We both shake our heads.
“Have any runes appeared during”—Simone coughs—“sex?”
My eyes widen and heat spreads across my cheeks.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“She also glows.” Dare mumbles it under his breath but everyone at the table hears what he said.
“How is this going to help you? I thought you were here to let us ask you questions?” I snap the question a bit defensively, growing tired of being picked apart.
“Of course they’re here to help, Ever,” Amren soothes with a smile. “But in order to understand if you’re like them, they have to know what’s happened and what hasn’t.”
“Right. Fine. Sorry, I don’t like sharing personal details with people.” I cross my arms over my chest and sink farther back into Dare’s embrace.
“Does any of this sound familiar?” Dare asks, his focus on Tanner.
“Some of it does, yes. But every couple is different. We can’t just look at you and say you’re mates.”
Disappointment washes through me, tightening my chest. Of course they can’t just give us a simple answer. Because gods know that would be easy. “So what now then?”
“Now we hang out and watch you for a few days and see if we can’t spot a few of the signs you might be unaware of.” Simone shrugs.
I take a deep breath so I don’t lose my shit. I’ve already got guards twenty-four seven. The last thing I need is another person trailing along behind me like a lost puppy. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” Simone asks.
“Because we’re currently at a high security level. And Ever has guards with her at all times. We wouldn’t want to place you in harm’s way,” Dare answers for me.
“I can protect myself. Trust me, I’m no amateur at looking over my shoulder waiting for my enemies to pop out of bushes.”
“Simone.” Tanner growls her name and I giggle. The tone is familiar. The you’re-about-to-get-yourself-into-trouble-and-I-don’t-like-it tone.
“If she’s anything like Ever, give it up, man.” Dare shakes his head with a chuckle.
Tanner frowns and Simone kisses the lines on his forehead. “I’ll be fine, love. Guards will be around, and I’m sure you’re not going to be going anywhere too far away from Ever, are you, Dare?”
“Typically we’re pretty close, or at least on the castle grounds at the same time.” Dare nods. He’s keen on the idea, that’s for sure. But I’m not sure why. Usually, he doesn’t like strangers. Especially when they’re near me. I make a mental note to ask him about it later.
“See, Tanner? It will all be fine.”
I lock eyes with Tanner. He’s just as thrilled about the situation as I am.
I stand up from Dare’s lap. “Well, I’ve got to check on Arela and the gargoyles and see what the hell the big fuss was about.”
“Oh, yay! I’d love to meet all of them. They looked so cute!” Simone jumps up from her seat, walking around the table and linking her arm with mine. Anarchy and Chaos growl. “Are these two yours?”
Oh, goody. She’s one of the cheerful ones. “Yeah, Anarchy and Chaos are mine.”
She reaches forward to touch Anarchy and he snaps his little jaws at her. “I wouldn’t. They don’t seem to like you for some reason.”
Simone frowns. “Creatures always like me.”
“Have fun.” Dare laughs.
I glower over my shoulder at him. At least I’ll be able to figure out why the gargoyles didn’t like Simone and Tanner. I’ve never seen them act like that before, so I’m curious as to why. I chuckle inwardly. Hopefully no one takes a chunk out of her.
*
“Arela? Brodie? You guys in here?” I raise my voice enough that they should be able to hear me even back in Amren’s sanctuary. I keep an eye on Simone and her reaction to the library while I wait for an answer.
“We’re back here, Ever!” Arela’s voice floats over the bookcases like a melody of bells and I follow the sound.
“Are the gargoyles all calm now?” I ask as we round the corner.
“They seem to be. I’m not quite sure what happened.” Arela shakes her head and then appraises Simone. “One minute they were all playing on the bookcases and the next they flew out of here like the room was on fire.”
“I hope I didn’t upset them too much. Creatures usually love me,” Simone pipes up.
“When you say usually… what exactly does that mean?” I ask.
“Usually they like to be around me. I’m able to break through protections and spells so they can be free around me. Not bound to any one place or object.”
“Oh! I read something about this!” Arela hops up from her chair and runs to the bookcase. Slowly she cups a sleeping baby gargoyle and moves him to the next set of books before rushing over to where we stand. “Gargoyles are protective of what they’ve claimed as their home as well as those they’ve decided to protect.” She hands the book to me.
“And I broke through your wards…” Simone sighs.
“Yes, so I think they went on red alert as they’ve probably got their own wards and protections and you were seen as a threat to us.”
Anarchy and Chaos had flown toward a bowl of fruit on one of the tables but stop at the mention of a threat and growl. I chuckle because with green bits of fruit stuck to their lips they’re anything but frightening.
“Are all of the gargoyles here bonded with someone?” Simone asks.
Arela looks to me before answering. I shrug. Having that information only means she knows we’ve got added protection.
“Yes, they’ve all bonded with someone.” Arela picks her words carefully and I rub my nose to cover my smirk.
What she didn’t say is that most of them have bonded with her and Brodie and a few with each of the rest of us, but mostly it’s Arela. But she’s bonded in a way with all of us. So I guess that puts us under her protection and thus under her gargoyles’ protection. I make a mental note to chat with her about it later, but I’m pretty sure that’s what’s going on. Same way Anarchy and Chaos protected Arela when I wasn’t there.
“May I play with one? I’ve always wanted to play with gargoyles, but I’ve never had the chance.” Simone smiles hopefully and I look to Arela.
“Arela is queen of the gargoyles here. Not me. This is her show. It’s up to her.”
Arela looks to Brodie, who is eyeing Simone like he’s unsure he can trust her. I can’t blame him. I’ll be keeping an eye on her too. Brodie shrugs a shoulder and Arela smiles.
“Why don’t we start with Rebel and Frenzy? They’re friendly toward visitors. And they’re twins.” Arela disappears around the corner and I watch Simone closely. She’s not tense. Her hands are still at her sides, her face has no lines on it, and a smile graces her lips. If I had a protective Druid and a protective mother figure slash former MECA guard scrutinizing me, I’d probably be a bit tense myself.
“So Simone, how did you and Tanner get here so fast? We weren’t expecting you guys for another week at least.”
“Tanner wanted to get off the road so we slept very little, or he carried me when I needed to sleep. There are quite a few people out there who would love to use my abilities to their advantage and Tanner is well aware of it.” She looks off for a moment like she’s remembering something unpleasant. She crosses her arms over her chest before blinking a few times and smiling.
I know that look well. I’ve worn it more times than I care to count over the past year. A little crack in the wall I’ve built keeping me at a distance from Simone appears and I soften a bit toward her. We’re all running from something. Our own demons, our past, something tangible. Whatever it is, the result is the same. Scars that can’t be seen but are just as painful as they heal.
“Here they are!” Arela glides to a stop in front of Simone and me with both a silver and black baby gargoyle, and a brown and black one. They’re about the size of a kitten. They blink their crystal blue eyes up at me and
chirp. I reach my hand down, letting them sniff my fingers before I scratch under his chin, then hers making them gurgle a sort of contented sound.
Simone sits down at the table where Anarchy and Chaos were eating fruit and they both grumble until Arela snaps at them.
“Stop that now. She’s not an enemy.” They both ruffle their wings before sitting their little butts down and start cleaning their claws.
Arela places a cloth down on the table for Rebel and Frenzy before shuffling them out of her palms onto it. “I just woke them up, so they’re a bit sleepy.” She smiles and runs a finger down each of their snouts.
“They’re adorable.” Simone breathes the words softly, as if she’s afraid she’ll upset them if she talks too loudly. She inches her fingers toward the fabric and Rebel watches her every move. Frenzy just looks around. When she’s only a few inches away from him, he uncurls from his ball and stretches out. His hind quarters go up and his wings unfurl. They’re black with silver swirls.
“Here, try giving him a piece of fruit. He loves to eat and he has a sweet tooth.” Arela snags a piece of the green fruit from the bowl and hands it to Simone.
Simone places it on the tips of her fingers, her palm outstretched. I hold my breath, hoping that maybe it was just her getting past the wards that pissed the gargoyles off. I’d really hate to have to imprison her because our natural defense system hates her. Rebel sniffs her fingers before his forked tongue darts out and tastes the fruit. As soon as his tongue is back in his mouth, he lunges toward her hand, his small clawed paws wrapping around her fingers to keep his balance as he munches on the treat.
I roll my head on my neck, trying to ease some of the built-up tension. Arela sits down and starts talking with Simone and I step back to watch, standing next to Brodie.
“How’s it going, Brodie?”
Brodie removes his gaze from Arela for a fraction of a second to meet my eyes before he moves them back to her. “It’s going well. Why?”
“Just checking in. I know you’ve become close with Arela. I want to make sure she’s doing okay in the aftermath of everything.”
“She’s fine. She has a few bad moments. And a few bad days, but mostly, she’s healing. And she’s growing stronger.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it.” I rock back on my heels. I’m impatient to get back to planning meetings with the entirety of Faerie and their rulers.
“Something else?” Brodie asks.
“Nope, I’m good. I just wanted to make sure you’ve got her back. We’ve got some crazy shit happening in the next few days and weeks. If I’m away, I want her with someone who can protect not only her body but her mind and heart as well.”
“I’ll always be there to protect her.” He puffs out his chest a bit and I grimace. Probably not the best choice of words to a young Druid.
“I didn’t mean to say you can’t. I meant it as a compliment, that I know you can.” I pat his shoulder and he nods.
“I’ve got to get back to planning a few things, Simone. But you’re welcome to hang here with all the babies and with Arela and Brodie.” I smile at her, half hoping she’ll stay and I can get some alone time, half hoping she’ll come with me so I can pick her brain about mate signs.
“I’ll come with you.” She looks to Arela. “Can I come back to visit?”
“Of course. Just let me know so you don’t startle them. They really like to protect the library.”
“Will do!”
Simone and I leave the library but not before Anarchy and Chaos reclaim their spots on each of my shoulders.
“Where are we off to?”
“I’ve got to plan out a few important meetings. But first I wanted to ask you woman to woman about mating.”
Simone stops and looks me over. “Okay, what would you like to know?”
“When did you first know? I feel it in my chest and in every fiber of my being that Dare and I are meant to be. However, I also am terrified that since I can’t hear him in my head, his mate is going to walk through the front doors of the castle and I’ll be shattered.”
“I remember feeling like that too. There’s this warmth when he walks in a room. And your chest gets tight when you think about losing him. Right?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“You mentioned glowing during sex?”
Heat flares in my cheeks and I nod. “Yes, it started happening after we made a blood oath right after meeting. These symbols that I can’t seem to catch or figure out appear and I glow like a pixie.”
“I did that too. I think that’s normal when two leath cine of the same flavors meet. It’s just a way for nature to say that we’re the same.”
“But I’m not leath cine. I’m full Fae. Just two different breeds.”
“True, you’re not half-human. However, when something that was so natural to our species suddenly stops and becomes dangerous to our kind, nature reacts.”
“What do you mean?”
“Goblins and Light Elves used to mate all the time. When suddenly it was forbidden, nature or evolution, whatever you’d like to call it, reacted. We began to glow when we meet one another. We’ve developed powers that we usually didn’t have when it was normal for matings. We may not be half-human and thus leath cine; however, we’re just like them. We evolved to something more to protect ourselves and ensure the survival of our own species.”
Her words all make sense but something feels like it’s missing.
“How do you know all of this?”
“Part of it was training with the Druids and learning their ways. Another part of it is that the Goddess used to visit me.”
My jaw drops and I try to collect my thoughts. “She did?”
“Yes, when I was younger and struggling with everything. It was before I met Tanner.”
“Does he know?”
“Yes, of course, but no one else does. Like I said, my abilities to break wards undetected is a very rare and sought-after skill.”
I process what she’s just told me. Is the Goddess talking to everyone but me? Like honestly. I just want some answers.
“She told me that one day I’d meet a girl like myself who would need my guidance. When Amren asked us to visit with you, Tanner said no. It was too dangerous. And it is very dangerous. But I knew that you were the girl she told me about. So here I am.”
“Uh-huh.” I rub a hand over my forehead before pinching the bridge of my nose. “Well, this is all good to know. Hopefully you can help Dare and me figure out how to break that final wall between us.” The knot in my chest tightens at the thought of that stupid distance between us. I want it gone and smashed to smithereens.
“I will do my best. And Tanner will hopefully be able to help Dare. If they’re anything alike, Dare has been very protective and very bossy.”
I bark out a laugh. “You have no idea.” I smile. “Well, actually, you might know!”
We both laugh, and my instincts tell me that I can trust her. For whatever reason, I can trust her. It’s no longer like a compulsion like I felt in the hall, but more like I tested her and she passed. Multiple times. For now, I’ll take it.
“Ever, Doyle is looking for you,” Calum shouts from down the hall.
I’d almost forgotten that they were there. I was so lost in finding out more information and making a possible new friend.
“Okay, I’ll be right there.” I wave a hand. “You can come with me. Dare and Tanner might be with Doyle. Or you can hang out with the gargoyles or do whatever.” I shrug. Gods, I’m a horrible host. Uh, just do what you’d like. Don’t offend anyone or they’re likely to wield a knife at you. Oy.
“I’ll come with you. I’m feeling a bit peckish.”
“Excellent.”
We head toward the main hall and with each step I slowly build up the confidence I’m going to need to make decisions on who to see first and play the dreaded game of politics. One thing’s for sure, I’m armed and dangerous, and I’m ready to fight for the safety of me and mine,
and all of the others out there in danger from the Order.
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
Dare and Doyle decided that meeting with the Unseelie Queen was the best first move seeing as how she’s been nothing but helpful against the Order in the past. That being said, it took us a few days to get a message to her and only her without seventeen of her lackeys reading it first and telling the world.
We decided that I’d try to talk to her in the darkness again, but that didn’t work like it had when she’d visited me on the ramparts, so we resorted to drastic measures. We sent Dax in. He said he had contacts but wouldn’t say with who or how high up they are. Usually Dax overshares everything, so his lack of information has everyone on edge.
“How long does it take to deliver a message?” I ask as I pace another circle in the main hall.
Some of the boys are playing cards, Eryn’s reading a book, and Arela is off with Brodie, safe and sound and out of the way of any potential harm. Dare’s watching me pace, and after I growl a few words his way about trying to get me to stop pacing, he’s just watching me with a frown marring his rugged face.
“Incoming!” Dax’s voice rings through the hall seconds before he appears three feet from me.
We’ve all tensed at his warning, but nothing happens for seconds, then minutes after his arrival. I raise a brow. “Incoming as in just you, Dax? Or were you expecting someone after you?”
“Oh. It was just me. I didn’t want you guys to skewer me with knives.”
“So you couldn’t get to her then?” I huff out an aggravated breath.
“I saw her. We’ve got a time and a place to meet her. She’ll be bringing three others with her. No one else will know about where she’s going.”
I clench my teeth so I don’t scream at Dax for not leading with that bit of information. Dare doesn’t have the same restraint though.
“Next time lead with that, you idiot,” Dare snaps, making Dax laugh.
“What time, where, who’s coming?” I ask the most pressing questions so we can prepare and bring those we need.
“Nicnivin, two of her guards, and someone else. She wouldn’t tell me who.” Dax shrugs.
Throne of Secrets (Wicked Kingdoms Book 3) Page 13
