Sympathy for the Demons (Promised to the Demons #1) - Lidiya Foxglove Page 0,81

very much. Faeries mothers probably told bedtime stories to their kids about how stupid humans were. We were all gathered here for only one reason: we needed each other.

“You and your twelve fellow witches are invited to the capital city,” the faery man continued. His voice had a musical accent that I could have listened to forever. “In La Serenissima, we will give you our best hospitality and throw a grand celebration to celebrate your arrival.”

“That is very kind of you,” I said, warming up just a bit.

I was going to get to party in magical Venice. Sweet.

For centuries, all magical beings had been getting pushed out to the fringes of society. Magical beings needed humans to believe in them. That was where their power came from. Being human, witches and warlocks like me had a slight advantage. Unlike faeries, demons, shapeshifters and the like, we could use our magic in the Fixed Plane (otherwise known as “the real world”). We belonged to the human world. We were just leftovers from a time when every village had a witch or healer or shaman. But there were certain spots in the world where magic was especially strong, where humans still believed magic was real, and in these places, parallel cities existed. These were towns that existed between realms, where witches and warlocks could gather and mingle with truly magical beings.

The parallel of Venice was considered one of the great ‘lost’ cities where humans couldn’t go, because the faeries controlled it and didn’t allow humans in. Now I was going to get to party there. No doubt, that was gonna be tight. Venice without any tourists? Venice run by the faeries? I wondered what the wardrobe situation would be.

“In La Serenissima, the lords of the great faery houses will assess all of you to choose their brides,” the blonde man continued, and I cooled right the fuck back down again. His tone made me wary.

“Oh yes, the other twelve girls do still need their husbands,” I said.

“Lady Pendleton,” he said, so grandly that I almost liked him again. “You will also be under consideration.”

“We already have an agreement that I will marry Lord Orson,” I said. “And I know you keep your promises.”

The faery queen whispered a few sentences to him.

“Yes. We keep our promises. You will wed Lord Orson, but he is a gruagach. A low faery.”

Orson, by the way, was standing in the background this whole time. He seemed to take this treatment with a shrug, like he didn’t really care what the high faeries thought or planned.

“A lord of his kind, but not one of the great houses. A lady as beautiful and talented as yourself cannot be shipped off to some remote faery holding, nor would you enjoy it there, I assure you. You will be married into one of the great houses as well as to Lord Orson. You chose him, but the high lords will choose you.”

Ohhh damn.

I should have seen this coming. I should have known they wouldn’t let me just scurry off with a big handsome faery who seemed pretty normal, and mind my own business.

“Okay. Okay. I get it. Good old faery tricks. You didn’t lie, you just withheld some extremely important information that you intend to let some faery lord pick me out of a lineup and offer me two husbands, and I don’t get any say in it.”

“Queen Morgana is sure you will not find any of these men wanting,” the blonde guy said. “They are all as beautiful as the stars, wealthy enough to give you anything you desire, and strong in battle, magic, or a respected profession.”

“So they’re not pampered snots? Thanks for that, at least, although I will be the judge. And what about Orson?”

“Lord Orson is already accustomed to serving the higher born. He understands the hierarchy of our court, and you soon shall as well.”

“No. This is not what I agreed to. I don’t want a higher born husband. I just want him.” I pointed at Orson, who really could have backed me up. My heart sunk as he just accepted this ridiculous situation.

The golden faery ignored me. “In La Serenissima, we are pleased to have assembled these lords together to teach you and the other brides how to comport yourself like high fae. You will all stay together in the great palace, and have instruction in our music, dances, manners, and ways of pleasure, along with everything else you need to know. We will depart