“Who’s out there?” A craggily sounding voice calls out.
“Rowena, dearest, it’s Seamus and Anna, come to visit!” He trots forward, opening the storm door and offering the elderly looking Fae a hand down the steps.
“Seamus? My goddess, I haven’t seen you in a pookah’s age.” She pats his hand, cooing up at him.
“Aye, it’s been a while. My apologies, you know how things go. You mean to do something, and then life gets in the way, and it falls to the wayside.”
“Mmhmm, don’t you try to charm your way out of this one, young man. Don’t forget, I was around when you first came into existence.”
Seamus grimaces over Rowena’s shoulder and I stifle a giggle at his pained look.
“Anna, my dear, come, let me look at you.” She takes Anna’s hands in hers and gasps, dropping them just as quickly before turning her wide-eyed gaze to us. “And what exactly is it that you’re looking for, half-breed queen?”
I school my features to avoid offending her with my lack of enthusiasm at her mention of my half-breed status. It’s not like I’m not aware that I’m not a full vampire, but everyone just has to get their comments about it in.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Rowena.” I move forward so I’m directly in front of her.
She waves a hand. “Enough with the pretty words. I asked what it is you are searching for, girl.”
You know, they say that once you reach a certain age, you’re entitled to say whatever the hell floats across your mind… I’m seriously looking forward to that day when I can be downright rude to everyone I cross paths with, just because.
“I’m here for your help.”
“Help comes at a price, you know.”
“Doesn’t everything?”
She clucks her tongue.
“We need passage, and Seamus tells us you’re the only one who can get us there.”
“To what end do you need passage?”
I look at Seamus over her hunched shoulders for help, and he waves me on. Yeah, that gesture totally helps. I glare at him. “She means, what is the purpose of your trip, not your destination.” Seamus pipes in.
“Morana’s destruction.” I wait, hopeful that she’ll help us, and ready to beg if necessary.
Rowena quirks a brow and taps a wrinkled finger on her lips. She steps to the left, looking between myself and Damon, and then myself and Seamus. She reaches forward to touch my face and I wrench my head back, away from her reach.
“Please don’t touch my face.” I try to speak the words softly, but they come out harsher than I intend them to. It’s not that I mean offense, it’s just that I’ve learned over the years, if someone can touch you, there’s no telling what they can do to you. Body or mind, physical or magical.
“I wasn’t asking, girl.” She reaches forward again, adding, “I need to read you, or you get nothing from me.”
“Is this the price for your help?” I see Seamus nodding out of the corner of my eye but keep my focus on the Fae in front of me.
“Aye, this is my price. Let me read you, and I’ll get you and your friends to and from wherever you need to go safely.”
“Done.” I step forward, guiding her hand up to my cheek.
Her light blue eyes turn a milky white the moment her hand connects with my face. She smiles. “I see you’ve found your first.”
“He calls me his mate, yes.”
“You chose him and destiny simply couldn’t deny the connection between you. He is your first.”
“But he’s a shifter. I’m not sure how it’s possible.”
“Oh, but it is.”
Her words bring me a peace I wasn’t expecting. Damon and I had spoken about my consorts and what it would mean for us. He’d called me his mate multiple times, and each time, it had sent a thrill of love and pure joy through me. My only concern had been a nagging what if. What if fate had decided I was destined for three consorts and my mate wasn’t one of them? I’m sure we would have figured it out, but I’m certain it wouldn’t have put a strain on everyone involved. Especially my wolf.
Rowena’s finger twitches on my cheek and I’m brought back to the here and now. She drops her hand, looking over her shoulder at Seamus. “It would appear you’ve found your second as well.”
“Seamus? You think he’s my second consort? That can’t be possible. A Dria should have three vampire consorts to strengthen her. That’s what the prophecy said. He’s Fae.”
“I’m sure that’s what someone told you it said, but the universe does not lie.”
“It shouldn’t be possible.” I whisper the words mostly to myself, the shock of finding my second consort so quickly after finding Damon, rioting through me.
“And you are a half blood daughter of the vampire king, yet here we stand.”
“Are you sure?”
“Aye, I’m positive. Rejoice, girl. Soon you will find your third, and you will all be stronger together in your quest for removing Morana from power.” She heads back into her cottage, and I shout after her.
“This is a lot to take in, you know.”
“I’ll have my daughter cross you all over in the morning. You can rest safely here for tonight.”
I look around me, dumbfounded at her words and her offer.
“So you’re saying the prophecy could be wrong?”
“No, I’m saying that no one said fate has rules or makes any sense, child.”
Chapter 14
We’d cleaned ourselves up, enjoyed a warm meal, good company, and all three wolves had tucked in early, resting and healing as they sleep. I’ve been wired for sound since Rowena told me that Seamus is my second consort, my mind racing a million miles an hour.
I hadn’t had a moment to speak privately with Damon about it, but when he’d kissed me good night, he’d looked at me and then Seamus, nodding at him before walking away.
Anna and Rowena are in Rowena’s gardens, doing whatever it is that gardeners do, and I’d settled at the kitchen table, a glass of whiskey in front of me as I pondered my future.
“Want some company, love?” Seamus rests his hand on the chair across from mine and I wave my almost empty glass at it before pressing it to my lips.
“Be my guest.” I hold up the bottle of amber liquid, wiggling it a little. “Want one?”
“Why not?” He leans back in his chair, balancing on two legs, snagging another tumbler off the counter.
I fill it up and top my own off, raising it in toast. “To… um… the universe?”
Seamus laughs, the sound warming my belly more than any shot of alcohol could. “You sure about that toast, love?”
I swallow a gulp of the liquor and giggle. “Not in the slightest.”
“Are you drunk?” He smiles at me, leaning on the table with his elbows.
“Nah. Just tipsy enough to not really care about being a little silly.”
“I knew there was a fun side underneath all that deadly assassin exterior.” He winks.
“It’s not my fault. I didn’t choose this life. It was forced on me when Morana imprisoned my father to overthrow him and then murdered my mother.” I frown, a little confused as to why I’m talking about such sad things. “And then she took me away from my family, and made me train with her stupid Le Tireur, guards.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I left my family by choice.” He sighs. “They’re not always the stuff of fairytales and movies.”
“Was that pun intentional?” I point a finger at him, a giggle escaping.
He smiles, that mega-wat grin lighting up my insides. “It was not. But now that you pointed it out, it’s pretty damn funny.”
We laugh together, and I switch to water, sobering up as I learn more about the Fae in front of me who’s fate is intertwined with mine. I watch how he tells a story with his hands, the timbre of his voice changing as he mimics each different person and what they said. Seamus is downright charming in his own right.
“You know that Rowena told me
you’re my second consort, right?” I interrupt him mid story, unable to hold the words back.
He presses his hands flat on the table before answering me. “Aye. I heard her.”
“What do you think about that?” I ask him, unsure if I’ll like his answer or not.
“Honestly?”
“Yes, always the truth.” I hold my breath, waiting for him to tell me he’s devastated that he’s caught up in this entire catastrophic mess.
“I’m bloody thrilled.”
My jaw goes slack. “Come again?”
“I’ve just found out that not only have I found my mate, and she’s smart, drop dead gorgeous, and she’s deadly.”
I just blink at him.
“Add in the fact that you’ve clearly got similar values and morals to my own, your family both respects and loves you, and the feeling is clearly mutual. You are what I’ve dreamed of for millennia.”
“I don’t know what to say to that.” I reply, stunned at his words. They’re quite possibly the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me, and I’m not sure how to process it.
“You don’t have to say anything, love. I just hope you feel close to the same way that I do, even if it’s not today, but someday soon.”
“There’s no denying the pull between us, Seamus. And I feel something deep in my soul when I’m near you.” I trace my finger over the edge of my water glass.
“But…”
“No but. I was just stating a fact.”
“Ah. Well, I’ve been struggling to keep my hands off you for the past twenty-four hours, so the feeling is mutual, love.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks and I duck my head. Over a thousand years old, and I still blush at a compliment from a handsome man like a virgin on her wedding night.
Seamus groans. “You’re killing me over here.”
I grin at him, unrepentant. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll survive.”
He narrows his eyes. “No, I’m not sure I will.” He stands, moving around the table before bending and fusing his lips to mine.
His kiss is tentative at first, as if he’s unsure of his welcome but I part my lips under his and grant him access. He dives in, exploring every recess of my mouth, dragging his hands through my hair as he tastes me.
I fist my hands in his shirt, craning my neck to match his fervor, drinking him in. We kiss, long and hard, and then slow and sweet, our hands roving over each other. He pulls away, and I whimper at the loss of his mouth on mine, but he shushes me with another kiss, dipping to pick me up before sitting in the seat he’d just lifted me from, placing me on his lap so I’m straddling him, our faces level with each other.
“Hi.” I say, lost in his evergreen eyes.
He chuckles, the sound rumbling from his chest to mine. “Well I guess that’s settled then, eh?”
I press my forehead to his. “I would say so.”
I’d gone to bed last night with swollen lips and snuggled up to Damon in the bed we were sharing. He’d rolled over, burying his face in my hair and breathing me in.
“You smell like, Seamus.”
I’d gone completely still, unsure of his reaction, and terrified that I’d lose him, so I’d remained silent.
“Relax, precious. We knew this was coming, and now that I can smell him on you, my wolf doesn’t seem to mind like I thought he would.”
A whoosh of air had left my lungs, the relief like a ton of bricks lifted off my chest. “Yeah? Are you sure? I want us to be honest with each other, Damon. I can’t imagine losing you.”
“I’m positive, Lyra.” He’d kissed the back of my head, pulling me further into his chest, and we’d fallen asleep, wrapped up in each other.
I woke up alone, Damon’s side of the bed cool to the touch. After dressing and arming up, I found him and Seamus, sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, each with a steaming mug of caffeine in front of them.
“Good morning?” I offered, unsure if it was indeed a good morning and all was well between them, or if I should proceed with caution.
They both laugh. “Yes, it’s a good morning, precious.” Damon pulls me down to sit on his thigh and I watch Seamus for any reaction, but he’s just smiling peacefully at the both of us.
“Are we almost ready to go across the territory line?” I ask, glancing about for Maeve and Moira.
“Yes, we are. Moira and Maeve are packing up the car with our stuff so we can be ready to head home when we come back.”
“Great.” I snag Damon’s mug from the table in front of me, the smell of coffee too much for me to resist. I chug it after testing the temperature, the java hitting my veins like a jolt of electricity. “I’m good. Let’s do this thing.”
We meet up with Rowena’s daughter, barely exchanging pleasantries before she’s walking us across the line from territory to territory.
“I’ll be here waiting for you.” She pulls a book out of her bag and sits down under a tree, cracking it open. “I’m sure Seamus can get you where you need to go from here.”
“That I can.”
We leave her there, walking down a tree lined path towards an open space. I can’t quite make out what it is until we’re only feet from where the dense trees end. Some sort of courtyard.
We step into the shining sun, and I shield my eyes, staring in awe at the building before me. Pristine white turrets jut into the clouds, with sweeping wooden bridges between them, the stain glass windows glittering in the sunshine like gemstones.
“Why would you ever leave this place?” I ask, turning to Seamus.
“Trust me, not all that glitters is gold, love. I have my reasons.” I rests his hands on his hips, frowning as he takes it all in.
“Finally! Seamus, is that you?” A tall blond-haired man with pointed ears walks towards us, his arms open wide. He pulls Seamus into a hug, slapping his back. “You look exactly as I remember.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment because I’m damn good looking.” Seamus chuckles, and introduces us to the man. “Everyone, this is Prince Maximus.”
I thrust out my hand, unsure if I’m breaking any rules, but not quite sure if I should curtsey to him as I’m technically a queen in my own right? Fucking politics is so complicated. “Hi, I’m Lyra.”
Maximus tilts his head, accepting my hand. “I’ve heard much about you, Lyra, even behind the territory lines.”
“All good I hope?” I half joke, half curious what everyone is saying about me.
“They say you are a fearsome warrior.” He smiles at me. “I’ll be you can give Seamus a run for his money, as they say.”
“I guess we’ll find out one day.” I wink conspiratorially, “I’ll make sure to let you know the outcome.”
“You are fortunate to have such a mate, Seamus.”
“Don’t I know it.”
“Well, I understand that time moves differently here than it does across the border, so I won’t keep you waiting. This way.” He holds out his right arm, directing us in that direction, and we fall into line.
“How is everyone, Maximus?” Seamus asks as we walk along the cobble stoned path.
“All is well. My sisters are fighting, but you know how that goes.”
“Yes, I do. You can always come visit me at my pub if you need a break.”
“I’m not sure my new guards would allow it. Not with the current state of things.”
“Understandable. Even if they sound perfectly boring.”
“No one has lived up to your reputation since you left us, Seamus.” Maximus smiles at us over his shoulder. “When Seamus was my guard, we got into more trouble than I can ever tell you about.”
Seamus shrugs. “We were both young, and let’s face it, getting into trouble with me by your side was safer than you sneaking off on your own.”
“Too true, my friend, too true. Well, here we are, the royal blacksmith, at your service.” He pats the man’s shoulder. “I’ve already spoken with him of your needs. It should all be ready.”
The round man nods, wiping his hands on his black apron. “Aye, I’ve prepared everything. Where is the ring?”
I glance between Seamus and Maximus. “We didn’t bring it with us. That’s why we wanted to speak with you and your blacksmith. We need a loophole around actually bringing the ring here. It’s too dangerous.”
“I see. Well, let me think.” Maximus taps a finger to his chin. “Seamus you said that Leander said there is a spell around it, binding it to Morana?”
“That’s right.”
“Otherwise, it’s the same ring the witches were assigned to protect?”
Moira steps forward. “As far as we can tell, yes. My sister and I are both witches as well as wolves, and we couldn’t detect anything else.”
“Then I would think that any weapon forged within our territory by our fires should do the trick, yeah?” Maximus looks to the blacksmith.
“I do believe so, your Highness.”
“The whole flames of a Fae forge shouldn’t be a problem you don’t think?” I ask, trying to think of every option. It’s not like we can just drive through the territory line tomorrow if we have other questions.
“What if they could make their own fire from our flames, my lord.”
I twist my lips. “I’m not sure I follow you.”
“How very clever! Yes, that should suffice.”
“I will gather what is needed.”
I raise my hand. “Uh, what exactly is he gathering?
“Embers from the forge. You should be able to take those and the weapons and create a fire from the embers when you get back home.” He rubs his hands together excitedly. “This way, you’ve got your own Fae forge, complete with flames and weapons.”
“Holy shit. This could actually work.”
“Here you are, my lady.” The blacksmith holds out a black leather bag, tied at the top, and two blades, sheathed.
“Is that going to burn me if I touch it?”
“Of course not, my lady. I would never let it.”
“The bag is spelled, love. It won’t harm you, I promise.”
Favor: The Kresova Vampire Harems: Lyra Page 10
