Royal Pawn (Jacky Leon Book 6)

by K. N. Banet

  “Because we’re not in our own realm.” He reached out and touched my shoulders, letting his fingers glide over my upper arms. Slowly, they made their way around me, and he brought me into a warm embrace. “And we’re dealing with powers neither of us stands a chance against or know much about.” He kissed the top of my head. “And we both hate Brion.”

  I nodded. All of that sounded right.

  “Tomorrow is going to go badly,” I said, feeling confident in my assumption.

  “Yeah, it probably is,” he said, his embrace growing tighter.

  Eventually, I pulled out of his arms and went to the door. I looked out of our room, searching the hall for anyone who might be available. I saw a guy standing at the end of the hall, a sword at his waist and a spear in his hand.

  “Um…we need to talk to someone about tomorrow,” I said, hoping he would hear me.

  He turned, showing me he was, in fact, real and alive. For a moment, I had wondered if a new statue had popped up suddenly. His short fae ears said he was a clan fae—a fae with a human ancestor who had a child with either Oberon or Titania.

  “What do you need, and I’ll tell—”

  “I’m here,” someone declared, coming up the stairs I couldn’t see. Leith revealed himself a moment later.

  “Sir, you should be asleep,” the guard in the hall quickly said.

  “There’s no sleep to be had this week,” Leith retorted, passing the guard and stopping in front of me, waiting for me to say something.

  “How did you…” I pointed down the hall, confused by his perfectly timed arrival.

  “I know when any door in this house opens,” he said as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I was able to excuse myself from the meetings happening in the family wing to come see what you needed.”

  Explaining quickly, Leith nodded as I spoke, listening attentively.

  “I’ll have it prepared for you tomorrow. We have some simple clothing that can be spared. I have someone on staff who can spell them, so they will fit you. I’ll be back at dawn for you to try them on, then pack them for the trip.” He didn’t move. “Would you also like me to relay your plans for tomorrow to the lord?”

  “Why do you call him Lord and not Prince?” I asked. “And yes, please relay it. It would save us the trouble of doing it in the morning.”

  “We call the lord what he wishes to be called, by the title he wishes to use,” Lieth answered. “If that’s all, I hope you both have a good evening. Please get some rest. No one will disturb you until breakfast is ready to be served.” He turned and walked away, leaving Heath and me in the thick silence of the large castle.

  I closed the door and began to strip, knowing what I intended to do. I needed to sleep, but I was too awake for it, and I was desperate for something. Desperate to reaffirm although this was happening, it would be okay because I had someone with me. It had to be okay. Heath didn’t move until I had my hands on his shirt, desperate to touch him, to feel his skin against mine. I caught his lips in a needy kiss as I fought to keep myself from tearing the shirt off him. He pulled it over his head and threw it aside.

  We were naked in the bed sometime later, and I had gotten what I needed, feeling better but not by much. Heath held me against his chest, and the sense of something bad coming refused to leave me.

  “Heath?”

  “Yeah?” He didn’t move, but I was glad he was still awake. I needed to say something to him before I lost the chance.

  “I lo—”

  “Don’t do that to me,” he whispered. “Don’t say it because you think one of us is going to die.”

  “But—”

  “Stay alive and tell me tomorrow. Tell me when we have dinner together on a quiet Saturday. Tell me when I drop Carey off, or I’m enjoying a beer on the back porch. Tell me anytime except now. Don’t tell me right now as the first time, burdened by everything going on.” He turned to me, his eyes ice blue in the night. “Don’t tell me right now and make it sound like a goodbye.”

  “Okay.” It stung, but I understood his meaning.

  He closed his eyes and didn’t open them again, so I forced my own closed. Even though I didn’t get a chance to say it, I was glad he didn’t question whether I actually felt it.

  “I love you, too,” he finally whispered.

  31

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The morning came too fast. The sun had come in, there was no avoiding it, and I was too anxious to roll over and ignore it. Someone was knocking on the door as I was getting out of bed. The knocking annoyed me, but I was already up by the time it had started. Heath was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. He groaned as the knocking continued.

  “I’m not ready for this.”

  “Me, neither, but here we are,” I said, sighing heavily as I stood. “We’re coming!” I called out. The knocking stopped. I couldn’t find my clothes, but there were two robes on the back of the chairs near the door.

  Someone was in our room last night?

  I sniffed the air but didn’t catch anything. The entire fae realm was too full of magic, so if anyone had used it to get in and out, it was lost in the other scents. I put on a robe, then held out the second to Heath. He took it and slipped it on and belted it, then reached out to make sure I wasn’t showing too much skin.

  “Something about being around the fae is scratching my more territorial instincts,” he admitted. “I’ve always done my best not to call you mine and hold you to keep you away from potential challengers and the like, but…”

  “This is too close to the dancing with Cassius thing, isn’t it?” I asked, trying to smile. It was sweet in its own way, the way he was finally meeting the ends of his self-control.

  “Handsome fae prince, who could show you worlds I can’t even dream of? Magical creatures, who would be fools not to want you if they saw what I have the privilege of seeing?” Heath smiled, but it was full of teeth.

  “Okay, alpha werewolf.” I rolled my eyes but knew if I saw some lady touching him, I would react in the same way. I remembered the werewolf in Seattle, his ex-lover. If she showed up in the future and tried to claim him, I’d probably kill her. It would be hard not to. Heath was mine. I was willing to go against my family for him.

  He stayed closed to me as I opened the door and let Leith in, carrying a neatly folded pile of clothing. Behind him, a woman walked in with another.

  “We were able to find these among the lord’s and lady’s items. They’ve donated them because they haven’t worn them yet.”

  “Oh…” I didn’t know if I was comfortable with that.

  “They won’t notice the absence,” Leith said, putting his pile down on the small table. “We’re here to make sure these are placed on you correctly.”

  “I know how this spell works. The first person to touch it, it will always fit them,” I said as the woman started working magic over the clothing now on the table. Not only did I know Heath and Landon used this particular spell on their suits, but Hasan gave me an entire wardrobe over the summer when I visited home. Apparently, he did that for all of his children. I went with a bag for a couple of days and left with four suitcases of my favorites. Every single article of clothing had been treated with this magic.

  “Look at you, remembering many people go to the fae for services you never use,” Heath teased with a smile.

  I didn’t take the bait to get into a teasing contest. Once the woman was done doing the spells, Leith pulled out a privacy thing from a closet and set it up. When neither of them left the room, I realized Heath and I were expected to get changed right then.

  “Okay then…” I said softly, taking the clothes they indicated were for me. It wasn’t modern clothing from our world, but something from a bygone era, everything made from supple leather. I could see why Cassius and Sorcha hadn’t worn these yet. They both wore seemingly expensive designer clothing. “What are these…outfits for?” I asked as Heath was buttoning a soft silk shirt.

  “They’re court attire
,” Leith explained. “When this is over, you’ll be in a court situation. It’s best if you’re dressed for it.”

  “I see…They won’t mind me in pants and not a dress?”

  “You’re presenting yourself as a warrior, defending the life of someone in the court, not as a lady of the court. Sorcha will also be in pants today. Once you’re both done trying them on, let us see.”

  Heath and I stepped out together, both in deep blues and silvers. Leith nodded, giving a tight but satisfied expression.

  “The lady was right about the colors,” the woman said very softly, leaning toward Leith as she spoke. “Suits them more than the lord’s colors.”

  “They are her colors,” Leith said.

  “Is that important?” Heath asked, and I could hear his frown.

  “It’s her declaration to the court you are to be considered under her protection and members of her household for this occasion.” Leith's voice was clipped. “Dangerous, considering who she is, who you both are, and the fact Brion will be expecting you to represent his interests, not hers. She’s stepping on his toes by offering these, and they will both know she is doing it on purpose, but you needed something to wear that was appropriate, and we can hide behind that excuse. She had these on hand for days she goes to a court without the lord.”

  I looked at Heath, annoyed by this little twist. “If we get there and I’m told to stand in a specific spot based on my social status, I am going to—”

  “I’ll leave protocol explanations to the lord and lady,” Leith said quickly. “There is a second set of these exact outfits for later. You will receive a package at your bar soon with the clothing you came in.”

  “Wonderful,” I growled softly. Leith bowed, prompting the woman who never introduced herself to bow as well, then they left us in peace. Almost. I heard only one set of footsteps go down the hall once the door closed. “I think Leith is waiting to take us to breakfast,” I mumbled.

  “Joy.” Heath pulled at the blue leather vest over his silver silk shirt.

  “What do you smell with him?” I asked, knowing from experience he would have paid more attention to his nose than me. “I’m clogged up with magic and can’t catch much.”

  “He’s professional, so he’s not showing anything. He’s worried, probably about Cassius and Sorcha. He’s deeply fond of them, I think. There’s respect there, not just between master of the house and servant, but genuine respect that comes from a long friendship. I think. That’s how I interpret it, but I am, as you said, also clogged by the magic of this place. It’s choking. I catch hints of their emotions, but it’s quickly covered up by their perpetual magic.”

  “Okay then. We’re both blind in a sense.”

  “We are,” he confirmed. “Let’s get to breakfast and face this fucking insane family for hopefully the last day.”

  We walked out together and found Leith waiting for us, as I expected. He said nothing as he guided us to an open and airy bright room with large windows on the ground floor, right next to the wild garden. All in all, I could tell it was probably a place where Sorcha and Cassius often had breakfast. They were already seated, enjoying crepes or something that looked like them. I didn’t have to ask where the others were when Heath and I sat down. Cassius looked up and smiled.

  “The others have breakfast in the formal dining room because my father likes it more than this one,” he said. “So, I decided to take the chance to have a quiet breakfast with other adults.”

  “This is where Cassius and I have breakfast every morning, and we weren’t going to abandon you both to Brion and the others,” Sorcha said, giving us an amused look.

  “You’re both in good moods,” I pointed out. Heath only grunted in agreement.

  “Yes, well…we were able to make some points with Brion last night that stuck.”

  “Rian will be living with us once my father is back on the throne,” Cassius explained. “It’s better for him. We’ll give him the means to chase his passions. We’ve also convinced our father to leave him here today. He’s not as trained as his…our other brothers.”

  “You’re already thinking of what comes next? Aren’t you worried Brion will lose the duel?”

  “No,” Sorcha said, quickly shaking her head. The conversation continued after Leith brought breakfast to Heath and me, then stepped back. “Brion won’t lose.”

  “Is there anything we’re worried about today?” Heath asked this time. “Or rather, what are we worried about today?”

  The couple looked at each other, and Cassius was the one to answer.

  “How much damage Oisin can do before he dies. That’s what we’re worried about. You’ll need to keep Fiona protected. She’ll be a prime target. We’ll be helping, so will her sons.” He pointed to my plate. “Eat, don’t stress yet. There’s only so much we can do right now. Once breakfast is over, we’re heading to the palace and the King’s Courtyard. Oberon created it as a place where no one would interrupt his thoughts. My father actually built the palace around it and used it as his own private place.”

  “It’s said Oberon still visits it when he needs to collect his thoughts,” Sorcha said with a wink to me and Heath.

  I decided to do as Cassius said and eat breakfast, which was delicious. While nerves were a problem, twisting my stomach into knots, I knew I needed to eat. Calories were burned fast as a moon cursed, and I worked so hard not to be skin and bones. I liked having hips that didn’t stab people, particularly Heath.

  Breakfast wrapped up quickly. There wasn’t much to say. I could have talked about how Sorcha put us in her colors, but I didn’t mention it. I noticed Cassius was also wearing her colors, and he was wearing armor, his silver shirt covering the chainmail. When he stood, Leith came forward with a sword and belt, helping the lord secure it. Sorcha picked up a small clutch from the table that I had ignored, thinking it was unimportant. She wore very much the same thing as Cassius, the same type of chainmail peeking through the top of her shirt. Her entire look, though, was centered on a corset-type thing around her waist, which pinched everything in, making her lithe form into a long hourglass. How she could breathe, I couldn’t guess. I was certain Zuri and Mischa would appreciate her look if they ever got the chance to see it.

  I was watching her with her tiny clutch while Cassius finished correcting all the small pieces of his own look. She reached into the clutch and pulled out a long sword, protected in its sheath, a belt already attached. Cassius waved away Leith and helped his wife put it on. They shared a look, and I could swear an entire conversation passed between them.

  “If he’s smart, he’ll have called on some of my enemies,” she said softly once they had secured the belt. I figured they meant Oisin.

  “He’s not the most intelligent man, but he’s not a fool,” Cassius replied. “I’m expected to be armed. You carrying a weapon tells them we’re expecting a fight we intend to win. It might stop some problems before they start.” He looked over his shoulder at Heath and me. “Let’s go. My father will be waiting for us at the door.” Then he frowned, possibly at my confused expression. “What?”

  “A door is a permanent gateway between realms,” Sorcha explained, figuring me out quickly. “They can be closed by someone powerful enough, but they can’t be destroyed. I have all the doors in this realm closed right now or locked, as some say. He wants to use the door that leads directly to the palace.”

  “Are all the fae realms connected? What makes them fae realms?” I asked, not wanting to think about what was coming when we made it to the palace.

  Sorcha smiled. “I’ll explain as we walk. It’ll give your mind something to chew on. You seem anxious.”

  Anxious was an understatement.

  So, with Cassius and Heath leading, we walked through his estate as Sorcha explained more about the fae. The fae realms were attached by vast distances of land and contained deserts, oceans, and deep jungles. They were called the realms because of the deep magics that filled the spaces, making them
feel separate. Sometimes, there were very real barriers that prevented someone from just walking in or out of a place—a door was necessary. Time evolved and shifted throughout the lands, bringing about the sayings of deeper and more wild realms or stable lands like we were in.

  “There’s too much magic,” she finished with. “It’s forever altered this place over eons. To try to understand it fully is a fool’s errand. It’s believed only two truly understand how the realms truly work, Oberon and Titania. They’ve wandered them for longer than all others.”

  “Were they the first fae?”

  “They are the creators of the sidhe and the most powerful beings in all the fae realms,” Sorcha answered without really answering my question.

  It wasn’t in me to pry further, so I fell silent as we arrived at our destination. Brion waited with Fiona at his side, Rian and his older brothers were talking over things, and behind them, a stone archway sat alone in the gardens. There was something special about it. Built from natural rock, covered in moss and vines, topped off with flowers blooming from the vines, it seemed to rise up out of the earth exactly the way it was. The garden had to have been built around it.

  “Rian, while we’re gone, Leith will show you the quarters we will be giving you,” Cassius said, ignoring his father. “You’ll be in the family wing, of course.”

  “Thank you. Are you sure—”

  “It would make me happy to know at least one person in this family will be safe today,” Cassius said sharply. “And you don’t know your magic well enough to fight. Maybe next time.”

  “There’s going to be a next time?” Rian paled to a shade three times lighter than his already pale complexion.

  “With this family, there’s always a next time,” Sorcha said, sounding bored and annoyed, but not with Rian. Her gaze was firmly on Brion.

  Brion smartly ignored her look and aimed for his oldest son.

  “I still think ignoring the protocol—”

  “He’s not in line for the throne,” Cassius snapped. “This is the concession we decided on. Rian stays here.”