THE AUTUMN AIR is both warm and cool against Aurora's skin. It caresses her softly, whistling in her ears a tune she will never tire of. A constant melody that does nothing but bring her peace. She watches out the open window as leaves of auburn and saffron and marigold fall to the ground, covering the lonely brown with their alluring colors.

She is sitting on the cushioned seat at the window in the library when a courtier walks in through the gold-plated double doors and hurriedly walks toward her, haste swallowing his every step. His dark navy skin gleams with the light of the afternoon sun coming in from the window. He wears the symbol of embers—the crest of the Court of Ashes.

His movements are worried. Too precise. Something is wrong.

He comes to a stop a few feet away from her and bows deeply, his long, crooked nose nearly touching the floor.

"Your Majesty," he addresses, the barest hint of hesitation in his tone.

If Aurora were not so in tune with others' emotions, she would not have caught it. She gives the courtier a slight nod as he uprights himself and glances at her with a crazed gleam in his eye. She frowns in confusion.

The courtier moves his gaze down to his hands, and that is when she notices the letter sitting on his palms. She cannot see nor recognize the seal from where she is sitting.

"A letter—" The courtier abruptly cuts himself off and clears his throat. He opens his mouth and then closes it once again.

Aurora stands from her seat and lifts a brow.

"Speak, Ramir," she demands, authority ringing in her tone. "Who is the letter from?"

Ramir's bottom lip trembles as he bows and holds the letter out for her to take.

"It is from the palace," he barely whispers.

There is a sudden spike in Aurora's heartbeat. The sound rings in her ears for the first time in three years. She composes herself within half of a second and regards Ramir with an emotionless look.

"That will be all, Ramir. You are dismissed."

The distressed man nods once and then quickly disappears through the doors he entered through just a few moments prior.

Aurora inhales slowly. She looks down at the letter in her hand. The seal of the High Court glares back at her, blinding her with the anxiety and anticipation of what is inside. The envelope bears a great weight on her hands when in reality, it is too thin to hold much.

She allows herself one more second of stalling before she carefully tears away the seal and opens the envelope. Inside is a single piece of parchment.

Queen Aurora Shante Renaud of the Court of Ashes,

This letter may be sudden to you, but the High Court is in agreement that it is time to put your betrothal contract into effect which the late King and Queen of the Court of Ashes signed on your behalf.

We will be sending a carriage out to get you in three days' time to come to the Palace of Elfhame. We have started preparations for the wedding which will be held in two months' time. Details about binding the Court of Ashes will be discussed once you arrive at the palace.

Failure to follow the High Court's directions may result in unwanted and unnecessary devastation of the people of the Court of Ashes. We know you only want the best for your subjects, and this will be true once the Court of Ashes joins the High Court and swears to the High King. It can all be avoided by following through with this contract.

We wish you well.

Sincerely,

The Living Council

Without realizing it, Aurora's fists clench around the paper she is holding.

Abruptly, she makes her way toward the doors to the library. She spots a guard standing outside. The guard, a blue-haired imp, bows deeply at the Queen's arrival.

"Fetch Calix," Aurora orders.

The imp's eyes widen and she hesitates for a brief second.

"Now!"

The imp scrambles away from her post down the hallway and around the corner. Aurora pulls at her hair in frustration as she walks back inside the library.

She refuses to believe that this letter could even have the possibility of being true. There is no way her parents could have signed a betrothal contract with a Prince of Faerie without her consent. Right?

Then again, they never did do anything right.

Anxiety and bitterness simultaneously fill Aurora's lungs, making it an impossible task to breathe. The letter is clutched in her hand still, half-crumpled. She paces the room as she waits for her advisor. Each step she takes only further urges a block of ice to run through her veins. The walls of one of her most beloved rooms in her palace seem to be closing in on her.

"My queen," a deep voice sounds from the entrance to the library.

She turns to find Calix standing there with concern etched onto his handsome features. His dark pink lips are turned down into a frown as he stares at Aurora in apprehension. His long, lean body steps closer.

"Aurora," he says in a low voice as he comes to a stop in front of her.

His hand lands on her shoulder, the heat of his touch grounding her. She takes a deep breath before meeting her advisor's and most trusted friend's hazel eyes. She opens her mouth but finds that she is unable to utter even a word. Frustrated, she runs a hand through her hair and shoves the letter into Calix's broad chest.

He furrows his eyebrows in confusion as he glances down at the ink splattered across the parchment and begins to read. The anger and fierce hatred in Aurora's body only intensifies as she thinks about the letter more and more.

She doesn't even notice both her hair and her eyes turning into a dark, dark maroon until Calix looks up from the letter after he has finished reading and sends her a worried look.

"Ora," he tries to calm her down. "Don't worry, alright? I will find a way to get you out of this. You have my word."

Aurora just shakes her head.

"There is no getting out of this, Calix." She inhales deeply, trying to fight the waves of self-loathing crashing onto the surface of her thoughts. "I must go through with it. For my people."

Calix purses his lips, glancing down at the letter briefly before returning his gaze to his friend.

Aurora swallows thickly, meeting Calix's eyes and sending him a leveled look.

"I must marry Cardan Greenbriar."