The Dark Fae (The World of Fae)

by Terry Spear

  “You look awfully pale,” the countess said as she ran her hand over Alicia’s arm. She motioned to another guard. “Tell the king Princess Alicia is unwell. We may take a bit longer to see him.”

  “Yes, countess,” the man said, then stalked back down the hall to the stairs.

  “She is faking it,” Grotto said.

  “Her cheeks have lost their color and her skin shimmers with a faint perspiration. Even a fully-grown fae cannot fake those kinds of symptoms.”

  She preceded Alicia into her bedchambers. “Lay her on my bed.”

  Everything was decorated in peach and forest green. But the thing that caught Alicia’s eye was a statue of a peach-colored flamingo, sitting four feet high in a corner of the room.

  The countess smiled. “Something I picked up on a visit to the human’s world.”

  She waved her fingers at the five men who had escorted them. “You are dismissed.”

  Prince Grotto countermanded her order. “Sir Trenton, you will stay with Princess Alicia at all times.”

  “Outside of my bedchambers,” the countess insisted. “The lady will wear one of my favorite gowns. So if you would, Prince Grotto and Sir Trenton…”

  The prince glared at Alicia. “You won’t leave here, unless the king wishes it. Do you understand?”

  “Deveron must be released at once! He brought me here. He didn’t harm me. You have no right throwing him in a cell,” Alicia said, her voice hot with anger.

  Grotto’s lips turned up into a wicked smile. “And what if history repeats itself? What if you were to run off with this sphinx fae and abandon your kingdom?”

  “Then you would rule, wouldn’t you?”

  A flicker of interest seemed to flash across his green eyes. Then he snarled. “You will not leave. And the sphinx fae will never have you.”

  “Where do you come up with such an unfounded assumption? He brought me here. If he wanted to keep me, he would never have come into a pit full of poisonous vipers such as yourself.”

  Grotto grinned. “That’s what your family is to you? And you’re to rule us some day? King Tibero must change his ruling or all will be lost.” He stormed out of the room with the guard on his heel.

  As soon as the guard shut the door, the countess pulled a burgundy gown from her chest. “It would be wise not to rile him, Princess. He has been horrible to live with since your mother returned.”

  “Where is my mother?”

  “Locked in her bedchambers. But word will be sent to her at once that you are safely here now. She was extremely distraught to hear the sphinx fae had imprisoned you and that they had every intention of turning you over to the Denkar, no less.”

  “My father. You can’t be serious that he is a sphinx fae.”

  “Yes. The king was furious when she eloped with your father. They’d tried to get permission from King Tibero and from his parents as well. None of them would hear of it. I don’t think any of them realized how stubborn your parents could be. But so were their families. King Tibero wouldn’t have Princess Viviana returned here by force no matter what, though his advisors advised him to.

  “Then she came here looking for you, frantic that a fae kingdom—she thought her own kind—had taken you away. When she discovered we weren’t the ones who had stolen you, it was too late. Spies like me…” Viviana grinned. “Well, we set out on our own to try to find out which kingdom held you hostage. Only I wasn’t very good at the job and got myself thrown into the prison quickly enough. You can’t imagine my delight in seeing you in the cell next to mine.”

  Alicia sat up on the bed, her stomach settling.

  “Why can’t I see her, before I see my grandfather?”

  “The king has said he doesn’t want her unduly influencing you. She told him you knew nothing about your fae heritage.”

  “No, nothing.”

  “He realized you are not at fault for your mother’s transgressions.”

  “She loved my father,” Alicia said, furious that her grandfather would be so cruel.

  The countess helped her off the bed and out of her gown. “Yes, but in the end, he couldn’t stay with her.”

  “Why?”

  “His own people forced him to choose. They threatened to kill you and your mother if he didn’t leave and do as they said.”

  “So he did leave us to protect us.”

  The countess slipped the burgundy gown over Alicia’s head. “Yes. But your mother feared telling you. She worried you’d search for him. She wasn’t sure how the sphinx fae would treat you.”

  “I thought he was the fae and my mother human.”

  The countess’s eyes grew big, then she laughed out loud. “Human? Now that’s truly funny.”

  Alicia didn’t think so. As far as she knew, that’s just what she’d been all these years. Being a fae seemed funny…not as in humorous, but odd.

  “Well, I do suppose it would seem that way. Most of your fae abilities don’t kick in until you turn eighteen.” The countess replaced the emerald hair clips in Alicia’s hair with diamond decorated ones. Then she lifted a dragon medallion off her dresser. Slipping it over Alicia’s head, the countess said with much feeling, “Now you are officially a royal dragon fae.”

  She patted Alicia’s shoulder. “Do you feel all right to see the king now?”

  No. Alicia wasn’t sure she’d ever feel all right about that. Not when her grandfather tried to stop her mother from marrying the man she loved. Fae rather.

  “What about my father? I didn’t see him at the sphinx castle.”

  The countess opened her bedchamber’s door. “That’s because his older brother is the king of the sphinx fae. Your father married the Venician queen.”

  Lorelei’s my stepsister?

  Alicia didn’t hear anything more as her temple swirled with bewilderment, and her world instantly faded to midnight.

  CHAPTER 19

  The countess called to the guard as Alicia came to on the floor of her chambers. “Help me with the princess!”

  Alicia’s mind could barely focus. How could her father have married the Venician queen? And worse—that horrible Lorelei and Phillinois were her half-sister and brother? Or were they stepsister and brother? Maybe the queen had had the children by another fae. And Alicia wasn’t truly related to the devil fae.

  She frowned as the guard lifted her, then carried her across the floor. How could her father have abandoned her mother and her, then married another woman?

  As soon as she was resting on the mattress, the countess said, “Sir Kendall, inform the king, Princess Alicia is too unwell to see him at the moment. And get the physician for the lady.”

  “But Prince Grotto said—”

  “The lady is indisposed. Do you think she’ll fight me to get away?”

  “No, countess. But Prince Grotto ordered me to stay here to guard her and—”

  The countess drew herself up and lowered her voice to a harsh roar. “If the princess grows more ill, the king will have your head! Prince Grotto doesn’t know how poorly she’s feeling. Now go.”

  Still he hesitated, glancing from Alicia to the countess again.

  “Go!”

  He grumbled under his breath and left the room.

  The countess returned to the bed and patted Alicia’s hand. “Are you feeling nauseous?”

  Alicia swallowed hard. “I never knew what had happened to my father. How could he have left my mother like he did? To marry another woman?”

  “Under threat of his family having you and your mother killed, he really had no choice.”

  Alicia fought shedding a tear as her eyes misted.

  “Is that what’s making you ill?” the countess asked. “The news about your father?”

  “He never came back to see us. Never.”

  The countess smiled. “I imagine he found a way to see your mother and how you were doing over the years. The fae have magic you are probably unaware of.”

  “But he married—”


  “Sometimes we must do what we don’t like. As royals, it’s expected of us.”

  “Are you married?”

  “By heavens no. Though I am betrothed. But it’ll be another year before I have to marry the duke. Now that you are here with us, the king will decide on a husband for you.”

  Alicia’s stomach had been settling, but the nausea returned.

  “Oh, your cheeks have lost their color again. Forgive me. I shouldn’t have brought it up.” The countess grabbed a peach feathered fan and waved it in front of Alicia’s face.

  Then a knock on the door disturbed the peace.

  “Come in,” the countess hollered.

  A man, whose blond hair was streaked with white, entered the room. A red velvet cloak draped over his shoulders, fastened with a gold chain. And instead of a tunic like the other men wore, he wore a long shift-like gown of purple that reached gold sandaled feet.

  Behind him a white-haired man entered the chambers.

  “This is my granddaughter?” the first man said.

  This was the king?

  * * *

  Deveron paced across the cell in the Crislis Castle’s tower, hoping the king was treating Alicia with respect. When Prince Grotto had told the guard to shackle her, Deveron had turned with every intention of protecting her. But luckily, the countess stepped in to aid Alicia.

  Would the countess also help Alicia to free him, or did her loyalty only extend to aiding the royal princess, granddaughter of the king?

  The chains linking his manacles clinked as he crossed the floor back and forth. At least they hadn’t manacled him to the wall.

  But how could he escape without Alicia’s help? His mother would have a fit. She wouldn’t hesitate to wage war against the dragon fae if she learned they had imprisoned him.

  A key ground in the lock to the cell door, then a guard shoved the door open.

  His stomach clenched.

  The guard walked into the room followed by Prince Grotto.

  Time for the interrogation?

  The prince walked around Deveron in a tight circle, examining him from head to foot. “What are you to the princess?”

  “A friend when she needed one.”

  “Did you take her from South Padre Island?”

  Deveron’s lips thinned. If he told Prince Grotto he had taken Alicia from the Island, he’d have to say why. If he told the prince he was attempting to keep her out of his mother’s grasp, the prince would want to know who his mother was. Then, the prince would know Deveron was not a sphinx fae, but a lion fae—the crown prince in fact, of the Denkar.

  “You took her from South Padre Island?” Grotto repeated. “Her mother said a fae witness told her enough that she assumed a fae had taken Alicia. Since you were with her last…”

  “You assume I was the fae.”

  “Do you deny it?” Grotto folded his arms and narrowed his sharp green eyes.

  Deveron could see a slight family resemblance between Grotto and Alicia when she had appeared angry.

  “I did.”

  “For what reason? And speak carefully. I will know if you’re lying.”

  Because the prince already had his mind made up as to the reason, Deveron assumed.

  “I’m not of the sphinx fae,” Deveron said.

  Grotto glanced at the royal sphinx medallion encircling Deveron’s neck.

  Deveron explained, “I’m lion fae.” Before the prince could close his gaping mouth, Deveron added, “The crown prince of the Denkar.”

  Grotto stared at him, not uttering a sound.

  “If my mother learns you have imprisoned me, she won’t hesitate to wage war with your people.”

  The dragon fae ignored the importance of Deveron’s words. “Why did you take Alicia from South Padre? Surely you realize your actions could have provoked the same response from our kingdom.”

  Now for the tricky part. Alicia’s people had to know that she was half human, so there would be no secret in that. He would explain the truth of the matter. “My mother assumed Alicia was half human.”

  Grotto’s eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to speak, then clamped it shut.

  “My mother had no idea that Alicia was half dragon fae. It is the human part that would have disturbed her, particularly when I became interested in Alicia. As for myself, I never gave her fae heritage any thought. She didn’t know which fae she came from.”

  Grotto looked at the floor for a moment, then looked back at Deveron. “If you have lied about who you are, it will not go well for you.” He started toward the door, then stopped and turned. “What did you mean that you’re interested in Alicia?”

  “She’s a remarkable fae.” Deveron couldn’t help smiling.

  Grotto scowled. “The king will not be pleased.” He stalked out of the cell.

  ***

  In the countess’s bedchambers, the king’s luminescent green eyes sparkled with interest while his lips quirked into a smile as he observed Alicia. Dimples punctuated his tanned cheeks. “She looks just like her mother did at that age.”

  “It is indeed Princess Alicia,” the countess said.

  “What ails you child?” he asked.

  Alicia assumed mentioning the upset over her father wouldn’t set well with the king. He probably wouldn’t want to hear anything about the man who stole her mother’s heart, then encouraged her to run away.

  “She’s only now learned about her father,” the countess said.

  The king’s cheeks darkened.

  The other man poured a powder into a goblet filled with wine, then handed it to Alicia. “Drink this and it’ll settle your stomach.”

  She noticed then the guard standing in the doorway. Would he make her drink the concoction if she refused?

  “Drink, dear Alicia. Afterward, I will have your mother brought to you.”

  Under guard? Like Alicia was being guarded?

  If the king felt any compassion toward her, could she get Deveron released? “A sphinx fae, Deveron, brought me here. He’s being held in your dungeon. Will you release him?”

  Again the king’s face grew stormy. “He is my enemy.” He began to pace. “No, I will not release him until I know the reason for his being here.”

  Then she realized the difficulty. Her grandfather most likely hated the sphinx for the one taking her mother away from him. Would it help to tell the king, Deveron was really the crown prince of Denkar? That if his mother learned the dragon fae held Deveron prisoner, she probably wouldn’t hesitate to wage war with them?

  “Your Majesty,” Alicia began carefully.

  “Kingship,” the countess corrected her. “Your Majesty is a human term.”

  “Drink the medicinal wine,” the other man said.

  “The doctor knows best,” the king added.

  Alicia hoped it wasn’t drugged to keep her complacent. She sipped the drink. It tasted like wine and a hint of cinnamon and tingled on her tongue.

  “Call for her mother,” the king said to the countess.

  She smiled at Alicia, then curtseyed to the king and left the room.

  “Drink,” the doctor coaxed.

  The concoction warmed her throat all the way down to her stomach.

  “About Deveron…”

  The king shook his head. “I will not speak about the prisoner again until Prince Grotto has had a chance to talk to him.”

  Would they treat him badly? Torture him? She gritted her teeth, hoping she could change her grandfather’s stubborn mind.

  Before she could worry about it further, rapid footsteps grew closer to the bedchambers. The countess said, “Oh yes, Princess Viviana, she cannot wait to see you.”

  When Viviana stepped into the room, Alicia nearly fell out of the bed to reach her. Her mother looked so different, dressed in the fae gowns of powder blue silk, her blond hair piled high on her head in an elegant hairstyle. Her green eyes were blurry and her cheeks glistened with fresh tears.

  They hugged and kissed as everyone else in
the room remained deathly quiet.

  “Alicia, I worried so for you. I should have returned you here long ago. I should have told you about our heritage. Can you ever forgive me?”

  “You wanted to protect me. You only did what you thought best.” Alicia hugged her mother again, wanting her mother to know she felt nothing but gladness to be with her again. Then she touched the golden collar encircling her mother’s neck. Though it looked like a piece of elegant jewelry, she figured her mother would feel ashamed to have to wear the retaining collar, prohibiting her from conducting any fae magic. “Is this really necessary?” She looked at the king.

  “It remains until I’m assured the two of you are not leaving here.”

  “I promise I’ll stay.” Alicia assumed it was her grandfather’s greatest wish. She couldn’t help but be pleased to find she had more family. Especially one so exalted as her grandfather, king of the dragon fae. And the notion she could be queen…

  She smiled.

  Then she tried to win Deveron’s freedom again. “But, Your Kingship, my friend has been unjustly imprisoned in your dungeon. He must be released at once.”

  Prince Grotto rushed into the chambers, then quickly bowed to the king. “He’s the crown prince of the Denkar, Your Kingship. Prince Deveron is the one we now have imprisoned in our dungeon.”

  The king shifted his attention to Alicia. “I thought you said he was of the sphinx fae. Is this true? That’s he’s of the Denkar?”

  “Yes, it is,” she said. Though she meant for her words to be stronger, they sounded incredibly meek. Would they kill him?

  She couldn’t allow it.

  “What were his intentions toward my granddaughter?” the king asked Grotto, as if the prince would know better than Alicia.

  On the other hand, he might not believe her. She spoke first anyway. “Only honorable. I asked him to bring me here to find my mother. He did so even though he knew he’d be imprisoned. I had no other means of getting here. I tried to get him to leave without me, but he feared for my safety.”

  Her grandfather frowned. “With your own kind?”

  “He vowed to protect me always. He had made a promise.”

  The king rubbed his chin.

  “Oh, Alicia,” her mother said under her breath, her voice filled with sadness. “What have you done?”