Crown of Shadows (Court of Midnight and Deception #1) - K. M. Shea Page 0,60
For the occasion, Indigo had stuffed me into a pair of white breeches, knee-high black boots, a floral pattern dress shirt that suspiciously reminded me of a teacup pattern, and a navy blue dress coat.
I didn’t mind the breeches and boots, but I very much minded the coat—which was unbearably hot in the summer sun—and the neck of the dress shirt was closed with a golden moon pin that was jabbing me in the throat.
Skye gathered up the reins of her calm, chestnut colored mare. “You were the one who insisted on wearing a helmet.”
“Because I have good self-preservation instincts!” I complained. “It’s not my fault the rest of my Court are more concerned with their aesthetic and like to thunder around on horses without proper protective headgear!”
I scowled as a few nobles cantered past.
They were wearing more traditional fae garb—tunics and flowing dresses, neither of which were very practical to ride in—and laughed as they held onto their bows and crossbows and had quivers of arrows strapped to their backs.
Skye gave the night mare I was riding—I’d chosen Solstice today—the side eye. “I’m not saying your helmet is a bad thing—just that your wardrobe had to be adjusted to match it.”
“I think it’s a smart idea to wear a helmet,” Indigo said from the back of a shaggy pony that faintly reminded me of her with its thick forelock and hair. “Since you had to choose the biggest brute of the herd to ride.”
“I trust Solstice—which I need when I’m around my Court.” I sniffed as I threaded the reins through my fingers. “And he’s excellent for intimidation purposes.”
“I won’t argue that,” Indigo muttered.
Sweat trickled down my back, and the afternoon sun beat down on me with not a cloud in sight.
“This is going to be such a fantastic afternoon,” I said. “I can just tell.”
“This is good practice for the annual hunt all the monarchs attend in the fall.” Skye peered out over the nature preserve. There were all kinds of dirt trails that wound around the lake, a few marshy spots, and an open field, while other paths dove off into the forest and a bunch of tree-lined lanes.
“I’d much rather be practicing magic,” I sighed. I hadn’t had much time to myself ever since I went to King’s Court, so I hadn’t gotten to practice my magic much more, and that made me nervous.
I wanted to practice because I wanted to dust off all those warding skills and dispel charms I’d learned because now I finally needed them! And yet here I was, riding in a coat in the heat of summer with the very people I needed protection from.
I frowned. “Considering I’m supposedly a queen, it seems like I rarely get to do what I want.”
Indigo’s pony snorted, and birds chirped and sang with enough enthusiasm to be heard over the thundering of horse hooves. “Quite so,” Indigo agreed—she also wore a helmet like me, but Skye was letting her get away with wearing a hunter green sweater with tan breeches and black boots.
Why does she wear all these sweaters in the middle of summer?
“You’ll get to choose your royal artifact in the next few weeks,” Skye said. “We just have to wait because there are preparations to be made—and an official ceremony to hold.”
“Really?” I perked up in the saddle. “I would have thought they’d make me wait until I was crowned!”
Skye shook her head. “No, you need your artifact in order to be officially crowned.”
More fae thundered past—giving us a wide berth when Solstice pawed a hoof on the grassy ground.
“Huh, well that’s something.”
The sound of high-pitched laughter rounded a bend in one of the tree-lined trails, then Indigo screamed.
I turned just in time to see an arrow pierce the ground so close to Indigo’s pony that it scraped the poor thing’s leg.
Her pony shied, and Indigo nearly slid off its back. It pranced a few steps, its nostrils quivering as she tried to calm it.
The laughter grew louder still, and I turned Solstice in time to see Lady Chrysanthe lower her crossbow.
Her minions surrounding her giggled, their gauzy dresses floating around them as their beautiful, delicate horses showily tossed their heads.
“Indigo, are you hurt?” I asked.
Indigo hopped off her pony and inspected his leg. “I’m fine,” she said in a voice that was shaky with fear. “I don’t think my pony is hurt too badly, but I should take him back.”
Using my legs, I swiveled Solstice around to face the snake-ish fae