Chapter10

Tamlin was gone for hours going around the boards after the head incident. I assume looking for any signs of other unrest. Lucian came through for me again. The hair pieces I asked for were made and were of the same high quality.

I tied my hair up with the bow string I stole from the training yard, sticking the needle like hair pins in. I was already thinking of leaving, not turning back. If I did these gifts would be pointless. I shook the thought, they needed me. I had to, at a minimum, try.

I strapped up in the corset, the running joke was that I loved it so much I slept in it. It was not far from the truth, I did sleep with it on, but in a loosened state. I wished to always be ready.

I watched him return, only leaving my room to see him. I looked him over, no blood, no injuries. I let out a breath of relief. Things were not going to far from course and that was all that mattered to me.

Pretending to be Fayre was hard, she was a stronger person, and I broke at the sight of others' blood and despair. Seeing things, things much worse. I also sensed something else, a thing following me, not a shadow, but hidden.

"You're okay." I hugged him around his waist.

"My, you look positively Fae." I glanced towards Lucian.

"Cool beans. Tam." I held my hands out and he leaned down. I cupped his face, making sure my eyes did not deceive me.

"What are you looking for?"

"Nothing important. I'm just glad you're okay."

He held my hands, leaving a kiss on the back of one of them. "I'm a high lord, you do not need to worry so much. There is a party tonight, and your invited."

I bit my lip, I had time. "Okay, I look forward to it. No weird rituals, right?"

"Just drinking, eating, and a merry time."

The sun went down, and bonfires were built and burning bright. Wine by the gallons was set out and the court of fairies were filling their glasses. Lucian was following me closely, his metal eye looking to the side and his other was on me.

"You don't have to follow me so closely. Where is the water?"

"You have been acting different."

"Blood freaks me out."

"That, you hunted, but blood freaks you out."

"You would not believe me if I told you." I plopped down on a stump. "Where's Tam."

"I'll find him, stay right here."

"I'll sit right here." Lucian walked off, and I patted my corset for the hundredth time. Still there, still strapped. Hairpins were locked in place.

I eyed the wine table. I took a glass and gulped it down, smirking as I snatched up another. I sipped the sweet wine, walking off whoever was playing music. I saw the red head who told me to stay put and drank my glass dry.

A fairy filled it up again. "Thank you." He nodded, walking off.

"Can I not trust you to listen."

"Lucian." I sang, turning around.

"Feyre, how much have you had."

"Whatever do you mean? This is glass one." I chuckled, taking a sip.

He took the glass from me. "I'm sure you have." His voice bit. "He's by the bonfire."

"Thanks, you know, you have nice red hair. It pops, looks good on you and this vibe." I waved a hand in a circle. "You just keep doing you, you got this. That wine is quite deceiving, it tastes like sunshine and happy days, but hits hard. Bye." I waved as I walked away. My foot caught on my leg, and I stumbled, hands holding me up.

"You are not here for five minutes, and you're drunk off fairy wine. Be careful, there are fires everywhere."

"Yes dad, you got it. You're the best." I chuckled; everything was fuzzy, the world was light as air. The weight of everything was gone. It was like being someone else. My who else. "Calamity."

He was rubbing his forehead with one hand the other holding me up. "What's the Calamity?"

"Me, I remember. That was my name, Calamity." I smiled, cupping my face as I stood straight. "It's pretty, and deadly." Tam just past him was tuning a fiddle. "He can play the fiddle?" My voice raised in question. "I played violin in collage, I was really good, but I only remember one song right now." My voice rose in excitement. Then I bit my lip. "That's hot, let me go." I bounced a little, and he let me go.

The first cord was played, and the others paused. The tune started slowly, then all at once went out in a symphony. The crowd danced on; laughter filled the air. Around and around as I went dancing. My eyes never leaving him.

The wine faded out and the party fizzled down. Fairies dropping where they were at, sleeping off the intoxication. I fell into Tamlin, catching my breath. He held his fiddle to the side, his other arm around my waist, grinning at me.

"Looks like someone is ready to turn in for the night."

I seated myself on him, kissing him. "Not yet."

"You're in a dangerous position, are you…"

I stopped his words with a kiss. "I love you; I wish this curse would end. It's not fair for you. I just don't think I will love you to break it. So, I..." His mask fell off, there was the beautiful face of the high lord. I kissed his cheeks, his nose and his forehead. It had to be my imagination.

"Feyre, you broke the curse."

I blinked, the curse. Then I realized I had let myself get too close, let myself fall into this trap. There was no more happy days to be had, because she would come for me. She would exact her revenge on me, the human who said she loves a fairy.

We might have an hour; it might be just minutes. I tapped my corset, still there, the pins still Firmly holding.

"I fucked up." I cupped his face. "I'm a stupid illiterate human, you used me. You never loved me."

A boom struck out from the sky and all those who were sleeping woke, touching there faces and looking at me. I just doomed them all.

"Remember that."

I moved from Tamlin as several winged Fae landed on the ground.

"High lord, you might be free from the mask, but you yourself are not." I shivered at the sound, that awful hissing of the Attor.

Hands grabbed me from behind, he whispered in my ear. "You're coming with us." The voice hissed. I was jerked up with force, flying through the crisp air. I was carried off by the Attor. Dragged down the mountain and thrown into a cell.

I did not know how much time passed, but it felt long. I was summoned from my cell, the Attor pushing me forward. His grey skin and batlike face was enough to creep me out.

It felt evil and eerie. These halls were the halls you see in an endless nightmare, lit by low torch light.

Two grand doors were opened to a large well-lit room. A chandelier of bones and candles hung in the center, a throne made of bones with Amarantha at its center. Tamlin stood next to it, Rhysand on the other.

I threw my best shielding thoughts. I like cake, with ice cream, I would kill for some deep-fried chocolate sandwich cookies. I let the thoughts of hunger consume every tab I had open.

The level above was lined with other fairies looking down on me. I noticed at least three other high lords. Hands were on the railing, watching me, looking at her. Sensing the gravity of the entertainment they would soon have.

"Well, this was rather unexpected. You really have been busy of late. The only way she could…" She grinned. "Oh, how delicious. All those sentinels you sent out, she killed one. How lucky, for me that is."

I gulped, looking down. Hold. You can get through this. Just hold.

"Tell me, would you still take him even though he knew he would doom you to this fate, all to save his people."

I looked up, staring at him. Play stupid. "No know you speak.

Her feline smile rose. Her face a thin, her arms almost boney, but she did have a beauty that only she could pull off. "This one has no brain. Rhysand, you have not played with her first, have you?"

Rhysand had his hands in his pocket. "How could I, I was busy wrecking the estate." His was unamused, he lifted one hand and picked at his nails. "Why would I bother with an already broken human."

The Attor's claws dug into my shoulder. "A stupid human." He mocked, and the crowd was in laughter. I looked down. Make a deal, how do I make the deal. I gave so much thought to this, I just had to get my words in.

"It would be dull, human, to kill you now. I'm bored to tears of his sullen silence, even when I toy with his people. But I'll make a bargain with you, human. You complete three tasks of my choosing—three tasks to prove how deep that human sense of loyalty and love runs, and Tamlin and his court is yours to keep. Just three little challenges to prove your dedication, to prove to me, to darling Jurian, that your kind can indeed love true, and you can have your High Lord." She turned to Tamlin. "Consider it a favor, High Lord—these human dogs can make our kind so lust-blind that we lose all common sense. Better for you to see her true nature now."

"Okay, three tasks, and all this court can leave here from the magic you put on them. And remain free forever, and ever." I added, trying by best to sound like an air head.

"Of course," Amarantha purred. "I'll throw in another element, if you don't mind—just to see if you're worthy of one of our kind, if you're smart enough to deserve him."

Jurian's eye swiveled wildly, and she clicked her tongue at it. The eye stopped moving. "I'll give you a way out, girl," she went on. "You'll complete all the tasks—or, when you can't stand it anymore, all you must do is answer one question. A riddle."

"Riddled. Riddles are hard." I bit my lip, darted my eyes. She's falling for it.

"I feel so bad for it, you solve the riddle, and the curse will be broken. Instantaneously. I won't even need to lift my finger and he'll be free. Say the right answer, and he's yours. You can answer it at any time after the second task, but if you answer incorrectly or before…" After the second task? I was being forced to do at least two.

"Okay, three tasks, and riddle and all this court can leave here from the magic you put on them. And remain free forever, and ever? After second task. What if fail?"

"There won't be anything left of you to be recognized."

"Okay, agree to me? Plus, riddle solve?"

"Of course, of course." She was over the moon with my stupid play. "You will have a task at every full moon, and in the meantime you will to various tasks, nothing beyond basic housework."

I looked around. Tamlin's face was pale, his eyes wide. I could feel it, that internal voice telling me no. I set it up, I just had to follow through.

"It is deal."

"It is bound. Give her a greeting worthy of my hall."

Fuck. As the word rang in my head, something collided with my face. I was sent back, hitting a wall. I coughed. I was hit over and over, feeling my bones crack, I protected my middle. I was beat until I blacked out.