My first official court appearance was a banquet. Three Courts bordered the lands of Stag Court: Raven Court to the west, the Court of Mercy to the north and north-east, and Sycamore Court to the south and south-east. Apparently, Stag Court also encircled a tiny Court that was more like a city-state than a country, by name of Icemelt Court. Tonight was the feast day of one of the Faery gods, whose domain included peace and fidelity, and as such, Stag Court was hosting representatives of each of the bordering Courts for a banquet and revel.

When I asked my guards why Dain wasn't a representative to one of the other Courts for the event, I received confused stares followed by riotous laughter. Apparently, none of the other Courts were interested in hosting the man who'd won the war with Raven Court so decisively, and if I thought that Dain would be a good representative of peace or fidelity, I needed a history lesson. Well, they were right, but they didn't have to be so rude about it.

For the event, Kamharida put me in a deeply sexy dark silver lace dress, one of the ones where lace applique over skin-colored cloth makes it look like the delicate designs – in this case, of curling ferns and a pattern that looked like latticework – are barely obscuring your naughty bits. It was mermaid-cut, the dress part ending just past my ass, with sheer lace cascading down to my ankles. A slit ran up my left thigh, all the way up to my mid-hip. It was not the sort of dress that you could wear with almost any underclothing; I got a high-waisted thong and pasties only because I begged her for them.

My hair got pulled into a chignon, and my circlet for the night was, to my surprise, made of iron.

"It's tradition," Kamharida explained. "You're mortal, and you wearing iron is both a form of protection and an indication that Crown Prince Sundamar trusts you."

"I could turn out to be his nemesis," I pointed out.

"But you're not his nemesis yet," she answered, unflustered as she put gray diamond studs into my ears. "Right now, the Court will act as if all possibilities are equally likely, which means he will need to treat you with cautious trust, and you should appear to treat him the same way."

"I trust him roughly as far as I can throw him," I grumbled.

"Understandable," she said, patting me on the back. "Stay near him, don't insult anyone, and don't drink too much."

"Got it," I said with a sigh, and left to go be presented to Stag Court.