“What reassurances can I give to the Nyms to ease their pain for the fallible ties to our ancestry?”
“Well, diplomatic Grace comes forward. Ian was right.”
“What about?” I was interested in anything Kin and Ian would have shared together concerning me.
“You will make a great queen for the PR of our courts and outlying areas.”
Wow! “Not that I’m not still pondering if and when the two of you found time to discuss something and be nonvolatile enough to have a civilized conversation about me but, thank you.” He didn’t give me any clues or answers so I continued, “And back to my question.”
He smiled, “We will see what we can do.” And like that, he wanted the subject dropped.
Well, alrighty then. Fine! Moving on. “Answer the question.”
“Demanding. You know what that does to me?”
“On with it.”
“The other parties...elves, dwarves, etcetera are appeased enough to stay on their own territories if no threat is present. They prefer to stay secluded. You convinced them the other night you are not like Lazyra as I hoped. The Nyms are easily appeased by simply leaving them alone. History cannot mend so easily. Leave them alone. That will speak volumes.”
“And you being so forthcoming is for what gains?”
Isn’t it obvious? He looked me up and down. TWICE!
Ignoring the ingenious amount of ways I seem to walk right into these men’s snares, I ventured on. “Is coach from the court?”
Mock shock. “He acts coy all of the sudden,” I smiled feeling good about my discovery.
“You are a clever one.”
“It doesn’t take a genius who has entered the courts and retained their memory to figure out when someone uses the word human in such a way that it sends a red flag of other worldliness.”
He turned and walked me to his room. “Do you have your key?” He didn’t answer me yet.
He remembered I had the key and kept it. I reached my dress up to my thigh and pulled it carefully out of the slip line I was required to wear with such thin dresses. He watched of course as his eyes said a lot. I found this scary enough I wouldn’t do it again in his presence.
“Well?”
“Yes, that was my father checking up on you.”
The Unseelie court king was checking up on me. And it was coach. “Has he been coach all this time?”
“Good girl on figuring that out and on your key. If you ever need it, there is a back entrance that key works on. I will leave you now. Your gown was retrieved by the way, not the nicest way to return it though. But I took the liberty of having another made. I hope you like it. You will have two ladies to help you. They have been spelled by me to follow your every wish. The spell will be broken in two hours time. I can assure your safety till then. No harm by them. Do you require more than?”
Gosh, no! “No, that is plenty of time. How did you get the dress back from Ian?” I had to know.
He didn’t answer in any way. Hmm!
He bowed and left me still taking his clothes off. I noted his full lips, even white teeth, and sturdy neck walking away from me wondering why all Fey were so beautiful.
Pendant!
Oh! I shut the door with a slam. My head zapped instantly. I had that part figured out though. Zaps were shut offs. Or ins. He was blocking me out from something. Detective Grace was getting tips from Watson and paying a little more attention. I just needed to up the ante a little more.
I asked the ladies for writing materials and set out to make amends with the Nyms first. After twenty good minutes of checking and rechecking the way I worded the message saying that our court would leave the Nyms to their lands and not disturb them without being messaged first, I was ready to change and get on with it.
I was ready in record time with the two ladies who didn’t stop to chit chat like Danella and Tren did. I only recently had Tren back. She was reassigned to me since my recent move to another room at night and had the added duties of curtiously cleaning my parents house. Ian took extra precautions to preserve my virtue. Tren was to station herself mid court to head off any intrusions. He only convinced Danella of our chastity by allowing her full access to my mind during the night. I felt this was a bit extreme, but it kept us honest. Eww! She was like my grandmother after all.
These two Nym ladies were agile and fast. I found that the plump one had round eyes that were very dark and rich, like two centers of a sunflower on her face and this didn’t make her sound very becoming. She wasn’t!
When I emerged, Kin was decked out in what I could only assume was his court’s colors. Gold! Gold! And more gold! Myself included.
At least I had more of it this time. It was modest, but slimming. Covered all parts, but hugging and a combination of elegant, but rugged for travel. It was much like my green traveling attire of the summer court. No heels, but boots and no headdress.
“And who or what am I to say I hold allegiance too?” I heard Ian saying this kind of thing to Pike a couple of times when he had to meet with certain ambassadors and such.
“The Unseelie court. A human who has been brought over as a slave for me.”
“WHAT?”
“It happens. I don’t condone it anymore, but it happens.” He held out a little piece of sheer gold cloth.
Anymore? “You have human slaves? What do I do with that?” I said with a snap in my voice any woman would be proud to hear.
“Did! And it hides your face. Reason I picked slave. My father will recognize you without it and the charm.”
I didn’t know what to do with this information. Sick! “What, you meet with me one time and now I am to presume you’ve mended your wicked ways. This is too much Kin. You can’t just change…like that. You picked the role for a reason.”
“Perhaps.”
I gave him a dubious look, hiding my actual real fear. Kin was more than just uncivil in his previous life, he was vile and sick and atrcious.
“But you doubt it?” he asked.
Triangles just can’t become squares. It’s a fact.
“Why not? You have that effect on others. Look at Pike?” I heard it thunder boom in the background like a bad horror movie. Oh, the luck!
“What do you mean Pike?”
“Oh, your beloved Pike had a way, Grace. He was a ladies’ man. He could conjure the best into doing his will.”
Disgusting!
“He didn’t enlighten you I see. He mended his wicked ways the day you were born. Some kind of mumbo jumbo about you being the future he never had.” Kin was totally liking this gift of knowledge. His laugh came straight from his stomach.
“Well, that is some juicy news, but it doesn’t change my mind about Pike.”
“It doesn’t? You’ll still give him the chance?” Kin slid his fingers to his chin.
Jealous? My eyes like saucers, I fisted and hit with everything I had in his chest. He fell a very small step back and looked incredulously at me. “No Kin. He never had a chance.” I made my spine stiffen. This didn’t bode well on the Grace meter of what I thought of Pike. He’d better have some major redeeming qualities to cover up his past discretions. He certainly never dated the human girls in school. That I knew of anyway.
He just stared still trying to work out the pushing him part. “I’ve never been assaulted by a woman.”
“Consider yourself lucky,” I said, nonplussed. I thought about telling him to shove his comments to where the sun doesn’t shine. As well as him making me a slave girl, because the push was more for that than the other. But that would set us back more on time and I wanted to get back before Ian did anything rash. I already had a hint from an earlier listening in on with a guard that Ian and Pike had found clues to the path leading to this lair. I’d given him a great description and I since found out my honey to be is a great tracker, PI, etc. I was positive this was the last visit to my dear Kin’s lair.
“I do.” The grin made a comeback.
Erg! I stompe
d off into the great room of blue everything. I loved the room despite the company.
We left shortly after.
Chapter Thirty One
friend-n. 1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard 2. a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile
foe-n. an enemy or opponent
Off to Kin’s court…stolen again.
Kin bent his head to enter, me following. I wondered how it was that the door to his own court was too low for his head but I didn’t have any more time to think about it because I was being shuffled yet through another door and shoved through a tunnel. This is extreme. Our court had no creepy tunnels.
This was more than I’d bargained for in coming here, but I knew without asking I couldn’t leave until Kin willed it. And the rain was pounding above me the instant I stepped over the first threshold. Brilliant!
Our trail was probably covered up or washed away now.
The groups of Unseelie court Fey gathered around a dead tree that desperately reminded me of my Lord of the Rings phase in my preteen years, but this place didn’t remind me of Gondor at all. Jasmine covered the entire walls of everything. Everywhere. Guess it shields all of Fey in more ways than one.
They were casting their eyes side to side as I entered no doubt deciding to consider me friend or foe. I blocked with everything I had and signaled a hello to Kin to see if he heard. Nada!
At this, I was beckoned forward staying right behind Kin. He warned me to bow to the king and not look up no matter what. If the king deemed a slave to look up, they were meeting their end.
I thought him evil for making me this level of person in front of this crowd, but it was too late to turn back now. I had to endure it. But Kin didn’t foresee what “daddy” would do to the one that his son had brought to his court. The one who I since found out from Kin was the first one to enter his court with him. Yes, Kin had never brought another to court. Didn’t he realize this was a red flag?
“Rise, for my son thinks highly enough of you to have brought you. Your name?”
Ahh—
Kin stepped up, “The lady Marissa.”
My peripheral vision was my only clues to assess each new mini event happening to me. “Daddy” didn’t look happy at son’s interruption. He stepped out of sight again so that the king was my only measurement, reminding me that this was coach from school, or rather the king of the Unseelie court acting as a coach in my high school. His malevolent face was making even Kin fidget. Ah-oh. Deep purple-brown eyes sought me out, met my eyes even through the veil that I begged not to hypnotize me into something horrendous. I chanced a look sideways at Kin who met my eyes, a very uncomfortable, new look for him.
“Come!”
I approached Mr. High and Mighty reluctantly wondering if this was my end, and if “daddy” would know who he was killing. Or care. Or was his aim all along. Oh, the possibilities. But no way was I meeting my end today. If need be, I would pull the queen card out of my hat in need of saving myself even if it meant becoming a prisoner. I didn’t get this far too just die. Besides, a prisoner can be rescued by her prince. I just hoped the rescue would come unscathed and not starving for anything in any way.
“You are a favored one amongst my son’s camp. Do you cook?”
I pretended to look to Kin for permission to talk hoping this would suffice for the first answer to his question. He nodded and I spoke. I still never looked up again for fear he would still possibly catch some recognizition.
“Yes. A little sir.”
“She warm your bed son?” He addressed Kin.
Kin didn’t redden to the cheeks as I did, but easily answered a yes.
I was absolutely horrified.
“She has been with me some time.”
“She is agreeable?”
Kin nodded a yes.
This was way out of line with what I had in mind. What did I have in mind? I wasn’t dead yet. I’d disguised myself with a hair bonnet and a brown robe that was a show for warmth. I had my traveling clothes underneath in gold to match the court but Kin had said to cover them for the initial meeting.
The attention stayed on Kin, but the voice sounded like he was halfway amused to mention the next order of business. “Any news of the queen?”
This is about me.
“Same. A little closer every day. She has agreed to a small amount.”
This was true enough in Kin’s eyes. At least I wanted him to believe so.
“Figures. Like her father.”
What the—my father? What about my father?
“Continue on then. And this girl is welcome to join you here. Your quarters are clean.”
Quarters. Am I to stay with him? No freaking way! I wanted to rise up and attack mister son of an evil king dude. Hello!
What about my father?
Kin rose and I followed. Outside the great room of thronedom, Kin stopped and took off the brown cloak he’d draped over me but not the veil. “You can remain in the court colors from here on. The king favors it if he accepts you.”
“That was being accepted?” I hissed close to him giving him the look of total disgust.
“Grace, I told you. No one has come before the king before in my name. He will be a little more curious about you because I brought you. Don’t think you are out of the rough waters just yet. Now, come. Get ready for the feast tonight.”
“Feast?”
“In honor of my return.” His sudden savagery had me taken aback. He torqued a weapon in the air towards some of the guards, gaining high fives and whistles for what I guessed was due to my presence.
How special! Not! I remember him saying something about returning to court only if he had a queen. I was confused. “And this shared quarters?” I was angry about this something crazy.
Changing his demeanor like that he declared, “Rest assured. I will be a gentleman. Contrary to what you may believe or have heard, I am honorable. I told you, I played the part I had to keep you safe. It was the only way. I will make sure you are safe. Nothing, I mean nothing, will harm you Grace.”
And once again with Kin, I believed him. I am starting to think that he was truly misjudged, but nothing was for sure with him. “Okay, but I want to sleep with a dagger beside me.”
He widened his eyes in fear I think. “Why?”
I rolled my “you’re-so-petrified-I-will-kill-you-that’s-so-funny" eyes at him. “Okay, so you can protect me, but what happens when I’m left to defend myself? I want reassurance.”
“I will have it under my pillow then.”
“I’m sleeping beside you?”
“Yes, you will have to sleep in my bed. And they will think…”
Oh, no. What if anyone ever found out?
He didn’t read my thoughts but guessed by the horrible face I gave him. “No. I will tell no one. My court doesn’t matter to anyone but themselves and anyone else you might worry about would pay no attention to our affairs. You seem to be the first to be so inquisitive.”
Appropriate word. Ha! I chuckled stupidly.
He cocked his head sideways. I waved my hand indicating he better keep his trap shut.
So much for the pendant I never needed. I was thankful for all the practice.
We refreshed and headed for the feast. I danced, served him drinks, stood behind him closer than I wanted, and danced some more. Kin took full advantage of the ordering me around part. Mangy mutt!
My head zapped. Whoa! Nothing, but someone trying to force into my block. I looked around to find the source. Nothing. Telling Kin would tell him more than he needs to know about me and my growing strengths, so I will stay in the dark. I darted my eyes around. The head daddy in charge had his peepers aimed right at me.
The king stood while still watching me and announced his son. Many of the court’s younger girls took turns begging to dance with Kin and left me off the hook. Or so I thought! He foolishly danced with me more than once and raised a few heads at the
repetitive pick of his servant girl, the hoi polloi in his father’s eyes. He frowned each time he left me and watched me as he danced with each of them. I was starting to get an idea of how Kin might really feel and that made me feel uncomfortable and a little sad for him. Perhaps he cared for me more than I realized. Most boys or men that I’d seen in life or the movies rarely gave this much face time to one girl unless she was the match that lit the fire in his belly.
I couldn’t help but enjoy the attention even if I couldn’t return it. He was being very kind and I needed to finish this prescribed mission and admonish thoughts of Kin with me in any equation he might think the future could hold. I felt a tinge of regret now that I saw his face so confused and blinded by my not returned charms. He would be let down when he knew he didn’t have a chance. No, he would be livid and I hoped that I wasn’t seeing invisible visions of a rabid Kin pissed off beyond belief.
I dared a smile at him. That was all it took. He returned to me leaving a very pretty, long brown haired girl alone on the floor. She watched to see where he went already giving me the “if looks could kill” death stare. He’d danced with her several times already and talked with her unlike the others. I quickly assessed his steps and headed to the drink table landing him beside me now. “I think you need to cool it dancing with me Kin. They are starting to wonder especially Miss Brunette.”
“Who cares? They think you’re mine. And she’s irrelevant.”
So final. I didn’t like hearing him enjoy that statement. He was much too comfortable with it. “What if that’s a problem with me?” I tried not the grit my teeth.
“True to them. Ignored, someone will try to take you.” I saw only coldness in his eyes. Possessive nature of what’s not his to have. Just when I think there is a different Kin in there, I see the extreme power he could extend if needed. My insides cinched up and hurled daggers at my too quick to trust emotional side.
First, I had to get past what he was actually saying. Second, I had to shudder at the thought of someone thinking they can have their way with me. “But you’re the prince,” I said in hopeful disbelief.
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