by H. L. Burke
“Actually, I remember now, and yes, I did embrace her this morning, but it was … It was nothing, my beloved, for how could any man consider this meek, homely creature worth his time when compared to your beauty and magnificence.” The lies stung his lips, but he forced himself to continue. “I was merely using her. I thought she might be able to tell me something about the third trial, so I attempted to romance the information out of her. It turned out she knew nothing of value, of course, but I was desperate to survive the final trial so that I could earn the right to be your consort.” He swallowed to moisten his suddenly dry tongue. “She is nothing to me, and you are everything. Let’s not start our union quarreling over nothing.”
Agalea tapped a long-nailed finger against her lips. “While I admire your ability to use those beneath you to your advantage, I fear that my subjects will not understand that this girl was just a stepping stone you used to reach me.”
“I swear, by everything I am worth, she means nothing to me.” Devin hardened his face. He prayed Sevaine knew he was lying, but even if she didn’t, even if she judged him faithless, it would be worth it if she managed to get out of this alive.
“An oath might help, but I would rather make it clear what comes of meddling with my man.” Agalea’s fingers glowed with a silver light. “I know how men are, and the fairies are no different from the mortals in this. Their passions sway them. They would give up greatness in return for the temporary pleasure of bedding lowly maids and worthless slaves. While I understand this in men, I do not prefer it in my consort.” She placed her hand on Devin’s chest. Her magic crackled through his shirt and into his skin. “I wouldn’t expect you to change your nature, dear Devin, but I would also have the women of my court aware of the cost of interfering with you.” She pointed at Sevaine. “Guards, remove her gag.”
The guards obeyed.
Sevaine gasped for breath. Her chin dropped to her chest.
Devin longed to toss Agalea to the side, rush to Sevaine, and carry her away from there. His heart pounded. This couldn’t be happening. He had to do something … but what?
He forced his tone to sweeten. “Agalea, beloved, this is ruining our first night. Can we attend to this later?”
“Oh, this’ll only take a moment, and as far as I’m concerned, it will be another jewel increasing the splendor of an already spectacular evening.” Agalea slipped her finger under Sevaine’s chin and forced the girl to meet her glare. “So, my fiancé attempted to use you, and you were foolish enough to go along. Why girl? Why didn’t you leave him alone? What do you feel that made you risk my wrath to embrace him?”
“Please, let me go,” Sevaine whimpered.
“Answer my question!” Agalea snapped. “Do you love Sir Devin?”
Panic surged through Devin as if he’d inhaled a mouthful of ice water. Fae couldn’t lie, and while not a fairy, Sevaine was still fae.
“Please.” Sevaine wept. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Agalea, she’s nothing,” Devin pressed. “Come, the party is waiting for us.”
“Do. You. Love. Him?” Agalea snarled.
“Yes!” The word slipped from Sevaine’s lips in an agonized wail.
Devin’s heart stopped.
“I thought as much.” Agalea pushed Sevaine, sending her to her knees.
Devin’s eyes locked with Sevaine’s. He had to do something. But what? A faint smile crossed the girl’s lips. She mouthed words. I love you.
Oh, Sevaine, no. This can’t happen.
Agalea snapped her fingers and let out a garbled chorus of fairy words. A beam of moonlight streamed from the sky above. Sevaine gave a cry of pain that cut off mid-gasp, then froze. Her rosy skin and pale gold hair turned a lifeless gray. Devin’s soul crumbled to dust.
Chapter Sixteen
Forgetting all thoughts of self-preservation, he rushed forward and knelt before the statue that had been Sevaine mere seconds before. Only cold stone met his touch.
Agalea’s shadow fell over him. “Silly man. Get up. As you said, she was nothing.”
His jaw clenched until it ached. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“No, but I wanted to. It sets a good example for any who would try to come between us.” The fairy queen’s fingers brushed through his hair, and revulsion rippled in his gut. His hand strayed down Sevaine’s cheek and over her neck. Something moved beneath his fingers. A chain?
His necklace sat on the surface of the statue that had been Sevaine, untouched by the enchantment. He waited until Agalea had turned away before ripping the chain off of Sevaine’s neck and tucking it into his pocket.
His pulse pounded, echoing in the emptiness of his chest. Rage, grief, and horror warred in his mind, one pushing him to throw himself on Agalea and wring her neck, the other crushing him to the earth, while the third just stood aghast and stared at the wreckage within him. Somehow, though, his logical brain shoved its way to the forefront.
If he got himself killed, it wouldn’t help Sevaine. If he gave up and wept, it wouldn’t help Sevaine. If he froze, it wouldn’t help Sevaine. If he wanted to help Sevaine, he’d have to force his emotions to shut up and use his brain to think of something to save her.
He stood. “I wouldn’t want people to think they can come between us.” His mind whirred. The chain really had proven untouchable by fairy magic, though the protection unfortunately hadn’t extended to its wearer. Still, maybe there was some hope in this. “In fact …” He eased closer to Agalea and put his hand on her shoulder. He gave her his best smile. “I am loath to share you even with those at the banquet tonight. If I am to be your consort, I must learn to serve you and you alone … perhaps in a way best suited for more private quarters.”
Agalea grinned. “And how will you serve me tonight, my champion?”
Pushing away his disgust, he leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “With every tool at my disposal as a man, my queen.”
A shiver cut through her, and she gave a barely perceptible moan. She took his hand. “The idea pleases me. Let us retire to my chambers to discuss it further.”
Though his insides were quivering with fury, Devin passively tagged after Agalea through the gardens towards the palace. They took a side entrance and climbed a spiraling stair to an open balcony filled with vases of blooming flowers. In the center of this space, awash in moonlight, was the largest bed Devin had ever seen. The fairy queen draped herself across the coverlet and beckoned him closer. Devin fingered the chain in his pocket. Agalea wasn’t exactly subtle.
He remembered Sevaine’s expression before the enchantment fell. He needed to do this for her. He lay beside Agalea.
“You look beautiful in the moonlight,” he whispered.
“Of course. You should see me unrestricted by these garments.” She winked.
“One thing at a time.” Steeling himself, he leaned in for a kiss. She melted against him.
Pretending it was Sevaine he held in his arms helped a little, as did focusing on the task at hand. He traced her right arm with his fingers then rolled until his body pinned her to the bed.
She gasped in delight. “Oh, you are a sturdy fellow. So much more substantial than the fairy men I’ve had. I’m going to enjoy this.”
“I haven’t even started yet.” He kissed her again, carefully guiding first her left arm then her right over her head. She relaxed into it. He moved his lips against her neck, slipped the chain from his pocket, and with a swift movement wrapped it around both her wrists, binding them together.
Agalea shrieked.
She writhed beneath him. “That burns! Stop it! Get that off me! It burns!”
He grinned. “Oh, does it now?”
“You idiot! It’s iron, isn’t it? What sort of perverse human mating ritual involves iron?” She wriggled, her face changing from ivory to a pallid gray.
“You still don’t get it, do you?” He snorted. He sat up, keeping his hand around both her wrists to be certain the iron chain stayed in place.
“I’d sooner bed that chimera you threw at me than lie with you tonight, you heartless witch.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re insane.”
“Maybe, but whatever I am, I know one thing you don’t. That girl you turned to stone is worth a thousand times more than you and every other one of your pompous fairy followers combined. Now, I know there is a way to undo every enchantment, so I need you to tell me, clearly and without leaving anything out, how do I free Sevaine?”
“I’d sooner skin you alive!” Agalea snarled. “Let me go now, you animal, and I’ll turn you into a frog instead of impaling you on a stake like you deserve.”
“Sweet talk isn’t going to get you out of this one.” A realization struck him, remembering her words after the challenge. “Besides, you promised you’d no longer put me in danger. I assume that means you can’t harm me or order harm to come to me.” He smiled coldly. “Now …” He tightened the chain around her wrists then reached into his boot where he’d stashed the knife from the snack table. “Tell me how to free Sevaine or I start removing pieces of you—gleefully.”
She stiffened. “You … you wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, for once I’m not lying.” He flicked the knife across her cheek, not a deep cut, but enough to make his point.
Agalea howled. A drop of red blood trickled from the wound onto the coverlet. “You’ll regret this! Your iron may keep me from accessing my magic for now, and my promise may protect you from harm, but not from imprisonment. I can be very creative when it comes to tormenting those who have wronged me. If I get free—”
“If.” He chuckled. He ripped a strip of cloth from the silk sheets and bound her more securely. No sense in being careless. This accomplished, he squeezed the tip of her nose. “Should I start with fingers, or toes?”
She whimpered, a sound that might’ve evoked some sympathy if he hadn’t so recently heard a similar noise coming from Sevaine’s lips as the queen showed her no mercy. Instead he tightened his grasp.
“Blood!” the queen gasped. “The curse can be broken by blood, but it doesn’t matter. You can’t do it anyway. It has to be the blood of someone who loves her, and you said you didn’t.”
“I think I can work with that.” He narrowed his eyes. “How much blood?”
She gritted her teeth.
“I’m not particularly patient tonight.” He waved the knife under her nose.
Her whole being shuddered. “A drop is enough! Just as long as it comes in contact with the stone that encases her.”
“Good. I can manage that.” He stood.
“Let me go! I told you what you wanted, now let me go!” she shouted.
“Not that stupid. Sorry, your highness, but I have to go save my one true love.”
Chapter Seventeen
The sounds of the party had grown boisterous. Laughter and music rose and fell like waves out of the banquet hall as Devin rushed from the palace, keeping to back ways, away from the guests. He hoped that no one would risk disturbing Agalea in her bedchamber until he was far from here, but it was better not to take chances. He needed to get to Sevaine and escape.
By the time he stumbled onto the courtyard of statues, he was out of breath. He wiped the sweat from his brow and hurried to Sevaine’s side. Kneeling before her, he touched her cheek. His heart ached, seeing her lively face locked within cold, emotionless stone. What if Agalea had deceived him? She couldn’t lie, of course, but she might have left out something that needed to be done. If this didn’t work—
Pushing doubt aside, he pricked the tip of his index finger with the knife and squeezed a single drop of blood onto the stone. He held his breath.
Like frost melting the gray gave way to the warm, natural tones of her flesh. She gasped for air and collapsed against him, quivering.
“Sev!” His throat tightened, and he gripped her to his chest. “Sevaine, are you all right?”
Her hand strayed to his cheek and into his hair. “Devin, you … you shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t have risked this. Agalea will kill you!”
“I don’t care.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll die before I let that witch separate me from you again.”
She stared up at him, her expression softening. “Oh, Dev … I … I …”
Not waiting for her to find the words, he pressed his lips against hers and held on for dear life. Slowly, her shaking stopped, but Devin found himself unable to let her go. The tightness in his chest slowly eased like a closed fist opening to release a treasure held within. He moved his lips across her cheek and into her hair. She nestled into him. Something within him broke, cracking him wide open as pain rushed from his being like blood from a wound. He’d almost lost her. Agalea had nearly wrenched Sevaine from his life. If he hadn’t been able to get her back, he would’ve gone mad, but here she was. She was safe, and warm, and real.
Afraid he’d cry, he squeezed his eyes shut and breathed in her presence as if it were the air he needed to survive.
She caressed his face and toyed with his hair. “What happened? How did you get away from Agalea?”
Her question brought him back to reality and the urgent problem of the fairy queen who wanted them both dead. Agalea’s vow protected him, but not Sevaine. He stood and pulled Sevaine to her feet. “I left her bound with an iron chain … and some shredded silk bed sheets.”
Sevaine arched an eyebrow.
He cleared his throat. “Nothing happened, thankfully. I was able to restrain her before I had to resort to anything but kissing … though even that I’m not savoring the memory of.” He cringed. “I’ll need about a thousand kisses from you to negate the ill effects of touching my mouth to hers.”
Her eyes twinkled. “I’ll be happy to start on that … as soon as we’re safe.” She cast a harried glance around the courtyard, as if expecting Agalea to step out from behind a statue. “No winged hounds?”
“No, she seems to have called those off as soon as I passed the last trial. We do need to get out of here, though. Someone might hear her screaming and free her. I want to be well away from her before that happens.”
“That’s wise. Come on! We can ride Telvido.” Taking his hand, she pulled him into a run.
Devin’s hair stood on end as they darted through the gardens. Every shadow threatened an ambush from Agalea’s guards. Every sound could be the approach of the winged hounds. However, in spite of his worry, they reached the stables unchallenged.
Telvido gave an inquisitive snort as Sevaine fitted his bridle.
“Shh, boy,” the felys girl soothed. “We’re getting out of here. Finally.”
“I thought I’d find you here.”
Sevaine froze, and Devin spun to face Olysa. The captain of the guard blocked the stable door, spear in hand, face expressionless as always. Devin wished he’d had time to grab a better weapon than a glorified butterknife. Hoping to bluff his way out of the situation, he stepped between her and Sevaine.
“Just going out for a midnight ride.” He smiled.
Olysa’s brow furrowed. “That seems a poor use of your time considering that you attacked and bound our queen not so long ago and are in the company of a person the queen has already tried to dispose of once tonight.”
Devin’s heart sank. If Olysa had already found Agalea, then the queen was probably free and looking for them. Even knowing it was no good against Olysa’s spear and magic, he drew the short blade from his pocket and held it at ready. He wasn’t going to go down without some sort of fight.
Sevaine gripped his arm, coming to his side. “Please, Olysa, let us go.”
“I intend to.” Olysa cleared her throat. “I sought you out not to bring you in, but to give you a warning. Many of the fairies have long been dissatisfied with the way Agalea rules our kingdom. The constant sacrifice of men to her long-held contest was the most blatant of her crimes, but there have been hundreds of smaller injustices.Most of the kingdom would be happy for a change of leadership. It is only her powerful magic that has preve
nted an uprising.” Olysa drew herself up straighter. “Because of this, upon finding her bound and helpless ... it was an opportunity I could not pass by.”
Devin arched his eyebrows as the implication of this statement sank in.
“You … you killed her?” Sevaine gasped.
“I choose not to answer that.” Olysa shifted from foot to foot.
“So we’re safe?” Sevaine tilted her head.
“No, as I said I came here to warn you.” Olysa swallowed. “When the queen’s body is discovered, bound by iron, and with you, Sir Devin, the last person known to be in her presence, the populace will assume that you were the one who caused her demise. I do not intend to relieve them of that misconception. Even a hated queen must be avenged in our culture. I did what I had to do, and I would do it again, but the blame will fall on you. As soon as the people become aware of her death, the search for you will begin in earnest. It would be best for you to be far from this land by the time that happens, and I would very much advise that you not return.”
Devin nodded slowly. Being unable to lie did not necessarily mean one was unable to deceive. “I will gladly take your advice.”
“There’s only so long I can delay the hunt, so I’d suggest leaving now.” Olysa eyed his knife. “Do you have any more ... substantial weapons?”
“Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to grab one.” Devin winced.
Olysa drew her saber and passed it to him. “Take this. A souvenir of your time among the fae.”
“Thank you!” Devin grinned and stuck the blade into his belt. It wasn’t the heavy, human-made shortsword he was used to, but instinct told him it was an even sturdier—and probably more valuable weapon.
“Let’s go.” Devin mounted Telvido and offered his hand to Sevaine. She settled in front of him.
“Telvido! Take us out of this kingdom,” Sevaine ordered.
Olysa stepped out of the way, and they were off.
The horse high stepped from his stall, shook his mane, and gave a delighted whinny. Then without any directions from his riders, he took off at a gallop, down the garden paths.