ANDORRA WAS nervous.

For one, the Floral Clan was where Eolande lived. The entire clan seemed to love and adore Eolande, and this had Andorra sweating. She knew that this could potentially be the hardest clan in the Spring Court, and her win with Lau was feeling bittersweet against her tongue.

"Floral Clan Leader is a woman named Crille. She is very close with Eolande, so you have to tiptoe carefully not to piss her off. Out of all three leaders, she is the cruelest of them all." Callum eyed Andorra carefully. "She knows me, since I spent most of my childhood here. That may cause a wrench in things, just to warn you."

Andorra nodded and shook out her hands. She steadied herself, then looked into Callum's eyes and gave a sharp smile. "Got it."

Nohx put a hand on her lower back comfortingly. "We'll be right here."

When they got closer to the Clan Leader's home, it was a humble cottage in the middle of a field of flowers. On either side of the lined path, wildflowers bloomed in abundance. Andorra found it so charming, the way flowers parted out of their way when they walked down the path. The sunflowers were so tall, they created an arch above their heads.

The front porch of the cottage had two round planters full of colorful flowers that were in full blossom. A cherry tree that stood to the side of the home was so bright, Andorra wanted to get a closer look.

Despite this being the Spring Court, it didn't seem to deter plants from growing out of season.

They didn't have to knock on the door. It swung open to show a plump woman on the other side. The first thing Andorra noticed about her were the flowers in her hair. It was almost as if there were no strands of hair at all, just a bouquet of flowers pulled back into a ponytail.

Her smile was wide, despite the present company. If having Andorra there bothered her, she didn't show it. "Queen Andorra! Welcome, welcome! We heard you were arriving. And is that little Callum? My, you've gotten big! Come in, come in."

Andorra was taken aback. Was this not Crille? She seemed too chipper to see Andorra. As the three of them stepped into the cottage, plants of all shapes and sizes seemed to take up the entire interior. It was almost overwhelming, all the flowers. Crille ushered them to a long couch - no office here - and fluttered around them.

"Can I get any of you tea? I've been brewing a new herbal mix. Flower petals-"

"Crille, sit. We're here to discuss." It was Callum who interrupted, leaning back on the couch, his body relaxed. It occurred to Andorra that he had probably been right here, sitting on this couch, before today.

She fluttered her hands uselessly, then moved to sit in a chair on the other side of the coffee table. "Alright, alright. You never were one for tea, not like my dear Anders was." The first crack in her facade, although to Andorra's ears, she didn't sound resentful. "What brings you here today? And with the Snow Clan Leader, no less. Hello, I'm Crille." She extended her hand to Nohx, who wore his mask calmly. Nothing passed on his face as he shook her hand.

"Ooh! Cold!" She snatched her hand back, but she was smiling. "It's nice to finally meet you. I don't always meet the other Clan Leaders in Anlithamy."

Nohx said nothing. To Andorra, he looked bored. Perhaps even annoyed.

"Hello, Crille. We're here to discuss an upcoming war that is unfortunately due to my visit in Averotho. King Kaeberon plans on defeating us when his men come over. I'm looking to meet with every Clan Leader about this issue at hand."

Crille pressed a hand to her chest. "Oh, dear!" She exclaimed, looking between the three of them. "War? But, if I may be blunt, the Spring Court isn't on the water, so we should be fine. They travel by serpent, do they not? So this seems to be a Summer Court and Royal Court issue."

Understanding dawned on Andorra. When Callum warned Andorra about Crille being cruel, this was what he meant. Her kindness, her innocence, was a mask. Like Nohx's. And if she could handle Nohx, then she surely could handle Crille.

She swallowed. "Kaeberon will not just be at war with the coastal Courts. Let me be frank in telling you that Kaeberon is coming to Anlithamy to steal our powers for his own gain. And he will not stop at the Summer Court. He will be coming into Spring, Autumn, and Winter as well."

More fluttering of her hands. A covering of her mouth. Fear shone in her eyes, but even Andorra could begin to see it wasn't real. "And you're telling me this because...?"

"I'm asking every clan, every court, to help fight back against Kaeberon. We could use every clan out there on the battlefield when he arrives."

Crille was shaking her head. "Oh no. Oh no, oh no. We will certainly not be fighting your war!"

Andorra flinched at the word your. "It's not my war, Crille. Unfortunately, it is Kaeberon's war."

"A war because of you!" Crille exclaimed in a high pitched, shrill voice. "You've done this to us!"

"Enough." Andorra's voice cut through Crille's cries. It was right on the precipice of control, and Crille knew it. It would take only a little more control, and Andorra would be able to force Crille to do anything she wished. "Kaeberon has been planning this war for centuries. Longer than I have been alive. I am asking for support. If you do not wish to give it, that is your own prerogative, but Kaeberon would be upon our shores even if Anders was alive."

Crille shrank back at the mention of Anders. She sputtered, trying to say something, but Andorra cut her off. "You may see me as a villain all you wish. But Kaeberon benefits from Anlithamy being at odds with itself. If we cannot gather to fight a common enemy, then what good are we as a nation? You seem like a woman who loves Anlithamy, and is proud of the place you call home. You do not have to like me as Queen, but you do have to acknowledge war is on our doorstep, and Kaeberon doesn't care if you don't like me. Kaeberon will steal your powers regardless."

Crille stood from her seat. She thrust a finger at Andorra. "It is your job to protect us! And it will be your failure if you do not!"

Andorra didn't need to stand. She would not make this a pissing match based on who was taller. She could feel Callum shaking with anger beside her, his shadows begging to be released, but he kept them inside. Nohx as well felt colder than usual, his anger only present in the darkness of his eyes.

But both of them let Andorra take control. Both of them were silent as Andorra stared at Crille.

She swallowed. Leaned back. Looked as casual as one could be in the living room of a woman who hated her. "Of course I will protect you, as I will for everyone. It is my job as Queen to fight for Anlithamy. However, the fae of the Floral Clan will know that you turned down the option to help. Your clan will see where you stand on the day Kaeberon arrives. And if you hide in your cottage, your people, my people, will not be mad at me."

Crille looked at Andorra, and for the first time since they entered, her expression soured. A certain unseelie darkness covered her face, and Andorra would not have been surprised if she ordered every plant in her living room to attack.

There were, after all, plenty of thorny roses surrounding them.

But Crille stood there for a moment, thinking. Her shoulders rose with the anger that was welling up inside of her. No more tears, or the bumbling idiot act. No, this version of Crille was the hidden underbelly of the Clan Leader.

"Eolande will never go for it."

Andorra shrugged. "Again, the Spring Court will know exactly where Eolande stands on the day Kaeberon arrives. And if Eolande hides in her home, the Spring fae will know. They won't be disappointed in their queen, who will be on the front lines. I protect my people, no matter what. Can you say the same?"

Crille's mouth twisted into a nasty, angry thing. Her flower hair, bound back into the ponytail, snapped free. The flowers seemed to grow in their freedom, circling around her and spreading. Andorra did not want to know what those plants could do.

She flung her hand at Callum and Nohx. "And you brought them here to, what? Shove in my face that Prince Puck supports you? That, despite your heritage, you will always be a winter fae whore?"

It was immediate. Ice immediately coated the entire room, covering every plant, covering every surface. Nohx stood carefully, face still devoid of any emotion, but his eyes were so dark. All consumingly dark.

Callum jumped to his feet as well, his shadows pulsing under his skin. He opened his mouth, but Nohx beat him to it.

"Do not talk to your Queen in that way. She deserves your respect, not because she is your Queen. Not because Cornomous chose her. But because she will protect you no matter what happens with Kaeberon, out of the kindness of her heart. If it were up to me, and you're lucky it's not, I would leave you to fend for yourself. Laugh while Kaeberon steals your powers and murders you in cold blood for your entire clan to see."

Nohx stepped forward, his arms covered in sharp blades of ice. He reached up with his fingers, touching Crille's face, marveling at the way the Floral Clan Leader flinched with nowhere to go. Her feet were frozen to the ground.

"I do not care whether or not you support Queen Andorra in this war. But you will not call her filthy, nasty names that have no merit. She would never call you such names, even though rumors have spread around Anlithamy of you and Eolande's husband. Isn't that interesting, you fucking your supposed best friend's husband? Does Eolande know?"

Crille let out a long gasp. She raised her hand to slap Nohx, but Andorra stopped it with one word: "Stop."

Crille looked at her, now frozen due to the power in Andorra's tone. She didn't move from her seated position on the couch. "Nohx, Callum, take a seat."

They both returned to the couch, sitting on either side of her. Andorra didn't even look at them, instead holding Crille's burning gaze. "I see some things need to be cleared up. You're angry I arrived to Anlithamy with the Snow Clan. You think I should have brought back the Sun Clan. Let me tell you my experience in the human realm, as a girl who had no idea who she was. The Sun Clan kidnapped me and treated me horribly. Lied, manipulated, ruined me. The Snow Clan had not done any of those things, and so I chose them. When arriving here, Prince Puck himself bound his son to me as a guard, and Callum remains as such. He is my guard, and he takes his job seriously, and that is why he's here today."

Andorra broke eye contact to look at Nohx, who was staring at her already, but his face gave nothing away. She deliberately placed her hand on Nohx's thigh and then looked back at Crille. "And Nohx is my fiance. I love him, and I asked him to come with me today because I wanted his support. Again, you do not need to like me. But their presence here was not to scare you, or manipulate you. I brought them because I value my safety, and I wanted the man I love to be by my side."

She gave Crille a sharp, cutting smile. Looked around at the frozen plants in her house. "Now, I will not apologize for Nohx defending me. He's a man in love, afterall. I too would burn down a room if someone called him nasty names. But if your plants do not bounce back, I can always try to help. Not even as a bargaining chip for your support. I just know how hard it can be to grow plants. Although, maybe that's just me. I'm sure you have powers that aid in the regrowth."

Andorra finally stood up. Looked Crille in the eye. "I don't need an answer. When the day comes, either I will see you, or I won't. But not defending your Clan hurts no one else but you and your people."

Andorra walked to the front door, Nohx and Callum in tow. She looked back to Crille, and then to Nohx, and gave him a nod. With a wave of his hand, the entire cottage melted, ice disappearing in an instant. Even the ice coating his hands melted enough, allowing Andorra to grab it without getting frostbite.

Then, she smiled at Crille. "Hopefully, I'll see you soon." And then, Andorra released her from the hold she was on, and pulled all three of them into the in-between.