Queen

by Claire Farrell

  Chapter Eight

  The dinner was held in a large feast hall filled with tables and benches and chattering fae. I looked up and saw a night sky instead of a ceiling. A full moon lit the room. Obviously magic, but it was a beautiful illusion nonetheless. Apparently, Brendan’s power had been returned to him.

  Candles hung from the walls, and vines clung to the walls behind the main table, flush with black roses. I missed the scent of the white flowers. The Guardian of the Forest had planted a flower he had taken from me. Maybe it was still growing out there.

  Most of the fae were already seated, many of them wearing showy gowns. Some looked at me with interest, scorning Anya’s presence. I glared back at them until they turned away. Anya’s hand tightened around mine, but her feet never faltered.

  Brendan stepped down from the dais with Arlen and looked at me. “You’ll be next to me.”

  I tried not to laugh. “You’re wearing jeans.”

  He winked. “They’re comfortable.” He hadn’t changed so much, after all. He took my hand and led me up the steps to his table. Arlen and Anya followed at a distance.

  Sorcha and Drake weren’t there, yet. Nella languidly relaxed in a chair as she spoke to a faery I had never met. She glanced at me, rolled her eyes, then returned to her conversation.

  Brendan held out a chair for me. “Between Anya and me.”

  As we took our seats, Líle and Dymphna approached the table. Dymphna nodded at me then sat next to Nella, but Líle didn’t even look at me.

  “Líle,” I called.

  She gave me a blank look, then a half smile crept across her face. That was it? That was hello? Screw that.

  I got up, ran around the table, and wrapped my arms around her neck. “That’s how you say hello to a friend after a long absence in which she worried constantly about you,” I whispered in her ear. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

  She patted my back before pulling away. “This isn’t a safe place. And it seems we’re in different courts now. Opposite sides.”

  “This is the only way I could get in. And I don’t care about the court crap. You know that. What’s with you?”

  “You should take a seat,” she said solemnly. “The king and queen are following.”

  Hurt, I went back to my seat between Brendan and Anya. He was protecting me again, and I wondered if that was to spite someone. But Líle… she had surprised me.

  Under the table, something warm and furry twined around my ankles. I picked up the black cat and hugged her. “Thanks for helping them,” I whispered.

  A servant announced the arrival of the king and queen of the Silver Court.

  “Silver,” I said with a snort.

  Brendan looked at me with a grin. “Does green suit you better?”

  “Anything is better than black, I suppose.”

  And anything was better than looking directly at the couple heading our way. Sorcha hung on Drake’s arm as she sashayed across the floor. Everyone’s eyes were on them. They had gone all out in the costume stakes and looked pretty pretentious. The tail of her gown was carried by half a dozen pixies, and every inch of him glittered. I wanted to puke.

  And cry. And hurt someone.

  I touched my stomach protectively. It didn’t matter. The baby had me, and I could get her what she needed.

  Brendan stood and ordered dinner to begin, barely giving Sorcha a chance to get to the table.

  She sat on the other side of Nella, directly across from me. She smiled at me and said, “As well put together as always.” Then, she got into a whispered conversation with my ancestor.

  It made sense for those two to become best buddies. They were both nasty bitches. But maybe I was a little hormonal.

  Drake sat across from Brendan without a word. Was he never going to speak to me again?

  Under the table, Anya squeezed my hand. I wished Grim and Realtín were around. I imagined them bursting through the doors, unable to wait to see me, but it seemed like everything had changed.

  I watched Líle over the first course. She was probably the most depressed-looking person I had ever seen. What was wrong? Had the Hauntings not left her? Was it the marsh water, what she had called the death water?

  The hall was noisy while we ate. I picked at the food placed in front of me. I was pretty certain I wouldn’t be poisoned in Brendan’s house, but sitting so close to Drake without even speaking to him had killed my appetite.

  “Everything is tasted before it reaches the table,” Brendan said under his breath when I looked askance at a piece of bloody steak.

  “Yeah, think I’ll pass on this one.” I pushed the plate away and took a sip of water instead.

  Brendan stood, and the entire hall became quiet. “Tonight, I have news that affects my court. Number one, the human Cara Kelly is now under my protection. Any attack against her is an attack against me. Two, I’ve learned a lot from my past mistakes. One of those was having no heir when I… was removed from power. This time, I want there to be no dispute. Until the day I have an heir of my own, I declare the unborn child carried by Cara Kelly to be my heir. If I die before producing my own heir, her child will inherit.”

  Forks dropped, including mine. I looked at Drake. His cheeks had reddened, and a napkin was balled up in his fist. As soon as he noticed me staring, he smoothed over his expression.

  I blinked a couple of times. Brendan had just put a big fat arrow on my baby’s back. On me. I was carrying an heir. All they had to do was kill me to get rid of that.

  When Brendan sat back down, the hall thundered with speculation.

  I leaned toward him, feeling dizzy. “Are you crazy? Don’t you know what you’ve done?”

  “I told you to trust me. Don’t you?”

  “I think you just made a massive mistake.” I turned to Anya and squeezed her hand for help.

  Sorcha smiled tightly. “Congratulations, human. Well played.”

  “You’re the one who played a game with all of us,” I snapped. “I didn’t do any of this. Stupid bitch.”

  “I’m not feeling well,” Anya said, jumping to her feet. “Cara, would you accompany me?”

  Nodding, I stood. The room hushed as everyone looked my way. I wanted to puke.

  “I’ll escort them,” Líle said stiffly.

  She walked alongside me, Anya on my other side. If the fae didn’t want me dead before, they had just been given a fantastic reason. Sadler wanted to punish Brendan. All he had to do was kill his heir. His heir. What the hell?

  Líle hurried us out of the hall. As soon as the doors shut behind us, I started hyperventilating.

  “Let’s get her to my room,” Anya said. “Out of sight.”

  Líle steered us upstairs. I was feeling a little better by the time I was bundled into Anya’s quarters.

  I paced the room, shrugging off Anya’s insistence that I take a seat. “What the hell is wrong with him? Is he absolutely crazy?”

  “It was the only move he could make,” Líle said dully. “It’s the move Drake should have made. They all know whose child it is. The whispers were so loud that I heard them in my seat. Drake should have at least put you under his protection, too.”

  “But he didn’t.” I closed my fists. “And what’s with you, Líle?”

  She refused to look at me.

  I glanced at Anya. “What’s going on with her?”

  Anya shrugged. “I’ve barely seen her since… our journey. She hasn’t had any interest in talking to any of us. This is the most I’ve heard her speak.”

  Líle lifted her chin. “Don’t talk about me as if I’m not here.”

  “Then talk to me,” I said. “What’s going on? Just because you chose Drake doesn’t mean—”

  “When we travelled together, terrible things happened to me,” Líle said. “And you told me to trust in the Mother, that Brighid would be there for me. So I did. But Brendan is against her, forbids her. Drake is open to accepting her. I went where the Mother needed me. That is all.”r />
  “Jesus, Líle, there’s no life in you at all. You look miserable. Talk to me. Let me help you.”

  “Look at you,” she snapped. “You can’t even help yourself.”

  “Get out of here,” Anya said, her voice only trembling a little. “You can’t speak to her like that in here.”

  Without a word, Líle left the room, leaving me shaken.

  “I feel like I’ve been thrown into crazy town,” I whispered. “Everyone has lost their fucking mind. Am I going to wake up from this nightmare any time soon? Because that would be great.” I sat in a chair and laughed a little hysterically. “I’m pregnant with a married king’s baby. He’s living with a banshee who would really like me to die, and my baby is now a second king’s heir. The villain of the piece is my kid’s great-grandfather. And my long-dead ancestor, who happens to hate me for being human, is back in town. That’s not fucked up at all.”

  “It’s… not ideal.”

  I snorted. “Not ideal? It’s definitely not ideal.”

  She smiled. “I wonder if your rooms are ready.”

  “I don’t need rooms. I was thinking maybe I should go home. Brendan said I’m safe, so maybe—”

  “Not yet.” She looked hurt. “Don’t leave yet. Have the baby here, where faery midwives live. You would have to answer so many awkward questions in the human realm.”

  “I can’t stay here forever.” No matter how much I wanted to. “Especially not now. The fae are going to want to kill me. I’m human. I’m… growing Brendan’s temporary heir. That isn’t going to go down well.”

  “He did what he thought was right,” she said pleadingly. “I know he did.”

  I shrugged. “I can’t stand thinking about it anymore. I just want to sleep.”

  She went to check on my accommodations. She soon returned and took me across the hall.

  “Who got kicked out of there?” I asked wryly.

  “Most of the rooms were already free.” She cleared her throat. “To give Arlen and me some space.”

  “Oh, Anya, I keep getting in your way.”

  “No, you’re not. Now close your eyes.”

  Humouring her, I closed my eyes and let her lead me into the room. When I opened them, I gasped. The room was freaking ginormous. It looked almost exactly like my room in Brendan’s old house, except a hell of a lot bigger.

  “And look in here,” Anya said, excitedly pointing at a door on the opposite wall.

  I opened the door to find a nursery, crib and all. “How did this get here?”

  “I called in a few favours,” she said. “We can redecorate, but it’s a safe place for you and your baby.”

  “You did all of this in the couple of hours I’ve been here?” I gazed about me. “You’ve really come up in the world, my pixie friend.”

  She giggled. “Just wait and see what I’ll accomplish by the time that baby comes. This is your home now. You needn’t be disturbed. You can rest and relax and prepare for the birth.”

  “That’s not for months. I can’t really live in this room, can I?”

  “You’ll be safe. Arlen is across the hall. We’ll take care of you. You’re… you’re my best friend.”

  I hugged her. “I would have fallen apart by now if you hadn’t been with me. I don’t know how I’m going to get through this. Drake’s acting like I don’t exist, and Brendan’s just… I’m so confused.”

  She patted my stomach. “Worry about yourself for a while. The other problems will wait their turn.”

  We returned to the main room. A black cat was lounging on the bed.

  “I should have known,” Anya tutted. “Would you like me to leave you alone?”

  “Yeah, I want to get used to the place.”

  “I’ll have clothes sent up to you. I get to boss people around now. It’s more fun than I expected.” She left me with the cat.

  I gazed around the room, feeling weirdly alone. I half-expected Brendan to come and see me, but something told me that Anya would kick his arse if he disturbed me. I was glad. I didn’t really want to talk about his intentions or the fact he had majorly upped the stakes on my life.

  I moved to the window, where there was a lovely view of the black rose garden. I lifted the sash a couple of inches then sat on the bed.

  I scratched the cat behind the ears. “Want to talk?”

  The cat purred and rolled over.

  “Yeah,” I said. “Me, neither.”

  Night clothes were soon delivered. I got changed and climbed into the bed. The mattress was the most comfortable I had ever lain on, and I soon dozed off. I prayed for a dreamless night. I prayed to wake up in the morning.

  Chapter Nine

  The cat hissed and spat. I sat up with a fright and saw a figure looming in the window. I gripped the dagger and jumped out of the bed, ready to flee, but he was already inside, his silver-threaded wings glistening in the dark. Drake.

  I faltered, unsure of what he wanted, what he was doing. His expression was grim and unwavering as he strode over and sank to his knees in front of me. And I saw emotion on his face. The Drake I knew still existed in there somewhere, but he would always be two different people.

  He pressed a hand against my stomach, splaying his fingers as if to reach as much as possible. He gripped my hips and pulled me closer then laid his cheek against my bump.

  My heart broke for him. He was stuck in a marriage he didn’t want, and he would never get to have what I would. He would never get to experience everything I was going through: the scans, the pictures, and the love I felt whenever I thought of the precious being growing inside of me. It was weird how things had changed.

  I knew I couldn’t truly blame Sorcha for everything, as easy as it was to do so. He had made his own choices, had built up a world of vengeance and bitterness. A voice inside my head said that I needed to protect our child from him. He wasn’t capable of unconditional love. Not now. Maybe not ever.

  His shoulders shook with a silent sob. I was stunned. A faery king was at my feet, crying. No, not a faery king. Drake. The other side of him. With a sigh, I reached out and ran my fingers through his hair. He held me uncomfortably tight, and his actions had already torn out my heart, but I shushed him and stroked his hair to comfort him.

  I had hated him earlier in the evening, but I couldn’t help feeling pity when I saw him that way. He’d had the balls or the stupidity to sneak through my window. If anyone had seen… I glanced over my shoulder. No one but the cat was watching us. I shrugged and turned my attention back to Drake. He whispered words I couldn’t hear then kissed my stomach.

  When he stood, he looked distraught. I stared at him, unsure of what to do next. We were having a baby together, and yet we couldn’t even talk to each other. He cupped my cheek and studied my face.

  Something moved in my stomach, and my mouth opened wide with surprise. At my gasp, Drake jumped about a mile in the air. I put my hand on my abdomen, but I couldn’t feel anything. Maybe I had been mistaken.

  Drake gave my hand an envious look before covering it with his. I badly wanted to wrap myself up in his arms, to persuade him to stay with me, to make him tell me everything was going to be okay.

  His hand slipped to the nape of my neck, and he pulled me closer, his wings moving rapidly. He pressed his forehead against mine. Was he trying to give some kind of goodbye? I had no idea, and I had even less of an idea of what to do about it.

  When he pulled away, he looked at my mouth. I licked my lips self-consciously. Our gazes locked again, but his held lust and desire. Usually, that would be all it took for me to lose myself to him, but clarity was still mine. When he leaned forward, I was prepared.

  “You’re married,” I said in a much sharper tone than I intended.

  His expression didn’t change. He pulled me to him and kissed me full on the lips, fierce and unyielding. I tried not to fall. I tried my very best not to fall. I had to be stronger. I took a step away from him, my hands still on his chest.

  “
You made your choice,” I whispered, though it broke my heart to say it.

  He backed off as if I had struck at him. And maybe I had, in my own way. He opened his mouth as though to say something, glanced at my stomach, then shook his head. He left through the window without a glance behind him.

  I got into bed and huddled under the covers, realising he had never once said a word. I soon fell asleep, although I wasn’t sure how, what with so much running through my mind.

  Some time later, a knock woke me. I got up, rubbing my eyes, and opened the door without thinking. Brendan and a group of servants and other faeries stood there. He looked mortified.

  Sorcha brushed past him and stalked into the room. “Where is my husband?” she demanded.

  “How the fuck am I supposed to know?” I snapped. I was exhausted, pissed off, and a little scared.

  “Do you know the penalty for treason?” she asked, stepping right up to me.

  “Do I care?” I stood firm. “And if you ever walk into my room uninvited again, I’m going to bitch-slap you right back to the Fade. Get the fuck out of here, Sorcha. I don’t give a shit about you or your husband or your pathetic little mind games.”

  “Leave,” Brendan said. “He isn’t here. Everyone saw. You embarrassed yourself for nothing, banshee.”

  She leaned close to me and lowered her voice. “It’s too late for you, Cara Kelly. You can’t change the game now.”

  “Why are you still punishing me? I haven’t done anything to you.”

  “What, did you think we would come back from the Fade the best of friends?”

  I thought I saw a glimpse of regret cross her face, but she turned on her heel and strode away, brushing aside the other fae.

  Brendan stepped in alone, closed the door behind him, and leaned against it. “I’m sorry. I’ll leave a guard outside your door in future. She made a fuss and dragged the entire court into it.”

  I glared at him. “And you just had to see for yourself?”

  He held up his hands. “I wanted to make sure nothing happened. To you. To the baby.”