demeanor melting. “This has turned out to be the best day ever. I haven’t laughed for a long time. Should I thank you for this entertainment, Scarlet-shirt?”
Baron’s handsome face distorted with rage.
“How dare you, peasant girl!” he snarled, his fangs showing again. “Not even the Dawn Queen taunts me this way.”
He zoomed toward me, a murderous glint in his eyes. I dashed, too, trying to dodge behind him so I could stab him in the ass with the umbrella’s sharp point.
Then the peripheral of my sight caught Rowan joining the fray. The three of us zoomed and circled like racing cars on the expressway.
The dudes were superfast, which didn’t surprise me. I was only shocked by my speed. I hadn’t known I could do this and that I could move this damn fast. But then I’d never had a challenge before. I guess I just proved myself to be the girl who could rise to the occasion.
“Stop!” Rowan called. “This is going nowhere. Blame yourself, Baron. You misjudged and underestimated the girl.”
After a few rounds when no one could get the upper hand, Baron gave up, ceasing his chase. As soon as he returned to where he had stood and remained motionless, I stopped, too, and shrugged.
Rowan positioned himself between Baron and me.
“You won’t touch that girl, Summer King,” Rowan announced. “I now declare she’s under my protection. Harm her and you’ll go to war with me, brother.”
My mouth dropped open. They were brothers? No wonder they argued incessantly.
“Only because she insulted me,” Baron said sullenly. “Half-brother.”
“She has spark,” Rowan said. “I don’t see that often.”
“She isn’t what she appeared to be,” Baron said accusingly, switching to the Fae tongue, and glaring at me with his bloodshot eyes. “No humans can do what she just did. Not even a High Fae can resist me. Whoever glamoured her used a very powerful spell or charm that even we didn’t see through it. I’ll find out who she is. If she’s the dark one, I’ll have every right to eliminate her.” He sneered at Rowan. “That’s the agreement all four courts signed, and I don’t think you’ll go to war with three courts for a girl.”
My throat tightened with cold fear and fury. I had defied and humiliated him, and in return that asshole could falsely accuse me, then try to kill me again.
I had made an enemy of a monster.
Chapter 3
What the fuck is the dark one?
Like Darth Vader?
But I couldn’t ask either of the Fae dudes since I still pretended to not understand their language.
“She’s not a dark one,” Rowan snorted in his Fae tongue. “You just can’t handle having your ego bruised and your pompous ass kicked.”
“She shot foul liquid into my eyes!” Baron said, squinting to show that he still suffered pain. “If I weren’t so powerful, that little twat would have blinded me.”
So I was a twat now. This asshole couldn’t make up his mind.
Rowan nodded. “She also kneed your balls. I hope you got some pleasure out of it. In the Night Court, don’t they say that pain breeds pleasure?”
Baron hissed.
“You started it, anyway,” Rowan continued, his voice icy again. “But if you brand her as a dark one, every bounty hunter will come after her, and I’ll hold you personally responsible. I’ll become your true enemy in every sense. So be reasonable, Baron. Does she look like an abomination to you? Look at her lovely and bright golden hair.”
“Appearances can be deceiving,” Baron said, but he gave my hair a few glances. My sister, Safiya, was forever jealous of my hair. “What does she have to hide that she has to wear such a powerful glamour?”
“She isn’t aware of our kind,” Rowan said. “Did you see how confused she looked when we first came to her land? All she has is attitude, which I appreciate. And to be level with you, I’m sick and tired of this whole hunting the darkfae sham.”
“Careful, Winter King!” Baron warned.
“Threaten me again and see how far that carries you,” Rowan said, his voice colder than frozen steel. “Your court might be diligently hunting dark and rogue Fae, but this girl isn’t one of them. Look the other way, Summer King, and tell your knights so.”
“Still love playing the noble king?” Baron asked, hatred burning in his eyes. “That was how you stole Minerva from me. Too bad you couldn’t protect her either, and you let her die in your court.”
“Don’t test me.” A muscle jumped on Rowan’s jaw. “I