Crown of Moonlight (Court of Midnight and Deception #2) - K.M. Shea Page 0,67
been practicing in my bathroom for the past two weeks.
I snuck a peek at Fell and Birch again.
Bingo—their brains are broken.
I tried not to smirk as the two gaped at me, their faces warring between horror and disbelief, which put a crack in their otherwise stunning looks.
Past them, Queen Rime merely rolled her eyes as she took a porcelain teacup from a servant.
“Yes, I am a lovesick fool for Rigel.” I smiled up at Rigel. “Isn’t that right, bae?”
Rigel stared down at me for a moment, and then proceeded to make my heart explode.
He wrapped one arm around my waist, then gently kissed me on the temple.
King Fell made a choking noise. King Birch did, too, but I barely heard them over the thundering of my heart.
Why? Why? Why? Why?
The thought zoomed through my brain in an endless loop.
What was that?!
I was so startled my smile had thankfully remain etched on my lips. I leaned into him—I wasn’t sure if it was because of shock or…shock—and rested my hand on his chest.
Of course his heartbeat was normal. Hah!
It’s fine. Totally fine. I mean, I guess a gesture of affection makes sense? It’s not like he can lie with me. He probably thought this was the best thing he could do to help me to keep up my lovebirds joke.
I still couldn’t look up at him—I risked blushing like a Christmas light.
I’ll ask him about it. Later. A lot later—once I can ask without my insides cramping up like I’m in high school.
I glanced at the other monarchs.
Verdant’s face was stretched in a grimace like a mask from Halloween. King Birch appeared to have died standing upright. Consort Flora’s face was a blank mask, although she glanced at her husband when a wheezing noise escaped his throat.
King Fell’s forehead was wrinkled, and his eyebrows were raised halfway up to his hairline. His eyes traveled ceaselessly from Rigel’s face to mine, and he absently shook his head, rejecting our act.
I cleared my throat. “Yes. Thank you, darling. I love you, too.”
I was trying to figure out how I could extract myself from this sticky situation, when a long note was blown on a single horn.
The horn bearer kept blowing—it looked like his instrument was made from the ringed horn of an animal. The noise it produced felt ancient and magical, and it made my bones shift in my body.
A servant—someone from the Spring Court based on the flowers woven through her hair—led a massive white stag through the meadow.
It was easily the size of a horse, though it more resembled a reindeer. Its antlers were enormous and beautiful, and its coat looked as fine as silk.
“Ahh, the prey has arrived.” King Fell shook off his disbelief and put a smirk on.
I stepped out of Rigel’s arm and let my hands slide off his chest. “That’s the prey?”
“Yes,” King Birch said.
Every alarm bell I had was going off inside me.
The white stag was too big and beautiful to be a normal creature, it had to be of fae origins. There was no way the brightness of its eyes was an accident, either—it was smart. Like my shades and glooms.
“No. No way. Nope. I’m out,” I said.
King Fell raised an eyebrow at me. “You’re afraid?”
I pointed at the stag as it was led into the forest—like a lamb to the slaughter. “That creature is intelligent. It’s not just—no! You can’t kill something like that!”
King Birch shrugged. “It’s tradition.”
“I don’t care if the skies opened up and the last elf ever seen descended from the clouds to give their blessing on the hunt—I’m not doing this!”
“You don’t have a choice,” King Fell said.
“What, you think you can make me?” I scoffed.
“I can, actually,” King Fell said. “You are the weakest Court—and monarch—here. Do you think you’re the only one that’s reluctant to join? Your counterpart is nearly as much of a do-good-er as you.” He curled his lips back in a sneer as he glanced at King Solis.
“You’re not going to risk a fight over a hunt,” I said.
“You overestimate my good will, Queen Leila,” King Fell said. “I’d do exactly that. Autumn is my time—my reign. I’ll do whatever I please, and make you go along with me.”
I felt Skye’s worried eyes on me, and Indigo slightly shook her head, terror flashing in her eyes.
It seems Fell really is that ego-centric that he’d bring ruin just because I refuse to play his little games.