To Owe a Favor

Lillianna’s POV

“Are you going to participate this year?” I ask Killian with a giddy smile.

“Not likely,” he grumbles, looking tense as we near the kingdom. The short fifteen-minute flight was silent, Killian clearly not enjoying the idea of the courting ball.

“Why not?”

“It is trivial. Courting someone for their skills.”

“I heard this year is different. More dancing and meeting than actual courting, especially since the shifters will be there,” I said, verbatim of what Lona had said earlier in the day when she helped me get ready.

Killian grunts in acknowledgment, at least he’s not wearing his armor, courtesy of me, Yasmil and his mothers breaking him down.

Everyone is separated as soon as they enter the golden ballroom. Killian is directed toward the far back, given more than one curious glance at his choice of dress.

Instead of the black armor that he’d been rumored to wear in the past, Killian dons black fabrics that drape squarely from his shoulders. Giving him an intimidating look even without the hard plates of armor.

I track his receding figure until he’s lost in the crowds and I’m directed in the opposite direction toward a seemingly random group.

The fabric color is similar to mine, surely the work of his mothers. Our outfits match, but as soon as we enter and separate... more than enough glances are thrown my way. Most are curious or squinting, and some even pause in recognition when they notice my black, crinkled wings on my back. Luckily, with the shifters in attendance, this courting ball would remain on the ground.

That is, until the very end, when newly paired couples take flight under the moonlight.

When I reach my group, a small collection of fae and shifters from near and far, we settle into idle talk of outfits and partners. Then, Prince Elik comes up. A scowl immediately settles on my face. The last time we met up and he ditched me comes flooding back to memory.

The others in our group bowed and I stiffly did the same. Regardless of my glare, Prince Elik nods his head toward me and smiles, “Lovely gown, Lillianna.” His eyes shift somewhere over my head, “Looking for someone in particular tonight?”

I shrug. It’s not like Killian said he would court me at the ball. Only that it’s mandatory and that he would fly me. But a big part of me wants to know if he’d be more than friends.

“Hm,” Prince Elik responds to my shrug, “Well, could I offer you the first dance?” He holds out his hand, even though music has yet to begin playing.

I almost shake my head, but realize our group has paired up fast, and we’re the last two standing. With a nod, and a queasy pit in my stomach, I take his hand.

The music tunes into play and the dance steps that I had been practicing all week in the privacy of my room come rushing to me. The prince, with one hand on my waist and the other taking my hand, confidently leads us into motion

Minutes pass as the tempo crescendos, signaling a partner change soon, and Prince Elik looks around.

“Huh,” he acknowledges with a raise of his brow, “Never seen Killian actually participate in one of these things.”

I try to look over my shoulder, but stumble, throwing the prince off balance. “Sorry” I mutter. Looking over my shoulder more carefully.

There he is. Dancing naturally and smoothly through the crowds, leading his partner. Yasmil. They’re smiling, and she dips in closer to whisper something in his ear. Something that makes his eyes crinkle and a soft smile fall onto his lips.

My mouth parts. How good they look together, how confident they look together, two warriors. I tear my gaze away. Yasmil and Selivan planned to attend for each other, it is only because Yasmil and Killian were placed in the same group that they would dance together like that.

At least, that’s what I tell myself.

“Natural, aren’t they?” Prince Elik asks. When I don’t respond he sighs dreamily, “The strongest warriors for the kingdom, together at last. Always able to hold each other up, support each other.”

I scrunch my nose, not willing to talk about this with Prince Elik, “And what about you? Don’t you need to find a princess-worthy fae tonight?”

He laughs. Full out, belly laughs. My cheeks turn red when he finally looks down at me with a secretive look, “I’m only attending for fun. As part of my duty in uniting and showing peace with the shifters. There’s a courting ball for royals that I’ll attend in a few years, when I’m ready.”

Prince Elik’s gaze shifts, like he’s ready to find a new partner. When he catches eyes with another, he squeezes my hands once, “Ready?” I don’t respond. Instead, I twirl away from him, throwing my hand out that is easily caught by another.

The stranger looks preoccupied. Taking long inhales, narrowly missing the other couples dancing throughout the room. I dance with him silently, clearly he’s looking out for another shifter.

When I can, I look for Killian in-between couples. Feeling worse and worse when he never switches partners. And instead, continues dancing and talking with Yasmil. Selivan nowhere to be found tonight.

“I need a break,” I utter to my distracted partner, and he drops his hands away. Eyes intent on finding another somewhere else in the room.

In the bathroom, I stare at myself in the mirror. Puzzling out where I went wrong, what signal I missed or overlooked tonight.

Another fae woman rushes out from a stall and goes to wash her hands, “Are we still dancing out there?”

“Yeah,” I say, pretending that something got on my hand and needed to be washed away. The other woman finishes washing her hands before me, and frowns as she walks closer to the exit.

“You okay?” she asks.

I try to perk back up, “Yeah. Yes, of course. I’ll head back in a minute.”

She turns toward the door, stops, and then comes back to my side, “You don’t look particularly okay.” She frowns, “Did the person you were looking for find someone else?”

“Something like that.” When I answer, I can feel her roaming gaze on my dress, like that has something to do with it. Maybe it does, maybe I should’ve worn something that would draw everyone’s attention to me. I sigh. Turning off the water and drying my hands.

“That… It can happen with the groups and the dancing, but…” she trails off edging toward the door with slow backward steps, “the next part is the skill section. You could really, wow, whoever it is you’re looking for.”

I shake my head, “I’m the fae-girl who can’t fly. I’ve got nothing to show.” I’m not particularly fae-enough to know any of their skills either.

“Oh,” she says, opening the bathroom door, then she smirks, “You can always opt to sit and chat with your group. Plenty do that to tease their partners.”

I give a soft breathy laugh, not thinking I’d be any good at teasing Killian, especially since he still clearly views me as a new friend.

When I return, I find my group table. The five shifters from our group remain at the table, talking, and I take a seat near a shifter woman. She’s a bit older and smiles at me. “Amazing isn’t it?” She marvels at the fae showing off their skill sets, “I’ve already found my mate, but if we could do it over again, I’d love to have met him like this.”

I nod, tears threatening to line my eyes. I pretend to be too distracted by the performance of skills to respond. Not when I’m the only fae sitting here because I’m unable to portray a skill.

My attention shifts to the lines of people on the far side of the ballroom. Others stand and talk or sit at the table, but those participating gather at one end to fully watch the fae portray their skills.

I scan the crowd for a certain fae with dark clothing.

“Looking for someone?” The woman beside me questions.

I shake my head, “No.”

A cup of tea finds its way in front of me courtesy of the staff walking around and I swirl the cup slowly. Staring at my wobbly reflection in the glass.

“Oh dear,” the woman mumbles, and I glance up at her. Her eyes are on my back, or more precisely, looking upon my wings

“They’ll unfurl.” I don’t know why I even acknowledge her stare. But it’s awkward enough not being able to fly, and even more so to be pitied.

Some of the others’ attention have shifted to my wings as they look with open curiosity. “What happened?” one of the younger men asks.

“They just didn’t grow properly,” pointedly turning my attention to the next portrayal of skills, two fae men with swords clashing on the ballroom floor, the table continues to converse amongst themselves. Leaving me out of their comfortable chatter.

After the third performance, I finish my tea, feeling worse than ever when I catch sight of Killian and Yasmil caught in deep conversation at their table. Alone.

“I need air,” I stand from my table, nodding to the shifters and walk away from the ballroom straight through the open doors.

I’m out there for barely a minute alone when someone else joins me. I try not to turn my head, knowing very well this could be some random stranger, but give in and glance beside me.

Prince Elik.

“Tired already?” he questions with a slight smile, not quite cocky but still mocking.

“Not like I’m participating anyway,” I say, sighing into the open air. Looking in the direction of our Kingdom, where I’d much rather me right now.

“I was about to head back myself,” he says before adding, “Grew tired of the same conversation.” I huff a laugh, knowing that most people asked him about his travels as the third prince of the king. “Need a lift?” he asks, flapping his wings until he’s hovering just a foot open me, hand outstretched.

I turn back toward the entrance. Killian hadn’t said anything about taking me back…

“Okay,” I mutter, falling into his chest as he flies at a leisurely pace to the kingdom. Despite multiple attempts at conversation the lump in my throat prevents me from answering.

Out of every fantasy I had about tonight, none ended with me flying back with Elik.

We reach our kingdom after a long twenty-minutes and I practically run from Elik to my room. Throwing a choked ‘thank you’ over my shoulder.

The kingdom is quiet, everyone out celebrating the Courting Ball. I lie on my stomach on the bedroom floor, lights out, and tears flood into the floorboard.