Page 37 of Filthy Fae

Everyone’s attention turned our way. A few gazes were curious, a few dismissive, but most of their eyes blazed with fury. There was so much bad blood between the werewolves and fae of Heartland forest. Even though I had seen the antipathy all my life, it was nothing to the loathing directed at us today. As far as they were concerned, I’d ordered a massacre against their friends and family members.

Queen Titania’s eyes blazed into us even as servants carried platters of food and set them along the high table—heaping towers of fruit dusted with sugar, trays of rolls dripping with melted butter, and a huge roast pig swimming in roasted plums and sauce. My stomach rumbled with hunger at the smell of the rich foods even as tension threatened to make me throw up what remained of my chocolate chip pancake breakfast.

When the servers were gone, Titania motioned to us with her long, elegant fingers. “These two were caught trespassing, and as punishment, they have become our entertainment for the evening.”

The queen snapped her fingers.

Fae in full armor that reeked of silver surged in. Falling to their knees, they pointed gleaming arrows at us. The chains around my wrists and ankles slithered away before vanishing into smoke. My shoulder blades burned as I lowered my arms.

“Stop.” Mack stood, his voice quiet but firm. “These werewolves had nothing to do with the massacre. My mother is using this tragedy to her advantage.”

“Oh, my,” Titania said with a titter of laughter. “How could I forget? Your celebration is most important, my son. That is, if this is an engagement celebration.”

“Mack, don’t do it,” I yelled. “She’s going to kill us, anyway.”

“Will my dearest son Macklin finally agree to serve as consort for the autumn court?”

There was a shushing around the feast, as if everyone was taking a simultaneous inhale. Behind Macklin, the air shimmered. Princess Mab had warned us about this. Making a portal to New York took so much magic that it was nearly impossible, but for tonight only, both queens and many of their strongest fae were working together to create a portal so they could convey Mack to his arranged marriage in style. The Queen wanted him to agree, but she’d shove him through by force if he didn’t go willingly.

The moment he was through, she’d find some way around the specific words of her agreement and begin the hunt for Aaron and me. We had to get Mack down here with us.

Princess Mab herself looked a little pale. She clutched a champagne flute like she might be able to jump inside of it and disappear.

Mack smacked the table with both hands and growled through clenched teeth, “Fine, damn it.”

“No.” My breaths came quick and short as panic thrummed through me. Ignoring the silver tipped arrows pointing at us, I rushed as close as I could to the dais. A sob caught in my chest, and hot tears coursed down my cheeks. “Mack, don’t do it. Please. She plans to kill us no matter what.”

“It has been years in the making, but the day has finally arrived,” Titania said grandly, ignoring me completely. “A union between the courts. It will be a truly festive affair.”

“I agree to it only if you spare these two from the hunt.” Mack kept his gaze on the queen, ignoring my presence.

“Fuck that,” I said. “I love you, Mack. You are not sacrificing your future for us. Your mother will never let us live.”

Finally, Mack turned to me. His eyes softened, but his jaw stayed hard. “I love you more than anything or anyone, Scarlet.”

“Then you can’t do this for us.”

“She’s right.” Aaron stepped up beside me. “It’s out of the question. We’d rather be hunted.”

“We’ve got this, Mack.”

I glanced around the table, not even close to as confident as I sounded. Looking at the fae around me, I couldn’t help but marvel at the improbability of our survival. Darrel was legendary because he fought off one fae and lived with permanent scars.

As I surveyed the fae around us, the real reason we were here came back to me. There was evidence pointing to my sister, but was that even a conceivable concept? True, the fae at that party weren’t armed with swords or bows. But were fae ever really disarmed? They had magic.

My sister was a dominant wolf, and I could imagine her holding her own against one disarmed fae who was caught unaware. With a lot of luck, maybe two. A werewolf killing twenty-two fae? Not even all of my mates and my entire pack could manage that without massive fatalities.

A tear dropped onto Mack’s cheek. “She’ll kill you if I don’t.”

“She’ll kill us no matter what, butthead,” I said. “At least I’ll die knowing that you won’t be forced into a loveless marriage with the autumn queen. With you free, we can face this hunt.”

He shook his head. “My mother won’t stop until she has both your heads on a pole.”

“It’s true,” Titania said, popping a roasted grape into her mouth.

Challenge gleamed in Aaron’s glowing eyes. “We’ll see,” he said to her, then turned to Mack. “That doesn’t mean you have to let her put yours on a pole first.”

“That’s quite enough,” the queen said. “The marriage is one of great advantage and will bind the two courts together further.” She offered a smile to her red-haired guard, the one from the autumn court. He glowered in return.