
“Someone born before me.” I slowly blink at her, then welcome the women awkwardly into my room, before closing the door behind them.
She scoffs and her attention is drawn to the jewelry boxes on my dressing table. She walks over to them and runs a finger along the box filled with diamond jewelry. “The princes deserve a full fae. Someone from an important house. Someone equal to them.”
“Yet, I’m their mate. Deal with it.”
She rounds on me, fists clenched. “No matter what, you’ll always be the girl who scrubbed my floors.”
Oh, honey, no you didn’t…“No, I’ll be queen.Yourqueen. Capable of putting you in your place in creative and painful ways, if I so wish.” Then, I smile, proud of how cold and confident the words came out.
Her jaw drops.
Glancing at the others to decide how to deal with them, I see that Lady Starlite isn’t even paying attention to our conversation. She’s doing weird signs with her hands and practically prancing around the room.The House of Cosmos, they’re weird people.
I look away from her and toward Lady Nova. The blonde is staring silently, and I get the feeling she’s assessing me, which is uncomfortable.That’s right, my new subjects, this is your future queen in all her glory!
“You know, I’m a very important member of the House of Wealth. The last thing you’d want to do is piss me off.” Lady Takara draws herself up taller, but there’s a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze.
