by Lisa Kumar
“It is,” Karcin’s deep voice chimed in. “A place in the king’s guard guarantees that. It’s a position that comes with plenty of loitering.”
Jocin gave a derisive snort. “Can you believe that? As guards, we stand around.”
Maggie flashed a grin over her shoulder. “You’re a smartass. I like that.”
Jocin’s blue eyes crinkled at the corners. “I’ve always heard it takes one to know one.”
Maggie shook her head in disbelief. “It’ll never fail to surprise me how both our worlds have similar or even the same sayings.”
“Our worlds used to be one, albeit a long time ago,” Karcin said.
“Yeah, there’s that,” she agreed. But as he’d pointed out, many years had passed since then, so how were certain phrases still so similar? She was probably making too much of it, and a suitable answer would present itself at some later date. Or not. It wasn’t a matter she’d lose sleep over.
“Are you visiting the princess?” Meclin asked.
“Why, yes.” She did have a visit with Cal planned, and after that, a quickie with Talion on the schedule. Of course, their quickies often were anything but fast. Talion harped about how more than once, his advisors slyly commented on him being late.
A smirk tugged at her lips, but she suppressed it. Wouldn’t do to look crazy happy in front of her guards. They’d think her more insane than they already did.
Jocin stepped beside her. “Another girls’ day, as you call it?”
She turned her head toward him. “Yep, a day of all things girly and gossipy.”
Jocin gave a shiver of horror, while Karcin made a sound of agreement, and Meclin gave no indication he still followed the conversation. All in all, pretty typical responses for them.
Maggie laughed. “The stuff of nightmares to guys.”
Karcin walked into her line of vision and nodded his head vigorously. “Yes.”
It was so much fun joking around with her guards. Even Meclin was unintentionally funny. What she liked best about all three was their seeming loyalty. They barely batted an eyelash, no matter what came out of her mouth or what she or Talion told them to do. Oh, she wasn’t fool enough to believe it was loyalty to her. They were Talion’s men, through and through, but it touched her they served her so well.
She bit her lip in thought and wondered how much they suspected. Well, Meclin knew. After all, he’d walked into a room where she and Talion were making out. Talion had leveled a quelling stare at him and said, “Not a word to anyone.” So far, that seemed to have worked because there was no news of their make out session floating around the palace.
That Meclin. She liked a man who could keep a secret, though she supposed it helped that he was an elf of few words. Or maybe his quietness was because he’d caught her in the act of corrupting his king? What did he think lay between her and the king? Did he believe they were merely doing the bump and grind, or did he suspect a deeper relationship between them? So many questions to ponder and so few answers. Story of her life. She heaved a silent sigh.
A feminine figure stepped out of a room a few feet ahead of her. Maggie’s guards gathered around her protectively. But within a few moments, the person’s identity registered with Maggie. Alalise. Damn, the woman haunted her everywhere she went. What was Alalise doing lurking near the royal wing, anyway? Trying to see Talion?
Maggie shoved away the jealousy that ate at her. More likely Alalise wanted to talk to her, but why?
“Can I talk to you?” Alalise’s gaze flashed to Maggie’s guards. “Alone?”
Meclin looked at Maggie and questioned, “My lady?” A flicker of surprise jolted Maggie. Jocin was the one to usually take command, but hey, it was nice to see someone else step up for a change. In fact, it made her feel like they all had her back, not that she needed it as the moment.
She shook her head. “I’ve got this, boys.”
“We’ll be waiting right outside the door,” Jocin said with a warning glance to Alalise, who simply rolled her eyes.
Maggie nodded. “All right.” She followed the other woman into the room and shut the door. Crossing her arms over her chest, Maggie said, “What do you want?”
“I see Talion has you closely guarded. No doubt our little visit will be reported to him within a few minutes.”
Maggie lifted a skeptical brow. “You asked me in here to tell me that?”
“Of course not. But I do wonder if you know how the whole town—and soon to be all of Eria, I’m sure—is talking about how Talion assigned part of his private guard to you.”
Maggie froze. “His private guard?” She’d known they were part of the guard that protected the palace, but hadn’t thought they protected Talion personally. Why would he assign some of his own guards to her? No wonder they answered to Talion only. They never got their orders from Kenhel.
“Many are speculating what your relationship to the king is. Not just anyone is given the protection of his personal guard. That honor is usually reserved for family or, more rarely, close friends.”
“Hmm.” Maggie couldn’t think of anything less incriminating to say. So she and Talion featured as the hottest news in Eria? Part of her shied away at that thought, but overall, it wasn’t as disturbing as she would’ve thought. Surprise at that realization left her winded.
Had she really made her peace with the bond? Sort of. The queen part still bothered her, but the Talion one? Not so much. He’d grown on her like a pair of broken-in shoes she now couldn’t do without.
Anyway, Talion had warned her it was only a matter of time before people started talking. It had occurred sooner than she hoped, but she’d still delay the official announcement for as long as she could. The time Talion had given her seemed to be disappearing like sand through her fingers. An ache formed in her chest. A month and one week until everyone knew and she’d have to claim her new position. Not long at all, and if Alalise blabbed….
“Your indifferent answer doesn’t fool me. I know what binds you two together. Strangely enough, you skipped that stage, didn’t you?” At Maggie’s perplexed look, Alalise impatiently said, “The binding, I mean.”
“W…what?” A wave of cold flowed over Maggie. Alalise knew? How? Those questions kept ricocheting around Maggie’s mind. Had Talion told her or let some clue slip? Suspicion darkened her heart. He said his affair with her had ended, but some tie still lay between them. Maggie had seen that firsthand when she walked in on them in his office. If nothing romantic remained between them, what was left? Business? But what business? The unknown ate at her, and a tidal wave of old reservations threatened to sweep her away.
“Your bond,” Alalise answered, wiping away the last of Maggie’s hope.
Maggie spoke through numb lips. “How do you know?”
“I have my ways.”
Every muscle in Maggie’s body tensed. So Alalise played that game? Well, she’d find Maggie wouldn’t be deterred so easily. Alalise would ask the question foremost on her mind. “Talion told you?”
Alalise’s lips twisted. “He didn’t need to. His actions told me all that I needed to know.” Her fingers glided to the jewel at her throat, which planted another bad thought in Maggie’s head. “Call it a byproduct of being with him for centuries.”
Centuries? Centuries? The witch had been in Talion’s bed longer than Maggie had been alive? Talk about disturbing. How could Talion have the nerve to say Alalise mattered little to him after he’d been involved with her for that long? The urge to throw something breakable took hold of her, but she resisted the impulse with a long, calming breath and schooled her face. She’d die before showing any kind of hurt before Alalise. “So how many people have you told?”
Alalise raised her chin. “None.” Then her prideful expression slipped, and her shoulders slumped. “But I fear my brother knows.”
Maggie groaned. So much for no one else knowing. “How did he find out?” Why was she even bothering to ask? As if she could even trust anything Alalise said
. Maggie didn’t know the elvin woman’s angle yet. She seemed to help with one hand, and with the other, hinder—a classic backstabber. For all that Maggie knew, Alalise could be behind last week’s attack. And with the woman always in Talion’s back pocket, what did that say about Talion?
Alalise’s haughty look returned. “We’re twins. Sometimes, if I don’t guard my thoughts or emotions well enough, an echo of my emotions will leak out to him.”
Great, just great. They functioned as an unwitting telepathic duo. “How likely is he to tell someone about the bond?”
“He won’t inform the public, if that’s what you mean. But he’ll use it for his own ends.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Alalise shrugged evasively. “I have reason to suspect he’s fallen in with the wrong people.”
“The same people behind the exploding statue?”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
Did she not know, or did she just not want to tell Maggie? These damn elves and their reticence. Maggie hated feeling blind to the happenings around her, and these elves essentially rendered her that. If only she could knock a few heads together…. “You and your brother know the truth. How long before everyone else figures it out?”
“Oh, I don’t think many suspect the full truth. They can’t conceive of the king providing them with a human queen.”
Bigots. “Why? Relian provided them with a human princess.”
“That stretched the tolerance of many. Some won’t overlook their king taking a human bride.”
Maggie narrowed her eyes. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s reality. Talion can ignore it as much as he wants, but that will do nothing to quiet the naysayers.”
“So why are you seeking me out?”
“To warn you. Like I’ve said, watch out for my brother. And I don’t know how long you and Talion seek to keep the truth hidden, but you should convince him to make an announcement soon. He needs to be the one to reveal the bond, and not someone with an agenda opposite his.”
“I’ll take into consideration what you’ve said. How soon can I expect a visit from your brother?”
“Your guard dogs wouldn’t allow him to talk with you alone.”
“They let me talk to you.”
“I’m female, so they don’t see me as a threat.” A look of disgust crossed her face. “Stupid males.”
“And are you?”
“A danger?” Alalise took her in with one glance. “To the right people.”
Maggie bristled. She didn’t know if Alalise had meant it as a threat, but it sure felt like it. “What do you mean by that?”
Alalise gave an impatient sigh. “Be glad I’m not your enemy, silly girl. You’re not at peril around me, but there are plenty others who you should be wary of.”
So said Talion and now Alalise, but Maggie wanted names. “Like who?”
“My brother, for one.”
Maggie growled in frustration. “I barely know him. We’ve talked once.”
“See you keep it that way.”
Resentment swelled in Maggie’s chest. She hated anyone telling her what to do, so this was a million times worse. Who did the witch think she was? Just because Alalise had once opened her legs for Talion didn’t grant her the right to boss Maggie around. “I didn’t know I needed your permission.”
“In this you would be wise to listen.”
Maggie crossed her arms over her chest. “The thing is, I normally don’t listen too well when I’m told what to do.”
“You’re beyond impossible. I don’t know how Talion puts up with you. But then, your rebelliousness is probably a novelty to him, and he finds you challenging. But he always grows bored of novelty.”
Disbelief froze Maggie’s mind. That was what Talion always said. How could Alalise echo him so closely? Did the woman know him that well, or had he discussed the subject with her? Maggie’s blood simmered at both potentials.
When Talion and Alalise talked about her, did they laugh at her behind closed doors? She was sure there was not anything sexual between them at the moment, but would it always stay that way? Apparently, Alalise believed otherwise. And what tie still remained between Talion and Alalise? Love? Affection? Good God, an illegitimate child few knew of? All those possibilities churned her stomach with a steely grip, and she swallowed back the bile. God, was it Justin all over again?
“And we both know what will happen when he becomes bored of novelty. He’ll seek out the comfort he’s known for centuries. Even now, even with your bond, I’m one of his greatest confidantes.”
Maggie’s lungs seized, and she forgot how to breathe. Confidante? Which was worse—Alalise being Talion’s ex-bedmate or her probable emotional entanglement with said Talion? “You’re kidding yourself,” Maggie said, but her voice lacked conviction.
“Am I? Or are you? I’ve known him much longer than you have. You’re just a speck of dust to his years, and can’t even begin to fathom the times and memories we’ve shared.”
The truth of Alalise’s words shot like a jolt of adrenaline through Maggie and knocked her out of her daze. How could Maggie’s relationship with Talion even start to compare with the history of Alalise’s? The answer stood stark before her. It couldn’t, bond or no bond.
How could she have been such an idiot and fallen for him? Affection and emotion only screwed everything up, and left her heart vulnerable. Maggie’s body itched to flee before she imploded. Her fingers and hands shook, so she clasped them together. She’d be damned if she crumbled in front of Alalise. “I’ve got to leave.”
She bolted to the door, not even bothering to look back at the other woman.
“Where are you—” Alalise’s voice faded as the door slammed shut behind Maggie.
Jocin approached Maggie. “My lady, are you alright?” Worry etched his face, and the other two guards wore the same expression.
“I will be once I get out of here.”
Meclin glanced toward the closed door. “Shall we detain her?” He looked to Jocin and Maggie as he said this.
“What…you can do that?” Hmm, if they could— Maggie shook her head to clear the images of retribution flowing through her mind. “How tempting, but no. Just take me to the princess.”
Meclin glanced to Jocin, who shrugged and started walking toward the royal wing. Maggie followed him, soon striding past him in her agitation. Jocin placed a hand on her arm and stopped her forward march. “My lady, are you sure everything is well?”
She smiled tightly. “Everything is right and dandy.”
“If there’s something I should report to the king—”
“No!” Realizing she had practically shouted, she softened her voice. “There is nothing. Please, don’t bother him with the incident.”
Frick, if they went to Talion, what could Maggie say without sounding like a jealous spouse? The last thing she could do was give him that kind of power over her. She had too many feelings for him, which was dangerous knowledge he could use against her. Especially when she didn’t fully understand the messed-up emotional state Talion put her in. Also, she didn’t know what the hell was going on with him or the twins—or whom she could trust.
“I can’t do that. I am to report anything out of the ordinary.”
A growl worked its way from her throat. “He needs to butt out of my business.”
Jocin tilted his head to the side. “He’s king. He can insert himself into anyone’s business.”
“Plus, the king has a…special interest in your life,” Meclin said. “You’ve signed yourself over to him by giving him certain liberties with your person.”
She glared at him in astonishment. His meaning couldn’t be any clearer. He’d as good as said she was sharing Talion’s bed. A glance at the two other guards showed that no flicker of surprise dotted their faces. The blood drained out of Maggie’s cheeks.
So they knew, and so did a widening circle of people. Was their bond even a secret?
“Ho
w long have you known, and how many others know? Did Talion—the king tell you?” she asked with a fierce note in her voice.
Jocin shook his head. “Your bond isn’t common knowledge. If it were, we’d know. We cannot say if he’s told his son and those close to him, but we suspect he has.”
She nodded. “He has.”
Karcin took up where Jocin left off and stared earnestly with his soulful brown eyes. “As for us finding out, few things miss our eyes as the king’s private guard. When he told us to protect you with the same devotion we give him, we knew something lie between you. Also, some of his remarks made it clear you were a person of importance to him and the kingdom. It didn’t take us long to figure out you were our new queen. Though the king has never said as much, it is understood between us that we know of your role in his life.”
Her newest anger toward Talion deflated and left her drained. So he hadn’t told them the whole truth, instead only enough to ensure they protected her to the utmost of their abilities. She couldn’t exactly fault him for that. In another mood, she might even be flattered, but her ire over Alalise still simmered.
One particular snippet of the conversation with Alalise took hold of her mind and wouldn’t let go. A challenge—was that all she was to him? Something to figure out and conquer—and then grow tired of? That seemed the likely progression of things. And unlike in a normal human marriage, there would be no divorce.
She sighed. Right now, all she felt was tired, so tired. “I need to see Princess Calantha. Let’s go.”
***
Talion idly toyed with his quill. The stack of papers before him held no interest, and he counted down the minutes until he could leave his office. He held open hours for the public, where his advisors and other people of the palace could speak to him easily.
Right now, he hoped the only person seeking him out would be Maggie, but as their rendezvous was due to occur within an hour, that would be highly unlikely. Still, one could dream. Fantasies of stripping her naked readily popped to mind. The quill slipped from his fingers and clattered onto the desk as Maggie’s phantom touch ghosted over him. He closed his eyes in ecstasy. Even when she wasn’t around, she brought him great pleasure.
