And audience with the king and queen.

"How long have I even been here?" I asked Puck nervously, looking quickly through the long flowing dresses that the court had so graciously given me. I pulled out a beautiful, long, bright cerulean blue colored one, and ducked behind a screen to change as I talked to Puck.

"Not long enough for them to make a decision," he called back to me as I heard him take a seat on my soft, feathery bed. "They probably just want to meet you, Mac. Just see who they're working with.

I pulled the gauzy material over my head, admiring the shimmery, almost sparkling fabric. The dress was too long, dropping past my bare feet onto the stone floor. I looked myself over in a mirror, adjusting the one shoulder- number that hung loosely over my body, reminding me of a Grecian gown. It hugged my waist gently and floated down my figure to fan out at my feet.

I stepped out from behind the screen and looked at Puck skeptically. He gave me that playful smirk and I panicked. "I should go change again, shouldn't I?"

I turned back to my closet as Puck got up, and walked over to give me a small hug and peck on the cheek. "You're perfect, Mac," he smiled at me, tucking a familiar pink daisy- looking flower behind my ear.

I sighed, searching Puck's big eyes for something. A mixture of nerves and wintry cold magic shivered through my body and fluttered through my stomach. King Oberon and Queen Titania, my so- gracious hosts, wanted me to go to a dinner with them. Puck chuckled at me. "I'm going to be there the whole time," he said comfortingly.

"I know," I sighed. "I'm just- what if they send me away Puck?"

"They won't," his palm rested against my cold cheeks.

"Are you certain?" I pressed him.

"I-" he started, but couldn't finish the thought before a voice called from the hallway.

"The King and Queen are not to be kept waiting!" He sounded angry, but I nearly ran into the hallway in my anxious rush.

Puck held my hand tight and walked me down the long stone corridors, smiling and keeping me sane. I was so nervous, I'm sure I must have been gripping Puck's hand so tight I broke his fingers, but he kept smiling down at me. And finally we stopped at a set of gold- plated doors.

I took a deep breath and looked up at him. "Relax," he laughed at me, giving my hand a squeeze.

We walked in, and he dropped my hand, careful not to let the king and queen see his affection. Titania smirked with her soft pink lips, obviously noting the connection between Puck and I. Oberon simply looked happy, commanding, only smiling just in the slightest.

Awkwardly I gave a small curtsey, and Puck ushered me to my seat at the intimate table. I sat across from Titania and directly to the left of Oberon, who sat at the head of the table. On the other head of the table was Puck, sitting quietly, waiting for the King to speak first.

I took note of the room. It was like the inside of a gem. Gold silverware and dishes lined the ornate table, all around was elegant, richly colored walls and floors, the light of sunset flooded the dining area and it looked so romantic and well set. It was an odd dinner for an audience with the summer royalty.

King Oberon cleared his throat, and my posture instantly straightened. I tried to keep my hands for shaking in my lap as he motioned for a server to bring the meal, and looked to me with a serious expression.

"Miss Aewood," he told me, and I found I held my breath for a minute, awaiting his words. "I'm afraid I have bad news."

I glanced at Puck with a worried expression, and he looked stone faced and directly at Oberon.

"Makayla," the king sighed. A panic fluttered in my chest, and I felt magic tingle in my fingers. "The winter princes threaten to wage war if we don't offer you back to them." The king held sympathy in his glassy eyes. "And while it is not our place to give such a powerful weapon, such a valuable person, back to them so easily, it is also not our way to wage a war over one human. You do understand?"

"I would never ask you to fight for me," I said quietly, almost inaudibly. My voice shook and the magic in my fingers sparked painfully. I'm not going to lie when I say I was scared of what lay ahead of me.

Puck didn't seem to hear me, though, and I almost jumped as I heard him speak. "With all due respect, my King, wars in this land have been fought for much, much less than a human girl," Puck spoke, almost angrily.

"Puck, this is not your decision," Oberon spoke, a regretful tone in his voice, as if he was speaking to an old friend. "And we both know that this situation is much more complicated. She's not mortal anymore. She isn't even of our court."

Puck was quiet then as I drew my legs up to sit Indian style in the luxurious table chair, to sit more comfortably and maybe calm down a bit. My fingers were shaking.

"Child," Titania interrupted the conversation, looking at me, smiling a pretty, poisonous smile. "I hear that you've been experimenting in our court with your winter magic."

Confusedly I looked at Puck, who looked genuinely surprised.

"Titania, are you sure now is the best time to discuss-" Oberon said quietly to his wife.

"Now is the perfect time," she said smoothly, still staring at me. I felt that she was waiting for me to slip up, to hurt myself. "Won't you show us your magic," she commanded me, using pretty words to make it seem optional.

"I'm not-" I started, feeling the magic in my fingers aching to be used. "I can't control-"

"Try, dear," she ordered, and helplessly I looked to both Oberon and Puck for a way out, but was offered no assistance. Puck seemed to sit up straight in his chair, looking ready to sprint or run. Oberon offered me nothing more than a curious stare.

So I reached for the golden cup that held a liquid-metal-looking drink inside it. I barely touched the cup before my heart stopped, and the winter magic overpowered me. The gold cup turned to pure ice at my fingertips. I shivered, trying to keep myself from gasping or screaming or crying or passing out. I closed my eyes to see Sage's face staring me right in the eyes, holding out a hand to me, calling for me. "Sister-" I heard him call, before I opened my eyes and snapped my hand away from the icy cup.

I let out a deep breath, feeling dizzy and sick as I looked from face to face at the table.

The King looked me over as if I were a sick puppy that he had to put down. Titania smirked across the table, watching my reaction to the rush of magic that flooded my system still. As I turned my head to see Puck's face, my vision blurred, and I felt my mind and body go numb. I heard Oberon stand as I fell out of my chair, waiting to hit the ground. But Puck seemed to have known I would faint, and before I passed out completely, I saw his tuft of orange hair, and felt his strong arms keeping me from hitting the floor.

I remember thinking as I passed out that I hadn't even been served any food, and how I had probably ruined the nice dinner that was set out for us all so neatly. The King and Queen would really hate me now for fainting in their presence.