Vel had slept terribly.

She was used to having her sleep disturbed by prophecies and omens and all kinds of strange apparitions that she’d have to make sense of in the morning. What she was not used to was having her few hours of slumber disrupted by visions of an arrogant, preening male with fire-red hair. Not a prophecy, those never featured her, and especially not behaving so wantonly. No, this was nothing more than an unwelcome construct of her mind.

She groaned and rolled over on her back, the dull throbbing between her thighs a reminder of her fevered dreams. There was not much she could do here - the room was not truly private. The last thing she needed was for Nyoka to report her touching herself to Eris. She wondered if he would burst into flames with satisfaction.

In the dim morning light, Vel examined the new markings on her forearm. They were subtle - shades of brown swirls circled her skin like the vines of an ancient plant. A series of quick knocks on the door pulled her away from her thoughts and, just like the day before, the faerie entered without waiting for an invitation, the smell of breakfast closely following behind.

Breakfast had been just as lovely as she’d expected - a spread of meat, cheese, and fruit, accompanied by freshly baked buns and rolls. Nyoka braided her hair as she ate, a slightly awkward silence hanging between them.

Vel tried to clear the air. “I hope you know, I don’t hold it against you,” she said as Nyoka meticulously adjusted a complicated braid that nobody would be able to see either way. “We all do what we need to survive.”

“It’s not just about survival for me, you know.”

She knew. For Nyoka it was also about love. She wanted to prove herself worthy to Eris, to help him in his cause. Was he truly as cruel as he portrayed himself? Would he be able to use and discard her with no remorse? Would it go against the bargain to warn her?

A sharp knock on the door. She gently brushed away Nyoka’s deft fingers and pulled her hood up, releasing the cloth panel that covered half her face. “Enter.”

Eris opened the door, no doubt having listened to their little exchange. “Good morning,” he said amiably - a courtier’s practiced tone.

Vel popped a grape in her mouth and watched him intently from the couch. “Is there a reason why you are interrupting my breakfast?” she said with her mouth full. The day had only just started and Eris had already irked her. He looked perfectly put together, like he’d had a good, long, relaxing sleep, unlike her.

She hadn’t had the chance to truly look at him yet. He was tall and powerfully built - more toned rather than broad, but she could spy the contours of his muscles underneath the slightly open white shirt he was wearing. Two identical jeweled daggers were strapped to his belt. Despite the weapons, Eris seemed relaxed, almost cheerful. He strutted over and plopped down on the couch across from her. Vel watched as Nyoka left and closed the door behind her.

Eris disregarded her earlier question, preferring to pick at her half-finished platter. “Will you be keeping that up?” he asked, motioning towards her covered eyes with a piece of cheese.

“Of course. You never know who’s watching in this place.”

“That’s too bad, yours is a lovely face. I was hoping I would get to keep looking at it.” Eris said with a smirk.

“Shameless flirt. Why are you really here?”

“The High Lord is otherwise preoccupied. He has asked me to show you around the Forest House, maybe even give you a tour of the Autumn Court if we have enough time.”

Vel visibly deflated. “No word on his plans?”

“He dismissed me and then locked himself in the study, though he still seemed in a strangely good mood.” Vel hummed wistfully and looked out the window, the forest shone like gems in the morning sunlight.

“Any prophetic dreams? It would be easier to gain an audience that way.” A flashback of her filthy dream prodded at her mind – Eris looking up from between her legs, a hungry glint in his amber eyes. She shook her head vigorously, doing her best to rid herself of the unwanted vision before her scent betrayed her, no matter how much of an effort she’d been making to mask it.

Eris dragged a hand through his hair. “Then there is not much we can do other than wait.” He got up in one fluid motion. “In the meantime, it would be good for you to get to know the lay of the land.” He stuck out his arm for her to take. “Shall we?”

—

They spent the morning exploring the upper levels of the Forest House. The hallways that seemed like a maze initially made much more sense as Eris explained the layout. The house was technically circular. The three wings of the house were built in a crescent shape, curled around the mountain face, and separated by roaring rivers that gave way to steep waterfalls. The main hall was on the northern side, the Lady of Autumn’s wing was to the south, and the residential quarters were in between. The fourth wing, which included the kitchen and the servants' quarters was inside the mountain and connected by tunnels and hallways to the rest of the house.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

The house was so large they spent most of the day walking, only stopping to have lunch in a forgotten dining room fit for hundreds of guests. The massive room hadn’t seen use in centuries, Eris explained. Like his father before him, Beron was too paranoid to invite foreigners to the court. Even among Autumn nobility, the High Lord preferred to keep his circle small.

They ate, they walked and Eris continued his history lesson. He was an enthusiastic storyteller so Vel didn’t try to tell him that she had lived through all of that. She enjoyed listening to his silky smooth voice and it was refreshing enough for her to hear an insider’s perspective since she had been mostly kept out of the Autumn Court affairs.

By the time the sun was setting Vel’s feet were protesting and her head was throbbing with all the information. “There is one more thing I want to show you,” Eris said, sensing that she was lagging behind. “My mother used to reside here before she chose to move to the other side of the House, presumably to get as far away from my father as possible”. Eris chuckled bitterly. He had been oddly pleasant the whole day, even keeping the bickering to a minimum. She wondered if their pact had taken a weight off his chest, one less betrayal he had to worry about.

They took a left turn and she had a sudden sense of deja vu. It was the same corridor she had gotten lost on the previous night, only now it was bathed in hues of red, orange, and gold, courtesy of the open ceiling and setting sun. “That one used to be her music room.” Eris pointed to a familiar door on the right wall. “Back when she still enjoyed life at court,” he added quietly. Vel recalled the dark shapes present in the room last night, what she now understood were musical instruments covered in dusty sheets, unused for centuries.

As they walked down the corridor, the lavish decorations gave way to nature. Twisting vines and white Clematis flowers graced the pillars that slowly shrank and became sparser. Stone tiles gave way to plush green moss and suddenly they were in one of the most incredible gardens Vel had ever seen.

The space was wild, more of a forest grove than a nobility garden, surrounded by trees dressed in Autumnal tones. A simple granite fountain stood at the center of the clearing, its flowing water a rhythmic melody that mingled with the rustling leaves. Along the cobbled paths, chrysanthemums and marigolds added vibrant bursts of color, while late-blooming roses offered their delicate fragrance to the crisp autumn air. The sweet scent of apples from nearby trees mixed wonderfully with the earthiness of fallen leaves underfoot.

Walking along the garden’s paths, Vel folded the cloth panel back into her hood. She drank it all in, the sights, the smells, the sound of chittering birds and flowing water. The flowers swayed in the breeze as they walked past, their long shadows with them, and all of nature seemed to move together as if in a dance. The garden was alive in a way that she couldn’t explain, so different from the forests she flew over the day before, as if it answered, not to the High Lord, but to another – perhaps to the Lady of Autumn or Eris himself.

To the west, the tree grove bordering the garden opened up to a terrace - a granite bench matching the fountain stood at the edge of an abrupt cliffside. The Autumn Court was sprawled below, awash in the sun’s dusky hues.

It was breathtaking. The villages, the valleys, the forests, and rivers – so small yet so vast, the countryside stretching as far as her eyes could see. All of it was painted in the most vibrant colors. As the sun set, she saw lights popping up all around - fires, lanterns, torches, village hearths. The living, breathing soul of the land coming alive for the night.

Vel wasn’t sure how much time had passed, or when she’d sat on the carved bench. Eris, a steady, comforting presence at her side, quietly looked over the court that may one day become his. His amber eyes were bright. His face was bathed in a preternatural glow, accentuating his high cheekbones and elegant jawline. His red hair ruffled in the wind.

As if sensing her attention, he turned toward her, the amber in his eyes like liquid honey, warmer than she’d seen them so far. Her pulse quickened and she became acutely aware of the intimacy of the moment. His hand brushed hers, his calloused fingers warm and gentle as he pulled her palm up towards him. He traced the white scar that had formed in her palm. The soft touch on her still-tender skin sent goosebumps up her arm. Then, Eris leaned down and pressed his lips to the bridge of her palm. The unexpected gesture seemed to send a spark of lightning through her veins.

For a breath, their souls twinned. She was him. She was looking at herself through Eris’ eyes - cheeks flushed and lips parted. And she felt his need, like a wildfire devouring him from within. But not for her, not in that way. There were more pressing wants that flitted past in a blurred haze – killing his father, getting revenge, taking the throne. She came back to herself with a shudder as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown on her. She understood him then, and it was more than she’d bargained for – he craved power and she was nothing more than the means to achieve it.

She pulled her hand and stood up quickly, looking away from the male. She wondered what he’d seen in her heart in that split second – her heart that raced as if ready to burst out of her chest. She busied herself with adjusting her robe and pulling down the face cover. “I believe we are late to dinner,” Vel mumbled, her voice much smaller than intended.

They walked towards the dining room in silence, the boisterous laughs and lively banter of the younger Vanserra brothers growing louder with their approach. They were indeed late to dinner. Two untouched plates waited for them at the empty side of the table while the others had already half-finished their food. Beron was absent, which explained why the males seemed to be much drunker and louder than the evening before.

“About time you two showed up! We were starting to wonder if you’d purposefully gotten lost during your tour,” one of the twins hollered, indeed much much drunker than before. The Lady of Autumn gave him a chastising look, though, with Beron’s absence, everyone seemed in far higher spirits.

“You forget your manners, brother,” Eris replied icily, taking his seat by the head of the table.

Vel squeezed into her designated spot across from him and to the right of the second oldest Vanserra brother - she couldn’t quite recall his name. She drank deeply from the goblet in front of her. Wine. Somehow she had the feeling she’d need it.

“Did you enjoy the Forest House, my lady? Or was Eris’s constant presence an impediment?” the younger male smirked in his brother’s direction. His brown eyes sparked with impish delight as Eris glowered at him. Where his older brother’s face was all sharp angles and edges, his was rounded and delicate, framed by slightly-longer red hair, curling at the ends. Vel cursed at herself for not remembering his name.

“You know, Lysander, father was going to ask you to show Lady Vel around. But I told him you’d be spending most of the time avoiding all the servants you’ve slept with instead of actually giving a proper tour.”

Lysander scoffed. “Fascinating accusation, brother. If we’re discussing popular gossip, I happen to have heard a rumor that you are humping a Lesser Faerie. One that looks like a deer, or so I’ve heard.” The male on Lysander’s right side whistled. At the other end of the table, the Lady of Autumn looked positively horrified by her son’s indecent words.

Eris’s face was perfectly composed as if he’d done this dance with his brother a million times. “You’d do well to remember who you’re talking to brother, before flinging such vulgar accusations.” Vel felt the rumble of power in Eris's words and her own blood seemed to warm in answer. His amber eyes slid to her.

Lysander rolled his eyes and turned to Vel who was happy to have an excuse to dodge Eris’s stare. “My apologies lady, I seem to have forgotten myself.” He inclined his head. “I would be more than happy to make up for my lack of manners by showing you around tomorrow.”

“The lady’s schedule is already spoken for, Lysander. We will be touring the grounds tomorrow.” The idea of spending another full day with Eris after the earlier events had Vel in a bit of a panic.

“We could go together, all three of us, wouldn’t that be lovely?” she said with the sweetest smile she could muster. Based on the disgusted look the brothers gave each other, it was obvious they strongly disagreed. From the corner of her eye, Vel saw the youngest brother, Lucien, tip his head back, howling with laughter.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Lucien said grinning. “We can all join. Maybe we could go for a hunt and enjoy some brotherly bonding like the good old days.” The Lady of Autumn looked worriedly between them. Judging by her expression it seemed like their quality time was more likely to end up with bloodshed than not. Vel tried to give the Lady a reassuring smile. Tomorrow was shaping up to be an even longer day than today.