Witchful Thinking (Jolie Wilkins #3)

by H. P. Mallory

  “I’m simply not going to agree to any of this,” I said. “It’s not like they can force me to get married.”

  Rand nodded. “That is true, though they can be … forceful with their recommendations.”

  “And besides, who are ‘they’? Where did you hear this?”

  Rand shook his head. “Not from any one person. It’s been a theme as of late.”

  “So let’s just say for the sake of argument that it was a choice that was forced on me … Why wouldn’t you just marry me?” The words were out of my mouth before I had the chance to think them through and, in so doing, swallow them.

  Rand nodded as if the idea wasn’t foreign to him, as if he wasn’t surprised. “I would not be considered a strong enough ally.”

  “You’ve already worked this out then?”

  He nodded and his jaw was tight, his eyes piercing. “Of course I have. That was the first thought that entered my head—that I could ask for your hand. But I already know my offer would be regarded as worthless by Mercedes because we’re of the same species. Furthermore, you and I would have little hope of producing future monarchs.”

  But according to Mercedes, I wasn’t a witch. I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it. I didn’t know what I was, and I until I did, there was no point in saying anything to Rand. For now I wanted nothing more than to return to the safety and solitude of my bedroom, where I could open my journal and spill my figurative blood all over the pages.

  After finalizing the reanimations of our own legion and receiving Bella’s list of deceased soldiers, we managed to reanimate thirty of her legion over the next few days. I had to suffer through another lesson, this one on etiquette (more specifically, the proper protocol for writing letters, including addressing them, what the salutation should be, and what the closing should be). It was now the end of the day and the sun had already crawled back down the sky, making room for night to spread her dark cloak. I found myself exhaustedly sitting on the couch in my living room trying to unwind by watching an episode of Peep Show.

  Instead a knock sounded on the door. Before I could budge from my sloth-like demeanor, my butler, whose name was Cassius and who had also been a member of Odran’s fairy kingdom in Scotland, materialized in true fae style. He opened the door with a great show of gallantry and subservience, bowing low to our visitor. Once I heard a mumbled, thick brogue, I realized it was Odran. Great. Just great.

  “May I present the King o’ the fae, mah Queen,” Cassius said in a thick Scottish accent, his bushy red mustache moving in time with his lips. Cassius was an odd one—he never wanted to talk to me except about the operations of Kinloch Kirk, and even then he was so rigid in his posture and speech, it was like talking to a corpse experiencing rigor mortis.

  “Hi, Odran,” I said.

  “My Queen,” Odran said with a wide, bright smile while rolling his arm across his stomach and bowing like never before—something entirely too practiced and artificial.

  “Why the surprise visit? I hope everything is well in fae?” I asked, turning the television off as I started for the entryway, while wishing I could spend my evening watching the hilarious exploits of Jeremy and Mark.

  “Aye, Yer Highness, all is well, thank ye fer askin’,” Odran responded, clearly avoiding the subject of his reason for visiting. He glanced behind himself impatiently. “Doolan, where be ye?”

  I craned my neck, trying to find out who the hell Doolan was and what the hell he was doing at Kinloch. Well, it turned out that Doolan was one of Odran’s warrior fae, only this evening he wasn’t armed with weapons. Instead he appeared to be carrying more than an armful of colorful silks, satins, and beaded tapestries. Behind him, he toted a purple velvet bag overflowing with jewels, more fabrics, as well as enormous lilies, roses, and tulips. Flowers of that size were only possible in the realm of the fae. Strewn behind Doolan were the entrails of still more flowers, which had unfortunately not survived the trek from Odran’s BMW to my doorstep.

  “I bring gifts fer ye, ma Queen,” Odran said and bent over into another deep bow.

  “Why?” I asked, my eyes narrowing as the puzzle pieces began to fit into place. So Rand had been correct all along—there was going to be a mad rush for my hand in marriage. Well, little did everyone know that I wasn’t going to accept any of them, Doolan bearing gifts or not.

  “Ta celebrate yer loveliness, ma Queen,” Odran lied.

  I just shook my head and faced Cassius. “Can you see to it that all gifts are put in an empty room somewhere? I don’t have the energy to deal with this right now.”

  Then I left Odran, Cassius, and Doolan standing in my entryway surrounded by enormous daffodils, rubies, and silk damasks.

  “My Queen.”

  It was Sinjin. I paused, halfway up the stairs already, and turned to face him. “Will you accompany me please?” I asked. Really it was more of a command.

  Sinjin said nothing but bowed his head in mock deference and started up the stairs behind me. Once we were shoulder-to-shoulder, I glanced over at him. “What the hell is going on with all this marriage business?”

  “Marriage business, poppet? I do not understand.”

  Just as he finished speaking, I heard a commotion from downstairs and peered over the wooden balustrade to find that Trent had arrived with one of his wolves and, of course, more useless shit. I had to laugh inwardly at Trent’s nerve—did he seriously think he had a chance in hell with me after what I’d already gone through as his so-called girlfriend? Well, the answer was pretty apparent by the fact that he was even here. I shook my head and started for my bedroom, Sinjin beside me.

  “Haven’t you noticed all the hullabaloo, Sinjin?” I asked and approached the window at the far west side of my room, one that overlooked the driveway to Kinloch. Opening the blinds, I focused on the entryway, which was desolate now, with only the remnants of strewn flowers coloring the ground. Maybe Odran and Trent would be the only two morons I’d have to deal with in this idiotic mission for my hand.

  “I am not aware why the fairy and wolf have shown up, love,” Sinjin said and took a seat in one of my armchairs as he eyed me up and down appreciatively.

  I glanced at him and frowned. “You definitely don’t have any problem making yourself comfortable, do you?” Before he could respond, I added: “You seem to be the only person, well, besides Rand maybe, who treats me as more than just a Queen.”

  “How so, love?” Sinjin asked but the half smile on his face said he knew exactly what I was talking about and, more, that he enjoyed the fact he was allowed such intimacy with me.

  “I could name a million instances but let’s just settle for the fact that you didn’t ask me if you could sit in that chair. Plus right now you’re looking at me like I’m naked.”

  Sinjin threw his head back and chuckled heartily before looking at me as if he could seduce me with just his eyes. “I can be whomever you choose me to be, love. Although I was of the belief that you liked me as I am?”

  I sighed and shook my head, well aware that I was allowing Sinjin too many liberties where I was concerned. “Yes, I guess I do.”

  “Then you must come to terms with the fact that I want nothing more than to see your naked body.” He leaned forward, and the smile was suddenly absent from his face, replaced with his fangs. “My one desire is to taste your flesh, to …”

  “Enough, Casanova,” I said with a subdued laugh. I glanced out my window again, this time catching the image of Varick as he stepped out of a Rolls-Royce.

  “Son of a bitch.”

  “What disturbs you, love?”

  I continued peering outside my window like a nosy old lady intent on spying on her neighbors. “Just that all of the creatures of the Underworld have arrived en masse to propose marriage to me.”

  Sinjin made no other remarks, and somehow I had the feeling that he knew more about this whole situation than he was letting on. But at the moment, that wasn’t the topic on my mind. Instead I turned to face
him and, leaning against the windowsill, tapped my fingers against my lips, studying him.

  “As your Queen, I can make demands of you, right?”

  Sinjin nodded, his eyes sparkling and his fangs even longer than they had been. “Of course.”

  “And if I make a demand of you, you must respect my order and do as I say?”

  He nodded again and stood up, his immense height intimidating. He walked toward me and I felt myself melt into the windowsill, as if I knew I shouldn’t allow him to come so close. When he continued his approach, I held my hand out against his chest, stopping him.

  “As my Queen, no matter what you command of me, it is my responsibility to see to your … desires.”

  I smiled, not dropping my hand from his chest. Somehow I knew if I did, Sinjin would take it as an open invitation to kiss me or … more.

  “Good.” I took a deep breath. “I order you to tell me what you’ve been discussing with Mercedes in your secret meetings.”

  The smile on Sinjin’s face immediately faded and his fangs retracted as his entire posture went rigid. I actually wanted to laugh at the transformation. He’d been so confident that I was about to invite him into my bed. Instead I had demanded that he tell me how many cookies he’d stolen from the cookie jar.

  “I’d hoped your interests followed a different direction,” he muttered.

  I shook my head and crossed my arms against my chest. “No more wasting time, Sinjin. I order you to tell me what’s going on between you and Mercedes.”

  Before he could say another word, we were interrupted by a knock on my bedroom door. Just as I was about to answer, it opened and Mercedes stuck her head in. I had to wonder why she didn’t even wait for me to respond before entering … it was as if she knew what I’d just demanded of Sinjin. Hmm, it was almost like they had some sort of special connection with each other—one could sense when the other was in a dire situation. Well, if Sinjin didn’t come out with the truth soon, he was going to be in a dire situation.

  “Your subjects have assembled downstairs, my Queen, and they demand an immediate meeting,” Mercedes said rather breathlessly.

  I narrowed my eyes and frowned. “They can wait, Mercedes. I have important information I’m discussing with Sinjin.”

  Mercedes spared a glance at Sinjin before facing me again. And I could read nothing in her expression. “I believe it is of prime urgency, my Queen. They are beginning to argue with one another.”

  “Un-freaking-believable,” I muttered. Shaking my head, I started for the door before turning back to face Sinjin. “Don’t think you’re getting out of this.”

  He looked taken aback but immediately smiled coolly and adopted an expression of nonchalance. “Why should I think such a thing?”

  I didn’t answer, just started down the stairs with Mercedes at my side. “What the hell is going on?”

  “Apparently your subjects have come to insist that you take a partner in marriage,” she answered.

  I paused at the base of the steps and studied her. “Am I supposed to believe you had nothing to do with this?”

  Mercedes frowned and secured a tendril of her dark hair behind her ear as her green eyes sparkled out at me in apparent irritation. “I had nothing to do with it at all.”

  I eyed her as if I didn’t believe her, but there was nothing in her countenance that hinted of dishonesty. “Why do I have to put up with this crap?”

  “Because you are the monarch,” Mercedes answered, ushering me down the hallway. “I have ordered your visitors to await you in the library, my Queen.”

  I nodded and then stopped walking, facing her squarely. “And what do you think about my marrying? Do you think it’s a good idea?”

  She cocked her head to the side and silently considered my question. “I do not believe it is a bad idea. It would be a vehicle to unite all of the creatures in your kingdom if you were open to marrying outside your species.”

  And there was the nail in the coffin for Rand, just like he’d guessed. I couldn’t help but wonder if Rand would make a case for himself; at the same time, I hoped he would. But no use in worrying about that now.

  I faced Mercedes. At her inquisitive expression I just sighed and opened the door to my library, surprised to find ten people waiting for us. Mercedes walked in front of me to show that she would take the lead in chairing the meeting, which was fine by me.

  “Please sit down,” she said and it was like playing musical chairs as everyone scrambled for an available seat. I glanced around the room, recognizing some faces but not all of them. There was Odran and Doolan and some other fae man I didn’t recognize, Trent and his wolf escort, Varick and Klaasje, she in her usual shadow form. Before I could switch my attention to the others in the room, Sinjin casually sauntered in and stood beside Klaasje. I offered him a hesitant smile before facing the remaining three men in the room. They stood in the far corner; I didn’t recognize any of them.

  “Would you like a chair?” Varick asked me.

  I shook my head and leaned against the mantel of the fireplace that dominated the middle of the library. I glanced around, surprised that Mercedes had managed to fill the shelves along each wall with so many books. Maybe they weren’t books at all but just a mirage. But that was a mystery for another day.

  “We understand that—”

  Before Mercedes could finish her statement, the door opened and in walked Rand. And suddenly the darkness inside me gave way. The birds of my soul started singing while insects chirped from nearby rosebushes and a smiling sunshine did a happy dance between puffy white clouds while “Hallelujah” played in the background.

  Rand had come to save me. He’d realized I might end up with one of the buffoons in this room and he wouldn’t allow it. Yes, he was missing his white steed and some shiny armor but he was my knight, all the same.

  His eyes seemed to dart around the room until he noticed me and nodded in salutation, offering me a slight smile. I returned it, even adding a little wink, like I was in on his plan. He raised his eyebrows in what appeared to be surprise before heading to the back of the room, playing the role of silent observer as he leaned against the wall.

  Suddenly the unhappy thought occurred to me that Rand might not ask for my hand because he really wanted to marry me but just to save me from having to marry someone else. Of course, I was the Queen, and as far as I was concerned, there was no way in hell I was going to marry Odran, Trent, Varick, or one of the strangers in the room. And surely Rand had to know that?

  Mercedes glanced at Rand and frowned, as if she wasn’t happy to see him. Then she picked up where she’d left off. “It is our understanding that each of you is here either to represent your own wishes or the wishes of your master—in asking for the hand of our Queen in marriage.”

  I felt myself flush with anger at the thought that no one, aside from Rand, had warned me about this ahead of time. No one had come to me and asked how I felt about it before they arrived at Kinloch and demanded to be heard. Well, they would be heard all right, and then I would be heard.

  I gulped down my anger and glanced at Rand, who stared back at me with a slight smile on his lips that said, I told you so. I just frowned and muttered something under my breath, turning back to the spectacle that was my life lately.

  “Each of you will have no more than ten minutes to make your intentions known,” Mercedes continued. She seemed so prepared for this impromptu meeting, I had to wonder whether she hadn’t known this was coming.

  “Odran, King of the fae, will you please approach our Queen with your proposal,” Mercedes said.

  Odran nodded and stood up. With Doolan and the other fairy guy behind him, he lumbered forward and faced me.

  “Ma Queen, I humbly beseech ye ta accept ma ooffer of matrimony. I bring with meh the strongest of yer allies, the fae.” There was a humph of general discord among the others, probably a reaction to his statement that the fairies were my strongest allies, but Odran didn’t seem to notice. “Ye
an’ I go back a loong way, ma Queen, and ye have always known ma true feelings fer ya.”

  Yeah, those true feelings went no farther than his desire for a fun romp in the sheets. Yes, Odran was the King of the fairies and very powerful in his own right but he was also the King of man whores.

  Apparently pleased with his short speech, Odran stepped back and nodded to Doolan as the smaller man stepped forward. “Mah King offers ye many gifts, mah Queen.” Then he plopped the purple velvet bag before me and we all watched as it untied its own gold brocaded draws, opening to reveal the cornucopia I’d witnessed earlier, when Odran appeared in my entryway. There was a rustling in the bag and I leaned over to investigate further. Two white doves flew out, circled the room, and then disappeared in the air as if they’d never been.

  I clapped even though I didn’t feel like it. No use in being rude. It would be rude enough when I turned everyone down and told them never to pull another stunt like this again.

  Odran and his posse took their seats again. Mercedes resumed her role of auctioneer.

  “Will the wolves please step forward,” she said.

  Trent nodded and started to stand up, but before he could open his mouth, the rage inside me suddenly broke through the surface and I just couldn’t control myself. “You’re kidding, right, Trent?”

  “Kidding?” he repeated, looking baffled, like it never occurred to him that it probably wasn’t a good idea to ask me to marry him after our previous relationship ended with him dumping me. Yeah, probably wishing you hadn’t dumped me now, huh, wolf boy?

  “Sit back down. I won’t even listen to you,” I said as dispassionately as I could, which wasn’t very dispassionately.

  Trent grumbled something incoherent but sat back down all the same. Next the three strangers stood up and started forward. The one in the center, a middle-aged man with dark skin and a receding hairline, separated himself from the other two by taking a few steps closer to me. His purplish eyes glittered like amethysts in his face. He had to be over six feet tall and had the physique of a swimmer. With his incredible eyes and full lips, he was handsome in an exotic way. I mean, he had nothing on Rand or Sinjin, but he was a looker all the same.