by Melody Rose
He was stately and certainly had the build and air of an army General, with skin that was a striking shade of copper. The gold in his eyes was distinct and almost shined. His dark brown hair was just long enough to hang on his forehead, and he’d started to grow stubble on the lower half of his face from being in a cell for so long. But the most significant thing about this man was the way he looked at the woman I loved.
There’d been a moment of vulnerability before we left the fae world, but once he looked around the study in the Moonstone Castle, his demeanor seemed to harden again. As Myrcedes went out of her way to ask this now destitute pariah what he needed, I watched him avoid her gaze as much as possible, finding anything in the room to look at besides the woman speaking to him mere minutes after she saved his life. When he did look at her, it seemed condescending, as if speaking to her were beneath him.
I cleared my throat to grab the attention of them both. “I must insist that you acknowledge and look at the Queen when she speaks to you, Seelie.”
Myrcedes looked dumbfounded and… embarrassed? I wasn’t quite sure why. She had no reason to care what this creature thought of her. He was already indebted to her for his life. I knew the council had been planning to kill him until we showed up, and she knew it too.
Kalian’s sharp jaw tensed, and he adjusted his posture, which only served to make him look more like, well, an asshole. “My apologies, your Majesty.”
“Um…” Myrcedes muttered. “It’s fine. Uh, I was saying… what do you know about them, the council members?”
He kept eye contact with her as he answered, which somehow pissed me off even more. “I know them all. They’re the oldest fae and were close to the Queen. They called themselves her advisors, but… Death had a point. Minerva didn’t exactly take advice. She took praise.”
I could see in the Queen’s eyes that her mind was racing.
“You suspect some of them were involved in Minerva’s plot against you?” I clarified.
“No,” she shook her head. “I’m certain they were.”
“Her plan to kidnap the Kings?” Kalian questioned.
“No. All of it. To kidnap them, to kill me, as far back as when she killed my family, my parents…” Myrcedes trailed off as she spoke. She’d confided in me a few days before about her parents. It had never bothered her before she could remember them. She’d just accepted they’d died or given her up when she was young, and that had been enough to satisfy her. But since she’d accessed those memories Minerva had stolen, they were almost all she could think about in her spare time. She remembered the way her mother made her cereal before school, how her father always held her hand on the sidewalk, and the songs they’d sung to her as she fell asleep. Even though Minerva was dead, it had only just begun to hit Myrcedes how much the Unseelie had taken from her.
I gently rested my hand on her shoulder. She looked up, and I could see how hard it was for her not to cry. It wasn’t an emotion I had experienced very much of, but I’d seen grief so much that I knew it well. I thought of all the times I’d helped a soul pass from the world and watched their family mourn, the way they’d hold one another, and surrender to the pain. Watching Daath get tortured before my eyes had finally given me a real perspective on that pain. To see Myrcedes fight it now, all I wanted was to hold her as I’d seen others do millions of times. I wanted to let her surrender the way people had to surrender to grief in order to finally move on. I knew, though, that now was not the time.
I sensed my brother’s presence before he arrived and looked at the place where he materialized a second later.
“Daath,” Myrcedes crossed to him and took his hand. “Is everything alright? Why did you stay behind?”
He smiled at her and brushed her hair behind her ear, addressing the room as he answered. “I wanted to get a better sense of their current situation, and it’s a good thing I did.”
“What did you learn?” I asked.
“The laws dictate that for a new monarch to be chosen, the fae council must decide by unanimous vote. That was likely a clever way to ensure no one except Minerva could ever rule because the council can’t agree on what to have for lunch, much less who should rule. Additionally, every fae qualified to be the next monarch is on the council, and they all want to rule. They’re in a hopeless deadlock at the moment.”
“So, what will happen?” Myrcedes frowned. “Until they choose a new King or Queen, Kalian can’t get his ruling overturned.”
“True,” Daath nodded. “And I don’t have a solution for that yet. In the meantime, however, I suggested to the council a temporary fix. We have a reaper, Serriah, who’s an elf. Seelie and Unseelie have only ever been in power in the fae realm, but elves are fae as well. I offered her services as a general peacekeeper for the time being. She wouldn’t have much power, but she could rule on minor issues, and give the people of the realm someone to look up to so they don’t feel so lost.”
“And the council agreed to that?” Kalian’s brow knit on his forehead.
“They didn’t have any other choice,” Daath smirked. “They’re in too much disagreement to offer a cohesive voice on anything, and their citizens are already growing restless without someone to follow. Besides, I reminded them that they did just punish the man who saved both my brother and me from the corrupt disease that was their Queen right in front of her victims. I can be very persuasive.”
He grinned devilishly. I could have laughed. I loved seeing him so confident; it undoubtedly boded well for us.
“Did you learn anything else about the council and whether they were involved-”
“Yes,” Daath cut Myrcedes off hesitantly. “I did take the opportunity to pry. I was subtle, but even so, none of them had specific memories. They all had feelings of guilt associated with you, but that could just be from what you had to go through because of Minerva.”
Her face fell, and she shook her head. “No… I don’t believe that.”
Daath frowned. “I’m sorry, my love. I wish I had a more satisfying answer for you. Perhaps we should make our way to dinner. Surely that will make us all feel better?” He stroked Myrcedes’ cheek. A blush pooled in her skin, and she stepped away, looking to the Seelie.
“Actually, I still have some questions for Kalian. Just a few more. I’ll meet you both at dinner. I shouldn’t be long.” She spoke softly before kissing each of our cheeks and pulling out a chair, inviting Kalian to join her. The Seelie’s expression was now one of utter contempt, and he had returned to avoiding her gaze.
I heard Daath’s voice in my mind. What the hell is happening?
I’m not sure, I responded, stepping out of the room and pacing absentmindedly down the hallway. She has an interest in him.
Why does he look at her that way?
He tries not to look at her at all. It’s disrespectful.
She’s the only reason the jackass is alive! his voice grew frustrated. We began to make our way to the dining hall. I reminded myself what Myrcedes had said before about needing to trust her… and trust her I did.
I don’t trust him.
Agreed.
We entered the dining hall just as the rest of the castle’s residents were flooding in for dinner. As usual, there was a quick hush around the room as we entered. People were scattered everywhere from the door to the tables, some sitting and eating already while others had barely just begun their pre-meal gossip. With a quick nod from my brother and me, the room returned to its flurry of activity. There were quite a few long tables; we made our way to the one at the front of the room that had two empty seats we always occupied. Next to one of those seats stood two men in conversation with one another, both broad and threatening in appearance.
Maluc and Hestus were the gargoyles that lived on the steps of the palace, guarding the entrance. They were experienced and advanced fighters that had defended our interests in many a war. When perched and on watch, the two were covered in stone and unmoving, but when they needed or wanted, however, t
hey could shed the layer of stone, revealing rough, light gray skin, and move like normal people. The two brothers looked very aggressive with wide, square features, but we’d come to know them as kind-hearted and friendly. They’d adored Myrcedes from the moment they’d met her, and we knew if anyone were to be trusted, it was them.
I wasted no time with pleasantries as we approached them at the table. “The Seelie General is back.” The gargoyles immediately took on a defensive stance, preparing for some sort of conflict, but I held up a hand to calm them. “No, he’s here as a guest.”
Hestus had never looked so confused in the centuries I’d known him. “Your Highness…”
“Myrcedes saved him from the fae council,” Daath explained. “They were going to execute him for Minerva’s murder… but they stripped him of his title as punishment for treason. So the Queen invited him… here.”
The gargoyles brothers’ sharp features were already stony in nature, but they almost seemed to harden, if that was possible. Despite our own frustration and distrust, Daath seemed amused at their reaction. “Not much honor amongst warriors, I see.”
Hestus clenched his jaw. “No, sir. As a warrior and the one who helped save you both, I have the utmost respect for him.”
“But?” I raised an eyebrow.
Maluc averted his eyes before returning to meet my gaze. “I wouldn’t get comfortable around Minerva’s second-in-command myself, my King.”
“Good,” I nodded. “We aren’t, either.”
“Myrcedes, however,” Daath took a deep breath to stop himself from gritting his teeth, “seems quite at home.” His expression shifted, and his eyes narrowed.
The gargoyles received the message. Both nodded and concluded with a slight bow. Both Daath and I relaxed a bit. Knowing these two would keep an eye on him, especially how he interacted with our Queen, was a relief. Our fears weren’t alleviated entirely, but this was reassuring, at least.
It was about fifteen minutes later that the pair finally joined us for dinner. Maluc and Hestus had done a good job of warning most everyone that the Seelie was going to begin staying here, but there was still a shocked buzz of commotion once he finally entered the room, and with Myrcedes, no less. I found myself trying not to look in their direction, which felt childish as soon as I noticed I was guilty of it. Myrcedes had begun introducing him to people as soon as they entered, and she brought him with her once she finally sat down next to Daath to eat. The Seelie didn’t look at anyone as he sat on the other side of our Queen. I felt the edge of my mouth twitch into a sneer in annoyance at the pompous air he gave off.
“Did you enjoy your chat?” I heard Daath ask, aggravation clear in his voice.
Myrcedes blinked, immediately taken aback by his tone. “Excuse me?”
“I only asked if you enjoyed your conversation?” he said with no intention of acknowledging his passive meaning.
“Yes…” she spoke slowly, confused by his sudden cold tone. Her reaction distressed me, but I understood why my brother spoke the way he did. “Kalian is going to tell me more about the members of the council and see if anything can help us determine which of them were responsible.”
I sensed a surge of guilt in Daath’s mind as he remembered, as we both remembered, what she had been through for our sake. I sighed with a sense of disappointment in myself. Of course, she only wanted information from Kalian. That made sense, and for us not to understand that was an insult to her…
“Kalian,” Daath said after dinner. “Let me show you where you’ll be staying.”
As the Seelie stood to follow my brother, Myrcedes got up to give him a quick goodbye and promise to see him soon. I stood with her and leaned against the table, trying to hide my annoyance. I found it ironic how the creature that had spent all night seemingly annoyed with Myrcedes’ existence, let alone her concern for him and her company, now looked almost panicked as he separated from her. He gave a slight unceremonial bow as he bid her and me goodnight and followed my brother.
“Thank you,” she said softly once they had disappeared down the hall.
“For what?” I tilted my head.
“I…” she sighed, clearly unhappy to admit what she was about to say. “I know I should have asked before I invited him to stay here, but it was the right thing to do after what he did for us. I know he makes you both uncomfortable. So thank you for being less of an ass about it than Daath.” She smirked slightly to let me know she was mostly joking. I gave her a slight smile in return and nodded.
“Anything for you, your Majesty.”
“Stop that,” she rolled her eyes.
“Why?” I glanced around. There were still people lingering in the dining hall, chattering away. I took a step toward her and put the crook of my finger under her chin, lifting her face to meet mine. “You’re a Queen. Shouldn’t you be addressed as such?”
I watched as blood rushed to her cheeks, and they turned a mouthwatering shade of pink. Beautiful. I leaned down and gently kissed her underneath her earlobe on her jaw and whispered, “Would you like to retire to your room for the night, Highness?” I kissed a bit lower on her neck. “Let me show you how much you deserve to be worshipped…”
She bit her quivering lip to keep from moaning in the middle of an occupied room and nodded slightly. I grinned at her response, and in a second, we jumped to her room. It took me a moment to realize it hadn’t been me that initiated the jump. She must have been that excited.
Once we were in private, I kissed her neck more forcefully, my hand traveling from where it rested on her shoulder across her collarbone to gently wrap around her neck. She took a sharp breath as my fingers squeezed the side of her neck, and I felt her swallow hard under my palm. I slid my other hand down her body until I reached the border of her pants.
Take them off. Her voice rang through my mind as something between commanding and begging. Either way, I was more than happy to comply.
With a snap, her pants disappeared along with my cloak, and my hand traveled the rest of the way to stop between her legs.
“My love,” I growled softly. “You’re far too tense. Relax for me…”
“You get me far too excited to relax,” she purred, pushing her hips forward so that my fingers hit her clit.
I chuckled and pushed her back against the wall. “I know exactly what you mean.” The look in her eyes was a beautiful mixture of vulnerable desire and absolute lust. I kissed her hard, flexing the fingers between her legs as I began to massage her. She was already so wet, and I wanted so badly to fuck her right then, but I meant what I said about worshipping her the way she deserved.
I grabbed her hips with both hands and lifted her up to wrap her legs around me. My lips never separated from hers as I laid her beautiful figure down on the bed. She moaned as my lips showered her with kisses, beginning at her jaw and moving down her neck, stopping periodically to suck on certain spots I knew would get a reaction.
Her hands wove their way through my hair as I made my way down her torso, across her hips, and kissed her thighs, making her shudder. I smiled and kissed her clit before flicking it with my tongue. She emitted a chorus of gasps and moans as I sucked softly and stroked the outside of her pussy, teasing her before sliding one finger inside and thrusting it in and out of her. I alternated between moving both my tongue and my fingers slowly and sensually as well as rough and hard.
Every moan from her lips encouraged me to keep going. I added another finger inside her and began to move with much more purpose and force. Her moans began to escalate, music to my ears. I heard her beg me to keep going, and she gripped my hair harder. I continued at the same pace until she came, happily taking the opportunity to lick up as much of her juices as I could.
“Syrion.” She spoke my name with such a breathless desire that I felt my own desire flare within me. I crawled up the bed until we were face to face, wiping her off my mouth with the back of my hand, an unmistakable smirk on my lips.
“Yes, my Queen?”
“I love you, too.”
She shifted, so that she was on her knees, and I felt her raise up her lower back, lifting until she was high enough to meet my tip with her lips. She lowered herself down slowly, inch by inch, teasing me with every twitch. Before she could get all the way down, I grabbed her hips and slammed them against mine. We both moaned as our bodies collided, and I began to thrust up and down as she rode me. I kept one hand firmly on her hips to guide her as our bodies moved together, while the other hand traveled up to wrap around her neck. We continued to move together, and I eventually moved my hand from her hip to play with her clit once again. I sped up and slowed down, matching the rhythm she set with me, until we finally both came together, her voice mixing with mine, echoing through the room and into the night.
7
Myrcedes
Syrion thought we should wait until another day when I hadn’t worn myself out, and maybe he was right. I had been waiting to ask them to take me to the Floor of Dreams for days, though, and after learning everything I had learned that day, I couldn’t wait anymore. I needed to see if it would give me answers about the council, about who was responsible.
I recalled what Daath had told me months ago, that it was an exhausting experience, and that the Floor took you on a journey you had to prepare for. I tried to ask Syrion as we climbed the staircase what that meant, but he didn’t seem to have an answer.
“I don’t know how to describe it. But I think you’re ready to experience it yourself,” he assured me. This wasn’t as assuring as I wished it was. My stomach churned with every step, and my nerves kept multiplying, but I had to know what I would see.
“What are you hoping to see, exactly?”
“I want to know who exactly helped Minerva hurt my family.”