by Leigh Walker
“You didn’t hurt my feelings.” Maya’s voice sounded hopeful. “I saw it for what it was—you were misled. You made the wrong choice and let me go because people have been lying to you.”
I resisted the urge to speak up and instead let Rhys handle her. In a calm voice, he asked, “What do you mean?”
Maya’s gaze flicked to me and quickly skittered away. “Perhaps we could talk in private.”
“Lady Layne’s directly involved with this.” Rhys nodded. “Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of her.”
“She’s in cahoots with the king, Your Highness. She’s not here for you—she’s here for him. She’s his little puppet, you see. I saw her with Princess Blake and Lady Eve all the time, always conspiring in their exclusive group. She’ll never belong to the Realm. She’s a member of the royal court, an outsider. If you choose me, I would be loyal to you and only you. Just please, give me another chance.”
Rhys paused for a moment, but when he spoke, his voice was calm. “You know, this story sounds somewhat familiar. But when you had Jenny spin the tale to Tamara, I believe I was the one with the loyalty issue. You said I was going to choose her because the king had ordered me to. Isn’t that right?” Rhys was still being gentle, but it was clear he wasn’t falling for her tricks.
Maya earnestly shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Rhys rose to his feet. “Just give me a moment.” He left the cell and opened Jenny’s door. Maya didn’t look at me while he was gone.
Rhys brought Jenny in. “Here we are.”
The young vampire looked frail. Her braids were still pulled into a high ponytail, and her eyes still glowed with their unusual iridescence, but she appeared even thinner than before. She shivered beneath her cheap coat.
Maya glared up at her. “I don’t know what this vampire told you, but like I said, she’s a liar. She stole from my family.”
“Maya.” Jenny shook her head. “I already told them the truth—you paid me to come up here and deliver a message to Tamara. They put silver on me. I couldn’t help myself from talking. But you shouldn’t pretend anymore, and you shouldn’t continue to lie. It’s only going to make it worse.”
“Make what worse?” Gone was the hopeful, pleading expression from Maya’s face. She turned to me in anger. “It can’t get any worse than this. He’s going to marry this rich hypocrite. She’s taking what’s mine. The whole time I was here, she acted like he was beneath her. And look at her now: little miss frontrunner. She already has everything, but she has to take him too. She doesn’t need a castle or a crown. She doesn’t need anything, but she’s a greedy, scheming, stuck-up little wh—”
“Maya.” I stepped forward. “I am not taking anything from you, including any more of your abuse. It’s time you face the facts.”
She glared at me. “And which facts are those?”
“King Rhys sent you home because he didn’t feel like you were a match for him. You didn’t want to deal with it then, and it appears that you don’t want to face the truth now. But we told you—even Mira told you—that how you conducted yourself during the contest was unbecoming. You cannot blame me for your own actions. You also cannot blame me for sending Jenny up here to risk life and limb in order to spread lies for you. She could’ve been killed. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“I’m not ashamed of anything, except that I participated in this farce of a contest. It isn’t fair—none of this is.” Maya put her face in her hands. “So just go and leave me be. I’ll rot here in my cell while you and His Highness skip off into the sunset.”
I looked at Rhys. “A word, Your Highness.”
He brought Jenny back to her cell and locked her inside. Once we were outside in the hallway and out of earshot, I said, “We cannot leave them down here forever. Jenny’s only crime was that she was poor and needed money. She didn’t actually break the law.”
Rhys frowned. “She trespassed.”
“So what? She needs blood, and she needs warmth. She looks frail.”
Rhys nodded, but he didn’t say anything.
“And Maya shouldn’t be locked up. She made a mistake of judgment, Your Highness. You cannot punish her for a character flaw. She’ll never last down here, and it’s not as though she’s about to apologize anytime soon.”
“What would you have me do?” he asked. “I brought her here so that she could see the error of her ways, which after talking with her, I don’t believe is possible. She won’t admit to any fault.”
“Then perhaps you should let her go—let them both go.”
“I can’t just release them, Tamara. If Maya was a potential enemy before, she’s a sure one now. And I’m holding Jenny because the king thinks that she’s the vampire who attacked me. If I set her loose, he’s going to have questions. I can’t risk letting either of them go.”
I sighed. He was right, but keeping them both in the dungeon seemed wrong. “Can we at least find them more comfortable accommodations?”
The werewolf gave me a long look. “Is that what you wish, my lady?”
“Yes. Assign guards to them but have them brought upstairs someplace private.” My voice was firm. Maya might hate me, but I couldn’t let her be ruined because of it. “Let’s go and see if someone can get donated blood for Jenny, and perhaps Nan can make a meal for Maya.”
Rhys bowed to me. “As you wish, my lady. I will see to it at once.” Without argument, he grabbed my hand and led me down the hall.
“Really?” I asked. “That’s it? Aren’t you going to fight me about this?”
He smiled in the torchlight. “No, Lady Layne, I am not. For as uncivilized as you sometimes accuse me of being, I have learned a few things.”
“Such as?”
“Such as sometimes you’re right. And when you are, I should stand down.”
I gave him a quick look to make sure he wasn’t joking. “That’s rather evolved of you, Werewolf.”
His laughter echoed off the walls. “I know. And no one’s more surprised than me.”
Stay With Me
Before we returned to the cameras, we stopped and met with Duncan. He looked sour at his instructions to immediately bring the prisoners up from the dungeon, but to his credit, he didn’t say a word. I had a feeling he was saving his words, including some colorful ones, for me later.
Mira also looked sour upon our arrival. But unlike Duncan, she let us have it as she paced the dining room. “I’ve told you that we need to wrap this production up as soon as possible, and still, you try and thwart me. Have you not noticed that we’re on the same side? Have you not noticed that I am trying to protect you, Your Highness, and save the show?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “I’m the one holding the pieces together. I’m making sure the show goes on. It doesn’t even register with you two that my team’s doing everything up here now because of the lockdown—the editing, the soundtrack, trailers, digital production. You name it, we’re doing it.”
Rhys stepped forward. “Mira.”
“We’re doing it all, and rather well I might add, but is there credit where credit is due? Is there any ‘Thank you, Mira. We’d be in a terrible spot without you. By the way, you have all my gratitude and loyalty. I’ll recommend you to anyone who wants to do a show because you’re simply the best. Yes, and I’m not afraid to say it—you’re a superior host and producer, and I love all your brilliant ideas, not to mention your wardrobe—’”
“Mira.”
The blond vampire stopped pacing and blinked at us. “What?”
“We’re ready to continue our date. Thank you, my friend. Not only for letting us have a moment earlier, but for everything that you’ve done for me up until this point. Your service, your brilliance, your wardrobe”—Rhys grinned—“none of this will be forgotten. But can we get back to filming now? It’s already been a long day. My human counterpart will need to sleep at some point, and I’d like to get some footage before that if possible.”
/> She seemed to calm down a bit. “Ah. Okay.”
The werewolf’s eyes glittered. “I’m here and ready to serve. I am but your humble puppet. So, shall we?”
Mira chuckled. “You know you can be quite charming for a werewolf. Who would have thought?”
“I knew I’d win you over all along,” Rhys said.
“Ah, Rhys, I do hope the end of this contest finds you well,” she said. “You might’ve kept me waiting tonight, but you should know that I’m rooting for you. We all are.”
Mira turned to her team. “You heard the king—they’re ready. Let’s get a move on!”
In under a minute, the crew had fluffed my hair, powdered my nose, and reapplied my lip gloss. Then they asked us for a do-over of the kiss that Duncan had interrupted.
“No problem,” Rhys said at once.
“Absolutely,” I said at the same time.
When the werewolf king loomed over me again, I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t question my feelings or his. I simply threw my arms around him.
“Ah, my lady, that’s better.” Rhys’s hands roamed down my back. “Where were we? I think I can remember…” He put his lips against mine, and I melted against him. When we finally broke apart, his chest was heaving ,and I pressed my face against it, not wanting to let go. “Tamara.” He kissed the top of my head. “Come with me, my lady. Let us go to the suite that has everyone gossiping. We can have some more wine and relax by the fire.”
A fire all its own lit me up inside. Still nestled against his chest, I looked up at him. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I teased.
“Ha. Yes.” But he scrubbed a hand over his face, and for a moment, I wondered if he was nervous.
I reached for his hand. “Let us see this suite, and don’t worry. I am capable of a great many things, but I can promise you I don’t bite.” I winked at him, and he seemed to relax. That made one of us. Still, I plastered on a smile for both the king and the cameras. “Shall we?”
He pulled me close to his side, and the cameras followed us down the hall. Mira and one set of cameras were in front, Rhys and I were in the middle, and the larger camera crew trailed us, dangling a microphone over our heads.
“We should get your cloak, my lady,” Rhys said. “The temperature’s dropping quickly.”
“All right.” I stayed close to his side. “You’re quite warm, but my cloak would be lovely.”
We stopped in the grand foyer to collect it. In the entrance to the hallway nearest me, I caught a flash of something—camel muslin. Maya. The hem of her skirt quickly disappeared around the corner. Duncan whispered lowly, “Not one word, or I’ll chop off those long locks of yours.”
He’d followed Rhys’s orders quickly, but he didn’t seem very happy about it.
As I was closest to them, I hoped I was the only one who’d overheard. But supernaturals had an annoying ability to pick up even the smallest sound, and Rhys was close enough to hear Duncan, as was Mira. She paused her directions to the crew long enough to listen, though Duncan didn’t say more. Then she inhaled through her nose deeply. A funny look crossed the vampire’s face, and she turned to Rhys.
He wisely ignored her, making a big show in front of the cameras as he secured the cloak over my shoulders and kissed each of my cheeks. The production crew surrounded us as I stared up at him, batting my eyelashes and eye-snogging him for all I was worth. Finally, Mira’s attention returned to us as I pulled Rhys in for a long, lingering kiss.
As much as I wanted to kiss the werewolf, I wanted to distract Mira more. If she discovered that we’d taken Maya prisoner, she would have an absolute fit. I trusted Mira with my life, but she would take Maya’s internment to heart. Maya had been a contestant, one who’d stirred up controversy on the show. She was quite famous in the settlements. News of her capture could reflect poorly on the production. If contestants were being kidnapped, no one would want to participate in another dating show. We needed to tell Mira about the situation when the time was right—not that the time would ever be right.
As an added distraction, I pulled back from Rhys and stared up at him flirtatiously. “I am wondering, my lord, what exactly you have planned for me this evening.”
“Ah.” He fastened my cloak together and leaned down until his cheek was next to mine. “You shall have to find out, my lady.” Mira still had an unpleasant look on her face, so Rhys kissed me. Then he kissed me again. In fact, he kept kissing me until I couldn’t help myself—I moaned and pressed my chest against his. “Let’s go, my lady.” His words had an urgency that made me flush.
“O-Okay.” It seemed crazy that, despite everything going on, I had a desire to run, not walk, to the blasted overnight suite.
At least Mira’s expression had softened somewhat—all the kissing had to be good for ratings. Without a word, she motioned for the cameras to follow us out onto the dark grounds. A waning moon and a blanket of stars awaited in the inky night sky. The crew’s klieg lights only ruined the ambience a little. The Realm was so peaceful and quiet. The sky stretched over us as far as the eye could see.
The beauty and stillness was a far cry from the scene in the dungeon, with Maya’s soiled traveling dress and poor Jenny’s frail frame. I tried to focus on the moment and leave my swirling thoughts behind. Our performance for the show was important; best to keep my eye on the werewolf.
Rhys linked his fingers through mine and led me down the castle’s front steps, to the Realm’s square, and past the fountain of the golden tree that stood in the middle. The fountain was lit prettily, different colors taking turns brightening the bubbling waters that surrounded the roots of the tree. I held Rhys’s hand firmly as we traveled the road toward the children’s center then veered off to the right, toward the dark forest.
We hadn’t gone far when Rhys stopped. “Here we are,” he said.
I looked around, but it was pitch-black beneath the trees. “Here we are is where, exactly?”
“Look up, my lady.” He chuckled as I craned my neck.
I gazed into the dark firs that rose above us and stretched toward the night sky. Lights illuminated one of the trees. And… “Is that a tree house?”
“It is, indeed.”
One of the crew members stepped forward and turned more lights on. A bright circle emanated from the trunk of the tree, and fairy lights climbed the sturdy-looking ladder that led up to what looked like an enormous tree…mansion. That was no fort cobbled together from twigs. The base of the suite spanned several of the trees, joining them together in one level of high-altitude living space. The intricacies of the structure’s engineering eluded me, but even in the semidarkness, my untrained eyes could recognize that the architecture was of the highest caliber.
Rhys grinned. “Shall we?”
If I wasn’t afraid of vampires and werewolves, I had no business being afraid of heights. Still, my heart rate kicked up as I stepped forward and grabbed the rungs of the ladder. The production crew set up a perfect angle. “Yes, Your Highness. One question—are there more cameras up there?”
“Of course.” Rhys chuckled. “You think they’d let us have a moment’s peace?”
I peered up at the structure. “How big is the suite?”
“That’s two questions, my lady. But it’s big enough for the both of us as well as a full crew. Trust me, we’ll have plenty of space. My men have been very busy, indeed.”
“Well then, onwards and upwards.” I took a deep breath and started to climb.
Up In Here
Good thing I maintained a strict cardio regimen, otherwise I would’ve been quite winded by my climb up the ladder. Once I reached the landing, I glanced back down. The ground was much farther away than I’d expected. My heart lurched, and for a moment, I felt dizzy, as though I might tumble, but I held on to the railing and took a step back. The moment passed, and I felt the steadiness return to my feet. Still, I vowed to stay away from the edge of the platform for the rest of the night.
I spied a camera
crew set up, in what looked like the crow’s nest of a ship, in a neighboring tree. One camera was trained on me, and one on the ladder. I wondered how many more of the crew lurked inside our lover’s suite.
Rhys climbed up next. Unlike me, he fearlessly stood at the edge and gazed out at the forest, the square, and the castle beyond. “I’ll never get tired of looking at this. I can’t believe my kingdom’s so beautiful.”
I didn’t step any closer to the edge, but I did smile out at the view. “It’s amazing, Rhys. The castle looks so elegant and impressive from up here.”
He turned to me, grinning. “It does.” When he saw me gripping the railing, he came closer. “My lady, are you afraid of heights?”
I continued to hold on for dear life. “I didn’t think so.”
“Ah, marvelous. I love it up here.” Mira surprised me when her head appeared over the edge of the platform. “I needed to work my upper body today.” She easily pulled herself up and smiled at us. Then she accepted the microphone one of the crew offered her and turned to the cameras. “We’re finally here at the overnight suite. One of the many surprises is that this special place is located up inside the tree line. Wait until you see the inside, settlers! It’s fantastic and completely unique. Once the king chooses his bride, they will be able to come here for absolute, unabridged privacy. Tonight, of course, His Highness and Lady Layne have company in the form of me and the rest of the filming crew.” She turned and winked at us, all in view of the cameras. “I’ll try to give you as much privacy as possible.”
“Thank you, Mira.” Rhys beamed at her. “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to give Lady Layne a tour of the suite.”
“Absolutely.” Mira stepped aside as Rhys led me into the tree house. Another camera crew was set up inside, already filming. Mira and her team also followed us inside, silently setting up and checking filming angles. I’d gotten so used to them, I was mostly able to forget their presence.
Everyone had been gushing about the suite for so long, I’d had my expectations built up. I was certain I would be underwhelmed. But that was hardly an issue. As soon as we crossed the threshold, I was transported to another world. I only glanced at the interior of the room, but it was exquisite. Hardwood floors gleamed, a wrought-iron chandelier blazed with candles, and white couches and chairs gave the space a pristine, luxurious ambience. But the showstopper was the floor-to-ceiling windows. We were high in the sky, but we had a clear view of the Realm’s square and the gorgeous castle beyond. Its pale-gray spires jutted up into the midnight sky. From our vantage point, the kingdom looked like a fairytale village, with its twinkling lights and the bubbling fountain surrounded by multicolored water. I clapped my hands together. “It’s so beautiful!”