The Gilded Fae (Royal Fae of Rose Briar Woods 2)

Immediately, I drop my hand, pretending I was merely rubbing an itch on my neck instead. She looks down, smiling to herself as she pulls a purple velvet pouch from underneath her booth. Watching us from the corner of her eye as we approach, she empties the bag’s contents onto the polished wooden surface.

The copper coins glint in the light, the sight of the deadly metal sending horror racing through me.

This might have been a bad idea.

I slowly sink into the tasseled stool across from her, taking in the woman’s things—a cloudy crystal ball, a stack of cards, and several multi-sided dice. None contain magic. They’re nothing but props, no different than what the theater uses upon the stage. But the coins…those I’m unsure of. Something about them feels off.

A white pillar candle flickers from her elbow, emitting a fragrance with floral high notes and an earthy base. It’s likely meant to invoke a feeling of the otherworldly, but it’s cloying to me.

“Sabine, this is our dear Madame Corsavina,” Frederick says warmly as he takes the seat next to me. “Madame, may I introduce you to Sabine, my lovely companion for the evening.”

The scarf-draped woman sets the empty pouch to the side of the table and looks up at me. “You’re not from the city.”

I give her a tight smile. “I’ve come to Davon on holiday.”

Nodding, she gestures to the coins. “Would you like me to read your fortune?”

I glance toward the doors that lead into the house. “I don’t want to miss the beginning of the show…”

“It won’t take long.” She gives me a knowing smile. “Choose a coin.”

Remembered pain makes my pulse jump. With my blood racing through my veins, I scan the table, realizing the coins all look exactly alike—each are embossed with a strange symbol I don’t recognize.

“What do the coins tell you?” I ask.

“Perhaps more than you would like.”

I meet the woman’s eyes. Reminding myself I’m wearing gloves and the metal cannot hurt me, I choose a coin, pressing the tip of my finger to the copper as if to prove a point.

She smiles to herself. “Frederick, now you choose one.”

“Me?” He gives her a roguish smile. “I get to pick one as well? All right…”

He takes his time perusing the coins. After several seconds, he points to one in the center of the table.

“Now, we’ll see if they match.” She turns Frederick’s coin, revealing a broken heart.

He makes a sorrowful noise. “And I thought we were friends, Madame.”

Ignoring him, she flips my coin.

Mine also has a heart, but it’s encased in a crown. I furrow my brow as I stare at it, not liking these strange human tricks.

“Queen of hearts?” Frederick asks, shooting me a flirtatious look. “That’s not surprising.”

Madame Corsavina shakes her head. “Her heart belongs to another—her affection has already been won.” She then gestures to Frederick’s coin. “If you pursue her, she will break you.”

“Ridiculous,” I scoff under my breath, looking away from the crown as I stand, knowing I shouldn’t let this human charlatan get to me.

“They’re Fae-spelled,” she says as I walk away. “They do not tell the future but read your past.”

Our magic and the metal are a deadly combination. If it’s true, whoever created them must have had a death wish. Enchanted copper is said to be powerful, but it’s no easy feat to merge the elements.

“It was entertaining, Madame,” I say. “Thank you for your time.”

She shrugs, already gathering the coins back into their velvet pouch.

Uncomfortable, Frederick joins me. As he escorts me into the theater, he drops his voice. “I apologize. She’s usually more accommodating.”