The room was elaborately decorated with long, towering black obsidian columns lining the space and white marble floor. The ceiling had been painted with a long-ago battle—dragons flying into a fight and Fae coming home, victorious. As there were no fireplaces, magic must have heated the giant room. All over, it was glorious and perfectly put together.

Members of the court bustled forward to shake Fordham’s hand and extend congratulations. Several men circled Kerrigan as if she were for sale. A few women even touched her chin, turning her face side to side.

“Such small ears,” one noted. “And completely on display.”

Felicity didn’t care. She pushed Kerrigan’s anger aside and smiled at the woman. All of the women were bejeweled like Wynter, dripping in gemstones. And the pieces that accentuated their pointed Fae ears were clearly the height of fashion. The fact that Kerrigan donned not an ounce of jewelry had to have been deliberate on the twins’ part. She stood out more because she was without adornment than all the women in diamonds around the room.

“You look like you could use a drink,” Arbor said, appearing at Kerrigan’s side as soon as the last insipid courtier moved away. She pushed a goblet into her hand, flush with red punch.

“Faerie punch?” Kerrigan asked hesitantly. Her eyes moved to Fordham, as if to ask whether or not it was safe, but he was currently being accosted by a group of Fae males about some border incident with the other families.

“I wouldn’t poison you,” Arbor said with a tinkle of a laugh. “It’ll just loosen you up.”

“I’ve had enough faerie punch to know what that means. And I’m not sure loose is what I should be right now.” Because if she lost a grip on Felicity, then Kerrigan would come out, and she was sure that no one here would quite like that to happen.

Arbor came in close, running a finger down her ear until she was practically whispering. “People will talk if you’re not drinking. Sip it, and I’ll replace it throughout the night. Trust me. Fordham does.” Then, Arbor giggled. “These ears are just so odd.”

She traipsed away, crashing back into her brother and the Fae woman he was courting.

Kerrigan took a breath and drank from the goblet. It was delicious, like fresh strawberries. She had to be careful not to down the entire contents.

“What are you drinking, darling?” Fordham asked then, reappearing at her side. His eyes were storm clouds. The only part of him that made him seem ill at ease.

She leaned into him, looking down at the drink in hand. “Punch.”

His finger came to her chin, tilting it up until she looked him full in the face. Her heart pounded at the contact. Gods, she’d barely had any of the drink, and already, she could feel the effects coursing through her.