Chapter 8

EIGHT

Cassia

As we finish our dance, the air starts to feel heavy with static. Everyone's gazes shift up toward the lunar skylight, beyond the candles to the glass ceiling. The full moon is in its place, which means it's time for the ritual. For the magic to unleash and reveal to the fae their chosen mates.

Some people keep dancing with their partners, but more and more women are breaking free and edging closer to the princes. And because they're close to me, that means the women are squeezing in around us. It's suffocating. Several times I fix my mask, praying it stays in place.

Praying I can do this.

My father, my grandmother, my ratty house with food for tonight but none for tomorrow or any day after, are counting on me. Working as a whore or nothing else. My future depends upon this moment.

I've made my choice, and this is it. I just have to be brave enough to face it with my head held high .

Prince Cobar is near, taking every opportunity to touch all the women, wherever he can get a grip. They fawn over him, squealing and giggling in his presence like he'll grab their boob and they will suddenly be queen. As I watch him smirking, his gaze collides with mine, and my breath rushes out. The look he gives me… it's so damn possessive that I have to look away to ease the tension inside me.

Focus. He's none of your concern. He's busy with his women anyway, not that it matters to me.

I feel annoyed for reasons I don't understand. This must be his favorite holiday. Well, I guess it's technically his first time celebrating it, given his age, but I bet it'll be his favorite holiday moving forward. The player.

Forrest and Zane stoically shake hands with the women as they approach. It's formal. Almost like the fastest interview for a position I've ever seen. They're not even interested in the women themselves, just whatever magic is supposed to show. Magic that will suddenly make them seem interested in a woman they previously didn't give two shits about, I guess.

Only, that doesn't seem to be enough for the women. Just as many that shake their hands are grabbing their arms, their chests, and even their asses. I would have thought the two men would enjoy the attention, but instead, they already seem tired by the whole affair. It's a prospect that makes me happier than I care to admit.

I know they're not mine. I know the moment of attraction I felt with them means nothing, and that they have those kinds of moments with women a hundred times a day, but I still like the fact that they don't seem to be enjoying being felt-up by a bunch of desperate women.

Zane jumps a little, and I'm pretty sure someone grabbed ahold of his cock. His expression grows colder, and I wonder if his skin is as cold as his mood. Shouldn't he be happy? Couldn't one of these women be his mate?

"The groping has commenced." I attempt a laugh, looking in Sulien's direction.

His gaze is locked on mine, his eyes dark and intense. "It's all part of this shitty song and dance."

"What a romantic!" I say, fanning myself with one hand.

His lips curl into an almost-smile, and then it fades away as hands grab at him.

"Prince Sulien!" someone in a high-pitched voice calls.

"My mate!" calls another.

Women separate us, pushing me away from him, and I'm suddenly lost in the crowd. No less than twenty women have come up to him and touched his hand, his broad shoulders, his arms, and other parts of his anatomy in as many minutes. He scowls through it all, almost pushing to reach me once more. Then I'm back in his arms.

"Did you feel the tingle of magic with any of the blushing brides?" I ask, trying to lighten the mood and ignore the brick in my stomach.

He doesn't laugh. I wonder if he ever laughs, and if he does, what it sounds like. He clenches me harder and takes a shaky breath. His auburn eyes meet mine, holding my gaze intently, and my heart skips a beat. He seems to be trying to silently communicate with me, and I hear the message loud and clear.

It's happening. We're about to play this dangerous game, I know it .

"Are you ready?" His left hand slides into his pocket, where I assume the potion for the spell is.

Before I can answer, the air crackles, and Sulien's dark hair starts floating upward. All around the ballroom, everyone's hair is standing on end. I guffaw. These high fae are at their finest: ballgowns, tailored suits, jewels galore, and all of their hair reaches for the sky. How many women sat for hours getting their hair done? The moon just ruined it all.

The moon. And the magic. That can only touch the fae. The magic that is different from anything I've felt in my life. I think this is the closest I'll ever be to feeling like a fae.

"Does this happen every time?" I ask as the lights flicker.

A hush falls over the room, and Prince Sulien grips me harder. I assume this is a new development, but I can't begin to guess what it is. The magic has been here since the moon reached its peak, which is when the women started groping the princes, but something more is happening now. Does it grow stronger with time?

Alarm flashes on Sulien's face for the briefest moment before light blinds me as sparks come shooting out from where our hands touch. I try to jerk my hand away, but Sulien holds on tight. I stare down at our joined hands, and force myself to keep breathing. As I watch, the sparks continue to spread until they're shooting out of our very skin, and the whole room brightens from the light we're emitting.

Oh, shit. This is… not what I expected, but this must be what it looks like when a fae finds their mate.

He did it! The spell worked! I only wish I'd asked him more about it, because I had no idea that it'd have such an obvious effect.

I look at him, my gut turning. His eyes are wide, and I remember that we're playing a part here. I mimic him, doing my best to let shock and wonder play across my face. We're just two fae here at the Summer Solstice, finding our mate, and it's all so magical and perfect.

Not at all terrifying.

The crowd oohs and ahhs as the sparks continue to fly. Chatter builds up as they realize what's happening. I feel the eyes of hundreds of fae as they focus on us, on me, the new bride-to-be of the Summer Prince.

"Prince Sulien has found his mate!" a man calls out in the crowd, saying what everyone is thinking.

Cheers sound from all over the room, but our moment only lasts a minute. There are more sparks in various areas of the room. They're all smaller, though. The colors range, some blue, some green, and some red. Only ours is a bright gold, overtaking this part of the room so that the other lights almost look comically dull in comparison.

This must be what it's supposed to look like when a royal finds his match. I guess the royals do everything bigger and brighter than the rest of the fae.

"To the future King and Queen of the Summer Court!" someone calls out, holding up a glass in a toast.

Glasses clink all around the room, and cheers rise up.

I tear my gaze away from all the lights and sounds of the room and focus back on Prince Sulien. He's staring at me intently, and my heart flips. It's strange how he does that, how he makes me feel like I'm the only woman in the world. It's like the quiet man knows how to seduce a woman without a single word.

"Cassia," he whispers .

The flipping feeling in my chest grows, even while I remind myself this is all for show. He pulls me against him, his body hard and warm against mine. His gaze slides to my lips, and I lick them thoughtlessly, nervously. This is all a show. This is all a show.

When he leans down and captures my lips with his own, every thought fades from my mind. Even as the gold light shooting off of us fades away. There's only him and me, his hard lips on mine, and I realize I've dreamed of this moment a thousand times before.

And it's better than anything I imagined.

His lips are hungry. Desperate. Slanting over my mouth, branding me with his touch. His hands slip up and down my body as if he wants to touch all of me, but doesn't know where to start. It's incredible. The kind of kiss that makes a woman's legs weak and sends all logic flying out the window.

And then, he breaks our kiss. We're both panting, but he stares down at me with absolute shock, which I almost believe. How the hell is this man good enough of an actor to make my legs shake and my body ache?

Damn this beautiful fae prince.

The light between us finally begins to dull, then fades. Prince Sulien keeps hold of my hand as people surround us, giving their congratulations. I force a smile that I hope doesn't look painful and take their kind words, trying not to think about how badly these same fae treated me in my maid uniform. How little Prince Sulien noticed me before today, at least since we were children.

This is all a show, a show I'll be part of for the rest of my life, so I better learn to compartmentalize. To know what's real and what's pretend .

More sparks go off around the room and people rush from one place to another, getting drunker with each passing second, or at least that's what it feels like. The crowd around us starts to shift away as Prince Sulien pulls me a little closer. I want to ask him a thousand questions about what will happen from here, but I know it's not the time or place.

Music continues. Dancing resumes. The mating hour hasn't passed yet. Many more fae should find their matches in the minutes that come. And, it seems, they're eager for exactly that because I can't imagine any other world where the king's match would so quickly be forgotten.

Don't these fae have some sucking up to do to their new queen? I almost smile at the thought.

I glance at Prince Sulien, and his countenance hasn't changed. Except, maybe, he looks a bit confused. He drops my hand, and again I desperately want to ask him questions. Are we going to have to publicly kiss a lot, or was this a special thing? What do we do for the rest of tonight? Do I return home after? My thoughts continue spinning, running over everything that had happened so far. Was the brightness and size of our light just a normal fae thing when it comes to royalty? Or did he fuck up the spell?

No one is asking questions about me and us right now, but tomorrow they just might, if things weren't done right. I have no knowledge about what's normal or strange to compare this night to. I just want to know why the hell he looks so confused.

Something is off.

"Congratulations!" Prince Zane approaches, clapping Prince Sulien on the back, his expression almost cheerful. " There's no more beautiful woman than her here tonight. You did well, my friend."

Prince Zane turns to me and tilts his head, and again I feel that strange heat crawling beneath my skin. "And it's no surprise to me that you were meant to be a queen." He takes my hand as if to kiss it, but suddenly, the candlelight flickers again and sparks fly from our hands.

What. The. Fuck.

This isn't possible.

Another light show begins. Sparks dance between us while I try to pry my hand away, and he holds on tightly. My heart races as I try to understand what's happening. The spell has to have gone wrong, which means everyone will know what we did.

I flinch, expecting shouts of anger or surprise. Expecting… I don't know. I need to start running like hell. No one knows me after all. I can just run all the way home and forget tonight ever happened.

Instead, someone shouts, "She matched with Prince Zane too! A Summer and Winter Queen."

An uproar of conversations takes over the crowd.

What. The. Actual. Hell. Is. Happening.

"This hasn't happened in at least three generations," another person shouts.

No. No way. The spell went wrong, and now it looks like I'm mated to two fae princes? How will this even work? Prince Zane doesn't know about the deal, and we can't tell him, or I'll lose my damn head.

This is bad. Real bad.

I yank my hand out of Prince Zane's and survey the crowd, looking for my escape. But they're everywhere, a mixture of amusement and amazement on their faces. Obviously, they think this is real because their excitement fills the room. Applause breaks out, and people continue to shout.

So… my brain is trying to catch up with the scene in front of me. This must have happened before. A fae must have had two mates before. In the back of my mind, something scratches at it. Memories of fae guests at the castle with two husbands. But I… this wasn't part of the plan.

I need to get out of here.

"My lady," Prince Zane says softly, then moves closer. "I'm honored that the magic has chosen me as your mate."

It's hard to swallow around the lump in my throat. "I guess I'm a real catch."

His icy facade crumbles, and his lips curl into a smile. He looks at me like he's looking at all the hope in his world, and it steals my breath. It makes me forget all about the screwed-up potion, Prince Sulien, and my life without choices. I'm not some worthless human, I'm the mate to royal fae .

When he leans in and kisses me, I'm frozen for a minute in shock. But then his cold lips on mine send warmth blossoming through my body in the most unexpected way. Goosebumps erupt across my skin, and my head spins. His lips are soft, gentle, teasing. Like he's tasting me, and I'm just letting him.

My hand curls into his shirt, and he shifts closer. Close enough that I can feel his erection pressing against my stomach. Close enough that I can hear the beating of his heart matching the fast rhythm of my own. So close, and yet, I want him closer.

Fuck. I need him closer.

He groans against my mouth, and the sound shakes me from his spell. I leap back, and my gaze goes to Prince Sulien. He looks pissed. His hands curl into fists. His mouth is in a thin line. Well, fuck. This isn't good. Have I already pushed him hard enough for him to call this whole thing off?

No, it was just a kiss. He kissed me . When we fix this mess, I'll remind Sulien as much.

And stay the fuck away from this Winter Prince.

Despite myself, my gaze swings to Prince Zane. He has his fingers pressed to his lips, and he's smiling as he gazes at me in a way that makes my heart ache. A strange tugging comes inside of me, and I want to close the distance between us, but my logical brain wins out, and I step further away, trying to look at anything except the two princes.

This whole thing is trouble. I need to get out of here.

Prince Cobar approaches, pushing his way through the crowd, a mischievous smile perked on his face. His mind has to be somewhere terrible. And then, as his gaze runs from my toes slowly up to my head, I know where his mind has been. This guy is picturing me doing all kinds of things, probably positioned between his two buddies.

Asshole.

"I can see now why you had no desire to dance with me. You're going to be one busy lady being matched with two princes. You'll get the summer heat and that icy coldness that's Prince Zane's specialty. Congratulations!" He takes my hand as if to kiss it, and the lights flicker again.

Fuck on a stick!

"No no no!" I back away from all of them as the sparks continue to bounce between us, and Prince Cobar stares at me in absolute shock.

Because of the damn spell… I'm matched with Prince Cobar too. I need to get out of here before I match with a dozen fae males and have to spend my nights rotating be tween cocks, or else admit my deception. This is too much. I need to escape and fade into the night, never to be seen again.

I make eye contact with Sulien. I can't read his face, but I think it looks pained. As it should be! He was so damn confident about this spell that I actually believed this could work.

Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.

"Remember Queen Icily, she matched with all four princes," someone shouts.

Suddenly, everyone is chanting, "Four princes! Four princes!"

My heart drops into my stomach. Do these people just want to see some poor woman bonked to death? I mean, most women complain about having to pretend to sleep to avoid their husbands. How am I supposed to avoid four of them?

Four seemingly hot, horny ones?

It might have been a pleasant fantasy in my bed by myself, but this fantasy is becoming a nightmare really quickly, so I grab my skirt with one hand and search for the exit. I can make it, I think. But through the crowd, it's hard to figure out which direction to go for a minute, until I spot the stairs.

Then I see Prince Forrest approaching, looking pleased as a peacock, his gaze fixed on me. Fuck .

"You're at three out of three," he calls to me with a big grin. "So, damn it, why not?" He reaches for me, and I dodge him, racing for the exit.

The crowd, full of libations and feeling very loose, laugh as I dart around the guests, trying to escape Prince Forrest's touch. Some people move out of my way. Others, in their drunkenness, grab me and try to thrust me in his direction. I'm peering over the crowd, looking for the stairs. He's stalking me like I'm his prey, determination blazing in his eyes. He pushes everyone in his path away, moving closer and closer to me.

I've never wanted to crawl into the floor and die so much.

Ahead of me, I see the stairs. I dash towards the door; it's so close I can practically taste freedom. Then, someone sticks their foot out and trips me. I cry out and crash onto my stomach, then roll onto my back. I'm going to figure out who did that and claw their eyes out.

People gawk at me, laughter filling the ballroom. I scramble to get up, but every time I plant my hand on the ground, someone uses their foot to push me off balance. The crowd parts, making a pathway, and Prince Forrest emerges. I can see the satisfaction on his face because I'm within his grasp.

"Are you okay?" he asks, his voice saccharine.

"I'm fine," I grumble. My attempt to roll over and escape is thwarted by the crowd. They inch closer, boxing me in completely.

"Touch her!" a woman in a bright blue dress screams.

"Grab her!" another man says.

Forrest holds his hand out to me. "This is ridiculous. Let me help you up."

"Not a chance, asshole," I shout.

His mouth twists into a smile. "Either I help you, or you risk being trampled to death."

I don't even hesitate. "Have them bury me in white to reflect my innocence!"

He laughs, and the sound is as smooth as velvet. "I doubt very much you're innocent. Now, take my hand." When I don't move, he adds, "If you're mine, I'll claim you whether I help you up or I come down there with you."

He's serious. Fuck.

I have no choice. Feeling like I'm about to touch fire, I slowly reach my hand out. He snatches it eagerly, and the candlelight flickers.

Shit. This can't be happening.

Sparks fly from our hands. They shoot all the way to the lunar skylight and illuminate the entire space. Forrest stares down at me in utter disbelief, as if until this moment this was all just a game to him, and he'd never truly thought I was his mate.

The crowd thunders. Everyone in the room screams and cheers. The music comes on again, louder and faster than before, and there's a frenzy in the air that's almost frightening.

I try to yank my hand away, but Forrest has a strong hold on me. He pulls me up and into his arms, before twirling me like we're dancing.

My head spins. I don't know what the hell to say or do. Now I'm dancing with a fae prince I never even thought about until tonight. A fae who thinks I'm going to be marrying him soon.

"This isn't right," I tell him.

He pulls me closer, his hands burning through the thin fabric at my waist. "It's a lot to handle, but it's right. It's always right."

The look in his eyes overwhelms me, like he can't quite believe I'm his mate. Maybe because I'm not. Maybe because this is all a lie that only Sulien and I know the truth about. Does he sense it too?

He can't.

"I knew there was something about you the moment I met you." His voice holds an edge of seduction that my body desperately wants to fall for.

"I'm no one. This is… nothing."

He tilts his head, his mouth curving into a smile. "This is the furthest thing from nothing, and you feel it too."

I don't know what I'm going to say, certainly not the truth, when he leans down and captures my lips in an unexpected kiss. Every muscle in my body tenses. I start to pull away, but he follows my mouth, the pressure of his lips going from soft to hard within moments. My thoughts spin away, and I cling to him, my heartbeat filling my ears.

My body feels alive—electric. I shouldn't be enjoying this, but my body leans into him, my lips part, and his tongue invades my mouth. Instantly, my core throbs, and all logic fades away. I grip his arms, digging my fingernails in, trying to gain back my control… and losing.

He growls, and the vibrations in my mouth make me shiver. I moan into his mouth, trying to remember who the hell I am and what the hell I'm doing, but all I want is him. Sliding closer to him, I press my body against him, and he jerks back from me just an inch, panting against my mouth.

"If you keep that up, I'm going to fuck my beautiful bride right here in public. And if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to keep that body of yours all to myself." Forrest bites my bottom lip before releasing me from our kiss.

I take a deep breath and open my eyes. Did that really just happen? How the hell did one kiss make me lose control like that? I must be hornier and lonelier than I thought.

Suddenly, someone yanks my arm, hauling me from his arms .

My head spins, and I curse. "Hey! That's attached to my body, you know!" I scowl, then realize that Prince Sulien is the culprit.

He stares at me. I stare at him. I'm suddenly unsure about what the hell I'm supposed to be doing. When Forrest kissed me, was that cheating? Prince Sulien and I had a deal, not Forrest and I. And yet, the expectation is that I marry all of them.

I should be able to kiss all of them, right? So why does Prince Sulien look so pissed off?

"What are we doing?" I whisper to him, drawing closer. What am I supposed to do right now? Is there a way to undo this mating bond gone crazy? Should I be running before anyone knows who I am?

People began to toast around the room as more and more fae find their mates.

"To Prince Sulien!"

"To Prince Forrest!"

"To Prince Zane!"

"To Prince Cobar!"

There's a pause. "Who is she?"

The crowd murmurs, and my skin suddenly feels too tight. No one has any idea who I am, but when they discover the truth, they'll know I'm a fraud. Right? Will they really believe I have enough fae in me to be bonded to not one, but four princes?

It's doubtful.

"Who is the bride who will share the four princes?" another voice cries.

Drunken voices. All of them. This is not going to go well.

"Take off her mask. Unveil her!"

I use my free hand to hold my mask in place. My breathing comes in and out so hard it hurts. The plan, in my head, had been to unveil me here, at the ball, so that no one could deny our bond. But right now, I don't know if I want that any longer. If I ran right now, I don't even know if Prince Sulien would look for me. He may just go along with it being a mistake, and then meet his real mate at another solstice.

This can't happen now. I need time to think. Poverty. A terrible life for my family. Starvation. Or, not only keeping the truth from everyone I know, but from three of my four husbands. Pulling three innocent men into our plot and keeping them from their true mates.

Somehow, being a partner and a bride, not just for show, to four men. With them, they'd want me to share their bed and their lives. They'd want me to have their kids and have a real life with them.

All while I lied to them.

I take another step back and crash into a hard chest. Prince Zane. Forrest, Sulien, and Cobar stand close to me, and I can't tell if the looks they shoot in my direction are full of pity or something else.

"They need to know who you are. They'll find out eventually," Prince Zane says, his voice as cold as his words.

"I need more time," I whisper.

He leans close to me and says, "Don't we all," and then he pulls the ties to my mask and yanks it off, showing my whole face to everyone in the ballroom.

Taking away my choice and my escape.

I guess this is my life and my lie now.