They were the neighboring Fae. The ones the Free Fae had hidden from for centuries.
Violet turned just in time to see her mates arrive, along with a handful of Fae who had slipped out of the party behind them. She watched their expressions shift in real time from curiosity to confusion, and then alertness.
None of them needed to be told, these were not guests. They were invaders.
The tension thickened instantly, and one glance at her mother confirmed she was not pleased. Queen Seraphira's posture had gone rigid, every line of her body coiled tight with restrained fury.
"How did you get here?" Seraphira demanded.
Annequin answered calmly, as if she hadn't just trespassed into another's territory. "The walls are down, Queen of the Free Fae. We have been attempting to establish contact—"
"By sending your people to intrude on our land?" Seraphira cut in, her eyes blazing with suspicion.
