Lausianne opened the door and said, “I trust these quarters will be sufficient for your purposes. For your safety and since our people are wary of outsiders, it would be best if you remain here. A guard will remain outside in the event you need anything. In the interim, Marsious has instructed me to have a meal prepared for both of you. It will be brought up shortly.”
Sabine tilted her head in acknowledgement of Lausianne’s words and waited until the woman had withdrawn from the room. As soon as the door was closed, Sabine let out a sigh of relief. She removed the crown and placed it on a side table, then trailed her fingers over it thoughtfully. It was crafted with delicate silver webbing and inlaid with several diamonds that glittered in the light like stars in the night sky. The crown was a replica of the one her mother had worn. It might even be the same one. No one knew exactly how Faerie’s magic worked.
“I don’t know much about these guesting rites, but they’re going to try to kill us the first chance they get.” Malek swept his gaze over the room. “We need to find Pearl and get out of here as soon as possible.”
Sabine frowned, knowing he was right. Their safety had been guaranteed when they were simply guests, but the moment Faerie claimed her as its ruler, she could no longer claim she was simply a visitor. The stakes had risen dramatically. “Blossom may have learned something. She’ll find us soon now that we’re alone.”
Malek nodded and prowled around the room, checking under the antique furnishings, which were remarkably well preserved given their age. “Do you have the ability to check for magical traps? I can look for physical ones, but I’m not as sensitive to magic.”
Sabine hesitated and then nodded. It wasn’t her strength, but she should be able to pick out magic that didn’t belong here. Holding out her hands, Sabine scanned the floors, walls, and furnishings for any trace of foreign magic. She hadn’t considered the possibility of magical traps, but it made sense. Marsious, at least, wanted her out of the way.
Their quarters consisted of several rooms, a combination of bedrooms, a study, dining area, and lounging areas. Each was lavishly decorated in an extremely outdated and almost garish style. It made sense given this place had been isolated for so long, but it was a strange glimpse into what her people’s cities must have been like centuries ago.
The rooms were nicer than anything they’d stayed in up to this point, but it was bittersweet. Regardless of whether Faerie had crowned her as the ruler of the city, Sabine was under no illusions; they were little more than prisoners.
Malek prowled through each of the rooms, investigating the furnishings and taking inventory of all entrances and exits. Sabine did the same, but she didn’t detect anything. Part of her wondered if these people had crippled themselves magically by abandoning the ocean. Her own power needed the magic of the forests to renew itself.
After walking to the balcony, she leaned against the railing and looked out over the city. It wasn’t nearly as large as the one where she’d been born, but this was the closest she’d been to home in more than ten years. She’d missed it more than she wanted to admit. Sometimes she wondered if she’d ever make it back there.
Malek joined her a few minutes later and stood beside her. “For what it’s worth, I thought you handled yourself well.”
“I managed to buy us a few hours of time, but that’s all,” she replied, frustrated by her shortcomings. “Malek, we’re in trouble here and I don’t know how to get us out of it.”
He turned to face her and reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “I may not be accustomed to navigating the political and magical intricacies of the Merfolk and your people, but I’m willing to help you however I can. You’re not alone, sweetheart.”
Sabine looked up into his eyes, taken aback by how quickly she’d come to depend upon him. Bane might be sworn to protect her, but he didn’t always grasp the subtle nuances of politics. Malek had kept a cool head, understanding intuitively what she needed to extricate themselves from a potentially disastrous situation.
Pressing her hand against Malek’s chest, she stood on her toes and kissed him lightly. “I’m glad you’re with me. I don’t think I would have been able to handle that situation without you.”
He chuckled. “You didn’t seem to have a problem. Every time you waved your hand or the city’s magic responded to you, they practically fell over themselves trying to accommodate you. The crown was a nice touch.”
She smiled, but her worry over the situation didn’t decrease. “They made sure to place us on the opposite side of the spire away from the lift. I won’t be able to summon it to this balcony like I’d hoped.”
“Damn. Well, we’re not without resources. Between the two of us, we’ll figure something out.” He studied the balcony and frowned. “I don’t think this area is big enough for me to shift. I can try it, but my size will likely take out the railing.”
She rested her elbows against the crystal railing and leaned over the side. From this location, she could see most of the city. “You should conserve your power. Shifting is a last resort, and it may come to that. Even once we’re back on the ground level, they’re not going to allow us to move freely throughout their city. We’re not strong enough to handle a confrontation.”
Malek arched his brow. “Not strong enough? Even if you only had a fraction of your power readily available, these people don’t know that. You put on a good show, Queen Sabine.”
She managed a halfhearted smile. What she’d done was as close to a lie as the Fae could manage. “I got lucky they didn’t call me on it. By most of these people’s standards, I’m little more than a child, and the Elder knew it. I may have more raw power than a great number of them, but I’m lacking training and experience. There are hundreds of True Folk living in the city. If they’re united against us, we don’t stand a chance. I need them to believe I want an alliance with them until I can figure out what they’re doing here.”
Malek rubbed his chin. “I’d expected you to ask about Pearl, until we met that Elder of theirs. Something about him is a little off.”
“I agree. It was too risky to divulge our true purpose,” Sabine said and sighed. “Once Blossom gets back and we figure out what she’s learned, I want to take a trip to the heart of the city so I can figure out what’s making the trees sick.”
Malek leaned over the balcony. “Can she fly all the way up here?”
“Yes, assuming she hasn’t passed out from drinking Faerie nectar,” she said, but a knock on the door interrupted them from continuing.
Malek’s hand immediately went to his weapon, and he motioned for her to stay back. “These people think I’m subservient to you. For now, let’s continue to reinforce their belief. It’ll keep them unsettled. Can you put on another performance like you did in the throne room?”
Sabine didn’t bother to hide her smile. “Of course.”
Using the memories of her mother to help inspire her performance, she waved her hand and used the magic of Faerie to change the furnishings and colors of the room. They now reflected a similar appearance to the throne room. Picking up her discarded crown, she placed it on her head again. She straightened her shoulders and nodded at Malek to indicate she was ready.
“That’ll do it,” Malek said with a chuckle and headed for the door. He opened it, and Lausianne entered with two other guards.
The woman faltered, her eyes widening at the changes in the room. She recovered quickly and motioned for the people accompanying her to bring in the trays they were carrying. They entered and made it a point not to meet Sabine’s eyes as they placed the food on a center table.
“We weren’t sure what you would like, so we brought a few different items,” Lausianne said, motioning for the other two guards to depart. “I trust you have everything you need?”
“This will be fine,” Sabine said, walking toward the table to inspect what they’d brought. Most of the items appeared to be different roasted meats she couldn’t identify. It was rather telling the
y’d chosen not to provide any fruit or vegetables, even though the bounty of the forest would be overflowing with such items.
Lausianne smiled, but it didn’t meet her eyes. “If you need anything, just let the guard outside know. Good night to you both.” Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out of the room.
Malek closed the door behind her and frowned. “How much do you want to bet it’s poisoned or drugged?”
“No bet,” Sabine said, turning away from the food they’d brought. “They wouldn’t have risked bringing anything I could tell had been altered. Each of those meats is from an animal either native to the desert or the sea, not from the forests.”
“A shame,” Malek muttered, looking over the trays. “I’m a bit hungry.”
“Me too. I have a few fruits I collected in the desert, but Aberforth was the one who pointed them out to me. I don’t trust anything they’re willing to provide us.” Sabine walked to the crystal control panel on the wall and placed her hand on it. Closing her eyes, she sent a wave of her magic outward along with a mental image of what she desired. A moment later, the trays of meat had disappeared and a large bowl had reappeared in their place. It was filled with the finest quality fruits and vegetables.
Malek let out a low whistle. “Impressive, but is it safe?”
Sabine picked up a handful of the berries and sniffed them. No trace of the sickness infecting the forest was present. She replaced it and then checked the rest of the produce. “Yes. It’s all safe. I know dragons tend to eat meat, but I can’t risk it here. We need to find out what’s affecting the city first.”
“This is fine, Sabine,” he said, popping one of the berries into his mouth. “I wouldn’t be able to survive solely on it, but it’s enough to offset the hunger.”
Sabine smiled and picked up a small round fruit. She absently nibbled at it as she walked through the rooms. Their quarters were laid out like the ones where visiting dignitaries usually stayed. The location was fairly central, but it also limited the movement of the visitors. Other than the balcony, there was only one entrance and exit.
Turning toward Malek, she said, “I think I know how we can get out of here without them knowing.”
He finished off one of the vegetables and arched his brow. “How?”
She smiled and placed her hand on the crystal panel again. Infusing her touch with a strong burst of magic, she said, “These quarters are designed for foreign dignitaries. My companion and I will need access to my personal quarters.”
The panel shimmered, elongated, and then darkened as it reformed into a doorway. Malek approached her, staring at the door in surprise. “Can they tell you’ve done this?”
“I don’t think so, but I can’t swear to it. We won’t be traveling through the in-between, so it’s a bit safer. We’re simply moving to another location within the city.” Motioning for Malek to follow, they stepped through the doorway and emerged in an even larger and more spacious set of rooms.
An enormous circular bed was situated in the center of the room, while low tables and plush seating were scattered throughout. Crystal lanterns chased away the deepest shadows, playing their light against the walls and making the atmosphere warm and inviting. She caught a glimpse of additional seating areas in the next room, while a large table conducive to entertaining was in another. Even though it had been abandoned for centuries, there wasn’t a trace of dust or dirt anywhere. The magic of Faerie had kept everything immaculate.
Malek chuckled. “Wow. I’m surprised the Elder didn’t claim these rooms for himself.”
“He can’t,” Sabine said with a smile, crossing the room toward the balcony. She opened the set of double doors and stepped outside. They’d been transported to another building, closer to the northern part of the city where the broken spires were located.
“What do you mean? The Merfolk can’t come here?”
Sabine glanced at Malek. “This entire spire is only accessible through arcane means. No one who isn’t a blood relative or sworn to the royal family’s line can enter without permission. We’re safe enough for now.”
“Impressive,” Malek murmured, scanning the balcony. “I can easily shift here. I’m still not sure about my weight on this crystal floor, but there’s enough room if we want to fly out of here. We may need to worry about the light when I change forms. Can you mask it?”
“Yes, but I have a less flashy way to get down.” Sabine leaned over the side, checking to make sure the lift was visible from their location. “Aha. A little bit of glamour and some help from the trees, and we’ll be the invisible flying Fae and dragon, whenever Blossom joins us and we’re ready to depart.”
Malek chuckled. “All right. But one of these days, I intend to take you for a ride.”
“Oh? I thought I’d already taken you for a ride,” Sabine said teasingly and waved her hand to motion for the tree to bring the lift to them.
Malek paused for a heartbeat. The next second he was in motion, crossing the balcony toward her in a handful of steps. Without a word, he yanked her against him and pressed his lips against hers. Malek’s hands caressed her through the thin material of her dress, sending his heated power over her skin.
She whimpered and wound her arms around his neck, returning his magic with her own. Here, in Faerie, her power was stronger than it ever had been, and she used it to send spiraling waves of pleasure crashing over him.
Malek picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around him as he deepened their kiss. Gods. She wanted him. Her hands clung to his shoulders, needing more. He carried her to the bed and laid her on it, then trailed his lips along her skin in an intimate caress.
“We shouldn’t do this,” he whispered, running his hand up her thigh while he kissed her neck. “I know we need to find Pearl, but you have no idea how irresistible you are.”
She tilted her head to give him better access to her neck as she tried to remember how to breathe. Her fingers ran through his hair, imagining all the other places she wanted him to touch her. Their timing was terrible. “No, we shouldn’t. But gods, Malek. I want you too.”
He paused and then shifted so he could look down at her. “One day soon, I’m locking you in a room like this where we won’t be disturbed.” He kissed her deeply and pressed his forehead against hers. “And I’m not letting you leave for a long time.”
She nipped at his lower lip and ran her hands up his chest. “Maybe I’ll lock you up in a room like this instead. You can be my prisoner, and I can have my way with you whenever I want.”
Malek chuckled and trailed his fingers down the side of her face. “I love seeing you like this. You’re… different somehow. Playful. Happier. We’re in the middle of a dangerous situation, but there’s a light inside you.” He ran his thumb across her cheek. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Sabin’theoria.”
Her gaze softened. It was the first time he’d ever used her true name, and it touched something deep inside her. Sabine kissed him, putting everything she was feeling into the kiss. He responded the same way, telling her without words how deeply he was falling in love with her.
When they finally pulled apart, they were both breathing heavily. She saw the answer to every question she’d ever wanted to know in Malek’s eyes. Here, in the last place she’d ever expected to find happiness, she’d found it in a dragon.
Cupping his face, she kissed him again and said, “You make me happy, Malek. If there’s a light inside me, it’s because of you.”
“You’re not making this any easier, sweetheart,” he murmured, interlacing their hands.
“No, but you’re going to need to hold that thought. We’re about to be interrupted.”
Malek’s brow furrowed. “What?”
“Sabine! Malek!” Blossom shouted, darting into the room from the open balcony. “You couldn’t have found a lower floor? Sheesh. My wings are tired from zipping all over the place.”
“Yeah, I’m definitely locking us both in,” Malek muttered in exaspe
ration and shook his head. Rolling over, he looked at the balcony area and said, “Nice to see you, Blossom.”
Blossom froze, her eyes as wide as saucers. “Oops. Did you want me to come back later?”
Sabine grinned and propped herself up on her elbows. “It’s all right, Blossom. What did find out?”
Blossom landed beside them, her wings still fluttering with excitement. “I found Pearl! Well, I think it’s Pearl. I couldn’t get close enough to ask, but she’s one of the Merfolk, and she’s a prisoner. They have her chained up and everything!”
Sabine sat up. “Where is she?”
“There are some ruins in the north part of the city. She’s being held there in one of the collapsed spires. Part of it is still standing.”
Malek stood and held out his hand to help Sabine to her feet. “Do you know how many people are guarding her?”
“Three. Maybe four,” Blossom said and rubbed her nose. “It’s stinky there. The plants are all dying. The other pixies said it’s a bad place and we should stay away.”
Sabine straightened. “You found more pixies?”
Blossom grinned and nodded. “Yep. Several clans, but they don’t come into the city anymore. One of them was helping me find Pearl.”
Sabine glanced in the direction of the balcony area. “Well, perhaps you should invite your new friend inside so I can meet her.”
“I told you she’d know you were watching, Lily,” Blossom called. “Come meet her!”
A tiny pixie wearing a pale-purple dress peeked around the corner. “But the dragon’s there.”
Sabine smiled and said, “It’s all right, Lily. This is Malek. He’s a very dear friend of mine.”
Lily bit her lip, her translucent wings twitching. “Are you sure he won’t eat me?”
Malek angled his head to hide his smile.
“You have my word,” Sabine said gently, noting the different details of Lily’s dress. Her clothing was much more old-fashioned than the pixies who lived near her home.
By Blood and Magic Page 31
