Grave Destiny (Alex Craft, #6) - Kalayna Price Page 0,71
Smiling broadly, he said, “Then we will be welcomed!”
No cheer went up this time, but some of the tension broke. My lungs gave an ache in protest, and I realized I’d been holding my breath. I let it out in a rush as the shadow fae left the procession to join the revelry. Unlike the other courts, though, who had scattered and quickly intermixed with the fae already gathered, the shadow fae largely stayed to themselves, remaining on the outskirts of any group they joined.
Music and the general sound of frivolity began again, slowly, but it had not yet reached the level at which it had been before shadow’s arrival when the chime sounded, announcing the final court. I turned to the hawthorns, anxious for this last greeting to be over so I could leave my spot beside the damn dais. I’d been too shocked by the queen’s words to think about scanning the crowd for anyone who looked too pleased by the apparent animosity between winter and shadow. I hoped Falin had been more observant. Maybe it had even been planned, as both regents knew we suspected they were being played against each other. But it hadn’t felt staged.
I fidgeted, waiting as the soft glow formed between the hawthorns. It grew brighter than it had with any of the other courts, and the Queen of Light stepped into the clearing. My breath caught in my throat once again. Not from fear this time, but from wonder.
I’d seen the Queen of Light once before, but I’d forgotten how unearthly beautiful she was. Earlier today I would have said the Summer Queen was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen, but the Queen of Light made the other seem only a pale reflection of beauty. It was no particular feature; in fact, as I studied her face, I realized that she looked very similar to the Winter Queen. They were sisters, so perhaps that wasn’t surprising, but I hadn’t realized how much of a resemblance they shared. They had the same sharp cheekbones, the same rosebud lips and icy blue eyes. The Winter Queen was dark where her sister was fair, but otherwise, they were nearly identical. Except for the aura surrounding the Queen of Light.
All Sleagh Maith glowed slightly, but the Queen of Light was positively radiant. It lit everything around her, making the night softer, brighter, and I felt an unintentional smile spread across my face. The glow gave her an unreal quality, like something fleeting that needed to be treasured. Glamour? Or just the natural condition of her court? The ethereal light was surely where the breathtaking beauty originated. Which meant it wasn’t real. And yet I couldn’t seem to look away from her.
“Hail, Sister, Queen of the Long Slumber.” Her voice was musical, and just quiet enough that I felt myself straining to hear her, hoping she’s speak again.
“Hail, Queen of Light and Daydreams,” the Winter Queen said, and the most genuine smile I’d ever seen on her spread over her face. “Well met and be welcomed, Sister.”
A cheer roared through the clearing, fae rushing forward to greet the shimmering court of light. I realized I’d been so caught up in studying the queen, I’d never glanced at her courtiers. She had more Sleagh Maith—and more courtiers in general—than any other court present tonight. The glowing throng was huge and already breaking apart to join the festivities. But there, near the back of the gentry, I spotted Lunabella.
Chapter 13
“Let all make merry on this longest night,” the Winter Queen said from her throne behind me.
I hoped that meant I was dismissed to join the revelry because I was already moving, trying to keep sight of Lunabella. Most of the light court had the same ethereal glow as their queen, though to a much milder degree, but Lunabella glowed with little more than the typical Sleagh Maith of any court. I guessed she hadn’t been in the court long enough for the magic to change her. She wasn’t the only one. The light court was the largest attending court, but its numbers seemed bloated with members who didn’t glow like the rest. Had they all defected? How long did it take for Faerie to begin changing courtiers after they changed courts?
As if to make up for her lack of light court ambiance, Lunabella wore a gown of cheery yellow, trimmed with gold. A pair of yellow gloves with gold embellishments complemented the dress perfectly. Could she be