King Onyx was pacing his spacious office, a lavish black and gold place with heads mounted on the walls. Not all of them of beasts.

A fire roared in its place keeping the room warm and staving off the sickly cold of the grave that always clung to the dark fae's corner of the faewilds. A place without light, without warmth, without a connection to the human world.

But no how bright the fire, it didn't melt the icy air around King Onyx. The very air around him having a noticeable chill. More today than most days as he waited for word from the other fae royals. A proposed meeting he had requested.

The sixth he'd requested. With the five previous always having one or more of them unable to attend. And so his plans falling through.

After all, leaving even one alive would surely lead to trouble. He didn't dare underestimate the other courts with proper leadership or the might of their royalty, even if he found them....repulsive. The lovesick spring fae, the frolicking nitwits of the summer court, the autumn fae who act like children with their silly tricks, or the headstrong and justice driven winter court.

All of them made him sick. But hopefully this would be the time all the other leaders would finally agree to meet at once. Then his plans could start to unfold.