Bonds of Cupidity (Heart Hassle Book 2)

“Can we fucking leave now?” Evert says way too loudly.

It’s been at least two hours, and it’s clear that Evert is at his play-nice-with-others-limit. Sylred gives him the side-eye and then smiles at the noble who’s been talking their ear off about some boring crop growth or something. Or maybe he’s still talking about the rise of the fish population? I don’t know. I spaced out after about thirty seconds of the drawling fae opening his mouth.

You’d think this party would be more exciting, what with the pipe smoking and the moaning going on behind the drapery. But no. We’re here, stuck with crop talk.

When the noble fae gapes at Evert’s rude interruption, Sylred just pats the fae on the back. “Long week with the culling. I’m sure you understand.”

The fae attempts to look nonplussed as he strokes his muddy mustache. Like, literal mud. I don’t know what kind of fae he is, but he looks like he just strolled out of a swamp. “Yes. Yes, of course. Your covey must be looking forward to returning to your island.”

Sylred nods. “Definitely. If you’ll excuse us.”

The guys try to make their getaway. I get slightly distracted at the very interesting orgy taking place on the pillowed floor beside the dance floor.

I tilt my head. “Huh. Interesting positions.” I make sure to memorize the scene. For science.

I hurry to float back to the guys, and I catch up to them just as Princess Soora heads them off. The three of them stop and bow. She smiles kindly at them, and as usual, she still looks beautiful and poised. Her lavender hair is impeccable, even after all the dancing she’s been subjected to.

She ignores the sounds of the orgy going on in full swing behind her. Seriously, it’s loud. Even Sylred’s eyes keep darting over.

“Your Highness,” Ronak greets her.

She runs her bright purple eyes over the three of them as if she’s sizing them up. She has a gaggle of high fae followers behind her who I’m pretty sure are trying to undress my guys with their eyes.

I stand in front of them protectively. It’s not like I’m actually blocking their view, but I feel like it’s the thought that counts in these situations.

“Congratulations on making it through the culling,’ she says.

“Thank you.”

“I am glad that your entire covey made it out.”

“That’s very kind,” Sylred replies, smiling with his eye crinkles. Gah. Those damn eye crinkles get me every time.

She glances out the nearby window. “Lovely night, wouldn’t you agree? The moon is positively vivid.”

Evert looks like he doesn’t give a single fuck about what the moon looks like, but somehow manages to stop from rolling his eyes. He’s respectful like that.

Ronak nods. “Yes, Your Highness, it is.”

“I often like to take walks in my private courtyard in order to enjoy it all the more. I find that midnight is often the most illuminating time. Wouldn’t you agree?” she asks, looking at them pointedly.

The guys share a look.

“Oooh. You’re speaking spy right now, aren’t you?” I say excitedly.

“I do,” Ronak answers carefully.

Princess Soora nods. “Excuse me, I see someone I must speak with. Congratulations again. I had a handmaiden who did so root for you to be victorious.”

“Me! She’s talking about me.”

The three of them bow to her as she walks away, and she’s trailed by her fluttering followers. One of the hussies passes Evert a slip of paper, asking to meet her in the broom closet later. I frown.

He stops a water sprite walking by and passes it to him instead. “Here you go, mate. Have at it.”

The water sprite takes the paper, dripping water drops onto it from his drizzling hair. “Thanks!” he gives Evert a boyish grin and saunters off.

“Good boy,” I tell Evert, patting him on the shoulder.

“You got what the princess was saying, right?” I ask them. “That was code-speak for she knows me, so you’d better get your tailed asses out to her courtyard at midnight.”

Sylred glances around to make sure no one is near enough to hear before he says, “Think the princess knows something about Emelle?”

“She fucking better,” Evert growls.

Ronak rolls his eyes. “Can you not speak like that about the princess when we’re in the middle of the palace?”

Evert shrugs and picks up another drink to guzzle back.

“Aww,” I smile. “You miss me so much you’re turning into a grumpy alcoholic.”

“I don’t trust her,” he says.

“We don’t trust anyone outside the covey,” Ronak nods.

“But she knows something, that much is obvious,” Sylred points out. “And why would she risk meeting with us unless she wants to help in some way?”

“You never know with these royals,” Ronak bites out.

“How about her comment about her handmaiden? Was she talking about Scratch?”

I blow Lust into his face mid-drink as my yes. He chokes on it and coughs, alcohol dribbling down his chin. He shoots a glare into a spot that I am currently not floating as he wipes his chin. “Dammit, Scratch. Give a guy some warning.”

“Well, I guess that’s a yes,” Ronak says with a slight tilt of his lips.

“Fuck off.”

“So that settles it. We’ll go meet with her and see what she has to say. But we don’t give away anything unless we all agree,” Sylred replies.

I find myself staring at his luscious lips as he talks. “I never realized what nice lips you had before. Your beard totally did them a disservice.”

“How long until midnight?” Sylred asks.

“About a half hour.”

“Good. Let’s make our way out there right now.”

It takes them twenty minutes to make it the last twenty feet out of the ballroom. You’d think fae wouldn’t keep stopping them with the way Evert glares at them so openly, but it’s like they just can’t help themselves.

When they finally make it outdoors, they head for the courtyard. It’s made of the same stone as the palace walls, and sits smack in the middle of a lush garden. They take up spots near the fountain to wait.

“I’ll do some recon,” I inform them, because I’m a super awesome spy like that.

I fly around the vicinity to check for any fae lingering nearby, but I don’t see anyone. After making my second swoop, I return to the guys in time to see Princess Soora approaching. She’s successfully ditched her followers.

“Princess,” Sylred greets her.

“This way,” she says without stopping, her dress swishing with every step.

She leads them past the fountain and into the entrance of the rose maze. “Man, I wish I could smell these,” I say, looking longingly at all the blooming roses that we pass. “I love smelling flowers. And fruit. And fresh bread. And pretty much all food.”

The princess doesn’t stop until she reaches a part of the maze that is completely closed off on all sides except for the small opening they came in through. Behind us, the rose bushes sit against a wall, so there’s no way anyone can be hiding back there.

“Thank you for meeting me,” she says, turning around to face them.

“How can we help, Your Highness?” Ronak asks warily.

“I’ll be blunt,” she says. “I recognized Emelle when I saw her in the city loitering near the castle walls.”

The three of them don’t reply or let their expressions give anything away, and she sighs.

“I realize your hesitancy to trust me, but I assure you, I am on your side. Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of time right now to establish that trust. This may be the only time we can speak, so let us do it frankly,” she says sternly.

Ronak crosses his arms and makes an intimidating stance. The princess doesn’t back down an inch but meets his glare with an arched brow. “You say you recognized Emelle. If you know her, tell me what she looks like and what she is.”

She doesn’t miss a beat. “Pale skin, red-feathered wings that don’t exist in this realm, pink hair, short stature—”

“I’m not that short.”

“—and has a silver tattoo with the letters ML on the inside of her wrist. She is a cupid from the Veil. She’s a bit clumsy on her feet and tends to ramble.” The guys exchange a look.

“Yeah, that’s her.” I’m not sure if I should be offended or not.

Princess Soora nods. “I snuck Emelle into the palace and disguised her as my personal handmaiden while she awaited the culling. She told me she was unable to be far apart from you. I helped ensure she was able to attend the culling and pose as a noble. I gave her one of my own personal guards to look after her.”

“Why?” Ronak challenges. “Why go to all of that trouble for her?”

“She looked out for me while she was a cupid in the palace,” Princess Soora says with a shrug. “But I won’t lie. I saw her for the opportunities she presented. She was invisible, obviously passed through your island’s barriers untouched, and fae magic did not seem to affect her.”

“And you wanted her for…?”

She gives them all an assessing look before answering. “I know your histories, Covey Fircrown. And I know you have no love for the prince.”

“To say so would be treason,” Ronak points out.

“It would,” she agrees. “But the fact remains.”

“Yeah, we hate the fucker,” Evert says.

When the guys give him an exasperated look, he shrugs. “What? We do.”

Sylred sighs. “Tact, Evert.”

“And maybe some restraint,” Ronak adds with a frustrated shake of his head.

“We can stand around all night, or we can cut to the fucking chase. I’d rather get the fuck out of this palace. No offense,” Evert adds to the princess as an afterthought.

“Sorry about him,” Ronak tells the princess. “He doesn’t know when to shut up.”

“It’s quite all right. I find his honesty refreshing,” she admits. “You don’t get open honesty in the fae court. But let me cut to the chase, as you said. I asked Emelle to spy for me. To help my attempts in the rebellion. I’m hoping you will join that cause as well.”

The genfins weren’t expecting that. Sylred’s brown eyes widen, Ronak’s jaw ticks, and Evert scoffs. “Wait a minute, you want Emelle as a spy?” he laughs. “She’s not spy material.”

“Hey!”

“He’s right,” Ronak agrees.

“Congratulations,” I snap. “You’re known as the asshole again. And you,” I say, pointing at Evert. “Watch it.”

“My agreement with Emelle has no standing on this conversation,” Princess Soora replies sternly.

I sidle up next to her. “Yeah, that’s right. Chicks before dicks. We stick together.”

“Aside from hoping you’ll join my cause, I am also here to inform you that the prince recognized her. At last night’s gathering.”

“Fuck,” Evert curses, running a hand through his hair. “She should never have tried to fucking feed us. She stands out even with the disguise.”

“What happened?” Sylred asks worriedly.

Princess Soora’s expression turns unhappy. “He invited her and my lamassu guard, Okot, to the royal box to watch the third part of the culling. He hadn’t let on to anyone that he recognized her, save perhaps Chaucel.”

“And?”

“I’m not sure exactly, but he arrested her in the middle of it. She wasn’t sure whether you lived or died. They dragged her away to the cells where I’m told she was questioned. I don’t know what, if anything, they learned from her. But I do know that when they went back to her cell, she’d disappeared.”

“Yeah, she’s in the Veil again,” Sylred says, rubbing his brows.

She nods. “I assumed as much. As her anchors, she was unable to hold her physical form when you all went through the portal at the end of the culling.”

The guys all stiffen.

Eek. Cat’s outta the bag.

Their expressions shift to varying degrees of pissed the hell off. I wish I could bite my nails right now. Or scratch my arm. Or do anything physical to dispel this nervous tension in my stomach. I try to pace around, but that doesn’t really help when you can’t feel the gravity of your steps.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Evert asks incredulously.

“Okay, cool it, Mount Vesuvius. Maybe don’t erupt at the princess of the freaking realm,” I hiss. “Be a bit more respectful.”

For all her grace, Princess Soora doesn’t even look perturbed by his outburst, even though she could totally have him beheaded for being a dick.

She tilts her head. “She never told you?”

“Explain. Please.” Ronak grits through his teeth.

“Well, that’s why she had to stay so close to you all. Apparently, when the prince hit her with his raw magic to turn her physical, the effects would have worn off, if not for the three of you touching her and anchoring her to the physical world.

“If she was too far apart from you or went too long without your presence, she’d start to fade. She started fading while she stayed here. It was one of the reasons I assigned Okot to her—so he could keep an eye on the progress of her disappearance. It made her ill, too, although she tried to hide it. When you went through the portal, I assumed the distance was too great, and she vanished back into the Veil.”

Evert looks up at the sky, shaking his head. I can’t read Ronak’s expression, because he looks stony as usual. Does he hate me? Gods, I hope not. Me wanting to stay with them was not just about me needing my anchors.

“No, she didn’t tell us,” Sylred says quietly.

“Fucking hell, Scratch,” Evert snaps.

“Sorry,” I say, feeling chastised.

“She was using us,” Ronak says.

I shake my head adamantly and try to grab onto his arms, forgetting myself. “No, I swear.”

Evert points at his face. “That’s not what she was doing. Stop always trying to see the worst in her.”

Sylred looks thoughtful. “If she’d only wanted to stay with us to use us as her anchors, then it would’ve made more sense for her to tell us that,” he points out to Ronak.

Ronak scoffs. “Yeah? Then what’s her reasoning behind not telling us?”

I wish I had some Anti-Lust to blow into his stupid face right about now.

Surprisingly, it’s Princess Soora who answers. “I don’t believe she withheld that information in order to take advantage of you. That’s not the impression I got from her at all. In fact, I believe she didn’t tell you because she wanted you to know that she only wished to stay with you for the right reasons. For all her lightheartedness, she’s actually quite thoughtful.”

Ronak grunts but doesn’t say anything more.

I lift my chin haughtily. “That’s right. I’m thoughtful, you butthead.”

“Regardless of motives,” Princess Soora goes on, “I think I may have found someone who might be able to help bring her back again.”

I whirl around to face her. “Really?”

“Who?” Evert demands.

“Most call him the Horned Hook.”

The guys look at her incredulously. “He’s a thief.” Sylred points out.

She doesn’t deny it. “He is. But he’s notorious in the realm for a reason. He has ways of getting you whatever you need. In this case, I believe he may be able to find the magic needed to restore her. If it was done once, it begs the argument that it can be done again. Since it’s quite obvious we cannot ask the prince to use his magic, we must find someone who has similar magic that would be willing.”

“I heard he was banished again.”

“The Horned Hook has been banished and imprisoned many times. He always escapes,” she points out.

“You’re putting yourself at great risk by associating with Emelle, even if you do want her as a spy,” Ronak says.

She lifts a shoulder. “I am at risk every day. I am also a very good judge of character. I see fierce honesty and loyalty in her, which is exactly what I need for members of the rebellion.”

I grin. We’re totally besties.

Sylred blows out a puff of air. “No one even knows where to find the thief.”

“No, but it’s well known in the realm how to ask for an audience.”

“Yeah, bring a stolen object of great worth to the elder grove.”

“Indeed.”

Evert rolls his eyes. “He’s a showy asshole.”

“That may be, but he also may be your only chance at getting her back. But you’ll need to ensure she’s around somehow, although I have no idea how you’ll manage that.”

Evert smirks. “Don’t worry, she already found us.”

Princess Soora looks around. “What, she’s here?”

“Yep.”

“How do you know?”

Sylred grimaces. “You don’t want the details, trust me. Just leave it at her cupid wiles making us aware of her presence.”

“Very fucking aware,” Evert mumbles.

“…All right.” Princess Soora looks around. “Then there’s the matter of my guard, Okot,’ she looks at them carefully. ‘They formed a close relationship in a short amount of time.”

“Yeah, mates. We heard,” Evert says dryly.

“Yes. He was taken also, but I have no idea where he’s being held or if he is indeed still alive. All my careful inquiries have come up empty.”

A wave of pain washes over me. “Oh no, Okot,” I whisper. This is all my fault.

“I’ll try to find out more, but for now, I’m at a dead end,’ she says. ‘I need to go. I’ve been gone far too long already. Oh, I almost forgot,” she pauses. “I hate a stuffy bedroom, don’t you?”

They look at her like she’s crazy. And I do, too, because: hello, random.

She goes on undeterred. “I hate it so much, in fact, that I left my bedroom window open this evening. Not many guards patrolling this side of the palace, either,” she says conversationally. She points up the palace walls, past a grove of trees near where we’re standing. “That’s my window, there. Did you know; I’m certain I accidentally left out some objects of great worth on my dressing table tonight?”

Evert frowns, bewildered. “Uh, okay…?”

Ronak rolls his eyes at him and mumbles, “Idiot,” under his breath.

“She’s helping us to ‘steal’ something to bring to the thief,’ Sylred says.

Realization dawns on Evert’s face. “Oh.”

I pat him on his cheek. “That’s okay. You’re pretty. You don’t have to be smart.”

The princess starts walking away. “Gain an audience with the Horned Hook. I’ll keep in contact when I can by sending my personal handmaiden, Duru, to speak with you. There will be no other means of communication, is that clear?”

They all nod. “I wish you good luck, then. And Emelle?” she says, addressing the night air. “Don’t lose hope. We’ll see you soon.”

Determination settles into me. Her words are like a promise, and for the first time since turning invisible again, I feel like there’s a real chance that I can come back.

One thing is for sure—I’m going to find Okot and save him if it’s the last thing I do.