It turned out when Kestrel said she was leaving for the Seelie Court soon, she had meant the next morning.

"Are you going to miss babysitting me?" Seraiah asked Wisteria as the elf laid out her clothes.

"I'm not your babysitter, but yes, I will miss you. You're the first human I have ever met, and I kind of like you."

"Thanks?" Seraiah supposed that was a better response than she had gotten from the rest of the elves.

"You're welcome. Now try this on.”

Seraiah quickly changed into the close fitting pants that were made of some type of leather material. The linen top had a looser fit, but it was covered by a laced corset vest in the same leather as the pants. Finally, she pulled on a pair of brown boots that laced up to just below her knees. There was even a place for the knife Kestrel had given her.

Everything fit perfectly, as though it were custom made for her, which shouldn’t have been possible considering she’d only been here for two days. Perhaps it was another type of magic, she decided.

“Oh, it’s perfect,” Wisteria said when Seraiah joined her in the main living area. “I hope you don’t mind, but I packed some things for you.” She held up Seraiah’s familiar satchel from home.

“The book that was in there?”

“Still there,” Wisteria confirmed. “Though I doubt you will have time for reading. You might be better served using the space for something else.”

A sharp knock echoed through the entrance hall. The girls looked at each other.

Seraiah was not expecting anyone. She was supposed to meet Kestrel in the stable yard.

"I'll go see who it is. You wait here," Wisteria said.

A moment later, the sound of footsteps came toward her. To Seraiah’s surprise, it wasn't Wisteria who appeared—but Kai. He wore his golden circlet again and looked entirely too put together for the early hour.

His eyes tracked down her body and then back up again in a slow perusal that brought a blush to her cheeks. “I see you got the outfit I sent.”

“It was you?” she asked, nervously smoothing her hands down the front of the vest. She wasn’t used to wearing something so tight-fitting, but it moved easily with her body.

“It should offer you better protection, though not as much as armor would,” he said. “Speaking of which, I brought a gift for you. A belated birthday gift.”

“Kestrel told you.”

“She did. You should have mentioned it.”

“It wasn’t important.”

“I disagree.” He held something out to her.

When Seraiah accepted it, she discovered she was holding a dagger. It was longer than Kestrel’s knife and much more ornate, with a dark red stone set in the pommel.

Seraiah pulled it from its leather sheath, testing the weight of it in her hand. She attempted to flip it the way Kestrel had shown her, and was proud when she didn’t drop it on her foot.

“You’ve been practicing,” Kai said as he watched her.

“A little,” she admitted. “I haven’t had time to learn much.”

The corners of his mouth turned up. “I fear the day that you do. Do you like it then?”

She nodded, slipping the dagger back into its sheath. There were fastenings attached to it, but she wasn’t sure what they were meant to be strapped to. They were too small to be a belt, but too large for a wrist.

Kai must have noticed her confusion. "It goes here," he said, indicating his thigh. "Here, let me help you."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

He took the dagger from her hand and knelt before her. “May I?”

Seraiah nodded and watched as he brought his hands to her leg. She barely contained her gasp when she felt him touch the inside of her thigh. It was like there was no material between them. Every movement sent a lick of heat through her. By the time he was done, she felt like she might burst into flame.

“All right?” he asked, looking up at her. It almost sounded like his voice had gotten deeper.

It took her a second to realize he was talking about the tightness of the straps.

Seraiah nodded again. It was taking all of her self-control not to bury her fingers in his hair.

“Good,” he said and stood.

Now she was the one looking up at him.

She had a vivid memory of the way he’d lifted her chin before she’d kissed him.

“Seraiah?”

“Yes?” She hoped he hadn’t noticed the way her eyes had drifted to his mouth.

“Promise me something.”

She waited.

“Promise me you’ll be careful. We need you to find Sterling.”

The words were like a splash of cold water. She noted his use of we and not I and the mention of her sister. It was a reminder he only cared for her insofar as finding his lost queen. Once she served her purpose, she would no longer be needed.

Seraiah took a step back. “Don’t worry. I won’t put your asset in danger.”

He reached for her. “That isn’t what I—”

“Seraiah! Are you ready? Kestrel will be waiting for you. You don’t want—” Wisteria rounded the corner. “Oh, Prince Kaimana. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were still here.”

“I’m ready,” Seraiah said before he could respond. She picked up her satchel and slung it over her shoulder. “Thank you again for the gift,” she said to Kai. Then she headed for the door without another look back.

----------------------------------------

When Seraiah reached the stable yard, Kestrel was already there—and she wasn't alone. Seraiah watched as Eryx leaned in closer until mere inches separated the two of them. Kestrel had one hand resting against his chest while the other clutched the reins of her horse.

Seraiah slowed her pace, not wanting to interrupt. They appeared to be deep in conversation, completely unaware of the world around them. Perhaps Wisteria had been wrong, and Kestrel was well aware of Eryx's feelings. It certainly seemed that way, if the scene in front of her was any indication.

With Seraiah's attention on the couple, she didn't see the loose pebble until it was too late, and she sent it skittering over the cobblestones.

Kestrel's head snapped away from Eryx's gaze, and the moment was broken as her eyes landed on Seraiah watching them.

Kestrel promptly dropped her hand from Eryx's chest and took a step back, putting space between them. Seraiah swore Eryx's shoulders sagged a bit as he turned to regard her as well.

"Good morning," Seraiah greeted them tentatively. She could practically feel the charge in the air from whatever had been happening between them.

"Good morning," Kestrel responded in turn, while Eryx merely nodded his head. He offered the reins he held in his hand to her.

"Congratulations. You get to have your very own horse this time," Kestrel said, cracking a smile and breaking some of the tension in the air.

"Lucky me," Seraiah murmured as Eryx stepped away.

Just then, two male elves rode up to join their little group. Both dismounted and saluted Kestrel and then Eryx, completely ignoring her.

"What's this?" Kestrel asked.

"They’re going with you," Eryx answered.

"By whose orders?" Kestrel cast cool eyes in his direction.

"Mine. I will not let you and the hu—" at the last minute he corrected himself, "—Seraiah, go by yourselves."

Seraiah was certain he had been about to refer to her as the human, but she had to give him credit. At least he was trying.

She watched the war going on in Kestrel's eyes. Her friend looked ready to snap back that they didn't need protection, but there was something stopping her.

Instead, Kestrel merely nodded once, a quick jerk of her head, before she mounted her horse. Eryx's eyes followed her movements and even he seemed startled by her acceptance.

"We should leave before the rest of the court awakens," Kestrel said, not looking at anyone in particular.

The two newest members of their party were quick to mount their horses again and wait for Kestrel's orders. Only Seraiah remained on the ground, still clutching her horse's reins.

Kai was noticeably absent. He hadn’t come to see them off, and Seraiah couldn’t help but wonder if their conversation had something to do with it. Maybe she should have apologized, but at the same time, she didn’t think she was wrong in what she had said. She was an asset in this search and nothing more. She needed to remember that.

“Up you go,” Eryx said. He helped her mount and, with a quick goodbye, they were off.

As they clattered their way through the sleepy city streets of Nyrene, Seraiah couldn't help wondering what awaited her at the Seelie Court. Even though she’d insisted on going, a snake of dread still coiled in the pit of her stomach.

She couldn't shake the feeling something awful was going to happen, but it was probably only because of all the warnings she’d gotten from both Kai and Kestrel about the dangers of the fae court—as if their own weren’t just as treacherous.

Trying to distract herself, Seraiah stared forward between her horse's ears at Kestrel's back, thinking about how she had observed Kestrel and Eryx. She would have to tease her friend about it later. After all, she had to get back at Kestrel for teasing her about Kai.

The cool weight of the dagger Kai had given her pressed into her thigh. Did he also suspect something would not go as they’d planned? Was that the real reason he had gifted her with this weapon? Seraiah mentally shook herself to rid her brain of those negative thoughts. She had to stop thinking this way, or she would bring it down upon them.

Everything would be fine, and their visit to the fae would bring them one step closer to getting Sterling back.