Bound by the Vampire Queen

by Joey W. Hill

Page 37

 

  During the weeks they stayed in his territory, sometimes he'd even visit their campsite at night.

  He'd take a lithe cross-legged seat on the ground and whittle new arrows for his bow, or idly carve some pine knot he'd found on the forest floor. He spoke little, neither encouraging nor responding to attempts to draw him into their conversations.

  Despite both of their sharpened senses, he always slipped away unnoticed. If he'd been carving, he'd leave behind whatever he'd created. A squirrel, a bear, a bat.

  One night he carved a pixie, probably inspired by watching the creatures who liked to fol ow Lyssa around. When she was in her Fae form, they perched on her like tiny foraging birds on a gazel e in a National Geographic photo shoot. Of course, as soon as they discovered Keldwyn's creation in Jacob's pack, they took it. For the next few days they carried it about, twittering and excited. Dressing it up in various garments of leaves and flowers, they posed beside their likeness, giggling. When it final y disappeared, she expected they'd accidental y tossed it into a bear's mouth.

  Lyssa kept the carved animals, though, tucking them away for their then unborn child. She stil had them, intending to give them to Kane when he was old enough that he wouldn't turn them into gnawed corncobs. Jacob had suggested burning them instead.

  The thought gave her a tight smile. Reaching out to touch her servant mental y, she was pleased to find he'd fal en into sleep at last. So now she turned her ful attention to the Fae lord. “Did you know him?

  My father? You brought me the rose, but you've never said how well you knew one another, whether you were friends. ”

  “No, I didn't. ”

  “No, you didn't know him, or no, you never said, and you don't intend to do so?”

  He shifted to study the decorations the Fae girls had put up, lingering on a cluster of nuts and berries twined with dark ribbons. Amused, Lyssa saw a smal male Fae pluck one of the berries for a snack, only to be instantly pursued from all corners by the Fae girls. It looked like a flock of mockingbirds chasing a winged interloper on their nesting grounds. “You know,” Keldwyn said, “the men in your world purportedly hunger for clever women, probably because there are so few of them. I, on the other hand, appreciate a world populated by female simpletons. Ones who do not try to dissect every word I say. ”

  “Perhaps if you were less evasive, a clever woman wouldn't have to keep her radar so well honed around you. She could afford to be a little less clever. ”

  “As you yourself have found, Lady Lyssa, the price of being less evasive is often too high a price to pay.

  May I offer to escort you around the grounds? Queen Rhoswen will not make an appearance for a while.

  She is holding court this morning, and then will have a ful afternoon until the gathering tonight. ” Lyssa rose, slid her fingers into the crook of his offered elbow. “What kind of court matters does she arbitrate?”

  “Many. She of course has a Council that handles a great deal of them, but any Fae may appeal to speak his case before her if he is not satisfied.

  However, she is known to be far less lenient in her decision making, so it's best to be certain the principle is very important. For instance, if you'd been up earlier this morning, you would have seen a stampede of squirrels over the drawbridge. Every part of the forest has an earth Fae who cares for and rules over it, in a guardian capacity of sorts.

  Sometimes they misperceive their role and believe themselves a minor monarch with delusions of conquest. One of the area goblins had been infringing on the territory of another, taking his squirrels. So, to set him back on his heels, Queen Rhoswen told him he not only had to give back the squirrels he'd taken, but also all his own as well , for the next month and a day. Until then, he must pick up and store the autumn nuts himself as the squirrels would have done. ”

  “Did he bring the squirrels with him?” Lyssa imagined the freed squirrels scampering across the drawbridge, headed back to their rightful territory.

  “No. The decision gavel releases the magic to enact the queen's decree. The squirrels in question were summoned instantly for the beneficiary. He led them out of the castle, a chaotic sort of Pied Piper procession. ”

  Lyssa noted other Fae glancing at them curiously as they passed, but they didn't engage the two as they headed for the open drawbridge. A constant flow of Fae and equine traffic came and went, as well as other creatures. Centaurs, clopping along in twos and threes; a grumpy-looking griffin perched on top of a carriage driven by an ogre. Long lines of gnomes like ants, obviously bringing further foodstuffs for tonight's celebration.

  Keldwyn guided her off to the side to keep her from getting tangled in the procession, a courteous hand placed at her lower back. Sometime in the night, the unobtrusive castle staff had left her a simple gown with high waist and square neck. The linen was a fine, pleasing cloth that molded her curves and flowed with the movement of her body.

  There was embroidery at the neckline and a lacing at the back to snug it in to her body, something Jacob had been more than happy to help her do.

  “If you stay long enough, you might enjoy sitting in on the midnight court. It's arbitrated by Lady Gwyneth, a Fae sorceress who specializes in the sensual arts. The midnight court all ows sexual y dissatisfied wives to come and complain about the shortcomings of their husbands. ”

  Lyssa slanted him a glance. “Have you ever been brought to task before them, my lord?”

  “I have never been mated,” he responded. His dark eyes flickered. “But, if I had a bride, I am fairly certain that would not be at the top of my list of shortcomings. Many others would take precedence. ”

  “I can vouch for that,” she agreed. “What did you mean by Haunt? So while the Seelie bless the crops and farmers, the Unseelie go out and . . . ?”

  “Give your humans Hal oween stories to remember. The blast of cold air for no reason, the spirits at the corners of their eyes. In the days before motorized transport, when a man was riding alone through the woods at night, the Lady in White could appear on the back of his horse. She'd wrap her cold arms around him and give him the fear of his own mortality as he tried to gal op away from her, outrunning his fear of death. ” Keldwyn lifted a shoulder. “It's a little more complicated now, given that fewer men are riding horses through the forest.

  But she finds she likes Harley Davidsons fairly well. ”

  “So the headless horseman, covens of witches sacrificing a baby in the wood . . . all of it is Unseelie Fae practicing scare tactics?”

  “Most of it,” he agreed. “It's actual y quite fun for them. Each year, they put even more effort into it.

  Many of them dress up in costume, much like the humans. They also compete to bring unique things back that Queen Rhoswen might all ow past the portal. Something that intrigues or pleases her enough. ” He leaned in, spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. “Last year, she permitted a few birdhouses, because they made such enchanting houses for the smal er Fae. ”

  “You are either feeding me a line of rotted mushrooms, or trying to disarm me with charm.

  Either way, my guard is stil not relaxed, Lord Keldwyn. ”

  “I doubt your guard has relaxed since you were a child and lost your samurai. If it has, I'l warrant it's only when you are alone in his company, restored to you twice now. ”

  Before she could respond to that unexpected statement, a soldier reined up. Glancing at her, he nodded to Keldwyn, a half bow. “My lord, did you need a horse? Are they all taken this morning?

  You're welcome to my Fineas if you have need of him. ”

  “No, Lygar, though you do me honor. I am purposeful y strol ing with the Lady Lyssa this morning, showing her the Samhain festivities. You need not worry for us. ”

  With a touch to his forelock and murmured, “My lord,” the guard continued on.

  “They respect you. No matter Queen Rhoswen's contempt. ”

  They'd reached t
he other end of the drawbridge, and he directed her past a fork in the two roads leading out from the castle, choosing the one she knew, from their bedroom window, rol ed gently down to a vil age.

  “Of all the treasures Queen Rhoswen has, the greatest one—and therefore the one she values the least—is her captain of the guard. Despite his reticence, Cayden understands many things. About his queen, about me, about this world and yours.

  And much like your servant, he serves them all far beyond what they deserve, far beyond the range of even his great heart. A leader influences his men, and as such, she has a Queen's Guard that any queen would envy. Their integrity, courage and courtesy, as well as their skil , are beyond reproach.

  And if ever they fal short, he's as uncompromising in that as he is fair about other things. A guard might trip up and get the sharp edge of the queen's tongue. However, if he fails in his duty, he fears Cayden's cold fury far more. ”

  “Hmm. ” She returned to the words he'd spoken before Lygar intercepted them. “How long have you fol owed my life, Keldwyn? A clever woman would deduce my father meant a great deal to you, the way you've kept track of his daughter all these years. ”

  “Perhaps I, like others, have merely been trying to unravel the mystery all these centuries. Why one of our most powerful Fae Lords defied every law of our world to cleave to a vampire woman, get her with child, and gave up his life for her. ”

  “I don't think it's a mystery to you at all. To others, maybe. But you were will ing to risk much the same for a child not your own. You may have given the appearance of throwing us to the wolves, but Rhoswen always knew you were behind it. ” Keldwyn took her elbow, drawing her around a pile of manure left by one of the passing horses. “Her Majesty has never brought back anything from your world during the Haunt. However, for many years, before she became queen, I always brought her back some chocolate. I'd leave it where she could find it, but not know who brought it. I stil do it. Last year it was Rolos. She likes them. ”

  Lyssa remembered Rhoswen mentioning chocolate. Like Jacob, she wasn't entirely sure what was real or fantasy when it came to her half sister.