by Riana Lucas
There is a fae standing guard outside of the room once again. This one is much younger and new to the queen’s army. I can tell mostly because he is standing stiff, eyes alert and his hand braced tightly on the hilt of his sword. Even though there is no danger, he is more than ready to fight. The new ones are always much more serious all the time. They have something to prove and do a good job doing it. Once they are more comfortable in their role and understand their job more, they will begin to relax a bit when they are standing post in a less threatening situation like this. Instead of smiling at the guard’s too serious expression, I nod curtly. He nods in return then quickly opens the door for me.
As soon as I step into the room, I am greeted with squeals of delight and then engulfed in a huge hug, all of which are very unregal but not surprising.
My mother, of course, was the culprit, but hers was not the only voice I heard. I peek around my mother to see that Anna has her son in an equally tight hug. Reed and I both roll our eyes before turning our attention back to them.
I squeeze my mother tightly, waiting for her to release me so that I may tell her what has happened. It takes her a few moments, but she finally does. She only allows me to move back arms’ length though. She still has her hands on my upper arms as she looks me over, probably for any injuries. When she is finished and satisfied, she finally speaks but still does not let me go.
“I am so very happy you are finally home. How did everything go?” Her voice softens, as do her eyes, when she asks, “How are you?”
I understand what she means right away. She can see that I am physically okay. What she is asking is how I am emotionally. I answer honestly. “I am good.” I offer her a small but genuine smile.
“Thank the faeries,” she whispers as she pulls me into a hug once again.
“I am fine, Mother. I really am." It is so nice to say these words and actually mean them. I will never be completely okay with the way Rho was taken from me and this world. I will always carry a piece of that guilt with me as well. But now that the king and Damien are both dead and the Unseelie court will be under a new rule, I feel like I can finally move on and be happy with my life.
My mother takes a deep breath. I do the same. The fragrant mixture of lavender and sunshine move through my nose. Her smell is so distinct, yet it reminds me of so many things. I take another breath and pull myself away from her this time. There are still a lot of things I need to tell her, and two very important discussions that need to be had.
“I need to tell you what happened, and what still needs to be done.” I glance over at Anna and Rowan, who are standing close to Reed, then glance at the room around us. “Are you busy? Is this a good time?” I am a little embarrassed at not taking that into consideration before I stepped into the room.
“Of course, we have plenty of time. I would prefer to stay here, though, if that is okay?” asks Rowan.
“That will be fine.” I glance around again. When my gaze catches the couches in the corner, I motion to them. “Let’s sit, and I can tell you everything that happened.”
“Wait, where are Holly and Thorne?” asks my mother. I can hear the anxiety in her voice.
“They are fine, mother, I promise,” I quickly reassure her. “Holly was in a bit of a …umm, she’s mad about something. I am not sure what. She stomped off as soon as we arrived, and Thorne followed her.”
My mother’s eyes grow heavy with concern, and I know that she is thinking the same as us. The disease is getting stronger.
“Do not worry about her. You know how Holly is. She will be fine…” My voice trails off when the door opens up. A disgruntled looking Holly and determined looking Thorne walk through the door. Although Holly looks furious at being made to come join us, her eyes soften when she sees my mother. Then she looks at me and they harden once again. I do not know what I have done this time, but I just roll my eyes and turn back to my mother. I do not have time to play Holly’s games right now.
I take my mother’s hand and lead the way over to the couches. Once everyone is seated or standing close, I quickly tell them of the events that took place, from the moment we left the Seelie castle until we arrived home once again. I tell them of Skye saving us from being discovered and how well he controlled the feral disease. I tell them of Damien’s cowardice and of his death. I even tell them about the destruction of the king’s throne. They are happy to hear of these events and even happier to learn that although our people suffered some injuries, there were no deaths on our side.
They also do not miss one word of my explanation of leaving Skye in charge and telling him that I would be returning home to hopefully convince someone I know to take over the Unseelie court. While my mother was relieved to know that I would not be taking over as their queen, I see her eyes dart nervously to Rowan. She knows who I think will be a good candidate, and she feels the same as I do. I can also see that she is worried he will not accept, which will leave me in the running once again.
When I am finished with my explanation and account of events, I turn to Rowan. My eyes instantly move to his family beside him. Anna is watching him anxiously as well, her hand holding his tightly. Reed, sensing his mother’s unease, places his hand comfortingly on her shoulder. She reaches up with her free hand to hold onto his. Rowan is not looking at them. He is looking back at me.
He knows. What I am asking is clear; I do not have to spell it out or say the words aloud for them to understand my meaning. But I do anyway.
“I know that I should be the one to do this. Not only do I have Unseelie blood running through my veins, but I am also the king's daughter. Therefore, I am the rightful heir to the throne. I also know that it is selfish of me, but I cannot do it myself. Not only do I not know where to even begin to run an entire court, but there are too many awful memories there. I cannot run that court with an open mind or lack of prejudice. I will see Rho every time I turn around, and I know that I will blame some, if not all of them, for her death. I know that it is a lot to ask and I have no right to ask it of you, but I would be honored if you would do it. I would like for you, Rowan, to become king of the Unseelie court.”
There is no sound when I am finished. The room is eerily silent. I am looking at Rowan, but I can still see Anna out of the corner of my eye. Her eyes are blinking quickly as if she is trying to focus. I think back and realize that my words came out so fast that no one probably understood what I was even asking. I brace myself to say them all over again, but Reed speaks up before I can begin.
“You were clear and completely understandable, Poppy. I think everyone is just letting your words sink in.” He says this soft and low, but of course, the others can still hear. We are all sitting within a few feet of one another.
My mother looks up sharply at his words, but seeing that the others are not shocked by his revealing that he knew what I was thinking, her expression turns from concern to questioning. I shrug slightly but shake my head no. Now is not the time to discuss that. I will fill her in on the details of that accident later. Once Rowan has declined my offer, which is what I am sure he will do.
I am therefore completely shocked and humbled when Rowan releases Anna’s hand before stepping around the couch and stopping directly in front of me. Meeting my gaze with a determined look, he slowly lowers himself to one knee and places his closed fist over his heart. Only when he bows his head to look at the ground does he break eye contact.
“Rowan…” I begin to tell him it is not necessary for him to be on his knees in front of me. He is Reed’s father, so he is one of the last people I want showing me this sort of respect. It should be the other way around. But before I can tell him this he begins to speak, cutting off what would have been my objection.
“Princess Poppy of the Seelie and Unseelie courts, it is with great honor that I accept your offer the become the king of the Unseelie court. In doing so, I would also like to let it be known that you will now and forever more be the princess of the Unseelie court for as long as I s
hall rule there. You will always be welcomed there with open arms and your input will always be heard as well.”
Now it is I that cannot seem to stop blinking my eyes. I look at the others, all of whom seem proud of what has happened. Even Anna. I was afraid she would be the one to protest, wishing to keep as far away from that court as possible. But the pride and love shining so brightly in her eyes as she gazes at Rowan’s kneeling form surprises me.
I hear someone clear her throat. I look over to see my mother nodding toward Rowan, indicating that I should say something. “Oh! Sorry.” I look back at Rowan to see his shoulders shake slightly. I smile because I know that he is laughing at me. “Rowan, please rise,” I tell him quickly.
When he stands up once again, his eyes are as bright as the smile on his face. “Thank you, Poppy.”
“No, thank you, Rowan. I had no right to ask, but I am so grateful you accepted. I am not ashamed to admit how scared I was at the possibility of having to rule over that court.”
“You had every right and your reasons were more than valid. You are still so young, Poppy, and have already been through so much. You deserve to take a break and be a kid.”
My chin immediately hitches up. “I am not a kid,” I say, a bit more annoyed than I should be with someone who is doing me such a huge favor.
Rowan only smiles. “To me, you are just a child, so young to have been through so much. You deserve some peace and time with your family and friends. It will be a great honor to help give that to you.”
My shoulders ease, and I offer an embarrassed smile. He is right. I glance at Anna, still worried about her. She notices and speaks up immediately. “Don’t worry about me, Poppy. I’ve been through so much already that living at the Unseelie court will be fine. As long as I have Rowan to protect me, everything will be perfect.”
“Are you sure, Anna?" The thought of a human in the midst of those Unseelie fae makes me very nervous.
“Yes, I will be fine. Besides, I will have my son as well.”
Now my body tenses again, but for a different reason. I had not thought about the possibility of Reed wanting to stay with his mother at the Unseelie court. I had not thought about the fact that Reed may wish to leave me so that he can help protect his mother, or that he will probably want to stay with his father and get to know him better. I look nervously at him, but Anna speaks up quickly, having guessed my fears.
“I am sure you two will visit us often. I know you do not like it there and I understand if it takes some time for you to be able to come. But I do expect to see both of you on a regular basis once things are in order over there.” Her tone is so motherly, and her words are exactly what I wanted to hear. I cannot help the emotions that pour through me, making my eyes tear up. I let out a shaky breath, trying to calm myself down.
“Of course, Anna. We will come often, I promise.” Realizing what I could lose, the thought of returning to the Unseelie castle is suddenly a lot less scary.
Another throat clearing comes gently from my mother. “Thank you, Rowan, so very much for this. You have no idea what it means to me to be able to keep my daughter home with me for a while longer.”
“Yes, I think I do,” Rowan answers, but his eyes are on his son.
“I think you might be right,” says my mother softly in return. Everyone remains quiet for a moment, silently thinking about all that has happened and what is to come.
My mother once again clears her throat. “Now that all of that is settled for the moment, I think there is more to discuss.”
I give her a questioning look.
“Why does it appear that everyone knows that you and Reed are soul mates?”
Oh, that.
16
“Huh?” I ask dumbly at the change of topic I am not prepared for.
“I said—” she pauses for emphasis “—why do your friends know that you and Reed are soul mates?" One pale blonde eyebrow is raised in question.
As the words leave my mother’s lips, my friends immediately perk up. All except for Holly, who lets out a loud sigh before she turns her face away from the group—but not before I see the scowl on her face deepen. What could I have possibly done to make her so angry with me now?
Knowing that I will probably never know, I look at my mother once again, but she is watching Holly as well. Her concern is very clear on her face. Sensing me watching her, she turns toward me. She clears the emotion from her face before prompting me to answer her question.
“Umm…well, it just sort of slipped out.” I cringe when I realize that my answer is not really a good explanation. I look to Reed for help but he just shrugs, looking equally uncomfortable.
“And how, my dear daughter, did it just slip out?”
“Umm, well, ahh…” I stop to clear my throat. “Well, Reed…”
“For. Faery’s. Sake!" Holly yells. She stands up quickly, slamming her hands down on the couch when she does. Her outburst and quick movements startle everyone. There are a few gasps and squeals, one of which may or may not have come from me. Then everyone freezes, each of us concerned that we may trigger the disease.
“Holly? Dear, are you okay?” my mother asks slowly and quietly.
“Yes.” Her words are a low growl, forced out between gritted teeth. I watch her eyes. They are clear and bright, but angry.
“What’s wrong, my child?”
“I am not your child,” Holly grits out.
My mother lets out a soft gasp, her hand flying to her chest. I can instantly see the hurt in her eyes. This makes me angry. I do not know what is going on with Holly, but there is no reason for her to hurt my mother like this.
“Holly,” I say with a warning growl of my own.
Her eyes snap to mine, narrowing as she speaks in clipped, angry words. “Do not talk to me.”
I look into her eyes, searching for any sign of the feral disease seeping in. It has to be the cause for such sudden anger. My confusion grows, though, at seeing no indication of the disease. There is no red seeping in; her eyes are not fogging with confusion. “Why?” I ask hesitantly, watching her closely.
“Stop looking at me like that!” she snaps.
“Umm, okay.” I glance at Thorne who is watching her closely as well. He takes a small step every couple of seconds, trying to get closer to her. Holly sees my gaze shoot to him, and hers does as well.
She shoots her hand out, “Stop! I am not going crazy. This has nothing to do with the disease.” He nods but does not take his eyes off her. Her eyes snap back to me. “I am just so sick of you!” she sneers. She looks and sounds very much like the Holly I first met, the one that wanted to kill me.
“Holly?” my mother asks softly.
Holly looks at my mother and her eyes fill with such sadness it breaks my heart. She speaks softer to my mother. “Why? Why does she get it all? She left. I was here. You were my mother. Then she came back and took you away. I tried. I actually started to like her. But I am so sick of her getting everything. She comes in here and gets you, becomes best friends with Willow, wins Gideon and Thorne over, and now this. She gets to be soul mates with Reed. Why does she get everything and I get nothing?” Her voice gets softer and softer as tears began to leak from the corners of her eyes. My mother’s and my own face are wet with tears as well. Holly is in so much pain and she blames me for all of. This thought rips me apart.
I take a step toward Holly. I am not sure what I plan to do, but I know that she needs someone. My mother reaches her hand out and stops me. I look up. She shakes her head once then motions toward the door. Then she lets go and walks softly and slowly toward Holly. I watch nervously, afraid Holly is going to turn away from her, but she does not. When my mother reaches her, Holly collapses against her as sobs begin to tear from her throat. I glance at the others. They are looking at Holly with sadness and sympathy. I clear my throat softly to gain their attention and then nod toward the door. They take the cue.
We all walk quietly from the room.
&nbs
p; As soon as we are all in the hall, Anna and Rowan are both at my side. Anna wraps her arms around me. Again I am struck by the odd feeling of being completely shielded by someone that is so much smaller than I am. But Anna has a way of doing just that, taking you in her arms as if she is protecting you from the world around you. Anna’s protection allows my guard to drop and let Holly’s accusations begin to run through my head. I can feel my body trembling slightly and my stomach rolling at the thought of causing her so much pain.
“Poppy,” Rowan calls my name but waits to continue until I have lifted my eyes to focus on him. “Poppy, what Holly said was not true. I need you to know that this is a symptom of the disease. Most do not see this side of it because the unclaimed hide away from others, but it is there. The disease has a way of not only making you bloodthirsty but extremely sad as well. Any feelings one might already have become a hundred times stronger. We get scared of what is happening to us and that only makes it worse. We lash out at those we love, blaming them for something we are trying so hard to understand, but can’t.”
I listen to Rowan’s words as I pull myself from Anna. She lets me do this, but keeps one of my hands firmly in her grip. “But at least some of this is true. These feelings are coming from somewhere. She blames me for her life being destroyed.”
“Yes, I am sure she does hold some resentment toward you. But is that really a surprise? We all know Holly and the history between the two of you. She has come a long way and so has your friendship, but there is still a piece of herself that she has been holding back. You know that. But she never acted this way before and if the disease had not begun to set in, she never would have. She would have laid the final piece of resentment to rest eventually and been happy with her life. Only now that the disease is taking effect and her life has become chaos again, she is lashing out at you. She is scared and confused. She has no one to blame, so she blames you. You cannot take it personally. You have to do all you can to help her, starting with convincing her to stay here at the Seelie castle and get treatment. That is the only way any of this will ever get better.”