Doug sank onto his hands and knees and crawled forward. Where most humans thought they could pretend to be an animal, Doug moved as if he were in his wolf skin. It was interesting to see how far he’d come in acceptance of what he was. He’d adapted easier than Brent, which may be why he was an alpha.
A call came from his throat that no human could make. At the sound, the girl perked up. Her head tilted to the side as she tried to make sense of the boy who sounded like a wolf.
Doug did it again as he butted his head against the bars. He scrapped at the floor with his fingers as if he were trying to dig, gaining her full attention.
“Fascinating,” Mia said softly.
“It is,” I replied. I decided to take a chance while we weren’t needed. “Flynn looks awfully tired. Is he getting any sleep?”
She turned to face me. Doug and what he was doing were forgotten.
“I guess he can’t get sleep when he’s been running around making sure you’re okay.”
Score one for her. She pushed off the wall she’d been leaning on and moved away from me. She stood closer to Tom, and I didn’t bother trying to talk to her more. She held me responsible for Flynn’s state, as did I.
Doug continued to try to make the female wolf feel comfortable. We stayed for a while as he did so. The girl didn’t come out of her corner, but she stopped whimpering and rocking. Later, Tom finally called it a night and left to find Flynn. The rest of us went back to our quarters to get ready for the ball.
Inside my room, a black dress lay in the chair. I ignored it for the moment, and instead made a beeline for the bathroom. I felt relieved to strip out of my day-old clothes and get into the shower. I let the water slosh over me as I leaned against the tiles. My stomach gave a faint growl before nausea took over. I was beginning to get used to the feeling.
“Mercy.”
I jumped and turned to look above the wide frosted section that spanned the middle of the glass door. Through the beaded water drops, I saw Luke standing on the other side in all his golden glory. I was once again grateful his skin had lost the paleness that I’d created in him.
“Luke.”
His eyes never left mine to trail down my form. He’d always been that way, respectful and good.
“Don’t forget to make Sebastian your ally. You need him.”
I ignored the message he kept replaying to me as if he were on repeat. I wanted to talk about us. There was so much to be said. As if he heard my inner thoughts and wanted to flee the impending conversation, he turned his back on me. I leaped forward and placed my hand on the glass.
“I don’t understand. Are you real?” I cried out.
He faced me again and amazed me by coming forward. He pressed his palm against the glass to cover mine as if we were touching.
“I’m as real as you need me to be.”
“That isn’t an answer. You come, and you leave without warning. I was nearly hurt earlier, and you didn’t come to help me.”
It was a ridiculous statement. I hadn’t wanted to be rescued anymore.
“You handled it.”
Had he been there? Was I being tested? None of it rang true.
“Handled it? Don’t you see my neck?” I pointed to where I could still feel the tingling burn as the water ran over the wounds.
He opened the door to the shower, but his eyes remained locked on mine. The race of cooler air coming in caused me to shiver. When his palm landed against my neck, golden light bathed my naked skin. Soon the burning sensation I’d felt, went away. His hand dropped, never once touching me anywhere else. He stepped back and closed the door between us.
“Do you not see me? Don’t you love me anymore?” I pleaded.
It was absurd of me to ask. Yet, the ring on my finger gave me a right to do so.
His face was carefully neutral. “I love you more than my own life. I think I’ve proven that.”
He sounded so monotone when he said it.
“You sound like a robot. You haven’t kissed me. You haven’t tried to touch me. Was I that bad?”
I didn’t have to explain what I meant. I’d had no clue about anything of our first and only time. Honestly, I still didn’t. Luke had been in the driver’s seat, and I’d acted on instinct and the emotions that had raced through me. He had more experience with girls who probably knew what to do. Insecurity and not quite feeling up to par, though I’d kept that secret to myself, were most likely behind my vulnerability.
“You and I both know what you need to do. There is no need to make this harder on you.”
“What about you? Isn’t this hard on you?”
His words were soft. “More than you will ever know.”
He didn’t allow me a response. He vanished without another word. I collapsed to the tile floor where I stayed until the water turned chilly. Before I got out, I placed my hand against his opposite hand print, which proved he was real. Then, I wrapped myself in a towel. The mirrors were fogged up as I stood wondering what to do. I’d washed my hair without checking to see if there was a hair dryer or flat iron. I stepped into the main room when the door opened.
“There you are.”
“Maggs,” I said.
She held the tools needed to tame the beast of my hair. “Come on girl. Let’s get ready.”
“You are a lifesaver.”
“Always prepared.” I had no idea where she’d gotten the hair tools, but didn’t ask. “Did you talk to Flynn?”
She shrugged. “He didn’t say much. Said Mia was great; he just hadn’t been sleeping well.”
“Pretty much what Mia said.”
I didn’t want to get into a debate with Maggie about Flynn. I was learning that sometimes total honesty wasn’t good. I wouldn’t lie. But I had to keep some things to myself.
Maggie did her magic, and my hair was soon smooth, slick and straight. She applied my makeup before heading back to her own room to get dressed.
I realized too late that I needed Maggie to help me into my gown. Of course, it tied in the back. I felt like I was back in Fairy. I had the zipper part of the skirt up, and I was holding the corset up when my door opened behind me.
“Maggs, I’m glad you came back. I need help tying myself into this dress.”
She walked over and immediately went to work. “I don’t know why people keep choosing dresses like this for me. My boobs are way too big for a sleeveless dress.”
She tugged the last of the strings and finished lacing everything.
“Maybe they want you to look hot.”
I turned because that wasn’t Maggie’s voice.
“Flynn.” He smirked at me. “Why did you come in without knocking?”
“Do I ever knock?”
He didn’t most of the time. His eyes dipped to where I still held the corset up.
“You don’t need to hold it up anymore.”
I crossed my arms to hide my cleavage. “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me. Why are you here?”
I hadn’t meant to sound crabby. I should be trying to fix things.
“Tom sent me to get you,” he said flatly.
Before I could set things right, a knock sounded at my door.
“Come in,” I said quickly.
My skin flared hot as Flynn’s eyes continued to burn on me. Huck breezed the door open and leaned on the frame. The leopard boy smiled when he saw me. Flynn moved to block his line of sight.
“She doesn’t need your services.” Flynn’s eyes were flat on the boy who continued to wear a sinister grin.
Huck pushed off the wall and stepped towards Flynn without any fear.
“I have to say you Americans are all the same. Funny though, this isn’t America.” Huck’s accent was nonexistent. I wouldn’t have guessed he wasn’t from the US.
Flynn tilted his head side to side. The crack of his bones was heard in the silence. “Funny, I have a feeling this won’t take long. It will be ephemeral.”
I smiled to myself. Flynn played like h
e wasn’t smart at times, but he was probably one of the smartest boys I knew.
“Efemiral,” the guy said, butchering the pronunciation.
Flynn rolled his eyes. “I thought you would know that one. I’m sure girls,” he paused, “Or guys would have told that to you all the time. You know, it means lasting a short time.”
The guy’s face reddened before he rushed at Flynn. Flynn sidestepped at just the right time.
“Olé,” Flynn crooned with a wide grin.
I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh. Huck had the opposite reaction. The word only fueled his anger. He lifted a fist, and Flynn caught it one-handed. Huck, pissed off that Flynn held him with just one hand, began to sprout fur.
I moved between them facing Huck.
“Stop this.” I lifted my head, and the guy’s eyes narrowed on my unmarked neck.
Huck reached out to touch the clean area where his claw marks had been. Flynn’s arms circled my waist and jerked me out of his reach.
“You don’t get to touch her.”
Huck’s eyes narrowed as the fur receded. He tapped his lip with his finger. “I wonder if our King knows you’re in love with his girl.”
Flynn dropped his hands away from me like he’d been electrocuted. “I’m not in love with her. I’m protecting her from you on behalf of your King.”
“My King. So you don’t see him as the sovereign ruler.”
The conversation would lead nowhere. I had to intervene. “Stop. Just get out. You’re searching for truths. I’m sure you will get them tonight.”
I stared at him and hoped he got my meaning. It took a moment for his jaw to unclench before he bowed his head and stepped out of the room. He wasn’t a fool to give us his back.
I spun around to face Flynn. “I don’t need you to protect me. I can protect myself.”
Wrong thing to say Mercy, I told myself after the words left my mouth.
“Yeah, whatever.” He brushed by me. “Find your way to the ball. I’m supposed to walk you in. I’m sure you can handle that by yourself too.”
He stormed out, and I sighed, glancing up to the ceiling. Things shouldn’t have gone down like that. Plus, I didn’t know where the ballroom was. I hoped I would find it. Or maybe it would be held in the Great Hall.
I went back in the bathroom to glance at myself. The dress was pretty in a goth princess kind of way. I wouldn’t have picked it. I shimmied the bodice up to try and hide more of my boobs. The last thing I wanted was for every guy to stare at my chest all night. I steeled my spine. I would only be at the ball long enough to make an appearance. Then I would be off to see what Huck had in store for me. Tristrom would need to duck out, too. He had to find the scepter. The last thing I needed was to add fairies to the troubles we had there.
The ball turned out not to be in the Great Hall, much to my dismay. I wandered the corridors until I found the room by the sounds of faint music. Like a rat led to cheese, I followed the noise until I came to the ballroom in a hallway I’d yet to explore.
As soon as I walked in, Flynn fell in step with me. He didn’t say a word, just took my arm and walked me through the crowd that parted in front of us. Tom stood on the stage wearing a tux that looked fitted for a King. Flynn let go, and I took the few steps up the platform to stand next to Tom. I faced the crowd searching for Huck, but my eyes traced Flynn movements through the crowd.
He looked amazing in the black tux I hadn’t had a chance to admire earlier. He stopped near Doug and Mia. Mia wore a blue gown that fit her perfectly. Plenty of guys were checking her out. I had to assume Maggie and Tristrom were still guarding Brent.
Miranda stepped forward and signaled to someone I couldn’t see, and the music stopped. “Tonight we will celebrate unity and usher in a new era.”
Shouts of ascent and the lifting of goblets filled the room.
“Let’s us dance the night away,” she said.
The crowd organized themselves in two groups, those who wanted to mingle, and those that chose to dance. The dancers remained in the center of the floor. Mia turned to Flynn, and he accepted her hand. When they began to dance, I turned away.
Tom and I were seated in throne type chairs. We watched the spectacle in companionable silence. I’d been lost in my thoughts when Maggie came in and searched the room. She wore green, which suited her. Her hair had been left curly for once, and it looked good on her. She spotted Doug and walked over to him. After a brief exchange, he nodded and walked to Mia.
“What do you think?” Tom asked, taking my attention away from what appeared to be the changing of the guard.
I shrugged. “It’s pretty cool.” He appeared levelheaded about everything. Based on our conversations, I knew he wasn’t. “You seem to have this King thing down. You don’t really need us.”
“I do.”
A goblet appeared in front of Tom and one in front of me. I had no desire to drink it. It was most likely alcohol, and I needed my wits about me. Tom lifted the cup to his lips, but Doug appeared out of nowhere and took it from his hands. He drank a little and stood for a few seconds. He sure did take his job as second seriously. He nodded and gave the cup back to Tom. I just held mine wondering how I would slip out if everyone expected me to stay by Tom’s side.
Riona walked up. Her dress was black like mine. Her hair hung loose as she walked to the bottom of the steps.
“The King looks as though he needs a partner. I offer my services if your consort is too queenly to dance among us common folk.”
Tom glanced my way and then held out a hand to me. “Do you want to dance?”
I nodded with a smile, having no other choice. I was the barrier between him and her. I wondered why he didn’t want to be with her. I should have asked more questions. He’d brought her to our home. Too late, there was no way to do it there.
Tom walked me down the two steps, and the crowd gave us room without ever missing a step to the dance. The music that played didn’t come from a DJ. A violinist and two other orchestra-types played classical music, which meant a formal dance.
Clinically, Tom placed on hand on my hip and held my other hand in line with my shoulder. I followed his steps as his eyes stayed on me. I took the time to study his face because even though he was a King, he hadn’t taken out the metal in his brow, lip or ear. And no one dared to question it.
One twirl and my eyes landed on Miranda. She stood talking to a man who faintly resembled Tom.
“Is that your Dad?”
He glanced around as we circled, and his eyes found his parents. He nodded.
“What does he think of all this?”
Tom’s Dad wasn’t a shifter. He carried the gene but hadn’t been turned.
“He doesn’t want me to forget who I am. And he wants me to be happy.”
That statement made me instantly like the man even though I still held reservations against his mother. Tom glided me across the floor expertly, and it just reminded me how little I knew about him, Lion King that he was. I spotted Huck leaning against a wall opposite Tom’s parents. His eyes were focused on me.
“This place is so huge, but I haven’t seen a gym. Do you guys train outside?”
I hoped the question sounded as casual as my smooth delivery. The last thing I needed was for Tom to put two and two together.
“There is a gym on the lower level. But the main training grounds are out back, past the fountains and gardens. It’s surrounded by trees to help dampen the noise.” Then he eyed me because Tom wasn’t anyone’s fool. “Why?” The question unnerved me. I didn’t relish lying to my friends. Thankfully, he followed up with, “Do you want to get some practice in? It’s probably a good idea, and maybe you won’t be so bored.”
“I’m not bored, but I do need to keep in shape.” It was true. Boredom would be nice. Instead, I felt mildly ill unable to stomach any food, and soon I would be required to walk in a lion’s den or leopards. I had no idea what types of shifters would try to ambush me later.
Tom�
�s eyes dipped for just a second. “I’m sure Flynn would love to help keep you in shape.”
I pursed my lips, and he laughed.
“Very funny. I could say the same about you and Riona.”
That shut him up. We danced some more until someone tapped Tom’s shoulder.
“Thomas, as your best friend, allow me to have a dance with your future queen. It’s not right of you to hog her.”
I glared at Huck. Tom couldn’t say no with eyes on everything he did. To deny Huck would send signals he didn’t trust his inner circle. True or not, he had to keep that information close to his chest. Tom nodded and then stared at me a second. I wasn’t sure what he was trying to tell me. He let go, and Huck took his place. His eyes lingered a little too long at my cleavage.
“You sure know how to get your prey with that skin you wear so well.”
“I’ve told you before. The skin is mine, and I was born with it,” I gritted.
“So you will prove. Make your way to the training area. You have ten minutes.”
Tristrom stepped up with amazing timing. I hadn’t seen his entrance. The change of guard for Brent must have occurred. “Can I cut in?”
“You may,” Huck said and handed me off.
He melded into the crowd, and I lost him. That sucked because I wasn’t a hundred percent sure where the training areas were.
Tristrom was also a good dancing partner. He, like Tom, was probably groomed for the role one played in royalty. Tristrom hadn’t been groomed early in life, but a couple of years in Fairy had made him quite the classical dancer.
“We need to go,” I said as softly as I could. He nodded. “Dance us towards the back wall. The terrace doors are open.”
Smoothly, we made are way across the room. No one was the wiser when we slipped out into the night. Just before I left, I spied Maggie dancing with Tom. Flynn was wrapped up with a blonde. And I was happy to get out of there.
“Do you know where we’re going?”
We made are way around the terrace to the back of the castle. I gazed over the low hedges of the outer garden where a huge fountain sat in the middle. Further back were super tall trees that were most likely centuries years old.
Sacrifice of Mercy Page 11
