“Well, I did meet him first,” I said. “But Lachlan—”
“Well, there you go then—the O’Connor boy was there first and he’s clearly the better match for you. It couldn’t be easier!” She patted my hand and smiled brightly. “Now come—we have a feast and a proclamation to prepare for!”
And she swept out of the room, motioning for me to follow behind her.
82
“Are you all right, little one?” Lachlan asked, when I finally managed to get away from the seamstress and the tailor and the shoemaker and the make-up artist, and all the other people the queen had brought in to make me look my best for the banquet that evening.
“Yes, you look tired,” Bran added, looking at me anxiously. He and Lachlan were camped out in front of the golden gates, both having refused to budge until they saw me again.
Airgead, they told me, was in the queen’s private paddock—a magical indoor field where only the greenest and most delectable grass grew.
“I think Her Highness was afraid he might make a mess in front of her gate,” Lachlan said, giving me his one-sided grin. “So he’s galloping around the paddock. We promised we’d bring you to see him as soon as you got free.”
“Got free is right.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “Wish I could! Let’s go see him now, can we?”
“This way,” Bran said, nodding. “You look like you’ve been run over by a charging bull.”
“I sort of feel like that too,” I admitted. “The queen is wonderful but, well…she’s a lot—you know?”
He nodded.
“You have the same look my father used to have after spending time with Her Majesty. She’s a force of Nature.”
“I’ve heard people use that expression before but it’s never been so applicable before,” I said.
“Bran is speaking literally, though, not metaphorically,” Lachlan said. “Queen Elia is closer to the Natural World—and therefore the Goddess—than almost any other Fae. It is why her power is so strong.” He nodded at me. “And yours as well. I take it you are related to her, little one?”
“She’s my grandmother,” I admitted.
We had reached the paddock by now and it really did look like we were outside. The magical globe overhead had been positioned and sized to look just like the sun and the “sky” around it was a clear, cloudless blue. The paddock itself was actually a vast meadow filled with lush green grass and dotted with wildflowers. Airgead was galloping through it, his mane and tail flying like silken banners in the wind.
I waved at him and when the brook horse saw me, he came tearing over, clearly enjoying himself.
“Never have I tasted such sweet grass, my Mistress!” he announced in his mental voice that only I seemed able to hear. “You should try some!”
“Thanks, Airgead, but I don’t want to fill up on grass before the banquet the queen is holding tonight,” I said dryly as Bran and Lachlan tried not to laugh.
“Suit yourself, my Mistress. I shall be here if you need me.” He nuzzled me briefly and blew his sweet-smelling breath in my face before galloping off again, his tail held high in enjoyment.
“Well, it’s good to see someone enjoying themselves,” I murmured, watching him go.
“Why little one? Are you finding it onerous to be royalty?” Lachlan raised one dark eyebrow at me.
“It’s…unexpected,” I said, frowning. “And the queen seems to have a lot of ideas for me,” I added, thinking of her Majesty’s constant stream of chatter while I was being fitted for my banquet dress.
“Such as?” Bran asked, frowning.
“Well…” I hesitated, not sure how to put it. “She’s already decided that I ought to stay here in the Summer Court for the rest of my education, instead of returning to the human world.”
“I take it you object to that?” Lachlan asked.
“Of course, I object!” I exclaimed. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, the Summer Court is beautiful and it’s amazing to find out I’m a fairy princess for real but my coven is back at Nocturne Academy! I don’t want to leave Kaitlyn and Megan and Avery! And I don’t want to leave my mom, either—my human mom, I mean.” I sighed.
“That does sound like a problem.” Bran frowned. “But I’d be careful how you broach the subject. Her Majesty is known to have a hot temper—it’s one reason she blew up at my father.”
“Oh, speaking of your father, the queen has decided to call him and your mom and sister back from exile,” I told him. “Because she’s decided that…” I bit my lip. “That you’re the one I should choose as my, uh, consort.”
Bran and Lachlan gave each other an unsurprised look.
“I thought it would come to this,” the dark Fae said heavily. “It’s all right, Emma—I always knew you would choose Bran.”
“I haven’t chosen either of you yet!” I said hotly. “I don’t feel ready to choose—it’s the queen—she’s choosing for me and I don’t like it!”