Fairy Rings and Dragon Kings (Book 7 in the Twilight Court Series)

by Amy Sumida

  “Before we met.” I waved it aside. “What's up, Dax?”

  He chuckled.

  “What?”

  “Well, that was very close to 'What's up, Doc?' You know; that line the animated rabbit says?”

  “Yes, I know Bugs Bunny, thank you.” I chuckled, and then I sighed. “How are you?”

  “I'm well. I've been waiting for you to scry me,” he said pointedly.

  “I've been trying to take things slowly, see how they progress on their own,” I admitted.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I decided that if we're meant to be together, things will work out that way.” I shrugged. “But I've spoken to my husbands and Killian, and they support whatever decision I make.”

  “So, you have the go-ahead from your men, but you were waiting for some sort of sign from the Universe?” Daxon asked with annoyance.

  “It sounds a lot better when I say it.”

  “No, it doesn't.”

  “Daxon,” I growled.

  “Well, if you're looking for a sign, Your Majesty, try this one; I have your uncle.”

  “What?” I gaped at him.

  “Duke Shane showed up in my club looking to make an alliance,” Daxon said smugly. “His fairy mob with my underground.”

  “No fucking way! He wants to join his mafia to your reputable businesses?”

  Daxon chuckled. “My reputable businesses? Aw, Seren, that's sweet.”

  “Shut up, asshole,” I snapped. “You know what I mean.”

  “I do, and I was indeed offended that he thought to not only bring his sort of crime into my city, but also wanted me to become a party to it.” Daxon's expression hardened. “I told him to shove it up his shiny ass.”

  “And then what?”

  “And then I had him hogtied with magic-dampening cuffs and thrown in a cell.” Daxon smirked.

  “I could kiss you, you beautiful tattooed fairy!” I exclaimed.

  “I know.” He smirked more.

  “Wait; you have a prison cell in that place?”

  “Not at Enchantments, no,” he admitted.

  “You have cells in your house?” I gaped at him.

  “Doesn't everyone?” Daxon blinked innocently.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “I'll call the SF Council House, they'll—”

  “Oh, I don't think so, Seren,” Daxon cut me off.

  “What? Why not?”

  “You wanted a sign; here it is,” he said. “I'm only handing Shane over to you, and I have some demands in exchange for his release.”

  “You have demands?” I huffed.

  “I want immunity.”

  “From what?” I whined.

  “From future prosecution, in case the Councils decide that my magical wares are illegal,” he said. “In fact; I want a contract allowing me to sell them.”

  “I didn't tell them about anything but the bombs, which they already knew about.”

  “You didn't?” He deflated a little.

  “I told you that I wouldn't.”

  “Yes, but it's been weeks, Seren.” He sighed. “People change their minds.”

  “I wouldn't do that to you.”

  The words seemed to hang in the air between us.

  “Thank you,” he finally whispered.

  “You're welcome,” I said. “But they won't agree to you selling bombs. In fact, if I bring that demand to them, they just might speed up the process of making a new law.”

  “I see your point,” he conceded. “All right; I won't make any more bombs if you keep the rest of my merchandise to yourself.”

  “You don't want me to demand that you be allowed to sell them?” I lifted a brow.

  “Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” He chuckled.

  “So, no immunity?”

  “No; that I do want—for the bomb production,” he went serious. “I don't want them to be found guilty after the fact.”

  “Look, that will put them on edge,” I said softly. “Let me handle the Councils. If I bring a group of extinguishers with me to take Shane into custody, they'll note you, and be impressed. And, more importantly, the Councils will owe you one. Isn't that better than getting in their grill and being a dick about it?”

  “Perhaps,” he agreed and then smiled. “All right, Seren; I'll trust you to deal with the Councils for me. But I still won't release Shane to anyone but you.”

  “Understood,” I said.

  “What's understood?” Raza growled as he stepped into the room. “And who the fuck is that, Seren?”

  “Awkward,” Daxon said in a sing-song tone.

  “This is Daxon Tromlaighe,” I said to Raza. “He's apprehended Shane.”

  “Daxon—” Raza started to snarl, then the rest of my sentence sunk in. “He has Shane?”

  “Yep. I'm going to twilight over to San Francisco with the dawn, and then I'll borrow an extinguisher team to go to LA with me and take custody of Shane.”

  “LA,” Raza whispered as his golden eyes went cool.

  “Yes.”

  “Forget dawn, we'll take the rath,” he said as he turned to head back into his bedroom.

  “What?” I asked in shock.

  “What the fuck did he just say?” Daxon added.

  “You won't need to wake the Star's Guard because I'm going with you, Seren.” Raza shut the bedroom door on my astonished face.

  “Was he wearing a woman's robe?” Daxon asked.

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  It took hours longer to get to LA using the raths. We had to go into the Twilight Kingdom first, then travel to the rath which connected to San Francisco, and then drive down to LA. But Craos-Teine was four hours ahead of LA, so it worked out that we arrived at Daxon's home just as the sun was rising.

  I breathed deeply through the rush of my magic, closing my eyes as our extinguisher driver pulled up to the house. Raza eased me onto his lap. He was in his human glamour: bronzed skin and topaz eyes without the claws, wings, and features of his dragon-djinn self. He was also dressed in a sharp, human-made suit, but he didn't care about wrinkling it. Raza took my face in his hands and kissed me fiercely; the twilight magic sparking between our lips.

  “Um”—our driver cleared his throat—“we're here, Ambassador.”

  “Give us a moment, please,” I whispered without looking away from my husband.

  “Sure thing. We'll just head inside,” the driver said with a little chuckle as he and the extinguisher in the front seat got out of the SUV.

  “Raza, are you going to be okay with this?”

  “Yes.” He stroked my cheek tenderly. “I just wanted you to walk in there with the taste of me on your lips.”

  “Incorrigible,” I teased him as I slid off his lap and out the door.

  Desmond was at the front door of the house, speaking to the extinguishers. Another SUV had pulled in behind us with six more of our team, and they were approaching the cu-sidhe warily. Desmond's expression lightened when he saw me.

  “Your Majesty,” Desmond nodded. “I was just telling your associates that I was under orders to allow them entry only in your company.”

  “Sorry, guys,” I said to the extinguishers, “Count Daxon doesn't trust easily.” To Desmond, I said, “Can we come in now, Desmond?”

  “Please do,” he grumbled. “We've been waiting for you all night.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that”—I glanced at Raza—“I had some personal issues to take care of.”

  “Mainly me,” Raza added.

  “Yeah, honey, I think Desmond caught that.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Your Majesty.” Desmond nodded to Raza.

  “Take us to your master,” Raza ignored me and spoke to Desmond.

  “My what?” Desmond's face looked as if he was battling between the urge to kick Raza's ass and his instinct for self-preservation.

  “They don't use that word here, Raza,” I whispered theatrically as the extinguishers chuckled. “This is America, land of the free and
so forth.”

  “Ah, my apologies,” Raza said smoothly. “What do you call him?”

  “Usually, I call him an asshole, but I like to change it up now and then, and call him a dick,” Desmond drawled.

  Raza stared at Desmond with blank, dragon intensity as I chortled.

  “Come on, babe.” I took Raza's hand. “Let's go talk to the dick.”

  “Why do humans always use the names of assorted body parts to insult each other?” Raza asked.

  “I am not a human!” Desmond growled.

  “But they're human colloquialisms,” Raza countered calmly.

  “Which you use,” I snapped at Raza. “Stop trying to make trouble; we're barely through the front door.”

  “I was just considering curse words.”

  “Raza, next time, you're staying home.” I glared at him.

  “I am King of Unseelie.” Raza lifted his chin. “I'll go wherever I please, especially with my wife.”

  “I'm going to make you wait in the car,” I threatened.

  “Fine, I will control my comments... for now.”

  “Okay, Desmond, I think that's as good as we're going to get,” I said with a sigh.

  “Right this way, Your Majesties.” Desmond led us through the house and then down a set of stairs.

  One more flight of stairs took us to a second basement level. There was a small sitting room, done up comfortably with soft area rugs, padded couches, a TV, and a dining set. The room was painted white and had ceilings that were high for a basement. It actually felt airy. Daxon sat at the dining table having a cup of coffee. There was an elegant, silver coffee service set out on a tray before him.

  “Seren,” Daxon said with a smile as he stood. “You took your damn time.”

  “We had to travel a bit to get here.” I glanced at Raza. “You gonna make another obvious comment?”

  “No, but you may introduce us now, mo shíorghrá,” Raza said imperiously.

  “We're not in court, Your Majesty,” Daxon drawled. “I can introduce myself. I'm Daxon Tromlaighe.” He extended his hand to Raza.

  “Raza Tnyn,” Raza said as he shook Daxon's hand.

  I was a little shocked that he had dropped his title, in respect of Daxon doing the same.

  “I imagine that you know why I've come?” Raza lifted a brow.

  “I do, but let's get this other business out of the way first, shall we?” Daxon motioned to Desmond.

  Desmond nodded and went through a door across from us. I got a glimpse of a dark room beyond, and steel bars.

  “What's going on with you two?” I whispered so the extinguishers wouldn't hear.

  “We need to talk, that's all,” Raza said.

  “It will be fine,” Daxon assured me.

  Then Desmond returned with Shane. I stared at him in surprise. Shane was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, not at all what I'd expected to see him wearing. His previously-shoulder-length hair was shorn short, though he was without a glamour, so it still had the look of glass to it. What was really startling was his haggard face. There were circles under Shane's eyes, and his cheeks were gaunt. His sunlight skin even looked dull.

  “You're not looking so shiny, Shane,” I noted.

  “Fuck you, Seren,” Shane said.

  Raza stepped forward with a growl, but before he could say anything, I handled it.

  “You're gonna mouth off to me?” I asked Shane with lifted brows. “I'm not the one who deserted my family and my kingdom when it was under attack. Nor am I the one who broke Council Law.”

  “No, but you're the one standing here gloating about it,” Shane shot back.

  “Am I gloating?” I asked Daxon.

  “I don't think so,” Daxon said casually. “You seem as genteel as ever.”

  I snorted. How's that for genteel?

  “Have your laugh, Niece,” Shane snapped. “This is not going to work out the way you think it is. Not for you or your new lover.” He shot an evil look at Daxon.

  “Did you tell him you were my lover?” I asked Daxon.

  “I may have implied it.” Daxon shrugged. “I couldn't resist after he said such rude things about you while he tried to seek sanctuary with me. You should have seen his face when I informed him that the woman he was insulting was my girlfriend.”

  “You're very naughty,” I chided Dax.

  Raza cleared his throat, and I got back on track.

  “Yes, um, Extinguisher Sloane,” I said to the lead extinguisher, “could you take the prisoner into custody?”

  “Yes, Ambassador,” the extinguisher checked Shane's magic-dampening bonds and then led him over to the rest of the team.

  “We'll meet you at the airport,” I added. “I have some things to discuss with Mr. Tromlaighe.”

  “Yes, Ambassador,” Extinguisher Sloane nodded and tromped out with all but two extinguishers; those who had ridden over with us.

  “Desmond, can you take these men upstairs for some refreshments?” Daxon waved a hand at the remaining extinguishers.

  “Sure thing, boss,” Desmond motioned the men out.

  “Ah, so it's 'boss,' not 'dick,'” Raza noted.

  Desmond's eyes went round as he glanced at Dax.

  “What's this now?” Daxon asked as he looked from Raza to Desmond.

  “A joke.” I smacked Raza on his massive bicep. “Stop it.”

  Raza nodded with a smirk, and Desmond hurried out of the room.

  “Coffee?” Daxon offered.

  “Yes, please.” I sat, but the men remained standing, staring at each other like two gorillas competing for the same territory. “Sit down,” I said crisply.

  They sat across from each other warily while they kept their stares locked. I rolled my eyes.

  “What is this; the Old West?” I huffed. “What exactly do you two think is going to happen here?”

  “That's what I intend to find out,” Raza said coolly. “What he thinks is going to happen between you.”

  “I know what I hope will happen,” Daxon offered. “But Seren is being annoyingly stubborn about it.”

  Raza snorted a laugh. “Yes, my wife is strong-willed. She didn't make it easy on me either.”

  “I bought her a massage,” Daxon whined. “All she did was hug me.”

  “I saved her life,” Raza countered, “and she didn't even want to kiss me.”

  “I kissed you,” I huffed. “And you didn't save my life; you abducted me from a battle.”

  “I'm not talking about the thing with the witches posing as raven-mockers,” Raza leveled his hot stare on me. “I was referring to the War for Unseelie.”

  “Oh,” I whispered. “Yes, you did save my life, and you saved Cat's.”

  “And you didn't want to crown me, not even after Danu herself made an appearance on the battlefield,” Raza accused.

  “Danu?” Daxon's eyes went wide.

  “I did want to,” I protested. “And I gave in, if you'll recall.”

  “Hold on,” Daxon interrupted. “Are you saying that I have more of this to look forward to?”

  Raza chuckled and then narrowed his eyes on Daxon. “Would you bow out if I was?”

  “Not in a million fucking years,” Daxon vowed.

  “Neither would I.” Raza nodded in approval. “But you don't just have Seren to deal with. As her fourth consort and the lowest ranking, you'll have to contend with us as well. You've hidden your activities from the Councils, but you won't hide them from fairy kings. We will not allow Seren to become involved with a criminal; she's too good a woman for that.”

  “I am not—”

  “Do not deny it,” Raza interrupted Daxon. “I remember you, Tromlaighe, and I knew your family well. You've always had a sharp mind, and it was indeed wise of you to get out of Unseelie when you did; you've saved yourself a lot of pain. But I am now your king, and you have brought yourself to my attention. I know that you are honorable, but you can also be unscrupulous when it suits you. Normally, that wouldn't bother me, bu
t as a possible consort for my wife, I find it concerning. So, if you have any dealings that the Councils would frown upon, put a stop to them as quickly as possible. I don't care if they're not against the law yet; cease any behavior that can reflect poorly on the Queen, or you will never touch her again.”

  “Raza,” I hissed.

  “No, Seren!” Raza slashed his hand through the air. “You do not understand, but he does. He was raised in a fairy court, and he knows that I'm being lenient. A queen's consort does not engage in any illicit activities. He must be above reproach, even more so than her king, because a consort doesn't have a crown to protect him.”

  “Our situation is a little different,” I said gently.

  “Yes, it is,” Daxon's voice was low and serious. “But your husband is right.”

  I looked at Dax in shock.

  “I told you when we first met that I knew exactly what being a queen's consort entailed.” Daxon calmly took a sip of coffee and nodded to Raza. “I didn't realize that she might not know.”

  “She learns as she goes,” Raza said gently. “And I intend to make sure she is not taught the wrong lessons.”