“No, cuz’ I know what’s in your mind now.”
Ian laughed full out this time. “And you don’t like it?”
I recanted, “No, I’ve changed my mind on that part, but it does have its certain disadvantages.”
“Only if you see it that way,” he said wryly and took the bread in his hands and broke off a piece for me. I saw the steam lifting in the air from it sending its yeasty aroma all around. Mmm!
“Okay, good point. However am I to accept that others know what we’ve been doing and face them?”
He smiled down at me, something flashing in his eyes. He was so ape man sometimes. I tried to be embarrassed about it, but somehow that part was complimentary. “I rather think that’s the part I like the most.”
“You would, you’re the man.”
“And you are ashamed?” his eyes were still on the bread as he buttered his own now. I held mine in the air and watched him. He didn’t like the idea of me being embarrassed.
“No, that’s not it at all. I just think what I do with my husband is my business.”
“Agreed, but the knowing can’t be helped. All manner of creatures procreate, Grace.”
He still hadn’t looked at me. “That’s not what I’d call it, but—never mind.” Frustration settled in. Who says procreate?
Now, now his eyes found mine. “The fact that we were completely happy doing what every other married couple do— all night long— shouldn’t embarrass you. I am aware that I am a guy and I am very aware that you are a girl.” My already burning cheeks lit on fire. “But for others to know we did the most amazing things to each other last night and allowed that to happen is more like a shout out that you are mine and no one else will have you.”
Oh, that is what he worried that I thought. Men really are from the Mars kind of thinking and just when I think I get him, I don’t. I whispered the words separated by spaces of air, “I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
“That’s all I want.”
All? “Then no more talking to those girls who try to talk to you all the time when I’m not around,” I sounded jealous and immature but I wanted my say in the “mine” matters.
His smile reached up to his eyes with certain scary look that he often displayed elsewhere, but never me, “As well for you.”
He had a valid point. He meant Kin and Pike. That wouldn’t be a problem, I think. I put down the bread and watched his eyes follow mine as I stood up. As daring as I was not, right then I wanted what I wanted. When my hand reached the tie on my robe, he dropped the bread knife he still held onto letting it hit the plate and the clang echoed for a few seconds as he stayed frozen. Brazen Grace was a brand new person.
Chapter Forty Four
echo-n. a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to a listener.
Hearing Ian now was odd. His voice resonated with a dark angel bell echo. “You sound different.”
How? he asked.
“I..I..don’t know. It’s just angelic-like.” Wrong mental picture but it seemed to have made him puff his chest out either way. “So what’s different about me?” I ventured to ask regretting it instantly.
He smiled up from the bed propping himself on one elbow and watched me intently. “I am not sure I can put it in words.”
Bad or good? I wasn’t sure I wanted him to answer.
All good.
I jumped at hearing him answer me in my head making me all queasy inside. It was like a switch was flipped every few seconds.
“I can’t get used to that yet. And you are sure no one else will hear us, like, talking to each other?”
“Oh, I was sure to ask Altheon and Lazyra that a hundred times. I assure you, we have privacy.” He rolled over onto his back letting out a sigh of relief I guessed from the surety of anyone knowing our private thoughts and the very lucid mental pictures.
He asked? How scary!
Why is it scary, as you say?
“Okay, Ian. You’re going to have to scan my thoughts and consider if I want to be asked?”
He laughed instead to the negative reaction I’d guessed halfway through saying it that it might conjure. “I’ve been tapped out of your wonderfully quizzical mind for an entire year. Please don’t deny me the joy of exploring it. After all, it was amazingly vivid last night.”
Yee gods. IAN. Please! I begged with my mind.
He walked his fingers slowly up my bare leg under the covers and across my stomach resting on the side of my hip where he knew well now I was very ticklish. I braced for impact. When he didn’t go forward, I opened one eye to see what he might be doing and was met with the swirl of his even more vibrant green eyes. In fact, they were otherworldly green like my own now.
The whole night was amazing and terrifying and finally the best night ever on the scale of “hands down” wow. I account that all to who I was with. He made it that perfect because of who he was all the way around.
He leaned in closer still leaving me to speculate where his next move was. “I don’t ever want you to think that I didn’t love every single second of the best night of my life. I want to relive it again tonight and tomorrow and the next.” He kissed my nose. I decided I loved the new echo in his voice. It was sexier than ever and not a bit angelic like I’d termed it.
And who said he was ever not good with words?
You said that?
Ian, stay out of my head! I blew out a breath.
“Never. But for now, I’ll at least behave and not answer back all the time if that will help you. Not silently, that is.” He smiled, happy.
“Thanks,” I kissed him fast on the corner of his neck where he smelled divine. It was a small win. Not a hardship, just a detail to get used to. I wasn’t completely lost to the idea that he could read me when I wanted it most or even when I wanted a private moment when no one else could sense or read us. The idea was very intriguing. “You smell the same to me.” I kept running my mouth like a faucet. It was going to catch up to me sooner or later. He called it quizzical, more like open mouth insert foot traffic talk.
He laughed. He’d been listening again. “Sorry, again. And you smell the same to me. Your scent is actually stronger, floral with an added sweetness to it.”
I blushed for sure. “Are we ever leaving the room,” I questioned where Sarah could be. Knowing he was probably listening I marveled to ask, “Will you block me out sometimes?”
He thought on this shortly and started to slowly move his hand higher than my ticklish waistline, “Um, don’t you think it would be wise during business meetings and your book clubs and such. The conversations could get heated if I break in to send a mental picture of what I’d like to do to you when I—“
I stopped his hand moving up even more and blocked at the same time. I giggled as he attacked.
“Maybe I don’t want you to be so perceptive of me?” I counter attacked his threat.
“Oh, Grace. That is far from the truth. If I allowed for one minute to turn a blind eye on your beautiful girlish needs, I’d be in the doghouse and you know it. No ignoring, you said. You are all I think about. You’re what I breathe. I was suckered for you long ago and have no problem yelling to the world that I will do and be your every wish if it means I have you. So perceptive I will be if it serves to make you happy.”
An hour later, we surfaced out of the room.
Sarah was there, ready for action. Ian kissed me for the show of it and greeted Bane at the doorway to the main hall noting his eye color change already. She knew my needed answers without asking.
“No, you smell the same to me,” she whispered as low as she could.
My shoulders hunched in sore relief. “And my appearance?”
She eyed me carefully, “Nothing Grace.” I relaxed even more as I led the way into the room. The second I stepped up to Ian the room bowed in submission including Bane and Sarah. Not a second later they were bobbing their heads to wait for us to be seated, so I scurried to th
e table and sat before Ian could properly move my chair back the way he would have liked. He frowned at me, but I was out of the limelight and that’s what I wanted. He purposefully leaned over and kissed my mouth with a larger than normal smack.
Breathing in, out. In, out. Where is Pike?
Ian’s head shot to me. Bloody brilliant. “Um, shouldn’t he be watching the court for you since you’ve been out of commission?” I chose to wink at him and give into to his public PDA he loved to flaunt in front of others claiming to feel needy in saying I was his.
He gave that deadly sexy bad boy smile and accepted the punch from Bane on the shoulder in the guy fashion of a “good job there". I played on it to keep him from asking about Pike by saying, “Ian, better make sure Pike’s available again tonight and the next.”
Ian’s shocked face when I mentally shot him a heated picture of what he’d certainly remember every second of the rest of the day was priceless. And Bane’s uncomfortable state of mind was none the better. Brave Grace was getting attuned quickly to how to read her man.
Sarah slapped my leg under the table. “Behave, my queen.”
“When he does,” I said loud enough.
Ian joined me at the table with Bane on his other side. Sarah wasn’t allowed to leave my side today, I made sure of it. Consequently, neither did Ian or Bane. Seeing Pike would be harder than I thought.
We lounged all day with our two best friends in the library, drinking coffee, and even invited Bane and Sarah to our trampoline. I decided afterward I kind of like it better when it was a private thing now that well, the advantages of marriage were available to us. I could at least officially say to any other girl, human or Fey, it was worth the wait. Feeling like this and sharing what we did that was with no other—it was just amazing. It was first and foremost the single most top of the list best day after of my life. I would continue the list, but nothing before now could top it.
Once he called me a kitten. He explained in his own way how my “lioness” comes out strong with my kitten ways always staying on the edge of sweet and perfect. He really thinks of me that way?
I had only one highly blushable moment throughout the day after. Apparently, my new found powers included being able to see vividly accurate pictures of me reliving our first night together. He could even tap into them and interrupt them or alter them with his own thoughts. I had a feeling there wasn't a limit to what we could experience together.
Getting used to Fey way of life was ever a new challenge daily even after a year of living here. Somehow, it was different as a married woman.
I spent the better part of every morning enjoying my new trees given to me as yet another wedding present. Several fruit trees and a baby maple.
I can sense a lot now. My scent sensor was super strong in the Ian department especially. We were both very aware of where each was at all times.
Ian can sense when someone breaks into my mind. He likes this new found power. No one can get into “his wife’s wiring without him knowing” he said. I had to laugh at that. Without fail.
I could glamour well now too. I could even glamour well enough to get into a place without anyone knowing like Ian used to do. Probably still does. Of course, Pike and Kin could always do it too, but it was new to me.
Hearing others was great and even greater when I could block it all. It was just the fact that I had to make an effort to block now as opposed to trying to hear it. Pike was just the same. I could hear him, he could hear me but it was only when we wanted to. I had yet to see him.
With Ian it was constant. Disturbing more than all, Kin’s was stronger.
I tried to alter my own dream last night taking the original one from all of my teenage years and trying to make the ending just perfect. I managed to even place it in Ian’s head before he woke. That was fun.
I didn’t see Pike till dinner the next day. He was gone. I worried why he’d stayed gone, but ignorance was bliss sometimes.
“And?” He knew what I wanted to know. His eyes darted sideways with the intention of avoiding the subject but he gave in. He nodded swallowing hard and fast. Other men knew I was marked.
I remained happy each of every second Pike turned his head my way at the table offering him warm smiles and nothing more. I blocked my mind from him and had no problem feeling strong and powerful when with Pike. They all three were like that to me. Pike was the brother I never had. He didn’t see it this way, but I was comforted by his presence and he knew it.
Ian knew all of this. Climbing in the bed, he pulled me close. Freshly showered and smelling of the woods and mint like I loved, I took him in inch by inch.
I smiled, in love. “I love you.”
“I love you more.”
Chapter Forty Five
revealed- v. 1. make known to others 2. cause or allow to be seen
All four of us are linked in this cataclysmic tangled web of destiny and it was high time we all came to terms with it. That’s why I feel drawn to all of them. King Sane said something that caught my attention and now resurfaced for discussion. I get the feeling there was a puzzle piece hidden inside his psyche. Somewhere on the edges of my brain I see the piece fitting together like a separate piece altogether. Like…like another prophecy. THAT’s IT! I never heard the other prophecy. Did it matter, no, but it would hang in the air if left unseen.
Altheon said once when I claimed Ian as my king that the first of a prophecy had come to pass. Now that many other events have taken place I realized that the ultimate goal was still missing. The combining of the courts.
Kin. I needed to see Kin.
I talked to Ian about my idea to see him. He was, of course, against it. Grave danger…blah, blah, blah! I really think he should trust me on this, but the worry that Kin’s territorial lines are still being drawn with the Nyms made me err on the side of caution by siding with Ian. I’ll never say it aloud and he can’t hear me at the moment because of my new amazing blocking abilities. Ha!
As I sat down in sighed relief relishing in the life events and the way it’s turned for me I heard a knock on my new bedroom door. I looked up to see Tren standing in my doorway. Tren had no way of knowing that each time I saw her I saw Danella’s face in my mind’s eye.
She had something in their hands. A large something.
“A gift from the Unseelie King, my lady.”
I thought of how that might unsettle me, but decided I’d better see it through. I stood and walked over to her realizing that the large something was covered with a velvety deep blue cloth and flat.
I knew. I just knew what it was. I walked faster now aching to see it. I pulled the soft cloth over the painting before Tren could relinquish hold of it. I turned it towards me knowing well what it would show me. It was meant as a reminder, and as a token to remember him by. The one not chosen, but always there.
A miniature version of the painting I loved was in a small locket attached to my charm bracelet that was now in my beautiful jewelry box my mom and dad gave me at my wedding. My Robert Frost. My fingers grazed the front of the painting remembering the writing on it near the bottom and so I read it. The note attached said much the same.
“In hopes that you chose the one less traveled by.” And this painting I’d learned was originally purchased by Kin in the hope of what he’d hoped I’d choose one day. The road less traveled by ended up being the same choice I’d made long ago. The Ian roadway.
It would have to be somewhere that Kin would see it. I knew just where!
***
At Kin’s court we were greeted with uneasy, but open arms. When Kin’s smile eased their tension, I relaxed.
At Kin’s side was Catrin, the ring on her finger not escaping my attention. I was happy for him though his thoughts said he was otherwise. I hoped he could put aside his affections to other things for this girl. She was so lovely, loyal, and tolerable of everything Kin represented. Yes, she was lethal which, coincidentally, was remarkably just like Kin. She could turn a blind eye
to suffering if the creature in question was a foe of the court. I'd seen it once, but never told a soul. Kin had certain “qualities” that would never change and therefore made him the very essence of an Unseelie winter court king leaving me well suited for the summer court I was destined too.
Dinner was jovial and fun. After the dessert, Kin asked Ian’s permission to speak with me alone and afterward, I could share my findings. Ian questioned him silently though I could easily read what they said.
In the room he called his new office, he handed me an all too familiar piece of wood that resembled the many other prophecies that our libraries at both courts held for records sake. Over the year I’ve read the majority of all the prophecies found by the seers through time.
This one though, was from the winter court, but that’s not the breath stopper. It was made over a thousand years ago.
Cold
Warm
the fire burns on
unite the two
before it’s due
and the courts shall
be made anew.
Across the desk I read it couple of times before I asked, “But how do you know this is about us if it was made over a thousand years ago? It’s too simple.” I could tell he was ready to tell me this like he’d held it in for a while. A long while!
“I know it to be us. I have researched this for the last nineteen years searching through every set of nonhuman and human records known to find and some even stolen with the right tools. Grace, I have no proof but I know it’s true.”
“And that reassures me how?” I asked folding my arms over twice and sitting back in the chair across from him at the front of his store bought desk. He was still a pompous brat sometimes.
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