“I didn’t do it!” Robin turned and answered the door. There stood Leo, Ruby, Sean, Aileen, Shane and… Akane? Akane looked remarkably pissed off, her arm held firmly by Shane Dunne. “Well. What have we here?” Robin’s shoulders shook. “Akane, did you do this?”
She growled out from between gritted teeth, “Do I look like I want to be here?”
“Hush now, sweet.” Shane smiled sweetly at Akane. “You’ll give the Hob a complex. He might even think you don’t like him.”
Robin threw his head back and laughed. “By the gods, your family becomes more delightful every time I meet them.” He bowed over Aileen’s hand. “What brings you here, my lady?”
Sean firmly removed his wife’s hand from the rogue’s grasp. “Shane said our daughter would say her vows this day and pledge herself before Oberon. We’re here to support her.”
Aileen nodded. “And pledge our own oaths, if need be.” She lifted her head proudly. “The Dunnes stand behind their own.”
The first hint of true warmth leeched into Oberon’s expression. “Be welcome, then. You understand that they’ll be giving oath under their married names?”
“Yes. We do.”
Ruby was openly studying everything she could see. “Wow. This place could use a—”
Whatever she’d been about to say was cut off by her husband’s hand over her mouth. He was pale and almost shaking. “Don’t. Say. Anything.”
Ruby rolled her eyes but let her husband shush her.
Robin looked back at Oberon. “See what I mean?”
“Yes, I do. Are you sure none of them share your blood?”
“Only one does.”
“Which is why I’m allowing what you propose. It will certainly upset a few people once the deed is done.”
“Do you honestly care about that?”
Oberon smiled, the expression sending a cold shiver down Duncan’s spine. “No.”
“Well then.”
Duncan cleared his throat. “Do I want to know?”
Robin strolled over and clapped his shoulder. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Oberon gestured and a small brownie stepped forward, dressed all in black. “Escort them to my throne room once their coats are seen to.”
The brownie bowed. “As you wish, sire.”
Oberon turned on his heel and strode away, that shimmering fall of pale hair swaying behind him.
Duncan took off his coat and handed it to the butler. The rest of the family did the same. They followed the butler down the gray and silver hallway toward a set of double doors. The butler paused, hands on the handles. “The Gray Throne. When his majesty is in there he’s all business.”
He hadn’t been before? Duncan nodded and the butler pulled the doors open, and a wave of sound slammed into them. The court was filled with glittering Sidhe, brown-skinned brownies, pale-haired sylphs, pale-skinned vampires, hideous hobgoblins, and an assortment of fae, both lesser and greater, more than Duncan could ever remember in one place. Even some nymphs and naiads were there, far from their watery home, their brightly colored hair vibrant against their gleaming gowns and suits. Before them all sat Oberon in his robes of office on the Gray Throne, his silver crown atop his head. His hands rested loosely on the arms of the chair, and his expression was cool, his lips unsmiling.
The Majordomo cracked his staff of office once, twice on the floor and announced them to the court. “Lord Robin Goodfellow, also known as Puck, also known as the Hob.” Robin handed Moira off to Jaden and strode into the room, stopping just short of the steps leading up to the throne. He bowed to the High King, then turned and motioned for the Majordomo to continue. “The Blackthorn family, Lord Jaden, Lord Duncan and Lady Moira, late of the Malmayne clan of the White Court.” Duncan hid his flinch as he and Jaden flanked Moira and proceeded into the room. They halted at the bottom of the stairs at Robin’s barely-there wave. “The Dunne family, Lord Sean, Lady Aileen, Lord Leo and Lady Ruby, and Lord Shane, of the Dunne clan of the White Court.” Sean’s eyebrows rose at his sudden elevation to the peerage, but he took his wife’s arm and the Dunnes stepped down en masse, Shane still clutching Akane’s arm. “Lady Akane Russo, Knight of Oberon and daughter of the Seer.”
Duncan saw Jaden jerk. Apparently he hadn’t known that little tidbit.
“Thanks a lot, Harold,” Akane muttered as she swept into the room.
“Don’t mention it,” the Majordomo muttered back.
When Robin waved them forward they moved, Duncan, Moira and Jaden leading the way. They stopped at the foot of the stairs leading to the throne. The men bowed, the ladies curtsied.
“Rise.”
They rose.
“Robin Goodfellow has apprised us of the situation between Duncan Malmayne, once Lord of clan Malmayne. Glorianna has officially declared the new lord to be Henri Malmayne.”
Duncan heard Jaden voice a soft hiss. He’d thought Glorianna would at least keep Henri away from a leadership position after his conversation with her. Apparently he’d been wrong.
Oberon’s gaze bore into Duncan. It took all he had not to shiver under the power in that one look. “I understand that you wish to give your oaths to the Gray Court.”
“Yes, sire.”
“All of you?”
Duncan turned and faced the Dunnes, stunned to find them nodding. “Aye, we do, sire.” Sean looked to his wife and smiled. “After the attack on our farm we requested aid from the White. That aid has been refused. The White believes the attack may have been justified due to the presence of Jaden Blackthorn.”
Duncan’s jaw clenched. Now more than ever he regretted ever giving Glorianna his oath. The woman was rabid when it came to vampires.
Oberon showed no signs that he was affected in any way by Sean’s pronouncement. “Then let those oaths be said, here before the court.”
The Dunnes and the Blackthorns sank to their knees. Only Akane and Jaden remained standing, having already given their oaths.
Duncan began, having been the only one to ever give oaths before a royal. The others repeated his words, following them faithfully, even the fully human Ruby. “I hereby renounce all ties to the White Lady, Queen Glorianna, Queen of the White Court, Lady of the Seelie. I declare myself Oberon’s man from this day forth, in honor and in faith, having no other oaths to forswear. By the gods I pledge my loyalty to the Gray Court, High King Oberon and his descendants.” Oberon’s eyes turned icy gray; he had no queen, and it was said he had no wish for one. “I declare myself the sworn servant of the Gray Lord, High King Oberon, King of the Gray Court, Lord over the Fae. I pledge my sword and my honor to uphold the laws of the Court. I and my house will abide by the laws handed down by the High King. I will faithfully perform all services required by Crown and Court. So swear I, Duncan Malmayne-Blackthorn.”
Moira’s hand clasped his as he spoke his new name. It was surprisingly good to declare himself Jaden’s before the entire court.
Oberon smiled for the first time. “I, High King Oberon, the Gray Lord, Lord of the Fae, hereby hear your oaths and accept them in the name of Crown and Court. I declare you our loyal servant, sworn to our bidding. From this day forth my sword shall defend you, my magic protect you, and my wrath be mighty should you fail of your duty. All former oaths to the White are hereby null and void, by my power as High King. So swear I, Oberon, High King.”
Duncan quivered as the weight of Oberon’s magic settled over him. He was now truly Gray Court, bound to Oberon, no longer a Seelie Sidhe Lord but just another disenfranchised Gray Court Sidhe.
Part of him mourned the loss of his clan. The rest rejoiced that he could openly be with his mates without fear of reprisals.
“Please stand.” The newly minted Gray Court liegemen stood. Oberon’s gaze landed on Duncan. “I understand that one of Glorianna’s, and clan Malmayne’s, objections to your continued leadership was your tribond with both Moira Dunne and Jaden Blackthorn?”
Duncan nodded. “Yes, sire.”
> “And that Jaden Blackthorn, Knight of Oberon, has completed the mating with both yourself and Moira Dunne?”
“Yes, sire.”
“The Sidhe Vows and Binding have yet to take place, officially making you all Blackthorns?”
Duncan had no idea where Oberon was going with this. Besides, he’d embraced his new name when he’d given his oath. The new name declared his fresh start, at least in his mind, while also acknowledging his past. “Yes, sire.”
Oberon took a deep breath and viewed the court behind them. “It has long been my understanding that there are those in my court who feel a lack, who feel that, clanless as they are, they might be at a disadvantage.” He stared over their heads, but Duncan was not going to turn around and see who he addressed. “While I myself am clanless, I have yet to feel this lack, for I consider all my Court to be my clan. However, due to certain circumstances, Robin Goodfellow has declared Jaden Blackthorn of his blood. This can, of course, be verified by both Robin and myself.” Oberon turned his silver gaze on Jaden. “I can see the blood running through him, and I detect Robin’s presence. Do any wish to dispute the blood claim Robin has made?”
Silence. He could sense Jaden’s shock. Where and how had the Hob given him blood? Jaden wasn’t a child of the Hob. The glimmer, the spark the Hob’s children tended to have wasn’t there.
Duncan blinked and drew in a breath. The spark was there, deep in Jaden’s dark eyes, changing the red flame of his hunger to the Hob’s iridescent green. “Jaden?”
Jaden stared at him. “You’ve got me.”
“The claim Robin has placed on Jaden makes Jaden a Lord under our laws.”
Duncan stiffened. He had an inkling of what Oberon was going to say next and almost laughed. Yes, this would cause some outrage in certain circles.
“In order to fill the lack of clan for those who have given their oaths to Crown and Court, we hereby declare a new Clan, one open at the discretion of the new Lord, to all those who petition for entrance. This clan will be mixed, as the mating of the leading members is mixed, of all races.” Oberon waved his hand. “Step forward, Lord Jaden, and give your oath of office.”
Jaden gulped and stepped forward. He knelt before the High King.
Oberon stood and withdrew his sword. Duncan hadn’t even seen the king’s sword belted at his side. It was possible Oberon had hidden its presence or merely used his unique magic to call it forth. No one knew the full extent of Oberon’s magic. Hell, Duncan wasn’t even sure what race the High King was. Could he be the last of the Tuatha Dé?
Duncan closed his eyes and dictated Jaden’s oath to him. “In the presence of both King and Court, I henceforth swear myself to Clan Blackthorn.”
Jaden, smiling, repeated the words. He allowed his Seeming to drop, the bright red flames of his dark eyes dotted with iridescent green. His nails brushed against the cold tile of the ground, and his fangs pressed against his lips.
“I promise to exercise my authority over my Clan with respect to the laws of the Gray Court. I swear to administer justice to and for each subject under my rule without malice. I will henceforth conduct myself with the good of the Clan proper always at the forefront of my mind.”
“So swear I, Jaden Malmayne-Blackthorn, Knight of Oberon.”
Duncan couldn’t keep the smile off his face. His once lost vampire was now his lord.
The sword touched down on Jaden’s shoulder. “I, King Oberon, hear your oaths. From this day forth, let Clan Blackthorn declare you its leader until such time as you pass from this world, are declared unable to lead, or the clan as a whole request your removal.” Oberon lifted the blade. “Rise, Lord Jaden, and greet your clan.”
Jaden rose and faced his bondmates, looking startled when the Dunnes behind Duncan raised a cheer. Duncan’s chest swelled with pride when all the Dunnes, even Leo, knelt before Jaden.
“Help me.” Jaden looked at Duncan. “What do I do?”
Duncan took Moira’s hand and moved to stand next to Jaden. It was time. He cupped Jaden’s cheek. Moira, knowing what was coming next, kissed Jaden’s other cheek, her hand resting over his heart, the three of them linked the way they were always meant to be. Jaden nodded, his mouth trembling. Moira had tears in her eyes, making them sparkle like emeralds. Duncan’s own eyes were moist. He’d waited so long for this moment. He let his human Seeming drop. He felt the powerful Sidhe magic, the only one they could truly claim, bend to his will. Bands of light circled him, lethal to anyone but his chosen ones.
Moira’s face lit up at the sight, and with a sigh she dropped her own Seeming. Her lights were not nearly as bright or as numerous as his own, but the unusual dappling, like leaves in sunlight, made them uniquely her own.
He could feel Jaden’s wish that he too could join the display the Sidhe were putting forth. “You’ve already bound us to you, amoureaux. No light show can change that.”
Moira wrapped her arm around Jaden’s waist. “Now it’s our turn to bind you, a ghra.”
Together they began to recite the Vows, three voices blending into one. “I vow that from this day forward you shall not walk alone. My strength is your protection, my heart is your shelter, and my arms are your home. I shall serve you in all those ways that you require. I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care. Yours is the name I whisper at the close of each day and the eyes into which I smile each morning. I give you all that is mine to give. My heart and my soul I pledge to you. You are my Chosen One, you are my mate, and you are bound to me for eternity.”
Silver light merged with green, both Duncan and Moira’s Sidhe powers blending, forming the Bond between not only themselves but Jaden as well.
Somehow, Jaden responded. Something within the new lord, some force unknown to any of them, reached out and joined the silver and green light, a shadow that took those sparks and wove them together into a whole. Whether it was a gift from the Hob’s blood or some unique power the tribond gave Jaden, Duncan didn’t know or care. He could feel Jaden’s awe and joy, and that was enough for him.
The entire court gasped as their joined power circled the three of them before spearing into the lovers in a display of light and shadow the Gray Court would talk about for centuries.
Epilogue
Akane stared out the window at the Colorado night sky and wondered how quickly she could get the hell out of there. Robin had yet to answer her request to investigate the Malmayne clan, and until he did she was sort of in limbo. She’d already been here longer than she’d planned. Spending Christmas at the Court was not something she relished, but when she objected Oberon had merely smiled. Next thing she knew she was in a room in his home and sharing French toast with a Naiad while a Satyr glared at them both.
She was still trying to figure that one out.
At least she’d managed to have someone bring one of her cars to her. Duncan had promised that he’d have a replacement car waiting for her at his house once he returned to Nebraska. The new Clan Blackthorn leaders were still meeting and greeting those who wished to join the clan. Not surprising that most of those were vampires. Akane snorted. It was about time a mostly vampiric clan had been formed. She bet over time others would join, but for now they held back and allowed their clanless brothers and sisters to step up first.
Hell, Akane had considered pledging herself to her friend’s clan, but the thought of having to bow down to Jade just made her laugh. She was thrilled for him, really she was, but the two of them still had to work together. No, she’d remain his partner and protect him the way she always had.
He’d know that at least one person would have his back out on the field, where his family couldn’t be.
She sighed. She couldn’t wait to get back out there. Her fingers were starting to itch. There had to be something more going on than Charles had known. The Black Court wouldn’t get this involved in nothing more than the fall of a clan, even one as prestigious as the Malmaynes. No. The Dark Queen wants something specific. All I have
to do is figure out what.
“You’d almost think you were one of those werewolves, the way you’re staring at the moon.”
Akane closed her eyes. Somewhere deep inside she’d known he’d show up. “Go away, Jethro.”
His breath caressed her ear. “Now why would I do that? There’s no where else I want to be.”
She shivered. “Go. Away.”
“Is that any way to treat the man who’s offering you a ride back to Nebraska?”
She glared up at him. “Why would I be going back with you?”
“Because Robin’s going to give you permission to investigate the Malmaynes with Jaden. If you’re doing that, you need to be where Henri and his lovely ladies are currently holed up.” He gave her a wide grin, rocking back and forth on his heels. His thumbs were jammed into his front pockets. “Remember, they still want a Dunne child, which means my family is still in danger.” He leaned forward. “I sure do look forward to being protected by you, Miz Akane.”
She gritted her teeth. He was so… so… She almost rocked back herself.
Bamboozling me. The son of a bitch is trying to fake me out.
She’d watched him give his oath to Oberon. His smooth grace and liquid voice had rolled over her, turning her insides to pure, aroused mush. He’d put most of the Sidhe lords in the room to shame despite the worn denim jeans and faded work shirt he’d worn. She’d damn near melted into a puddle right then and there. Not once had “Jethro” made an appearance.
Well. Two could play that game.
“No thanks, Jethro. I prefer not to fly with Chicken Coop Airlines.” She moved around him, barely brushing by him. The contact nearly sent her into a tizzy, his heated, earthy scent invading her until all she could smell was him. Well, she was determined not to be the only one melting, damn it. “I think I’ll fly back in Robin’s private jet.” She ran her fingers up his arm, trying not to moan at the feeling of thick muscle. “I’m sure he won’t mind one little bit.” She smiled up at him and sashayed out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. For all of two seconds she honestly thought she’d gotten the better of him. She might have gone on believing that if she hadn’t heard his amused chuckle just before the latch engaged, damn him.
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