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There was another smattering of applause as some of the fae in attendance turned toward a group standing together to the right of the queen’s throne. They were dressed differently to all the others, wearing loose-fitting linen pants, and shirts in light, summery colours like tan and sage green and burnt orange.

At the front was a woman with a mass of curly dark hair and huge sunset-coloured wings. Ianthe. The person Crossbody was supposed to marry.

My body automatically stiffened as my brain told me to dislike her on sight for that fact. Seething jealousy tightened my gut, made me want to grab Crossbody’s nape and yank him into a hard, possessive kiss, to show her and everyone here that he was mine.

Our eyes met, hers almost as dark as mine. After a second, it seemed like realisation dawned in her gaze, which flickered from me to Crossbody, then back to me before a small smile tilted her lips and she gave me a tiny nod.

Had he told her about me? What had he said? Why was I suddenly really fucking desperate to ask her?

“Princess Ianthe, my dear, if you’d come here?” The queen smiled demurely at Ianthe, who glanced at Crossbody again before slowly making her way over. “My son, come and stand with your bride. Leave the ghoul there,” she added, curling her lip with disdain.

Crossbody turned to look at me. His fingers twitched, as if he wanted to reach out and take my hand. Instead, I gave him a discreet nod and a tiny smile when all I wanted to do was kiss him.

“Now,” Queen Galantha barked, her voice growing sharp.

I could feel the eyes of all the fae nobility in the room on us now, curious and intrigued. His throat bobbing, Crossbody finally tore his gaze from mine to turn and reluctantly walk closer to his mother.

I took a few steps back to stand by the door, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall. The fae closest eyed me warily and inched away, but I kept my gaze fixed on Crossbody as he stopped beside Ianthe, sharing a brief look with her as he turned to face the room. His wings fluttered once before spreading out wide, like he was instinctively trying to make himself look bigger as he clasped his hands together behind his back and lifted his chin.

My chest squeezed tight. I could see how nervous he was, how uncomfortable, but he still looked poised and calm on the surface. It used to rattle the shit out of me—used to infuriate me, the way he could maintain his composure even in the middle of a screaming match—but now, after seeing just how much he let himself feel below the surface, after realising why he’d had to develop such a blank mask to keep his emotions hidden, I felt only pride as I looked at him.

“Now,” Queen Galantha began, making the room fall silent. “Before the betrothed couple mingle and greet our guests, I’d like to—”

“Actually—” Crossbody interrupted her, just like she had done to him every time he’d tried to speak. His voice wobbled just the tiniest amount as he continued. “—I’ve decided not to marry Princess Ianthe.”

The room fell silent. Queen Galantha stared at him blankly, while Ianthe made a big show of pretending to be utterly shocked. She gasped, resting a hand on her chest and turning to stare at Crossbody.

“Very amusing,” the queen said, her voice sharp with an unspoken warning. “Though I don’t think the Summer King will appreciate your sense of humour, my son, when he arrives for the wedding next—”

“I’m not joking,” Crossbody said, his voice growing in strength. “There’s not going to be a wedding. I’m not marrying Ianthe.”

People in the room started murmuring. Presius, the older brother, stood up straighter with a deepening frown, glancing at his mother, but she was too busy staring Crossbody down as if she could simply will him to take back everything he’d just said. The younger brother, Ariyon, looked nonplussed, like he hadn’t even really known what was happening in the first place.

“Did I do something to offend you, Prince Elvis?” Ianthe asked in an appropriately timid voice, just like they’d planned.

We’d decided it would be better for her overall if she acted like she knew nothing about the plan. That way her father couldn’t attempt to punish her. She’d be blameless.

“No,” Crossbody said, making sure to keep his voice loud enough to be heard throughout the whole room. “I have simply created a new life for myself in the human world. I have no desire to move back here. In fact…” He glanced at me, throat bobbing, then lifted his chin. “I’m renouncing my title as prince of the Spring Court and heir presumptive to the throne.”

“Well, you can’t do that,” the queen said flatly, then let out a tinkling little laugh as if the idea was preposterous. A few of the attendees hesitantly joined in. “That’s not how it works, my dear.”

“I think it is.” Crossbody nodded around the room. “Thankfully, you’ve gathered many noble fae here to witness it.”

The queen’s jaw clenched. Eyes gleaming with furious malice, she gritted out in a threatening tone, “There will be repercussions to this, my son. As you are well aware.”

“Actually, I don’t think there will be,” Crossbody said pleasantly. “At least not for me.”

I straightened from the wall, darting a glance at the main double doors at the far end of the room, opposite the queen’s throne. Now would’ve been the perfect time for Freddie to kick off the plan and burst dramatically through those doors.

Except nothing happened. Gnawing on my lower lip, I looked at Crossbody. He glanced back at me, a question in his eyes. I tried to subtly shrug, but the queen was shooting her narrow-eyed gaze between us.

“Is that supposed to be a threat?” she eventually spat. “What exactly do you think you are doing? Embarrassing not just your own court, but the Summer Court and Princess Ianthe as well?” Lowering her voice, she hissed, “Stop being such a cowardly fool and stand next to your bride in silence. There will be nothing for you to go back to if you do this, boy, so there is absolutely no point to this embarrassing little display of rebellion at the eleventh hour.”

“No, I—” Crossbody glanced at me then the door again, some of his confidence faltering. “I’m going back to the life I’ve made for myself, and you’re not taking that away from me.”

“What life?” She barked out a mean laugh. “What I witnessed, boy, was not a life. Just a sad existence filled with depravity and—”

“What have you been doing?” Ariyon asked with mild interest, sipping his drink.