Daughter of the Night

The court of the Summer Fae was almost like a mirror of the palace room at Versailles, except more green. The faeries were dressed as they would have been in the 1600’s, with tailcoats and ball gowns of all colors and fabrics. There were maybe two hundred faeries present, although clearly not all of them were nobility. There were entertainers, servants, butlers and maids, as well as the nobles. And every one of them had their eyes on me.

My instinctive urge was to either flee or put on a show of intimidation, but instead I relaxed my posture and crossed my arms, studying those who looked back at me with a haughty indifference. It didn’t matter that I was beginning to hunger and Aaron was the only human within a mile radius, or that I was being regarded by hundreds of pairs of eyes, or that I was the only one present in modern clothing save for my guard.

The music and noise that was had decorated the Court when we first entered began to die down. Conversation was replaced with hushed whispers. I tried to shut out the whispered remarks, even though I could focus in and eavesdrop without difficulty if I so chose.

Then my eyes fell on the golden throne where the Summer Queen was seated. It was a massive thing, made from solid gold and shaped like wild flames, and it caught the light and refracted it in all different directions, to the point that I was nearly blinded. Wild vines grew up and around the throne, so that even though it was burnished gold, plants tempered it. Small purple orchids bloomed all around the throne.

Even more magnificent, however, was the faerie that resided in it. It was unmistakable that she was the queen. She was shrouded in power and her every movement reeked of command. She was beautiful, yet undeniably lethal. Her hair, a pale golden orange, was curled and fell to her waste. Ribbons of purple and green were woven into her hair, and her crown was a mere golden circlet with an amethyst droplet that fell over the center of her forehead. Her eyes were deep amber brown and held what seemed like endless wisdom. She wore a gown of emerald green that was alluring while also modest. Over her shoulders was draped a cape of woven sunflowers.

After studying our party for a prolonged moment, her eyes came to rest on Aaron.

“Step forward, my Knight.”

He did her bidding, his head tilted respectfully downwards, and came to a knee maybe fifteen feet from the dais of her throne.

“Rise, Aerrinaekaiyan,” she commanded, her voice ringing like wind chimes and roaring like wildfire.

My head began spinning. Knight? Aaron? Or rather, Aerrinaekaiyan? From what I remembered from faerie lore, there was only ever one knight. The Summer Knight. But Aaron was human! Or was he?

“I have kept your sword for you, as promised, my Knight,” the Queen said. And, at your word, you have completed the task I set before you. I thank you for your service. I commend your achievements.”

As if on cue, a round of applause broke out among the Court. I had the nasty impression that I was part of these ‘achievements’.

As she said this, she reached down for a sheathed sword leaning against her chair and held it aloft for Aaron to claim. At first, the sword didn’t seem that special, although it was definitely well made and well worn. Although it was sheathed in a casing of gold-painted leather with patterns of flames dancing along the edges, I could tell that the sword itself was curved, single-edged, and maybe three feet in length. I could tell that it was made out of faerie metal, which made it deadly to me as well as everyone else in this room. The hilt was made of an unfamiliar type of wood and wrapped in hard leather that was faded in color from use.

Aaron stepped forward and gently removed the sword from her grasp. The expression that flitted over his face at this point was one of deep adoration as he cradled the sword in his arms like a small child.

My mind was still whirling. Aaron? The Aaron I had come to know, with a sword? And from his stance, I realized that the sword fit him.

I was unprepared for the change that occurred when he placed his hand on the hilt. When he drew the sword from its scabbard, he seemed to glow in light so consuming that for an instant I couldn’t even see him. When the light died down, he had changed.

Aaron, the boy I had saved on multiple occasions and whom I had come to befriend, was gone. In his place was Aerrinaekaiyan, the Summer Knight. He looked essentially the same, with the tousled dark brown hair and the emerald green eyes and the eyebrow piercing over one eye. Yet he was clearly of the Fae. His pupils were oval now, and his ears were tipped. He seemed more vibrant now, for his skin seemed to glow with internal fire. I knew that behind his lips were pointed incisors, too.

I had been expecting something similar to this, sure, but my awareness did nothing to prevent a sense of betrayal from rushing over me. It was so similar to before that I felt myself becoming hollow inside, the old wounds opening up again.

No. I had survived this long. I would not be broken. I had learned long ago, but it seemed that I had forgotten. I was alone. I was always alone. I always would be alone, because nothing was as it seemed, and there were no allies for a vampire. I was a creature of the darkness, the bane of humans and creatures of the light alike. Yet I had forsaken my own kind also, and there was nowhere left to turn. I was the only person I could depend on, ever.

It was a lesson that I needed to take to heart, because recently I had begun to think otherwise. Foolishly. Well, I would hold myself to false ideals no more. I was sick of betrayal.

“Majesty,” Aerrinaekaiyan said, “may I introduce to you the source of my quest?” He bowed slightly and then turned to me, his expression a mixture of apprehension and amusement. Always amusement, as if life was an endless jest.

The heavy gaze of the Summer Queen of the Fae settled on me.

“Ah, yes,” she said in her musical voice. “You are the vampire Cross, direct descendant of Dracula.”

It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t bother to answer. I kept my head held high, although as the Queen looked at me the watchful eyes of the Court did also, so I was again being studied by multitudes.

“The Summer Court extends its hospitality,” the Queen went on, “and asks that you forgive the crude measures by which you were brought here.”

Another pause for me to speak, but what was I to say? As Aerrinaekaiyan had already proved, I was surrounded by a species where deceit was among the most valued characteristics.

When it became clear that I wasn’t planning on saying anything, the Queen again resumed conversation, although this time it was directed at the Court. “I will retreat into privacy to hold conversation with my Knight and guest. Resume activities, if you will, and I shall see you all tomorrow. Summer’s blessings.”

“Summer’s blessings,” came the reply from hundreds of faeries.

A guard stepped up and nudged my back with the hilt of a dagger. “You just received a private summons from the Queen,” she whispered. As if I hadn’t figured that out. “Follow the knight, and don’t try anything. We’re watching you.”

Biting back a snide retort, I followed the faerie that used to be Aaron through an exit behind the throne, holding my head high under all the gazes still directed at me. Hadn’t these people ever seen a vampire before?

The doorway led to another maze of hallways, but here there were guards posted. Aerrinaekaiyan waited for me to fall into step behind him, although it was clear he was hoping I would walk by his side, maybe so we could converse. I, however, had nothing to say.

Eventually we were lead into what seemed to be a parlor. Peach trees were growing in this room, and fancy mirrors lined the walls. Some of the guards exchanged glances when they realized that I had no reflection.

The Queen was seated in a cushioned armchair made from what I thought was carved oak, although the way she sat made it appear no less regal than her throne. She gestured for the guards to leave and to shut the door behind them. Although they were clearly unhappy with the idea, they voiced no complaint as they filed out of the room.

Aerrinaekaiyan assumed a position between the Queen and I. He had strapped on his curving sword, but instead of having it at his waist, he had its sheath secured to a sort of harness that looped over his shoulder and belted in the front. The sword’s hilt poked over his right shoulder.

“I assume you have questions as to why you are here,” the Queen said, drawing my attention back to her, “and what business I have with you.”

“I’m curious,” I said flatly. “But I can assume that it has something to do with my blood father. He probably insulted the Fae in some manner and now you wish to withhold something he desires from him in retaliation. I was, however, doing an excellent job of that on my own, so why you needed your Knight to interfere I don’t know.”

A corner of her perfectly sculpted lip pulled up into a half-smile. “You are correct on some accounts, but not all. Dracula has indeed insulted the Fae, and we are indeed seeking retaliation. However, you are not the retaliation we are seeking.”

I stared at her, thinking. How were they insulted? The Fae were not a people to take lightly by any means. I had discovered that the hard way. Dracula must have something up his sleeve, for the Fae to have need of me to avenge their honor.

“You need my aid, though,” I guessed, “because you plan on using corporal punishment.”

The Queen dipped her head in acquiescence. “It is so. An ally with your knowledge of our enemies’ abilities would be a great asset. More than that, however, only Dracula himself could overpower a vampire of your abilities, if the rules of lineage among vampires are true. You would be able to counter the abilities of his vampires that my warriors would be unaccustomed to dealing with.”

I tilted my head sideways. “You’re planning to dethrone Dracula.”

The Queen again nodded.

“And,” I continued, “You sent your Summer Knight to guarantee that my loyalties were not with my blood father and to ascertain that my morals were good enough that the Fae could form an alliance with me without disgrace.”

The Queen lifted a softly arching eyebrow. “If you wish it worded like that, then yes, it is so.”

I peeled back a lip in disgust. “So you’re telling me that your Summer Knight was stabbed in a back alley and fed wolf bane just to determine my loyalties?”

The Queen’s lips pulled down in a dissatisfied frown. “Hardly. My Knight is indeed a fearsome opponent, but when sealed in the guise of a human he often tends to overestimate his abilities. It was no one’s intention that the werewolves were involved to such an extent, and their dealings with both him and you are truly regrettable.”

“Regrettable?” I asked, a note of disbelief creeping into my voice. “You call that regrettable?”

“What’s done is done,” the Queen replied in the same even tone, despite my raised voice. “If there was any way for the Fae to have prevented it, we would have. Still, you escaped. Dracula was thwarted.”

I was growing quickly angry, but I held down my temper. “’Dracula was thwarted?’” I repeated.

Aerrinaekaiyan interceded at this point. “I never told you, Cross,” he began, “but when I was infiltrating the hotel building I found a letter from the Court of Dracula. Their Alpha had been captured and in order to free her the werewolves were to give you up to the vampires.”

My face froze when he began speaking, and I watched him with a mixture of loathing and disgust. “You didn’t tell me this because it may have destroyed the fragile glamour that you planted that made me want to come to D.C., right?” I hissed.

His face fell a tiny bit. “Is that what’s bothering you?” he asked. “Because if it is-“

“My Knight,” the Queen interrupted, “that discussion is for another time.”

Aerrinaekaiyan bowed his head. “Apologies.”

The basis of faerie magic, the thing that made them such good manipulators, was their ability to control to a small degree the thoughts and emotions of those around them. The Fae themselves were so used to encountering that sort of pull and tug when dealing with each other that they hardly gave it a second thought. In my mind, however, it was an extreme breach of privacy. It had occurred to me shortly after arriving in the city that having my suspicion dulled and my affection for such a person as Aaron was the work of the Fae, although I hadn’t actually thought that it was Aaron himself.

“So, if all your questions are answered, will you aid the faerie people in the overthrow of Dracula?” the Queen asked me, her deep amber eyes catching my own.

I felt her tug, her desire for me to say yes, becoming my own. Yet I recognized the taint of her emotions now, and I did my best to block them out.

“I will think about it,” I replied coldly. “While I approve of your goal, I am none too pleased with your methods. And if you wish me to become your ally, you will have to trust me enough to provide me with more information than what you have given so far.”

The Queen nodded smoothly, as if she had been prepared for my answer. “Of course. You will be given time to think. Aerrinaekaiyan will be your escort.”

And that was because she needed her most powerful warrior to keep me under wraps, and also so that he could influence me where she couldn’t. I steeled myself for his company as the Queen rose from her chair, gathered her skirts, and glided from the room. The air stirred with a breeze of smoke and peaches as she passed by me. The door swung open for her, and her vanguard waited apprehensively on the other side.

Then the door swung shut, leaving me with Aerrinaekaiyan.