We stopped in front of Lia’s bedroom door and even though the silver mask hid Bayleon’s eyes, I could see a tiredness in them that I’d never seen before.

  “Good evening, brother,” he called out.

  “Same to you,” I replied. “Did you know this was going to happen?” I asked, flourishing a hand between us.

  Bayleon shook his head, the muscles in his jaw clenching. “No. I was just about to join our warriors when Shaylah came to my door.”

  I nodded. “Same.”

  Bayleon stepped forward, his voice low but demanding. “I know something is going on with you. You’ve never been one to keep secrets. Do you have anything you need to say to me?”

  I could say so many things, but I refused to appear weak in front of my brother. Nothing ever seemed to bother him. I didn’t want him to know of my pain, of how much I wanted and needed Lia. We’d shared many women before but none of them were her. She would never choose me over him, and I knew it. Did a part of me begrudge him that? Yes. I was never one to be jealous of any man, but deep down I knew Lia loved him. She cared for me too, but I had yet to know the full extent. Bayleon had never told me his true feelings, but I knew the truth. He loved her, too.

  Before I could give a neutral response, Lia opened the door, wearing a midnight-blue dress and a crown of vines and blossoms. Her shimmering golden skin sparkled in the light, making me want to touch her and inhale her sweet flowery scent.

  She smiled radiantly as she looked at us and said, “I’m glad Shaylah caught you in time.” She grabbed our arms and linked hers with ours as we walked down the hall. My heart started to flutter the moment her hand touched mine.

  “You look breathtakingly beautiful,” I whispered, hoping she couldn’t hear the strain in my voice.

  “Gorgeous,” Bayleon added.

  Lia beamed at us and held us tighter as we continued on. Music was already playing outside, and I could hear everyone chattering and laughing.

  “Thank you,” Lia replied softly. “You both look quite dashing yourselves.”

  Spending a whole night beside her was going to be complicated; it was too tempting. All I could think about was slipping my fingers through her hair and feeling her body close to mine as I kissed her. It wouldn’t take away all the pain, but it would give me a little break.

  When we arrived at the exit, I looked around. People from all of the fae courts were there, set apart by their differences. Winter fae had shimmering skin, Summer fae were tanned, and Spring and Fall fae had a light golden color. But Bayleon and I weren’t like them. We chose to live in Spring, but our appearance stayed the same. We were cursed from birth, living in the Mystical Forest, and condemned from that second. The reaction was predictable at every ball we attended with Lia: some were angry, some were fearful, and some desired us. Fathers would keep their daughters away and husbands their wives. A few women always wanted to play with fire. I had lived off lovemaking for centuries, and it was almost painful to deny it when someone tried to give themselves to me. Even now, I could sense their longing, calling me to use my charms on them.

  Keeping my eyes forward, I walked with Lia and Bayleon through the crowd. Everyone congratulated Lia on her new court. It was supposed to be a night she’d remember forever, a night for us all to enjoy, but I already wanted it done.

  As soon as we stepped across the invisible barrier that marked the Court of Rivers, I could feel the magic in the air. The power of the court seemed to buzz, and I envied those who could control the elements. I imagined what it would be like to draw power from the earth and manipulate the wind; it was a luxury I’d never possess.

  All the fae gathered around had these abilities, many of whom probably failed to recognize their luck. I wished I could join them, but my curse of seduction seemed like a heavy burden compared to their elemental gifts. We strolled alongside the river that snaked around Kale’s palace and the tranquil water reflected the full moon’s light.

  We soon arrived back at the Blossom Court, where the air was filled with music and laughter. Tiny lights hung from magnolia trees, glittering like stars, and a long table had been set up near the trees, with hundreds of glasses filled with blue, sparkling faerie wine. I knew that one glass of this wine was more potent than three shots of whiskey.

  Lia’s grip tightened on my arm, and I followed her gaze toward a tall figure in Spring Court garb. His name was Cas, one of her former lovers, who was about a hundred and fifty years younger than me but closer to her age. He had trained with me on many occasions; he was a fierce warrior yet egotistical. That’s why Lia had ended their relationship when Bayleon and I became her protectors.

  Cas bent his head, his green eyes burning with longing as he looked up at Lia. “Good evening, Your Highness. Will you do me the honor of a dance?”

  Lia shot me an almost playful glance before addressing Bayleon. “I will if my escorts don’t mind.”

  Her words hung in the air between us like a challenge. Bayleon shifted his arm away from Lia and glanced at me, unable to refute the suggestion without appearing rude. It was apparent that he didn’t want her dancing with Cas either.

  “If that’s what you wish, we will not stand in your way,” Bayleon suggested.

  Lia’s eyes glinted with what seemed to be annoyance at Bayleon’s answer, or perhaps disappointment. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was her way of testing us or if she merely wanted to use Bayleon and me as an excuse to avoid the other men all night. The smirk on Cas’s face widened as he offered his arm to Lia, and they set off to dance under the magnolia trees with everyone else. Over the past couple of years, I’d been able to handle seeing her around other men, but now I just couldn’t take it anymore.

  “I need a drink,” I grumbled, turning my back so I wouldn’t have to see Lia with Cas. I went straight over to the table of faerie wine and tossed back a glass, the liquid tingling down my throat. Before I could grab another one, Bayleon’s disapproving huff echoed behind me. “Do you have a problem?” I snapped, picking up more wine.

  Bayleon sighed. “You’re on edge, brother. I want to know what’s going on with you.”

  I jerked around to face him, keeping my eyes on him as I swallowed all the wine in one gulp. I saw the look on his face when he let go of Lia so she could dance with Cas. Setting the empty glass down, I stepped forward and squared off with Bayleon. His tight expression and rigid posture made it clear he wanted to discuss something important. I had to know the truth.

  “You want to know what’s going on with me?” I countered, tightening my fists. “What about you? You didn’t want Lia dancing with Cas any more than I did.” Bayleon stiffened and looked away, his jaw tight. The air between us seemed unbearably heavy. He said nothing, so I continued, “Dammit, Bayleon, be honest with me, brother.” He met my eyes and even through the silver mask, I could see a wildness in them I’d never seen before.

  His chest rose and fell rapidly as he spoke in a low growl, “Fine. I don’t like her around other men, especially ones she’s been intimate with.” His admission was the first time he’d ever revealed such a thing to me.

  “Are you in love with her?” I asked.

  We both stole a glance at Lia, lost in the music and oblivious to what was transpiring between us.

  “I am,” he confessed, meeting my gaze again. “I have a feeling you are, too.”

  Desperate to close off all feeling, I raised the crystal flute of bluish-colored wine and held it aloft as a toast. “It doesn’t matter. We’re not worthy of her. And even if we were, she’d choose you over me.”

  I was almost surprised by my words, the bitterness and resignation that had spilled out of me. I needed to get away before the terrible anger and sorrow broke out of me, so I quickly placed my glass on the table as the musicians wound down their song. Just then, Lia came over and looked at us suspiciously.

  “What’s going on?” she asked softly.

  “Nothing, my queen,” I replied with a bow of my head. “I was just about to leave.” She moved closer to me, extending her hand and gazing into my eyes with authority and tenderness.

  “Okay, but I want you to dance with me first.” Then she winked. “That’s an order from your queen.”

  Bayleon backed away and I grabbed Lia’s hand, feeling the pulse of electricity run through me the very second I touched her delicate skin. Having her this close was a cruel kind of torture, a punishment I certainly deserved more than anyone else. I had taken the lives of many women due to my cursed nature, which was why I figured I didn’t deserve love or joy.

  Lia tugged me behind her, and we moved past the dancing people to a tranquil spot located on the side of the castle. A circle of blooming pear trees grew from the ground, their white petals floating in the air. She dragged me into the middle of the circle, creating a barrier between us and everyone else.

  With her hand still in mine, she made no move to let me go. Heart racing, I stared into her eyes, hating that I was about to tell her I had to leave her court. I was afraid of what I’d do if I stayed. My fear was that I’d end up hurting her somehow.

  “I thought you wanted to dance,” I said to her.

  Lia smiled and it was such a beautiful sight. I was going to miss it. She let my hand go and bit her lip, a nervous gesture I’d only seen from her a handful of times. But Lia wasn’t the type to be scared of anything.

  “I do but I had other plans tonight,” she murmured, moving closer to me so our bodies almost touched. Her lips pursed when she peered up at me. “Needless to say, it didn’t involve dancing with Cas.”

  My voice came out low, almost possessive sounding when I spoke. “Trust me. I didn’t want you to.” She smiled as if that relieved her.

  “Why?” she asked, her voice breathless.

  I had to tell her the truth if I was going to leave. I’d kept it inside for way too long. I slowly raised my hands until my fingers intertwined with hers and my thumbs rested against her cheeks.

  Lia’s gaze was intense; her eyes spoke volumes as if she had been waiting for me to make my move. I could feel the heat radiating from her body, and I knew the distance between us was bridging.

  “Because I’m in love with you, Lia. I have been for a really long time.” I spoke in a low voice, my lips inches away from hers.

  When she responded, “I’m in love with you, too,” a wave of emotion crashed through me. Her words were like a shock to my system, and my heart raced as she leaned further into my touch. Our eyes locked, and I could only focus on her full lips that I had fantasized about for years. All I wanted was to feel her against me, to know what it would be like to make love to her.

  All of my desires ran rampant at that moment and I felt they might consume me. I was on the brink of losing control . . . and knew it’d be too much for her.

  Hurting her would destroy me.

  Chapter 6

  Lia

  A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I finally said the words I’d wanted to say for years. Bastian’s arms tightened around me, and I melted against him. I longed to see the warmth of his midnight-blue eyes behind his mask and feel his labored breath on my face. Even though he’d previously expressed to Ella that he wasn’t worthy of my love, I wanted to show him he was.

  Gently, I reached up and pulled off his mask to look into his eyes. His gaze locked onto mine and his breathing quickened.

  “You are worthy of love, Bastian,” I said quietly.

  Before either of us could say another word, I rose onto my toes and pressed my lips against his. A shock of passion filled my body as we kissed. It was all consuming and I wanted more. His arms were like iron bands around my waist, trapping me against him. He kissed me so intensely that I could barely catch my breath. When I tried to pull away, he held me tighter, his lips never leaving mine. Then he suddenly stepped back, and I saw raw emotion in his eyes—confusion, regret and shame. His hands shook as he ran them through his disheveled hair.

  His voice was full of torment when he finally spoke. “Lia, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” His shoulders slumped and his gaze dropped to the ground as he turned away. He took a few steps toward the pear trees before he stopped and looked back at me with a tear running down his face. “It won’t happen again,” he said before turning and running away.

  “Bastian, wait!” I shouted, hoping to take off after him.

  But when I tried to see which direction he had taken, all I could see was darkness. Bringing a hand up to my lips, I could still feel the warmth from our kiss and the spark of electricity that had passed between us. My heart raced and my mind reeled in confusion. What had just happened? There was only one other person who could explain the situation.

  Steeling my courage, I whirled around, coming face to face with Bayleon. His expression mirrored Bastian’s earlier anguish and shock, and a startled gasp escaped me. He opened his mouth to speak, but I beat him to it.

  “I was just about to come and find you.”

  My pulse spiked even higher as his gaze flicked down to where I still clasped Bastian’s mask in my hand. He didn’t need to say anything for me to know how dire it was for his brother to be without his mask.

  “What happened?” Bayleon asked, and I knew he had guessed the truth of our moments together, even if he wasn’t ready to admit it.

  “I’m not sure,” I replied carefully. “But I think something is going on between you both that you haven’t told me yet.” Bayleon just stared at me, so I took the opportunity to continue, “What’s going on with you two?”

  He took a deep breath and dropped his gaze to the ground. “Before I get into that,” he said, lifting his face and removing his mask, revealing eyes full of longing, “I have to know. Did you choose him?”

  Even though his mask shielded his eyes, I could feel the intensity behind his stare, causing my skin to tingle. I wanted to tell him I had chosen both of them and end the torture of trying to hide my feelings, but at the same time, I was scared to cause a rift between him and his brother.

  With a trembling hand, I reached up and cupped his cheeks, feeling the prick of stubble against the softness of his skin was beneath my fingertips. Then, slowly, I leaned in until our faces were only a breath apart.

  “I choose you both,” I whispered, unable to look away as his gaze filled with surprise. “I was planning on telling you and Bastian everything tonight. I’m tired of fighting it. I know I shouldn’t want you both, but I do. I love you . . . but I also love him.”

  His arms encircled me, pulling me close until our chests were touching. His eyes searched mine for what felt like an eternity before he said softly, “I never thought I’d ever hear those words leave your lips.”

  “So, you’re not mad that I can’t choose between you?”

  His eyes filled with sincerity and his lips formed a tender smile, which stirred something deep in my soul. “I would rather share you with my brother than not have you at all.”

  A swirl of emotions rose within me, but joy was the strongest. Bayleon cast his gaze downward and paused momentarily, then looked into my eyes, his lips still curved into a faint smile.

  “May I kiss you?”

  My heart fluttered and I nodded in response. His arms tightened around my waist, and he leaned forward, his kiss gentle yet full of passion. An indescribable electricity rushed through me, reminding me of my connection with Bastian, only slightly different. The feelings I had for Bastian were raw and exciting. With Bayleon, they were deep and all consuming.

  When Bayleon pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine, and without warning, I felt a wave of guilt wash over me as I realized I was harboring feelings for two brothers. Bayleon said he would rather share me than not have me at all, but that didn’t mean Bastian would be okay with it. He ran away before I could tell him everything. Bayleon opened his mouth to speak but stopped and shook his head as if searching for the right words.

  “There’s something you need to know.” He released his grip on me, and anguish flashed across his face.

  “What is it?” I asked, wishing to know what had him so conflicted.

  Bayleon sighed heavily and kept his gaze on mine. “I know why Bastian couldn’t control himself tonight. You may not be able to tell, but it took every ounce of strength in my body to stop myself from kissing you.” His eyes were a blazing fire as he continued, “Even now, as I’m standing before you, my desires for you are tearing me apart. It’s an internal battle I fight every single day. I’ve been trying to resist them for a long time, but Bastian has reached the point where he can’t hold on anymore.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Bayleon’s jaw clenched and he looked away. “My brother and I are cursed, Lia. There is only one way for us to be healed, but I would never ask that of you.”

  Bayleon and Bastian were Tyvar, magical fae creatures who lived off the powers of seduction and had abstained from being with a woman for decades. In an instant, the truth dawned on me—how could I not realize that denying their nature would cause them so much pain? They needed me to heal them. I had the power to heal wounds and bring people back from the brink of death, but that wasn’t the kind of magic they needed right now. I grabbed Bayleon’s hand and met his gaze, desperation in my voice.

  “We need to find Bastian. All it’ll take is one female to accidentally look into his eyes to seal his fate.”

  We both knew that if he or Bastian chose to enthrall any women with their powers, the punishment would be death. And I wouldn’t be able to save them from that.

  Bayleon nodded and quickly pulled his silver mask over his eyes before we ran toward the back entrance of the palace. My warriors, Ezra and Brig, stood guard outside and bowed when they saw us.