Chapter 45

As we neared the pulsing room, Oisin wove his arm through mine. The light reached out further to us with every echoing note of faerie music. I wondered if it would be possible for me, a human, to ever blend in among the fae.

My dress fitted like a glove, stolen from one of the many abandoned rooms that littered the castle like moth holes inside an old closet. The tall neckline flared around my throat, covering what remained of the bruises around my neck. I had tried to style my hair so it covered my ears, but my unruly waves still managed to escape and unravel around me, dancing across my face and catching on the gems of the mask.

As we neared the revel, a few guests spilled out into the hall and passed us without a glance. They laughed and skipped, the ladies lifting their skirts to twirl and dance to the music. Everyone wore a mask. Vibrant shades of periwinkle and scarlet glinted amongst the dim lights before disappearing as if they had been figments of a dream.

Oisin ducked his head to catch my gaze before lowering his voice. "No need to worry, Heather. No one is paying enough attention. As long as we appear to be enjoying ourselves as much as they are, we can approach the portal without notice."

I frowned, looking him over one last time, trying to make sense of him. He had also dressed up, removing his cloak to reveal a long draping top that provided a glimpse of his perfectly chiseled chest, and more of his beautifully star-flecked skin. His trousers were fitted to his slim legs, ending in boots that appeared to be made of fine leather. Silver embellishments twinkled, adding to the effect that he was the personification of Night himself.

"Yes, of course," I replied, averting my gaze. Oisin smiled softly, his hand squeezing my arm in an attempt to reassure me.

We didn't have much more time left. My escape and the preparations for the ball had used up most of our time. Though the sky did not brighten, and time did not pass, I knew the deadline the Hekate had given Ronan was drawing near. Any time now, he could appear.

I still was not entirely sure I should trust Oisin, but I had agreed to this exchange. Taking him with me felt like a small price to pay to get back home. He was the last person I had ever expected to help me, but I was glad to not be entering the lavish halls of the endless revel alone while surrounded by the fae.

The last time I had danced with the fae, I had barely made it out alive. The room brimmed with them, and I could see groups of drunken fae hovering just outside it.

The music burst forth, a small band of musicians playing at the room's center. The moment I looked at them I had to look away. They bore mortal faces heavy with exhaustion, their arms and legs thin and bony. They had been forced to play nonstop for the fae's entertainment. I swallowed, feeling some of my Craft rouse at the anger brewing inside of me.

And for one moment, I considered staying, if only I could weed out all the other humans in this word and find a way to save them from such horrific fates. There had been hundreds of girls just like me at the Hunt, how many more were there throughout faerie? I bit my cheek, but continued moving forward.

If Ronan or Hekate captured me again, I would be no help to anyone. No, right now I needed to focus on getting as far away as possible from them as I could.

I didn't look their way again.

The fae swung around the room, dancing and laughing with glee. They wore masks of various shades and no two of them looked alike.

There were horns and tusks, along with tails and fur. Their hair varied in shades of the darkest black to vibrant hues of pinks and cerulean. Eyes of different shapes and colors flashed through their masks as they swung from partner to partner. Some of them even bore hoofed feet, which clattered against the floor, following the beat of an exhausted fiddle player.

I could feel the music too. There was no way I couldn't.

Above everyong, on a tall dais, was the Queen. There was no missing her, as she sat in the center of the room. Long-limbed, and spread out. An attendant stood at her side, a mousy looking faerie, ready to refill her goblet of wine should it dare empty. Her skin held a darkness like Oisin's, only if his was made of the night sky, hers contained the depths of the darkest shadows.

She had horns that curved out from her elegant head, rounding back towards her thick and wild curls. Her dress was made of midnight, its silken shadows wrapping around her lithe body. She leaned her head back as another servant fed her fruit. When she opened her eyes, I was shocked to see bright, stark white irises radiating from her face.

Slowly, I lowered my gaze, following the base of her dais, looking for anything that stood out. But dancing fae fluttered back and forth across the floor, cutting it off from view. The music felt like it was getting louder, filling my head.

I blinked looking around, confused for a moment. What had I been looking for?

Oisin tugged on my arm, pulling me closer as he dragged my attention away from the Queen, a wide smile on his face. When I checked, I realized I had one too, only I hadn't put it there. It stretched across my face, pulling my cheeks until I thought the skin would rip from the strain.

"Focus, Heather. I know you can, or you wouldn't have made it this far."

I knew what he was saying, but it wasn't easy. The music rolled over me, flirting and playing with my legs and arms, urging them to dance and dance and dance...

Oisin spun me around so I was facing him. We had moved deeper into the throng of dancing fae. When had we gotten here? Lights overhead flashed and I realized it was the same blue-white flames I had seen before. They spread across the ceiling like thousands of stars, lighting up the room as they danced among the guests like the night sky was raining its light down upon us.

Oisin took my face with both hands and forced my eyes to meet his dark ones. They lit, like black flames, and I felt a trickle of something in the back of my mind.

I recoiled instantly, remembering how Eirian had tried to manipulate my mind, then the slippery sensation of Ankou's touch. I glared at him in fury.

"How dare you—"

Oisin's lips tugged, and his eyes returned to normal, relief reflecting in them.

"Much better."

I frowned. "You were trying to do that fae mind-trick—"

Oisin smiled wider at me, his eyes darting around the room watching the other fae around us. He lowered his head to speak so only I could hear him over the music. "You were getting enchanted, I only wished to bring you back to yourself. No, it was not the same as my uncle's...gift." His smile only faltered slightly. "Just a little glamour."

I tightened my lips. It was true. My mind was clearer than a few moments ago. Still, I felt betrayed. My arm loosened in his.

Was I making the right choice in trusting him?

Oisin noticed my unease and frowned. "I wouldn't have hurt you. I promise."

My arm tightened in his, but I didn't look back up into his eyes. It didn't matter as long as he helped me get out of Faerie. I know he hadn't been lying when he had asked to leave with me, at the very least. If he wanted the same thing I did, there was no reason for him to impede that.

I took in a steadying breath, the sweetness of faerie wine wafting over to me. I turned back to Oisin with a nod. I watched the way the imaginary starlight reflected off his skin, dancing and spiraling like a galaxy of colors. Beyond him, I could see the other side of the room through the bobbing mass of dancing fae.

Oisin had said the best way to get past them was to dance through them. If we appeared like the rest, two fae enraptured by the long-lasting revel, we would blend in, making our way through the revel to the base of the Queen's dais, where she sat, blind to the world around her.

Once there, we just had to open the portal quickly, and then escape to the human world before anyone took the time to notice. I sensed it would likely be easier than I thought. The fae were too wrapped up in the revel to pay attention to what was happening around them.  I just needed to ensure I didn't let the music affect me again.

Oisin held out his hand to me, waiting for me to take hold.

"Shall we dance?"

I hesitated before placing my hand in his. He may not mean me harm, but he was still a faerie. We were still in his world, where things were governed by a system of rules I only barely understood.

Oisin's grin returned, alight with faerie mischief as he pulled me into the swirling dancers. He didn't have to fight like I did against the pull of the music.

Strands of my wild hair danced over my face as Oisin swung me around into a sweeping dance. His horned head caught on the light and he threw his head back, rapturous, as he allowed himself to give into the music.

I spun.

The music continued to soar, and pinpricks of light blurred together then came back into focus as Oisin moved me across the floor. I found my legs moving to match his steps naturally like I had done this a thousand times before. My dress swirled around us, turning various shades of blue under the twinkling light.

There was a fluttering feeling inside my chest unfurling, like the stretching of a lazy cat, filling me with a sensation I had only ever felt hints of before. The craving I had always chased while dancing and partying in a life before all of this.

As Oisin led me in a dance through the crowd, the sensation came out and consumed me. It was the faerie part of me, now I knew—a part I was just starting to become acquainted with. I pushed back at it hard, trying to keep its impulsiveness at bay.

Focus, Heather. You need to get to the portal before it's too late, I reminded myself.

So I danced, I smiled, I even laughed as I played the role, but I did not allow myself to become it. Not yet.

Hopefully not ever.

Somewhere through his haze, Oisin remembered me, looking down with sparkling black eyes. He grinned, and it was charming. He was handsome, in a way. It wasn't that I hadn't noticed until then, but with only his jaw exposed, a feature he shared with Ronan, it was the resemblance that had me looking away and feeling somewhat flushed.

And just like any faerie, he noticed.

He swooped me through more fae as we continued dancing, moving slowly through the room. I felt breathless as we got caught up in the dance. Oisin looked untamed. His hair was wild around him, his skin glistening as he bent me back, tucking a hand on my lower back. His eyes met mine and he pulled me back to him, holding me closer.

I couldn't imagine what he would be like anywhere but here, a faerie among his kind, dancing and living in this castle. The sadness in his eyes melted away once we had started to dance. He looked happy, and it was invigorating. It passed between us, and it somehow kept me grounded.

Oisin pulled me to him, his voice caught up in his excitement. "I could get used to this, dancing with you. I wonder if when it makes me tire, will holding you be even sweeter?" His voice carried like a song. "Will a kiss feel softer if it could be my last?"

Oisin spun me, and I felt dizzy as he brought me back to his chest, holding me flush to him as the music rolled off us. His breath was hot against the nap of my neck, sending chills down my spine. "Will taking a lover to my bed be more pleasurable knowing they were mine, and only mine?" His voice had gone low, seductive, the question holding an invitation.

Somewhere, I felt a few threads of my control start to fray. I wasn't so sure why this was wrong. I couldn't remember why I had been trying so hard to resist the music and Oisin's touch.

His hands boldly lifted from my hips, following the curve of my body through my dress. He felt like fire, but different from Ronan. His was darker and didn't burn with the same intensity. Instead, it built slow and steady, until before I knew it I was burning up with no way to stop it.

It was too much.

I stopped his hands, breathing heavy. There was more than the music I could get lost in. I turned back around to face Oisin.

Oisin sighed heavily, seeing the wariness in my gaze. But he pulled away, grinning a mischievous smile as he guided me around the floor, inching closer to where his mother still sat. His eyes were fervent but I could see some of his former self was returning.

Just then there was a gentle touch on my shoulder, the intrusion taking me by surprise. Oisin's eyes sharpened, cutting through his dancing-induced haze as he looked over my shoulder.

"May I?" asked a strange, high-pitched voice.

Before I could object another set of hands were taking me. I turned to see Oisin looking at me with wide eyes through his mask, his face quickly sobering. Before I could object, my new partner had turned me, and I was forced to look into his face.

His skin shimmered like emeralds, his dark green hair pulled back from his face and tied behind his head. He wore a simple black mask, but it didn't hide his yellow reptilian eyes. I wondered if he was perhaps a dragon phooka, like one of the ones Ronan had grown up with. He grinned and spun me in a dance, his hands leathery against mine. However, before long I was lost in the hands of another partner.

This time a woman, with dark skin like Oisin's. Only her eyes were pitch black, devoid of any white. She danced, leading me through the steps, and I saw she wore a pantsuit that embraced her curved tall figure better than any dress would.

We danced around the room, passing one unfamiliar face after another. She smiled, and I tried to return it. My palms grew thick with sweat. Any moment, someone would notice I shouldn't be here.

Where was Oisin?

Another fae took me around the room, then another. I danced and danced, spying the dais nearing. I focused on it. Oisin or not, I was leaving.

I started to realize how we had been dancing with only one another had been odd. Everytime I made it around the room, I was handed off to another partner. The fae danced, exchanging partners, smiling, laughing, and losing themselves. It was a vicious circle, spinning 'round and 'round. It kept going, and if I wasn't careful I would get stuck inside its infinite loop.

Hot hands grabbed my wrist, lighting fire across my skin. I looked up, expecting Oisin at last, but as I looked up at my new partner, my heart quickened.

Set behind a mask embedded with the brightest rubies was a set of blood-red eyes I would know anywhere. He wore crimson from head to foot, his lips lifting into a cruel, victorious smile.

Ronan. Now I understood how he had received the title Bloodmonger.

"Found you, at last, my beautiful wife," he said before leaning down to press a hard, bruising kiss upon my parted lips.