by T. K. Perry
“Now sit down and eat,” she ordered, fighting the emotional waver that broke her voice.
“Are you okay?” He ran a soothing hand slowly up and down her bare arm.
She nodded without looking up, and pointed to the stool. “Sit,” she commanded, quickly turning away to ensure her eyes were dry.
“How about we get you dressed first?” Cam suggested.
“Can’t,” she said simply, still facing the wall as a blush rose up her neck. “Nothing is clean.”
“I can wash your clothes for you.”
Lexi let out an uncomfortable laugh as she turned around to face him. “You’re not my lady’s maid.”
Cam shrugged with an abashed grin. “I don’t mind.”
“I do,” Lexi began, stopping mid-sentence as the door pounded behind her.
“Hey! Is Lexi in there?” Tiger called through the door.
“Can’t you tell by the stench?” Lexi hollered back, her anger surprising her. Blushing, she turned to look at Cam.
The door opened, and Lexi caught it halfway, meeting Tiger’s unreadable expression with her chin thrust out. Tiger stopped in the doorway, his glance falling to Lexi’s swimsuit, then stopping on her bruised arm before finding its way back to her face.
“You didn’t come to dinner,” Tiger said, his voice calm though his brown eyes stormed. “And your guards don’t know where you are.”
“How clever of you to find me, then,” Lexi said sarcastically.
Tiger shifted his weight from one large foot to the other, then looked between Lexi’s wings at Cam. “Could you give us a moment?”
“Are you asking him to leave his own room?” Lexi demanded.
“No,” Tiger said, yanking her out into the hall and shutting the door behind her before her startled protest found words.
“Let go of me!” Lexi snarled, her fingers prying at his.
“Hey!” Cam yelled, trying the door and realizing Tiger was holding it shut from the other side.
“Lex,” Tiger said. “You don’t have any reason to be angry with me. And you’ve got to stop acting so stupid.”
"Stupidly," Lexi corrected as she successfully ripped her wrist from his grasp, and glared up at him. “And you think I’m being stupid?” The door thumped repeatedly in its frame, each man pulling the opposite direction. “You’re holding a man prisoner in his room for no reason!”
A vague blush rose in Tiger’s tanned cheeks, and he released the door handle just as Cam yanked it. The door flew open and Cam stumbled backward, crashing into the stool and table. Lexi pushed past Tiger, her wings brushing his face as she hurried into the room.
“Are you okay?” Lexi asked, inspecting Cam’s wings for damage.
“Yeah,” Cam said darkly, staring at Tiger.
“Sorry,” Tiger muttered, scowling as he turned to leave. “I’ll send your guards,” he called over his shoulder as he flew away.
Lexi slammed the door behind him with an irritated slap. “What is the matter with him?”
Cam set his table and chair upright, then began to pick the food off the floor.
“Did he ruin your food?” Lexi asked, bending down to help him.
“Most of it is fine,” he assured her, his voice still tight with irritation.
Lexi set the last of the spilled food on the table, then stood next to him, watching a muscle in his jaw jump as he gazed down at the mess. Tentatively, she laid a hand on his arm.
“I’m sorry he keeps showing up yelling," she apologized. "He’s really not like that. Normally he only yells when I scare him." Lexi's eyes went wide with sudden understanding. “Oh. I guess I’m scaring him.” Her surprise melted into an impish grin. “Once, he had to get something out of this old wooden box in the tack room. He opened it and the entire thing was crisscrossed with spider webs. Tiger’s terrified of spiders,” she explained, smiling up at Cam and receiving a weak smile in return. “I was standing there teasing him about it, so after searching around for a spider and not finding one, he bravely stuck his hand in. As soon as he was in up to his elbow, I screamed, ‘Spider!’” Lexi laughed merrily. “I’ve never seen him jump so far. Of course he was furiously angry as soon as he noticed I was laughing. He lectured me for half an hour, and made me promise never to scare him again.”
Cam gave her a half-hearted grunt of laughter as a polite knock sounded at his door.
“Guards, probably,” Lexi guessed and walked over to open it.
Erid smiled with a polite little bow as he handed her a small pile of clothes, then turned to stand guard outside the door. Lexi peered out to see Charis flanking the other side of the door and smiled at him. Turning back to Cam, she examined his face.
“You still look tired,” she observed. “And you didn’t eat yet.” Lexi looked sadly at the pile of food Cam had retrieved from the floor. "Sorry. I'll pay to replace it," she offered.
Cam shook his head dismissively and stepped forward to block her view of the table.
Lexi took his hand and pulled him close, then kissed his cheek. “Goodnight,” she whispered, pleased to see his expression soften. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I’m not tired,” he assured her. At her look of complete disbelief, he laughed. “Okay, I’m tired,” he admitted sheepishly. Cam glanced at the guards in the hallway, then leaned in to kiss her softly without making a sound. “Goodnight.”
Lexi grinned with her eyes shut, savoring the feeling of his lips touching hers. “Goodnight,” she repeated, retreating to the doorway as she opened her eyes. She could feel a little giggle bubbling up her throat, but she forced it down, drawing herself up into princess posture as she passed the guards. She walked confidently to the laundry room, pleased she was beginning to recognize her surroundings. Erid hurried ahead to open the heavy laundry room door, and she rewarded him with a smile. Inside, a soapy, dank smell prevailed. The room was divided into large vats of water on one side and drying racks on the other. Lexi wandered the room, searching for the muddy dress and blue shirt that the laundry mistress had set aside to wash in the morning. She found them at the back of the room with her name pinned to them. Shifting the pile in her arms, she removed her mother’s red dress, then blew out a breath through clenched teeth. The remainder of the clothing in her arms was Talan’s, not her own. The unmistakable scent of cloves and hickory wafted from them, and she wondered why she hadn't noticed before.
“Something the matter, Miss Fritillary?” Erid asked.
“Talan has played a trick on us,” she fumed, tucking her mother's dress into the laundress’ pile, then marching swiftly out of the room.
Erid looked mortified. “I’m sorry, Your Highness,” he said jogging alongside her with arms outstretched to take Talan’s clothes. “I’ll take care of it right away.”
“No need,” Lexi assured him, thinking of Tiger’s old clothes still in Talan’s possession. No doubt Talan would insist they were his unless she were there. Which is what he wants, Lexi thought. He wants to see me. Lexi seethed, replaying all the unpleasant things Talan had done to her in the last four days, then weighing it against Tiger’s old clothes so lovingly altered by Cercy— whom she might never see again. Swallowing a sudden lump in her throat, she spun to face Erid, who had fallen behind.
“Take me to the dungeon, please,” she requested politely.
Erid’s objections died on his lips and he gave her a quick bow. “Yes, Miss Fritillary.”
As they wound their way down the seemingly endless stairs to the dungeon, Lexi began to rethink her errand, painfully conscious of her bathing suit, her bruises, and the three men incarcerated because of her. The temperature was steadily climbing as they descended, and Lexi was grateful for her cold wet hair cooling her bare back.
A grizzled old guard with brown wings tightened up to attention as she approached and gave her a deep bow. “Your Highness,” he greeted.
“Miss Fritillary,” Lexi corrected with a polite smile.
The dungeon guard nodd
ed. “Of course, Miss Fritillary. How may I assist you?”
“I need to see Talan Admiral,” she said, holding the offending clothes away from her, annoyed by their pleasant scent.
The gate guard looked uncomfortably at Erid and Charis, then turned and unlocked the gate, frowning as they passed him.
The stench of wet sulfur was overpowering as Erid led her back to the cells with Charis hovering nervously beside her. As they rounded the first corner, Avell jumped up to the bars.
“Who is she, Erid?!” Avell demanded in his whiny voice. “And what am I doing in here?!”
“Don’t make it worse for yourself,” Erid cautioned, with a finger to his lips as he walked by.
“Come on!” Avell whined. “Charis? Somebody tell me!”
“Shut up!” yelled someone further down.
“I heard that! Who was that? I’m still a guard! I’ll remember you when I get out!” Avell threatened futilely as a deep laugh echoed from the same direction.
“Mmmm,” a male voice said loudly as Lexi passed, and Charis thunked his bars with a swift rap of his club. Startled, Lexi noticed that Erid had his club drawn as well. The prisoners were all lining up at their bars now, their faces alight with curiosity. Lexi carefully avoided their eyes, focusing her gaze on the back of Erid’s mousy-brown head.
“Hey, why am I here?” a familiar voice demanded. “I haven’t done anything!”
Lexi’s legs stopped moving of their own accord, and she turned slowly to look at Wes, only one cell down from where she was standing.
“Hey,” he said, his mouth spreading into a smug smile. “You came to visit me.”
Lexi was suddenly grateful for the masking stench of sulfur that made Wes’ floral musk little more than a suggestion.
“She better not have.”
Lexi whirled around to see Talan in the cell opposite, leaning expectantly against the bars. Walking over, she turned the pile of clothes sideways and shoved it through, careful to avoid Talan’s hands.
“Give me my clothes, Talan,” she quietly ordered.
“I see you’re in need of them, my love.” He grinned appreciatively and momentarily overpowered the sulfur with his own scent.
“She’s not yours, little man,” Wes said, his fists tightening around the bars.
Talan let out an indignant laugh. “What did you say?”
Lexi fought a smirk as she looked between the two. It was probably the first time anyone had dared address Talan that way.
Wes drew up to his full hulking height, flexing both arms to show the bulk of them. “I said, the girl doesn’t belong to you, little man.”
Talan’s face burned red while he affected a hard laugh. “Moronic peasant, we’ll have a chat later, when the lady isn’t present.”
Wes smirked. “Sounds good to me. Now, how about you shut it so I can talk to her?”
Charis gave Wes’ bars a warning tap as Talan bristled.
“That’s right. Keep him in line, boys,” Talan praised with a smug grin, which quickly dissolved as Erid gave his bars a warning tap as well.
Wes laughed loudly, then caught Lexi’s eye. “Raven,” he coaxed, “come here.”
Lexi looked at his outstretched hand, sorely tempted to take it. His musky scent overcame the sulfur for a moment and her knees sagged beneath her, her expression going soft. Erid caught her arm, steadying her while Charis gave Wes’ bars a sharp rap.
“No more signaling...either of you,” Charis commanded.
A surprised laugh sounded from a couple cells away as Talan stared at Lexi with confusion. “What did you do to her?” he demanded of Wes.
Wes chortled. “She likes me.”
“That’s enough talking,” Charis said, rapping his bars again.
Lexi inhaled the sickening sulfur smell gratefully, shaking herself lightly as her head began to clear. Erid released her, watching her face with concern.
“I’m okay,” she assured him softly.
“What just happened?” Talan demanded.
“Never mind, Talan. Just give me my clothes,” she snapped, a little too loudly.
“What did he do to you?” Talan persevered.
“Let it go, Talan,” Lexi warned, lowering her voice. “I’m ordering you to hand over my clothing now or you will stay in the dungeon as long as I'm here.”
Sullenly, Talan took his bag from his bed and opened it.
“Why does he have your clothes?” Wes asked.
Charis rapped the bars of Wes' cell. “You just added another day to your sentence.”
“What sentence?” Wes demanded, carefully stepping out of the club’s range. “Nobody told me why I’m here in the first place or for how long. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Wes’ words echoed uncomfortably in Lexi's head as she took her clothing from Talan’s hands, annoyed that he handed it to her one piece at a time, always endeavoring to brush her hand as he did so. The tingles that ran up her arm when he succeeded irritated her immensely.
“Raven, will you find out why I’m stuck in here? Nobody will tell me,” Wes pleaded, a vulnerable note in his voice that sent a funny thrill through her chest.
Lexi clutched her clothing to her, trying to dampen the sensation as she exchanged a look with Erid. Erid shook his head slightly, but Lexi ignored it. “Release him after I leave,” she commanded in a whisper.
“Miss Fritillary,” Erid objected.
“Release him,” Lexi mouthed the words emphatically.
“Thank you,” Talan said, his grin making it clear he had misunderstood.
Leaning closer to Talan's cell, Lexi spoke softly. “Limen put you here; you need to work it out with him.”
“Then who are you releasing?” Talan asked, his face tensing as he realized the answer. “Him,” he huffed. “You put him in here? What did he do to you? He had better stay away from you,” Talan hissed, his whispers increasingly loud.
Lexi shook her head wearily and walked away, ignoring the calls of both men, then their threats to each other.
“Are you related to the Governor?” Avell demanded as she passed his cell. “I’ll find out!”
The graying guard quickly opened the gate as they approached, and Erid stopped to whisper to him in a low tone. The dungeon guard shook his head grimly and looked at Lexi, but handed Erid the keyring.
Charis glanced at her with a deep frown as they climbed the stairs, but Lexi pretended not to see it. She was far from certain she had made the right choice, but it seemed unjust to incarcerate Wes for what he might have done. A slight shiver twitched her shoulders at the possibilities. They had just reached the top of the stairs when Wes flew up behind them, a grin lighting his usually hooded eyes.
“I’m free,” he announced. “How about another dance?” He eyed Charis disdainfully as the guard moved between them.
Lexi breathed carefully through her mouth, still tasting Wes on the back of her tongue. “No, thank you,” she managed, propelling herself forward on her increasingly uncooperative feet.
“What’s with the guard?” he asked, tossing his head at Charis, then glancing behind him as Erid’s rapid footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Lexi increased her pace, gulping hungrily at the fresher air. She could hear and smell Wes following her. Steeling herself, she spun and faced him.
“They know you make me pheromone drunk, and they’re waiting for an excuse to drag you back to the dungeon,” she blurted, feeling her knees soften.
Wes looked at her steadily, fighting a grin as Erid pushed past him and took her arm. “Then I won’t give them one,” he said, backing off with both hands raised.
With Erid’s assistance, Lexi turned unsteadily and walked into the blissfully multi-scented air. The hallways were quickly filling up as the in-seasons left the dining hall and dispersed.
“I swear that was rat meat,” a girl with orange wings insisted as her yellow-winged companion pretended to gag. A red-winged male herded them both forward making rat noises, and Le
xi froze. His red wings were black-rimmed with streaks of yellow on his hindwings– an exact match to her mother’s. Without thinking, she plunged after him, trying to get a look at his face. His dark hair was the same shade as her own, and when he turned to scowl at someone who had bumped his wing, Lexi gasped. The chilling expression was so like the Queen: the high cheekbones, cool brown eyes, and perfectly straight, thin nose. Lexi was suddenly eager to get away from him. Turning, she struggled against the crowd. Charis and Erid helped to clear a path, but that only made everyone stare, their glances darting back and forth between the guards and Lexi in her bathing suit with a pile of clothes clutched to her chest.
“Caught another dangerous criminal?” someone asked wryly, and several in the crowd laughed.
Lexi’s face went carefully blank. She pulled Erid in front of her, and once again changed direction to move with the tide of the crowd.
“Are we returning to your room, Miss Fritillary?” Erid asked over his shoulder.
“Yes,” she nodded, her answer changing to a gasp when someone ran a hand up her bare thigh. She peered around her forewing, but the faces of the three men behind her were blank as they moved with the herd, their scents blending unpleasantly. Taking Charis’ arm, she pulled him behind her until she was relatively hidden in the protective screen of Erid’s beige-streaked yellow wings in front, and Charis’ white wings with their bright orange tips flanking her. When they finally reached her door, she could have cried with relief, though her expression never betrayed her.
Beck stood before the door, grinning. “Miss Fritillary,” he greeted with a tiny bow.
“I thought your shift was over,” Lexi said, reaching around him to open the door.
“Wait,” Beck cautioned, putting out his hand. “The Governor had me escort Psyche back to the room, make sure she didn’t leave until she apologizes to you, and receives your permission to continue as her roommate.”
