Prologue

“The Seelie and Unseelie Courts sentence you four to confinement for your crimes until the blood has forgotten the atrocities you have committed against them.” The tall blonde woman spoke, her voice ringing loudly through the clearing as her autumn brown eyes passed over the four beings who had wronged a member of her court.

“No, it’s not far.” The red-haired man shouted, his copper-colored curls bouncing around him, his words slurring as his cheeks flushed, glassy jade eyes scanning the Queen and King as he fell to his knees ready to plead with them.

“Shut up Lu, before she chooses a different punishment, do you want to be trapped within the trees?” The unearthly beautiful sea-green eyed man said through clenched teeth, it fisted his hands at his sides as he shook with barely concealed anger. He looked over at the woman swollen with child, no not woman. She was far too beautiful to be just a mere mortal. He pushed his white-blonde hair out of his eyes and turned to glare at the red-eyed man that stood at his side.

“They will forget with time,” He stated pushing his smooth black hair over his shoulder with an uncaring shrug.

“I think it might be longer than you expect.” The Seelie Queen spoke once more than she looked at the four creatures in front of her. She turned her head, her loose curls swaying in the evening breeze. She cast her eyes on at the tallest of them, “Have you nothing to say, Puca?”

“It would make no difference, you have already decided our fate.” The auburn-haired being shook his head, his gold glowing eyes met the Queen’s angry glare before turning to look at his King, he looked back down his shoulders dropping.

“So it shall be,” The Unseelie King said holding his hand out to his counterpart, his midnight eyes meeting her ever-changing eyes. Their hands met, and a circle formed around the four creatures. Bright white sparkles seemed to dance along their skin as Lu let out a pain-filled wail. Mushrooms and flowers sprouted in the soft earth around them as a magical wind-whipped painfully against their skin.

Suddenly the wind stopped and in the center of the circle where the creatures once stood, an oak puzzle box covered in runes sat.