“What are they saying?” I whispered.
“It’s the mating ceremony for the fae. An ancient song that is supposed to be imbued with the magic of the singers. It’s one of the reasons our unions make us more powerful.”
I watched his face as he spoke, swept up in the intensity of his gaze. He was looking at me like the sun rose and set because of my existence. It made my head spin.
Overhead, the dark clouds roiled. I focused on Lore instead of on them.
As the voices of the fae increased, so did the magic in the air. It flowed around me like water. Pale light coalesced to form ribbons that wrapped around Lore and me, binding us together.
I gasped, magic flowing through me.
When the voices of the other fae died down, the magic faded away. Even though I could no longer see it, I felt it imprinted on my soul.
I drew in a shuddery breath and looked into Lore’s eyes.
There was no way I could leave him. No way I would want to.
And the idea terrified me.
Panicked, I turned away from him and looked out at the crowd. The ceremony was over, and they were applauding. A noise buzzed in my head, growing louder and louder.
“Sia.” Lore’s concerned voice sounded at my ear. “Are you all right?”
I sucked in a breath, trying to get control of the panic racing though me. “I’m fine. Just a little overwhelmed.”
This was so damned real.
“We’ll be all right.” He squeezed my hand. “Let’s go.”
He led me down the aisle and through the crowd of applauding fae. I inspected them as we walked by, searching for anyone who might not be thrilled about our union.
I saw more than a few people whose smiles didn’t reach their eyes.
Once we’d reached the end of the aisle and were far enough away that I could speak more privately, I whispered, “Why do they consent to marry us if they don’t approve?”
“All fae marriages happen in roughly the same way. If a fae of limited wealth or power is to be married, others from his rank will perform the ceremony. Because we’re the most powerful of the fae, our equals perform ours.”
“So if they want to be married in a similar show of strength, they have to do their part for us.”
“Exactly.”
“Except the weddings are so rare.”
“They still hold out hope that they’ll find their mates.” He led me up the stairs to the castle and into the main entry hall. “I initially wanted to avoid this. I despise the High Court. But that was unwise. This was…special. Worth it.”
I nodded, my throat tightening. I was feeling too much, and it was making me a bit wobbly. “What happens next?”
“A celebratory dinner.”
He led me to the same room as last night, but it had been decorated entirely differently. Instead of large tables, there were many small ones. Flowers poured from arrangements attached to the walls and ceiling, turning the room into an incredible botanical display. Their fragrance filled the air, and I drew it deeply into my lungs.
Music lit up the room, and servants carried trays of wine and canapés.
“It’s like a real wedding,” I murmured.
“Of course.”
I looked up at him. “But we both know this isn’t real.”
“It feels real.”
His words made me gasp. His lips tightened, and he looked aside, as if he realized he’d said too much. “Let’s greet the other guests. This is our chance to cement alliances.”
I nodded and followed him through the crowd. We drank wine and ate canapés and talked to the other guests. Despite myself, I found it to be fun. Much more fun than I expected.
And when it was time for the first dance, I couldn’t help smiling as Lore spun me around the dance floor. He was an incredible dancer. He had to be because I had no idea what I was doing.
And yet, he made me feel like a princess.
A queen.
It was all too much. Too good. Too unexpected.
I danced too much and drank too much, and when the party was over, I was grateful to leave. The fun had worn off, and in its place, I felt the pressure of the truth.
This was all designed for a great purpose, and it wasn’t love.
Lore
* * *
After the party, I led Sia back to our quarters. The whiskey in my veins dulled my senses slightly, and it was an unfamiliar feeling. I no longer indulged to excess, but tonight, I had. I wasn’t fully drunk—I hadn’t been in centuries—but I was slightly woozy.
There had just been so much damned emotion tonight. I’d wanted to dull it. To dull all my senses. Just looking at Sia made emotion course through me. It was more than I could bear.