I sat at a vanity and flinched as pins were pushed into my hair. I was to have dinner with Haven tonight, and I was required to look "pleasing".

I wore a dress with a very low neckline, and the clamps on my wings were decorated with silver chains. When I inquired of the servant behind me about how Haven acquired such wealth, she replied that he was a captain in the Night Court's armies. Tonight was a meeting with the General and I was only allowed to sit by Haven and remain silent like a good fiancée.

When I was done, I could hardly tell I looked injured between Haven's healing this morning and the servant girl's job with the makeup and layering of fabrics.

I left my room when she was finished without a word and made my way down the hall, gripping my hands tightly and playing with my engagement ring.

When I reached the top of the banister, I looked down the stairs to the Front Hall to see Haven with a few other Illyrians bowing to two other Illyrians.

One had shoulder-length black hair and had seven- seven- red Syphons along his armor. The one who stood next to him also had seven Syphons but they were blue. He seemed to wear shadows and darkness like a cloak. And that's when I realized who they were.

I didn't dare walk down the stairs now. Part of the High Lord's Inner Circle was here for this meeting. General Cassian and the Spymaster and Shadowsinger Azriel.

The Spymaster's gaze shifted up to wear I stood and his hazel eyes locked onto mine. I couldn't breathe as he stared at me- assessed me- taking in everything.

Haven noticed the Spymaster's diverted attention and he turned to see me at the top of the stairs.

"Ah. Adrianna. Please, come down and meet our guests." He says and beckons me forward, a hand out.

Resting one hand on the rail, I came down the steps and took his hand when I reached the bottom.

The General and Shadowsinger took in my appearance and my clamped wings and I could have sworn Azriel scowled.

"Why is she clamped?" The General asked.

"She was caught flying, General." Haven replied evenly. "It's against the law."

General Cassian looked me up and down and I remained silent. Then, he asked, "Clamps on your wings? Tell me, are you in any pain?"

"I healed-" Haven began but a snarl from the General cut him off.

"I was talking to the lady." He growled, then looked back to me.

I swallowed hard. "I...no, my lord."

He just nodded once and turned back to Haven and the others, but the Shadowsinger was still watching me.

Feeling uncomfortable, I merely tightened my hold on Haven's arm. He looked down at me and just said, "If you will all follow me, dinner is ready."

Walking on the arm of Haven, I felt both confident in that I was to marry such a rich male, but insecure because my wings were clamped. I could feel the Shadowsinger's eyes on my every movement.

When we reached the dining room, Haven pulled a chair out for me at his right side, then sat down once I was seated. Azriel, Cassian, and the other officials took up positions around us. A few of the other commanders gave me nasty looks, but I kept my chin high.

Haven moved a hand to rest on my knee and he squeezed it once in a comforting manner, then steepled his fingers.

"Before we begin, gentlemen, my fiancée Adrianna will be treated with respect throughout this entire meeting. Is that clear?"

After a few grumbled assertions from the gathered Illyrians, Cassian leaned back in his chair, circling his glass of wine lazily.

"Have you any news of High Lord Rhysand?" One commander piped up and the General turned a feral look onto him.

"No. Not a word. Amarantha still has us all under her thumb. Not a word for thirty years." Cassian said and the way he spoke- in such a tense fashion- showed me he was beyond upset about High Lord Rhysand's disappearance and captivity Under the Mountain.

"What are we to do with this threat from Hybern, my lord?" A second commander asked. He had a jagged scar over one eye. "Do we know if the Spring Court has had any luck in breaking Lord Tamlin's spell?"

I could have sworn Lord Cassian scowled at the mention of the High Lord of Spring, but he said, "All I know is that his sentries have either come back empty-handed or not returned at all. A shame, really, that he wants to get rid of that mask."

There were a few awkward glances between the commanders, then the doors opened and I looked up in surprise as a tall Fae with long curled blonde hair stepped into the room. She was beautiful and her brown eyes scanned the room...and fell on me. A small smile appeared and I looked away.

"Ah, I see it's begun." She said and looked around the room with a raised eyebrow.

"Hardly, Mor." Cassian said and stood to pull out a chair for her. The casualty between the three of them made me squirm. She sat down after nodding to Cassian and she poured herself a glass of red wine.

No one moved as we watched the High Lord's third sip daintily from her glass, then said, "I assume we are discussing Amarantha and High Lord Rhysand?"

"Yes." Cassian said then went on to tell her what she had missed. I began to tune out the discussion, and I just clasped my hands in my lap and remained silent.

I noticed the Spymaster watching me again and I looked up at him, our eyes locking. He held my stare easily, contemplatively, as if measuring me up and down. He probably was. Feeling self-conscious, I broke eye contact first and looked up to see Haven looking at me.

That's when I noticed everyone was looking at me.

I clenched my jaw, then looked down at myself and froze.

Black tendrils of darkness as thick as smoke curled around my shoulders and arms and waist. Heart beating faster in my chest, I began to panic. What was this? What was happening to me? Was this me? What was-

"Adrianna." I looked up to see who had called my name and was startled to find that soft voice belonged to the Spymaster across from me. Lord Cassian also seemed just as surprised he had spoke as he and the Lady Morrigan stared at him. "Relax." Azriel said and nodded to me.

I let out a slow breath and sure enough, the shadows receded.

I placed my crumpled napkin onto my plate, folded neatly and looked over at Haven whispered meekly, "Might I be excused?"

He scanned my face, then nodded once.

I stood and left the room stiffly, the door closing behind me again softly.

I returned to my chambers and walked over and sat down on the edge of my bed and squeezed my eyes shut, gripping the sheets tightly.

What was that? Those shadows?

Was...was I a Shadowsinger as well? I blinked. Those were rare. It was rare- one in a million- for Illyrians to be Shadowsingers, having the ability to manipulate darkness itself and a trademark of the Night Court.

Azriel seemed to think so. The others did as well at the expressions of shock on their faces.

A few hours later, there was a soft knock on my door. When I opened it, it was a servant telling me that Haven wanted to see me.

I clenched my jaw and nodded. The servant led me down the stairs and down the hall and knocked on the door. The other commanders and the three members of the High Lord's Inner Circle were gone, so I was at least thankful for that.

There was a muffled reply from behind the door and the servant opened it for me and I stepped inside and around the lesser faerie and saw Haven sitting behind a desk. He looked tense, his hand in his dark hair and wings tucked into his body tightly.

"You may go." He said and the servant bowed and left. He looked at me and I held my hands clasped in front of me. "Did you know about these abilities?" He asked finally.

"No." I rasped.

"Yet you bear two Syphons. Most females don't even have one. You had to have known that you had some kind of power." He says and looks up at me.

I swallowed hard. "I've never used it before. Or even accessed it. My parents put these on me when I was four, nearly ninety-six years ago. I honestly have never felt any power until at that table today."

He didn't seem to believe me. "And if I send a message to your parents?"

Females weren't supposed to be powerful. They weren't supposed to wield more power than their husbands or any other male.

I rolled my shoulders a little, my wings feeling stiff, and the clamps making me grit my teeth in slight pain. "I am sure they would say the same. They never had anything nice to say about me." I said through gritted teeth.

He leaned back in his chair, studying me, his eyebrows drawing together. His wings flared slightly. "Come here."

Swallowing hard, I stepped around his desk to stand in front of him. He turned in his chair so his knees were resting against the sides of my legs.

He took my hands and when he noticed the ring, said with a small bit of surprise, "So, you did decide to accept the arrangement?"

I nodded once and the smallest of smiles appeared on my face as I looked from him to the small silver band on my finger. He was looking up at me, and his eyes were fixated on my lips.

"Will you wear a ring, too, Haven?" I whispered as his hands rested on my waist and he pulled me closer. I moved my hands to his shoulders.

"Yes. I will. If you would like me to." He replied, then turned his head and kissed my cheek.

A faint blush spread across my cheeks at that, and then he said, "Will you join me tomorrow morning to oversee my legions?"

I rested a hand on his cheek and replied only by kissing his forehead softly.