“Yes, which makes you more the prize!”
Shuddering again. I suddenly felt out of my element and wanted to go home. I am certifiably loco ono for saying yes in the first place! I have the layout, the details of how they throw a party, the eerie ways of how they savagely like violence and how they treat women.
We danced again and again until he announced we would retire. I blushed at every single stare in the room because hearing their thoughts would tell me they were all thinking about the exact same thing. Their faces said it all. I was headed straight into a private room of sin with Kin! Angel Grace was swatting my hand and behind and cheek all at the same time to wake me up from this blunder ridden action packed adventure. He will pay for this, of that I will make sure of.
The bedroom door closed and locked. He turned to face me much like a new husband would for the new bride. At least my mind pictured just that. I gulped.
“Do you want a drink?” He walked over to the bar and poured two glasses of champagne before I could say yah or nay. “It will help you sleep.”
I wondered what Ian was doing at the moment. Looking for me. I was a horrible queen. A horrible candidate to be his wife. I should have thought about this some more. I was irrational, thoughtless, and just plain stupid!
I nodded yes and sat in the chair far from the bed curled up into a ball to escape the wanting looks he kept giving me. If I appeared far opposite of the way he felt, the better. He mentioned what to expect the next morning and what it would bring and then be back at my court by breakfast. It was a very small relief to hear about home, but the night would be long. How about for Ian? I’m so selfish. And even Pike was probably going insane. Goodie, goodie gumdrops for him!
Sighing heavily, I let out the last of it not meaning for him to hear it. He came and sat down on the edge of my chair causing me to look up. He touched my chin like Ian did. I didn’t want to be touched. He looked into my eyes and didn’t take his hand away even as I backed away. I said with as much conviction as I could muster, “I can’t give you what you want.”
“I fear that more and more, but know you are in my heart. I haven’t been the best I needed to be for you and it appears it is too late. I would change it if my power allowed it. But I have to try, Grace. I want you to be my queen.”
It’s like he had something to prove. I was his crucible in this life and would redeem him. All those atrocious acts some of the men exemplified and talked about at the dinner tables tonight, he'd done them. I was sure. Why was he so determined to change? For me? Or was it all a really, really good lie. “What would happen to your father if you became king?”
“He would die.”
Um! Same in both courts. Noted. He took my line of questioning the wrong way I think because he changed his face and said, “I am not what you wanted in life, but I do have certain qualities that you can find appealing.”
What? His pretty face? His charm? His status? His determination?
“I know that you are probably running through those qualities as we speak, but just know that I can be all that and more if you would give me the chance. I don’t want you to think I’m cruel or malicious.”
I was right about his past. A thought crossed my mind, “How do you know that we’re not being listened in on? Aren’t you worried someone will hear? And cruel and malicious is the old Kin to me. This Kin is a still undetermined good guy, just with a hidden agenda.”
He blushed. KIN ACTUALLY BLUSHED. I narrowed my eyes in wait fully alert to the bad news he would pop on me now. He closed the distance between us and I saw his hand reach for my pendant--that wasn't there--and then jolt back. His face showed all kinds of fear. More than I’d ever seen in him.
“Sorry. For a second I was going to lift the pendant, but I…they,” he gestured to the door, “think we are busy.” He leaned in close to say this. Not a bit of smooth talker in him. His body backed it’s way onto the edge of the bed.
Oh! Ohhh! My first thought was no my freaking way. My second was that at least they don’t think I am the queen. I listened for a while to Kin telling me about his father’s politics as a boy to take the focus away from me. He watched his mother die when he was five after a Seelie court guard attacked her on the road to the summer solstice. That explained a lot in the way of animosity towards the other court.
I also learned that his father, the Unseelie court king, had big plans for him from the beginning of his birth. The untimely death of his wife, the queen, had altered “daddy’s” plans. He was intended to marry. An arranged marriage. This was the biggest shock. There is a girl living right here in this court ready and willing to marry him right now. And Kin refuses because he waited eighteen years for me. This was disheartening at the same time. “Can I see her?” I had no idea why I wanted to do this.
“No! That is not any matter that needs be.”
Sometimes he talked like he was from another time, or place like the others. I guess they were. Ian and Pike did it too, just not as much. I guess Kin was a different court or just different altogether. I let the matter drop.
“Are you angry with your father?” I could chance a subject like this with Kin. I wanted to know why the king mentioned my own father.
He regarded me with much speculation and finally answered, “Yes, and no.”
I wouldn’t pry any further. If he wanted to tell me, he would. He’d already opened the flood gate. He was honest at least some of the time and I admired that sincerity he’d given me. Maybe it served a greater evil, but undoubtedly, I felt safe near him. And...it would gain me more to keep him talking.
Curse, prophecy, idiocy or whatever it is, he would not let harm come to me. So at this second, I allowed a small image of a different Kin saving me from his father’s clutches. Fear wrapped around me. I hid it.
“What did the king mean by the comment about my father?” I felt my nerves wrack.
“Not now Grace,” he barked.
I drew in farther away from his vile making sure to reign in my emotions and check for the only protective ability I brought, my nerve.
He sighed heavily, “I don’t know how to talk to you.”
I smiled hoping it would ease him then scanned the room to know my surroundings. This room was gold, lavish, cold. “You never did.”
“I mean, I’ve never talked to anyone about me, no one.”
“Not even your friends?” My head snapped back making my back pop and remind me of the uncomfortable position I’d curled into.
“I don’t have any.” This took a ton of courage to admit. I could see and hear clearly the reality he painted of himself.
“Why not?”
He looked away, “I was guarded my whole life. Anyone I confided in was interrogated or watched closely. I had no side passions to become involved in and I spent most of my time doing whatever my father deemed quality time serving him. Most recently, and the only good thing I've ever done, watching you.”
Whoa! That was a lot to take. But I was quick with a response, “And how do you intend to have your son or daughter raised?”
He analyzed my face since he couldn’t read my thoughts, “I hope to be a better father and to not dictate their life.”
“I have to say, you’ve spent all of my eighteen years dictating to me. Why the change now?” I held my breath.
“I can’t reason it. I’m still in here. That Kin. But I don’t want to be him anymore. All I knew before you were the Unseelie and well, I want to have someone like me for who I am. And you don’t like that person.”
This is so not the same Kin that recently flung himself on me, tried to force a binding, and curse me repeatedly over the years. Slowly, I’d watched him change. Back and forth, my mind could never decide. If it was a hoax, it was well done. “And I made you realize this?”
“Yes. I’m tired of doing what they expect me to do and do what I think is right. I did what my father expected because he said you would change into what my mother was. You didn’t. I’m nowhere near close to
what I probably should be, but I’m easing into it slowly because you proved wrong what everyone said would be pure evil like your predecessors. I value that and think you would be the perfect compliment to my court. You could change things.” His long legs stretched out in front of me. He was a total masculine machine to any woman who watched him intently. He knew it too. When I looked away from his legs and followed his arms back up to his eyes, he was smiling like the cunning devil he still had inside.
“Okay…so you’re willing to change. I like this Kin.” I held my breath again.
“Really?” His voice was hopeful and the direct opposite of sixty seconds ago. His body flexed upward.
“Yes, Kin. I do. And if you’ll excuse me, I have had yet another long night with you by my side in dangerous liaisons that leave me fearful to sleep.”
“I will keep you safe.”
“I believe that.” On some plane of admiration, he believed that too, or he would go down fighting for me. “Can I sleep?”
“Where would you like?”
I surveyed my options. “Can I sleep in that chair?” I pointed to the one with an ottoman attached in front. I wanted to ask if he’d keep watch for me because I didn’t think I could sleep without it, but on some level I realized how much I trusted him more than I ought to and that scared me.
“I will keep watch. I don’t require any sleep at the moment.”
That amazed me still. Even though he hadn’t heard my thoughts, he saw me relax when he said it. His smile lifted just a little on the corner to signal that he noticed. He settled into the chair I just left that angled against where I would sit, lodged his dagger into his hand gripping it just tightly enough, and watched me. I couldn’t handle that part, but couldn’t see any way around it. I curled my feet into a ball and shivered. He was up and over to the bed sliding the comforter off it and putting it over me before I had my eyes good and opened. “Thank you.” I muttered closing my eyes and feeling just how tired I was. I still held my breath.
“Will you permit yourself to breath now?” he whispered too close.
Not opening my eyes out of fear of just how close I responded with, “Are you ever serious?”
“When you need me to be. If you require any mouth-to-mouth or other needs, I’m your man.”
“Never change Kin. Never change.”
“For you, my queen, I will do anything.”
I drifted fast thinking how I was pretty sure of what I’d just heard from Kin’s lips. And the sad thing is...I believed him. Friend or foe?
When I woke in a few hours and felt the morning was here, I blinked blurrily trying to pry my exhausted eyes open. Kin was where I left him, still staring intently at me with his eyes a little softer now than before. I stretched and curled out of the blanket.
Friend or foe? I repeated my last thoughts to myself before I drifting off. Both!
“What is it?” he asked.
“Did you watch me the whole time?” I shouldn’t have asked what I didn’t want the real answer too.
“Yes. I had nothing else I wanted to do.”
What do I say to that?
“Can I use the restroom?”
“You don’t have to ask me.” He was upset I asked. Oh well. He can’t change overnight.
Chapter Thirty Two
permission- n. consent to do something
After much bowing and ritual like goodbyes, we set off. He returned me to an area he said was right outside the perimeter of my court where Pike and Ian were both situated and ready to pounce. Ha! They’d guessed he’d have a repeat performance. How clever of all three.
Kin stopped and set me down. He’d explained that carrying me would mask my scent from being followed by any unmentionable opposition and I registered that that was probably a good idea. He was lingering so I knew he wanted to say his final “somethings” before I was off to be rescued.
“Grace, they will not let the same scenario happen a third time. You have seen both my homes. I am in hope that you enjoyed your stay both times despite my means of obtaining you. And I sincerely hope you will consider what I have to offer. I do not know if I will be able to bring you back again, but hear this. If you are in trouble and need my help, or if you need to talk, or need anything at all, just remove the pendant and I will be there.”
The pendant I didn’t have. I touched my wrist out of habit.
“Kin, you match me in my monologues I have come to see and I will indeed call upon you if need be. I would like to be able to choose to come to your court again, but not as your submissive, but as a friend. I hope to have a future with you; it’s just not what I think you might hope it all to be. You have me on this pedestal…all of you do…either way, I am what I am and that is all I can say for the moment. Please think of me as a friend, because I do count you as one now. I hope with everything that you will be a better king and father than your own and hope that our paths cross again in more congenial, less fragile circumstances, but I will not return again alone.”
“Show me the pendant.”
Somehow, he knew. I signaled to the trampoline without a word. “As I thought. Your abilities are stronger than anyone we know.”
He kissed me.
Aaa! “Don’t do that.” I touched my mouth where his heat still lingered.
“If I never tried, I’d hate myself. I will not ask again without permission.”
Yeah, said that before. Not a welcome thought at him ever trying it again. However good looking and changed man he may be, he didn’t fizzle my insides like Ian and never would. I don’t feel the slightest tingle when he was near and he needed to be sure of my intentions. He has become a good friend or ally. I can handle that Kin. Not the other.
My mind drifted to the comment made by the drink table while I tried to convince Kin to avoid dancing with me. He’d said that others would attempt taking me simply because of who “I belonged to”. That was a shudder worthy scare that would keep me on my toes on any court I waltzed into.
He said goodbye and sent me in the direction of home. I watched him disappear in the trees before I started off.
Chapter Thirty Three
confrontational- n. a hostile or argumentative meeting or situation between two opposing parties
Time stood still when I reached the edge of the trees near the smoldering fire by the Seelie court. Before I reached it though, I was being smothered by guards and Ian and Pike all at the same time. Pike had me balanced on my feet and Ian was checking me over for damage. The teamwork was not the issue, the hands all over me was. After the two of them confirmed with each other that the other was satisfied I relaxed. That is until I saw that the two of them were conversing in their mind some of the severest bad language to hide it from me.
“She’s in one piece.” Pike grabbed one wrist, while Ian grabbed another. I guessed, looking for bindings.
Twisting and turning, Ian yelled out. “I don’t care. The damn fool took her. I want her checked.”
I concentrated hard and pushed both of them attempting to break in both their heads, LET ME GO!
Pike fell on his back end. Ha! Served him right.
Ian watched with less than a smile on his face and said, “You know, you can’t just simply make others bend to your will. I can’t read him when you do that.”
Oh, this was a great item to check off and note for later though I think I knew this. I totally forgot to be anxious about seeing Ian, for now I was angry with him. “You mean when I mind mojo someone, they are impenetrable to others during the event? Nice! And isn’t that my right?” I smiled as deviously as they do to me sometimes. So much for my welcome home.
Ian and Pike eyed each other. This I noticed meant more than a simple nod. Betting they were deciding on telling me the truth, I jumped ahead for them.
“Yes, it does. Already accomplished the skill. And proved very useful.”
“Grace, this doesn’t make a good weapon. Altheon showed you this with the dress. He chose to hide that from me. It i
s an art that doesn’t always pan out the way it’s intended except with practice and who the recipient is in particular. It can backfire.” He turned to Pike, who was back up and pawing the tattered edges of my sleeves. I couldn’t see what face he made, but I knew it wasn’t nice.
“Well noted. Who shall be my next victim?” I clapped my hands together in hopes of creating shock and to stop being pawed. This was a weird way to return, but weird is relative to where and what I know of this world of the Fey. Keeping these people safe was a chore.
“Enough touching her. Leave now,” he told Pike and the other guards. Ian moved fast grabbing me tightly with no intention of letting go.
Pike snorted his famous you’re so in for it sound of reminding Ian he’d been beat and I was in trouble. He liked to do that a lot lately. “You mister will be sorry for that noisy response. It’s your rear paying the price of the two of your little hide it from Grace mind games. Best not to mess with me!” I wiggled my finger back and forth in front of his face and curled my lips up at him.
He purposefully laughed at me, dropped the ropes he’d been helping Ian with, and shook his head. He walked off mumbling something like, “You are so not like any Fey queen before. We are in for it.”
I concentrated again knowing I was too quick to get angry sometimes. My eyes stayed open every time now reminding me it was getting easier. Concentrating on sending a message to another’s mind wasn’t hard if you knew what the steps were to do it. The memory came to me like it was yesterday. I projected it into Pike’s brain and waited. He stopped from the four feet he’d made in haste to exit keeping his back to me.
You showed me this for what reason? Turning, his eyes darkened like when he agitated me with his flirtatious side of all dark and Pikeness. Uh, oh! Maybe that was a mistake!
I was just trying to show you how I see you. How others see you. That you are some kind of awesome.
That is not what I need or want from you, Beautiful. I need more of what you can’t give so don’t show me locker shots of how you see me from when I sat and waited like a damn sick puppy to find out if you could be mine, because you never will.
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