My fresh clothes are warm against my skin. Dressed in one of the many gowns Jadis supplies for my court appearances, I sit still as Ephemei pins my hair.

"You shouldn't rile her; you'd have far fewer scars, you know." She sighs as she fastens another diamond pin into my dark curls.

"Trust me, I know Ephe." I grumble back half-heartedly.

I look at Ephe's reflection in the mirror, her soft white hair is swept up in a neat bun, a few strands beginning to fall out of place from a day's work. Her ochre skin is ashen with cold. Ephemei is a wood nymph, a dryad, her features perfect, her figure lithe. She had told me once of where she came from, the beautiful chestnut grove she had called home before being indentured. Ephe had never seen summer, and in creatures who drew power from nature, the eternal winter of Jadis' rule showed clearly on their faces.

My once golden skin was now light and dull.

"What was it this time?"

"She thought I was lying to her, she believes I'm rebelling." I huff.

Ephe raises one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows. I grin wickedly, and Ephe drops the subject.

"Why do you think she wants you at court tonight?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Entertainment for her courtiers perhaps."

"She does love to show you off." Ephe mutters as she concentrates on the final pins in my hair.

"Have you noticed the gowns she gives me have been getting even more revealing recently?" I ask quietly.

Ephe's eyes meet mine in the mirror as she drops her hands from my hair, "Yes, she removed more of your old gowns just this morning when she had this one delivered."

I look down at the new gown as I stand.

The colour is blood-red, the bodice, made of intricate lace and boning, cuts low across my bust and the skirt that falls to the floor is made of satin. Sleek and elegant, with a split trailing dangerously high up my left leg.

"Do you think she'd ever make me..." I trail off, unable to finish my question.

Ephe grabs my hands and crouches in front of me.

"She's taken your freedom, yes, but everything she does is for a reason. She wants to show you off but wouldn't let just any animal have you." I look at Ephe doubtfully.

"She wouldn't Cressida, you're too important." She insists.

I nod slowly before taking a deep breath.

"I'm ready."

I can see the entirety of the ballroom from my place on the dais. Propped on cushions, half sprawled across the foot of Jadis' throne, the courtiers are able to watch me. Some sneer, others whisper, and some look at me...hungrily.

"Your ward looks most exquisite tonight, my Queen." A lord – whose name I can't remember – offers coyly.

His grin sends a chin down my spine.

"You're welcome to look but not to touch lord Corbius." Jadis drawls.

A cold finger strokes down my cheek; after all these years, I still have to consciously suppress a shudder. Spine straight, eyes forward, unwavering.

"I must say, though, she has grown into her looks rather well recently; sixteen really is a wonderful age for a young lady."

"Your Majesty, I must ask," lord Corbius flicks his eyes to me, "just one dance with the maiden."

My heart stutters. Jadis grips my chin and turns me to face her.

"Just one dance?" she repeats, her voice saccharine, "All right, Cressida, lord Corbius has asked you to dance; what do you say?"

"Whatever pleases your majesty." I reply softly.

"Good girl, now go dance with the lord," she dismisses me, and my stomach drops, "One dance, Corbius, that's all."

The male grins again, and I catch a glimpse of pale white fangs. A vampyre. Lord Corbius reaches out his hand. I dare not hesitate with Jadis watching me closely, I slip my hand into his ice-cold palm. The vampyre pulls me up and walks us quickly from the dais. Suddenly the room is silenced with two ringing claps.

"A waltz for lord Corbius and Cressida." Jadis commands.

The musicians quickly adjust themselves, and slow lilting music begins to play. The lord wraps his arm firmly around my waist as I place my hand softly upon his shoulder. He sweeps me up into the music.

I have met a few vampyres in my life, some withered with age, some animalistic and covered in fur, but only a few like lord Corbius. Everything about his kind of vampyre draws you in, you feel the urge to trust him. I try to fight it, but my body moulds perfectly with his; he leads me effortlessly through the dance and my head swims as though I've been through goblets of wine.

"You look exquisite tonight, my dear."

"You flatter me, my Lord." I try not to make too much eye contact.

"Do you taste as good as you look?" I can feel his hand trailing up my thigh, but I do nothing to stop him.

I can't.

When I realise how close his face has come to my neck, it's already too late; his fangs pierce my skin, and there's nothing I can do. Everything around me blurs faces muddling together in swirls of colour. I hardly have time to realise he's drinking from me when we're pulled apart.

My body sags as the connection is broken, and I'm caught by a burly minotaur. Otmin, Jadis' general.

"Did you really think you could pull something like that and get away with it?" Jadis asks, her calm voice unnerving.

My head is still reeling, but I can see lord Corbius cowering before Jadis' feet.

"Your Majesty, I don't know what happened," he stammers, "I couldn't help myself."

"Well, I hope you enjoyed the taste of my ward; it's the last thing you'll ever taste." Jadis sneers.

Before the lord can react, her wand connects with his gut and the vampyre is turned to stone.

A heavy silence washes over the ballroom as courtiers hold their breaths. Jadis turns to Otmin.

"Bring her." She commands.

Otmin lifts me into his arms and follows the queen from the room. She casts a gaze at the musicians, and the music resumes.

The parlour is silent as we enter. Otmin deposits me into a chair and stands by the door. Jadis stalks the length of the room.

"Your Majesty." I half-whisper, my energy drained.

"You played your part perfectly, young one." She laughs.

I'm taken aback, confused and wondering if I heard her correctly.

"I've been trying to get Corbius to slip up for weeks, I'd grown so tired of him and his blood lust." She waves nonchalantly.

"Wait," I pause, "You wanted that to happen?"

"Of course, Cressida, why do you think I dressed you like I did?" She asks as though the answer was in front of me the whole time.

I stare at her blankly.

"Oh, you silly young thing, innocence and ignorance are such blessings," she muses, "I knew if I dressed you in red, paraded you about and allowed you to dance with him, Corbius wouldn't be able to resist you."

"I was a trap?"

"A beautiful young nymph like you, who wouldn't want to sink their teeth into that." She laughs.

"Half-nymph." I seethe.

"Yes, yes, half-nymph, half whatever your soft-hearted father was."

I want to tell her my father is a king. I want to scream and shout and tear her apart, but I bite my tongue.

"We're lucky you're not a full nymph given their promiscuous nature; I mean, just think of your whore mother and the trouble she got into."

My mother was not a whore, you bitch.

"Yes, Your Majesty." I agree instead.

She looks me over, as though she can hear my thoughts. Can hear what I actually want to spit back at her. She stalks over to me and inspects the bite marks on my neck.

"Have this healed and get to bed; we set out early tomorrow; a village needs surveying."

All day in a carriage with Jadis. Lucky me.