by Joyee Flynn
“I thought because you wanted more sex,” I answered, blushing now. “I didn’t know you meant stay to see if there was real feeling between us. You never said that.”
“Would you have said yes if I had?” he asked, staring into my eyes.
“I was about to ask the same thing,” Finbar said from behind me, sounding crushed. “Was I the consolation prize or am I standing in your way?”
Oh boy, this was quite a pickle. I decided to answer them both by focusing on Kelvin’s question. “I don’t know what I would have said if you had asked me for more. I honestly think that if we were meant for more it would have already happened before I met Finbar. But I love him, Kelvin. He’s the one for me and I think that says it all.”
“I understand,” he said with a weak smile, patting my hands. I turned to Finbar who looked hesitant still.
“I wouldn’t have committed myself to you forever, giving up my immortality, if you were a consolation prize, baby. I love you and we belong together.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” He pulled me into his arms and gave me a smoldering kiss that practically made me forget my name. “Go to the castle and we’ll meet you there as soon as we can.” I nodded and stepped away, ready to pop over there. “Oh, and I love you too, Cuidi.”
I smiled at him before disappearing. He understood the depths of my feelings now and we were in a good place. What Kelvin had said was a shock but I think when he thought about it more he’d realize that I was right. We’d never tried for more between us but if we had been meant to be, it would have happened.
I popped into the throne room, not thinking I should waste time by going through the motions of the gates. The king was standing off to the side of the room, staring out the window.
“Who are you?” he asked suspiciously, eyeing me over.
“Kelvin came to find me,” I answered with a smile. “You know me, your highness.”
“Cuidi?” His eyes went wide as he eyed me over. “I know everyone can see you differently, but normally your appearance to me is constant.”
“Actually this is my true form now,” I admitted with a smile. “That hardship was broken when I fell in love and committed myself to one wonderful man.”
“I’m happy for you. Finding your true love is the most wonderful thing in the world.” He said it with such sadness that I knew his heart was breaking. “But watching it fade before your eyes makes you wonder if the joy you had was worth the pain you feel now.”
“Tell me,” I whispered as I took his hands in mine. “I know that that’s the grief talking because you love the queen. What has happened since the last time I’ve visited?”
“She’s dying, Cuidi,” he explained as he led me out of the throne room. His long legs ate up the distance faster than I could walk and I ran alongside him, thinking it would be bad manners to ask him to slow down. “I need your help.”
“I can’t reverse illnesses or save someone from death, your highness,” I reminded him. We’d had this conversation when his parents had died. “I can’t bring anyone back from the dead, or anything along those lines.”
“I know but the healer said you can help.” I was doubtful of that but I was willing to humor him given his despair. I’d listen to any halfcocked idea if that’s what he needed. He dragged me up the stairs and to the royal suites. My chest hurt when I got a glimpse of the queen. She looked and even smelled of death.
“I can’t fix this,” I said gently as the king let me go. “I am sorry, but this is beyond me.”
“But it’s not,” the royal healer replied with a smile. I didn’t know the man’s name but I’d seen him before and knew the royal family trusted him. I waited for him to explain. “Whoever poisoned the queen destroyed the herbs I had that would cure the ailment. But I was able to salvage a few seeds. We need your magic to instantly grow them so I can give her the cure.”
“Oh, sure, I can do that!” Yeah! The queen wouldn’t die after all. The man quickly handed me the seeds and pot of dirt. I hurriedly planted them and focused on their growth, digging deep inside for the strongest magic I had. There wasn’t a moment to waste. When the sprouts appeared I looked to the healer. “I need to water them and how big do you need them?”
“About four times that size at least,” he answered as he poured water on the dirt. I nodded and went back to work. I went a little overboard, thinking that there couldn’t be too much of the herb when we needed it. The healer looked pleased and immediately started brewing up some tea that would heal the queen. As we waited I sat on the side of her bed.
“This will be over soon,” I said gently as I took her hand in mine. She nodded and drank what the healer offered her from his hot tea. I saw relief in both their faces the moment she was done as if knowing the worst was now over. “You’ll be just fine tomorrow.”
“I knew you’d make it in time. Thank you for always being a loyal friend, Cuidi.” She gave me a tired grin. The king and the healer were talking in hushed tones. I wasn’t sure about that but I never was selfimportant enough to think I should be privy to personal issues. “I hate to ask for more from you but I must.”
“Anything I can give you I will, you know that,” I said fondly. I wasn’t a lover of women but the queen had a special place in my heart like a little sister.
“This was deliberate, Cuidi. I did not accidently ingest this poison.”
“I know. I was told you were poisoned and the remedy—” And just like that the hint she was giving me filled my head. The threat was still out there and it probably wasn’t simply the queen whoever the criminal wanted dead. “I will do everything in my power to figure this out.” My tone changed to that of an oath and she nodded.
“Thank you. My husband was grieving so much for me that I was scared they’d get the children while we were distracted.”
“Healer, come here,” I ordered in my bestI’m powerful and don’t fuck with metone. He hesitated for a moment but then did as I asked,
the king eyeing me curiously. When he stopped in front of me I eyed him over suspiciously. “Kneel in front of me and tell me how you came to find all of the herbs that would kill the queen were destroyed.”
“Surely you don’t suspect me in this crime?” he asked, his eyes wide. “If I was the culprit I simply could have brewed her up a different tea and said it was the right one. She would never have been the wiser.”
“True, but if I am to find this villain I must start from the beginning and rule everyone out.”
He nodded and told me everything he knew. Within the first few minutes of it I knew he was not the person I was looking for. He had a good heart, loved to help people in their time of need, studied constantly to save as many of the sick as he could, and was loyal to the king and queen.
So who was trying to kill the queen?
Chapter 10
I spent the rest of the day interviewing everyone close to the king and queen. First I started with her guards, making sure they were cleared of any wrongdoing before assigning them to not let any harm come to the royal family. I made it perfectly clear that if they failed me they would pay with their lives.
I was pretty sure I got through to them. They looked very afraid of me when I was done.
By the time I sat down to dinner with the king and healer I was exhausted, frustrated… And I wanted Finbar by my side so badly it almost hurt.
“Bottom line, we are searching for someone who had access to the herbs and motive to use them,” I explained. I knew my voice sounded tired and normally I would have hid it better but I was friends enough with the king to be myself. Besides, the man looked just as wiped out as I felt. Then as if by magic what my heart desired most appeared in the dining hall doorway with Kelvin.
“Cuidi,” he said with a bright smile, Finbar’s gaze full of relief that I was alright.
“My love.” I stood so fast I almost knocked over my chair. I steadied it and moved around the table. Finbar came to meet me halfway but froze when he met th
e king’s eyes.
“Your highness, forgive me,” he proclaimed and dropped down to his knee, head hung. “I meant no disrespect. I did not see you there because I was selfishly concerned only for Cuidi.”
The king nodded and went to open his mouth, but quickly shut it when he saw how angry I was. “Get up, Finbar.”
“What? Why?” he asked, his eyes going wide as he did as I wanted. “It is proper respect to kneel before your king.”
“You bow or kneel tonoman other than your mate,” I answered
with a growl. “I am more powerful than the king. I am Cuidighteach of the Grogoch order of the fairies. No man or woman surpasses the respect that deserves. I am theonlyperson you show subservience
to.”
“Yes, my mate,” he whispered, lowering his head in shame but not
before I saw tears gathering in his eyes. My heart sank. I had
humiliated him and that was the last thing I had ever wanted. “I’m sorry, my love.” I knelt in front of him and cupped his face,
forcing him to meet my gaze. “I left in such a rush that I didn’t explain
what was to be expected of you when you came to court. That is no
excuse, nor is the taxing day I’ve had. But it is the reason I lost it when
I saw you bow to another man.”
“I didn’t know,” Finbar swore and kissed my hand. “I would never
dishonor you or want to embarrass you.”
“I know.” I leaned in and brushed my lips over his. It wasn’t in
Finbar’s heart to ever hurt someone. “Are you tired from your trip, my
love?”
He nodded and searched my eyes carefully. “Just like that you’re
no longer upset with me?”
“You should be upset with me for embarrassing you and yelling at
you like you were a child. You didn’t know any better and that was my
error. It was wrong of me to chastise you when I am the one who
should be teaching you such things.”
“You apologized.” He shrugged as we got to our feet.
“Misunderstandings happen and I feel as if this has not been the
easiest of days on you. You were upset greatly by the news of
Margaret before Kelvin showed up and what he came to tell us wasn’t
good either.”
“You’re too good to me,” I cooed, tracing my fingers down his
toned chest. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Yes, you do,” he said along with the king and Kelvin. I glanced over
my shoulder at the king, who now had Kelvin standing next to him. “You deserve to be taken care of and treated with such love as you give to others, Cuidi.” The king smiled. “Do I get to meet this man who
makes you so happy?”
“Yes, of course you do,” I answered immediately. I felt Finbar flinch
when the kingaskedmy permission. I glanced up at him with a smirk.
“You’re mated to one of the most powerful creatures of the land, baby. It doesn’t come without perks.” “I don’t care about perks,” he whispered as he caressed my cheek, ignoring everyone else in the world. “I just wanted you, Cuidi. Whether I have to kneel before the king or not now doesn’t make a lick of difference to me as long as you’re mine.”
I knew what he meant but I did have to clarify one point. “You kneel to no one, Finbar. You are my mate and my equal and I’m too powerful to kneel unless the heavens themself send a messenger to me. I am respectful to the king and his position, especially when around others, but I have been here helping the people of this land before there was even a king.”
“I love kneeling in front of you though,” he replied innocently. The heat in his eyes made it crystal clear that it was anything but innocent intentions though. I couldn’t help but shiver at his lust and desire for me.
“As soon as we are alone you will show me how much you do,” I ordered, knowing full well it pushed my man’s buttons to be bossed around sometimes. He bit his lip to keep in a groan. Good to know I affected him as he did me. Then I turned back to the king and made the introductions.
We quickly finished our meal then, Finbar fidgeting the whole time and looking for any excuse to touch me. The moment I was done eating, he stood and picked me up into his arms. I let out a yelp of surprise, not thinking he would have such antics in front of strangers.
“We’re still honeymooning,” he explained as he raced to the door. “We’ll see you in the morning.” I heard the laughter behind us but ignored it. Finbar needed me badly and I would deny my mate nothing. I quickly instructed the way to the room I’d been given. Something more was going on here than simple raw need.
Finbar seemed almost frantic to prove or show me something. The moment we were alone in my room and the door shut, he was unfastening my pants. I helped as best I could but winced when I heard several tearing noises. I hadn’t thought to bring a change of clothes in my haste.
“What are you doing?” I gasped as he lifted me up so my groin was level with his face.
“Put your legs over my shoulders.” I did as he wanted, shocked at how easily he could move my willing body as if I weighed nothing. Finbar didn’t hesitate the moment I was in place. He swallowed me down as he held my hips against the door. I leaned back to support my weight, shocked when I almost hit my head on the ceiling.
In all my years I couldn’t say I’d ever done this before. It was wonderful I could still be surprised. With all the excitement and desperate emotions in the air, it didn’t take me long to finish. It was a wonderful orgasm, one that I would remember for a very, very long time.
“Say yes,” he growled as he pulled me off his shoulders and lowered me to the ground. I didn’t know what he meant, still dazed from the postorgasmic bliss, until his thick cock was pushing against my hole. “Give me what’s mine.”
“Yes, yes, I’m yours,” I moaned, shivering with the cavemanliness in his tone. When had he ever demanded or been so forceful with me? Finbar slammed into me, taking me hard and fast to start with. I braced my hands against the door, worried that if I didn’t he’d open it up with my head from the force of his thrusts.
When he was done, he fucked me again… Bent over the bed this time. And then again on the floor where I was going to have rug burn on my back and ass. After which he gave me another blow job as he fingered my well-used hole. I lost count of how many orgasms I had. We’d had hot sex before but this was in another world like I’d never experienced before.
“Want to tell me what that was all about?” I asked gently when we were lying on the bed, recovering from the fun, both of us unable to move. I had a feeling I knew but it would be better for Finbar to admit what was on his mind.
“I saw the way they all look at you,” he whispered. My mate pulled me back against his chest as if I was his favorite stuffed animal, comfort blanket, and the most important thing to him in the world, all at once. “They want you so badly, Cuidi. Kelvin couldn’t stop staring at you in your new form, excited at the prospect of getting to learn your body all over again.”
“Okay, and that led to the sex marathon, how?” I was missing something.
“You’re mine,” he growled as he moved over me and suddenly surrounded me with his large frame. “I’m more than capable of pleasing you and I thought you could use a reminder of that before you had full access to the never-ending supply of willing men here.”
“Be very careful here, Finbar,” I said darkly as I narrowed my eyes at him. “You having insecurities or needing to prove something to yourself is understandable. Insinuating that I’ve done something to
deserveyour reminder is not.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” His face went pale and I knew he was speaking the truth. “I do not doubt that you would be faithful, Cuidi. You would never betray me after having sworn yourself to me.”
“Glad we agree on that.” I felt some of the tension easing fr
om my body. I didn’t like feeling as if I’d done something wrong when I hadn’t. Hell, I hadn’t even given any man a second look since I’d been at the castle until Finbar showed up.
“I saw you weren’t noticing the way they looked at you or checking them out.” That made me smile. We were so on the same page most times. “I just needed to show you that I could be enough. That I could please you as much and as often as many could.”
“And that you did,” I praised, realizing I’d not been a grateful lover to Finbar if he still doubted himself this much. He needed to hear more how wonderful he was and that started right now. “I’ve never been ravaged like that, my love, even by three. In all my years I’ve never had oral sex in that way and by someone who so thoroughly wanted nothing than to please me. You are amazing and I want no other.”
He beamed at me, his body responding to my praise and growing hard against my thigh. Then he bit his lip. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want to try other things like we discussed before. I just don’t want a roomful of men fighting for your attention.”
“Are you saying you only want someone that I trust like Kelvin to take you while you take me?” I hedged, not sure I was hearing him clearly.
“One day but not until I feel more secure that I’m enough for you.” “I’m sorry that day isn’t today,” I said and then rushed on when I saw the worry in his eyes. “Not that I’m so in need to bring someone into our bed, Finbar. I feel like I’ve failed you as your mate if you don’t know how much I truly want and desire only you.”
“You can’t erase years of being put down and self-doubt because of the way I’ve been treated in a few weeks, Cuidi.” I nodded my understanding. We all had shit we had to deal with and overcome and it couldn’t be fixed in a short time.
“As long as you know in your heart that you’re the only one I want, the only one I’ve ever committed to in all my years, Finbar.”
“I do. You’re all mine.” His eyes shined with the truth of his words as he moved my leg slightly and pushed inside of me. Finbar made love to me as no man has, treasuring me as if I was the greatest gift in the world. And then we fell asleep in each other’s arms.
