by Bonnie Lamer
Relief brings several pairs of tense shoulders down into a more relaxed position. “Agreed,” Dagda says.
“Can you get on with the eating now? We’re starving down here,” Taz grumbles around a mouthful of something.
“It sounds like you started without us,” I accuse.
“We had appetizers in the kitchen,” he says. “Now we want real food.”
I wondered where my Familiar was all day. It figures he was following Tabitha around hoping for food. “I suspect your appetizers were more food than I’ll eat all day.”
“Does anyone else find this disconcerting?” Kai asks.
Kallen shakes his head. “Not anymore.”
“It did take some time adjusting,” Dagda admits. “Hearing the beast speak for ourselves helped.” When the Seraphim gave Taz the ability to speak for everyone to hear, I stopped getting strange looks when I have a conversation with him. I’m glad he didn’t get to keep the ability to communicate with everyone. His mouth would get him in more trouble than mine does.
Proving my point, Taz snarks, “How did such a wanker get to be King?” He is so lucky Dagda can’t understand him.
After our late lunch, most of us go back to the conference room to do more research. Sindri has brought in more books and left a cart for us to fill up with the ones we have already searched so they can be returned to the archives. After another couple of hours of finding nothing useful, I’m beginning to wonder how the scribe got her job. Certainly not because she can find the information we need. I need to keep reminding myself she’s new.
“You need a break,” Kallen says after another hour.
I assess the pile of books on the table and shake my head. “No, there’s too much to do.” I reach for another book.
Kallen’s hand rests on my arm, stopping me. “You have a huge spell to work in a couple of hours. You need to save your energy for that. There are plenty of Fairies here to continue researching.”
“He is correct,” Alita says. “It is more important you are able to work the magic of the spell than using your energy scouring old books.”
I would feel too guilty leaving. “Come on, you guys, I can do both.”
Kegan nods. “Probably. But I know if I was going to be included in the spell tonight, I would want to know you were focusing your energy in only one direction.”
My brow creases and I speak my concerns from earlier. “What if the Sirens have reinforcements? Shouldn’t I put all the male Fairies to sleep to be safe?”
“No.” Kallen shakes his head. “The resistance to the songs is more about time than the strength of the singing. Those of us happy in our hand-fastings will not feel the pull yet.”
“Did you have to say ‘yet’?”
He takes my hand in his. “Hearing the call and responding to it are two very different things.”
I love his confidence. “What am I supposed to do with myself if I’m not helping with the research?”
A wicked grin forms on Kallen’s face. “I have a few ideas.”
“What about well rested did you not understand?” Kegan grouses.
Sobering, Kallen says, “I know you. You will be up all night worrying about your spell. Perhaps some rest now would do you good.”
“I slept when I had the Centaurs and Sasquatch under a spell,” I counter.
“This is different.” He moves closer to me and whispers in my ear. “More personal.”
He’s right. I know he is. Admit it, though? Nah. “I’m not worried you’re going to go walking into the sea tonight.” Three nights from now I may be worried. Or two. I may start worrying in two.
As if reading my mind, Taz says, “I have a lot of bacon riding on him going down on night five.”
“You are a horrible beast,” I inform him.
Taz shrugs his little shoulders. “Just because he’s getting sucker punched by fate doesn’t mean I shouldn’t enjoy the bacon.”
A knock on the door interrupts Taz’s next words. Sindri pokes his head through the door. “The King requests the presence of the Princess and Prince in his office.”
“You know, you can call us by our names,” I inform him. I don’t like being referred to as Princess all the time. Mostly because I never feel like a Princess.
Sindri inclines his head. “I appreciate the offer of informality.” In other words, he’s going to keep calling me Princess.
“Fine,” I grumble. Kallen and I walk past Dagda’s assistant and I swear there’s a tiny smile turning his lips upwards. At least someone seems to like me. I’m always surprised at how slowly that number grows.
I don’t bother to knock on Dagda’s office door. He did request my presence, after all. I am surprised to find him alone, though. I thought he’d still be with Arie and Kai. “You wanted to see us.”
“Yes, have a seat.” He indicates the two chairs across from him. “We need to discuss details for this evening.”
“What details?” I ask. “I say a spell, hundreds of Fairies and Mermen fall asleep. There’s not much to plan.”
Parents should never look at their children like they’re idiots. It doesn’t do much for our self-esteem. “I am not talking about what you will be doing. I am talking about the rest of us.”
Oh. Okay. “What will you be doing?”
Frustration is crawling around Dagda’s face like snake chasing a chicken. “That is what I would like to discuss.”
“As fun as this conversation is,” Kallen smirks. “Perhaps we should let your father explain.” I glance at my husband. He never refers to Dagda as my father. I don’t mind. I mean, he is my father. Usually he refers to him as his uncle, though. Weird.
Ignoring my puzzled expression, Dagda begins speaking again. “Thank you,” he says to Kallen with more emphasis than I believe was necessary. “Though I have complete confidence in your abilities,” he gives me a sideways glance, “I do not believe in taking chances.” The snort that leaves me is completely involuntary. I swear.
“Meaning?” Kallen asks.
“Meaning we need to guard the waterways. There are any number of possible reasons someone may not be caught in Xandra’s spell. Not being in close enough proximity, being overly confident about their feelings for their significant other or simply immune to the spell.”
“No one has ever been immune to my spells before,” I insist.
Dagda smiles though it’s a weary one. “No, they have not. But, like I said, why take chances?”
“I assume you want to set up patrols of the village and surrounding area?” Kallen asks.
Nodding, Dagda says, “Yes. In addition to the water ways, I would like guards posted around the village doing four hour shifts while others are walking the streets, looking for any sign of trouble.”
“Does Naja have enough female guards?” Kallen asks. Naja is the head of Dagda’s security. I like her. She’s pretty no nonsense. She has also been recruiting more females to work as guards, which I like. It should be an equal opportunity position.
“She does.”
“Are you switching to all female guards?” I ask.
“Only in the evenings,” Dagda says. Smart plan. To Kallen, he says, “I would like you to work with Naja on this.”
Kallen nods. “Okay. Do you know where I can find her?”
“She is in her office awaiting your arrival.”
So much for Kallen and I ‘resting’ before nightfall. “Does he need to go now?”
Kallen leans over and kisses my cheek. In my ear, he promises in a whisper low enough Dagda can’t hear him, “Later.”
The blush on my cheeks is enough for Dagda to clear his throat in discomfort. “Yes, now would be best.” He is such a mood killer.
“I will walk you to the Princess quarters first,” Kallen says, still insistent on me resting before I say my spell.
Dagda scowls at the idea. What, he doesn’t trust us to keep our hands off each other? He’s a smart Fairy. I have every intention of trying to seduce my husba
nd before he goes off to plan with Naja. “Okay.” I rise from my chair and give my biological father a smug smile. “See you later.” All I get in return is a sigh and shake of the head.
Outside his office, Kallen asks, “Elevator or stairs.”
I give him a sour look. “What do you think?” He chuckles and takes my hand, heading for the stairs.
Chapter 7
When we reach the Princess suite, the room reserved for me at the palace, I pull Kallen inside and close the door. Snaking my arms around his neck, I stand on tippy toes to reach his mouth. After a long, sensual kiss, he murmurs, “I am supposed to be meeting with Naja.” The way he wraps his arms tighter around my waist takes all the sincerity out of his words.
Backing up slowly, I lure him to the bed. When I feel it against my thighs, I lay back, bringing Kallen with me. “If you want me to sleep, you need to tire me out,” I purr.
My gorgeous husband groans. “You are killing me. We both know there is not enough time to give your proposition the effort it should have.”
He’s right. “Then we better hurry.”
Admittedly, we are not the best at hurrying. Making love to my tall, sexy husband tends to give me tunnel vision. But, the enormity of the problem facing the Fairy realm has Kallen walking to the door much sooner than either of us would like. Curling up under the comforter, my body now very relaxed, I close my eyes and try to rest.
I lay here for an hour without any luck. Finally, I get out of bed and dress in jeans and a blue sweater. Opening the balcony doors, I venture outside. The view here is of an ocean of trees instead of water. It’s still pretty. I sit on the pink lounge chair, everything in this room is pink or some other nauseating pastel color, and stare off into the distance. From here, I don’t hear the bustle of the palace. It’s quiet. Serene, even. Someday I will need to move into this place and I’m happy to realize there will be places of escape when the noise and nervous energy of the palace gets to me.
Except for when I think stupid things and dare the universe to prove me wrong. Right below me, an argument has broken out. I immediately recognize the voices. It’s Arie and Kai.
“You want to what?!” Arie demands.
“Please, keep your voice down,” Kai insists. I hope she doesn’t. This sounds like it could be good. Shameful, I know. But I might learn something useful about the Siren situation.
“I will not keep my voice down. You are telling me you want to be put under the spell this evening. That tells me that my consort is concerned about his love for me!”
After a brief pause, Kai admits, “You have changed since becoming the Queen. You are not the Arie I once loved.”
Okay, maybe I’m about to learn something I don’t want to know. I start to rise but my chair squeaks a little. I stop moving. I don’t want them to know I’ve already heard this much of their argument. I assume they moved outside to avoid being overheard. I feel awful. I wanted to learn more about the Sirens, not their crumbling marriage.
“How have I changed?” Arie wants to know.
“You are more concerned with the realm than you are our marriage,” Kai insists. Could that happen to me when I become Queen?
“What you mean is I am not available to wait on you and cook your meals while you suck up to another Queen.” Ouch. Kai does seem a bit chauvinistic, though. And he was the last Queen’s highest level guard.
“You have always been jealous,” Kai accuses.
“Because you have always been unfaithful!” Okay, growing extremely uncomfortable now. Damn this squeaky chair.
“I have never once been unfaithful to you,” Kai growls. “Never.” I’m inclined to believe him. I may not like him much but I always thought he adored his wife.
There are tears in Arie’s voice now. “Fine, humiliate me by joining the others. Let both realms see what my consort thinks of me.”
“Arie,” Kai groans. “I do love you.”
“But not enough,” she cries.
I hear movement and I’m pretty sure Kai is hugging her. “Hush,” he says softly. “We will talk to Xandra and perhaps she can include me in the spell without me being amongst the others.”
Great. Now I need to pretend to be surprised when they ask me. When will I ever learn eavesdropping is a stupid thing to do? I learned nothing useful about the Sirens and have borne witness to Arie’s pain. Kai’s too, I guess. So much for a relaxing afternoon to reduce my stress levels. After a few minutes, I’m convinced the Mercouple have moved inside and I feel safe moving off the chaise lounge. I walk back into the bedroom and flop onto the bed. I wonder when they are going to come ask me.
Glancing at the clock, I realize it must be close to dinnertime. I’m not really hungry, but I am just wasting time lying here. I need to move. After a quick glance in the mirror to manage my bedhead, I go back downstairs. I find Kegan and Alita are still going through books. Both of them are exhausted.
“I think it’s time the two of you take a break,” I say from the doorway. The dining room is being readied for dinner.”
“I am not hungry,” Kegan insists again.
“Nor am I,” Alita concurs.
Sighing, I move farther into the room. “Do I need to give you the same lecture I got earlier? You need to take a break. If you don’t, you won’t be at your best and you could miss something.” I regret my words as soon as Alita looks up at me with a horrified expression on her face.
“Do you believe we missed something?” She gives the cart going back to the archives a manic look and rises from her chair.
I step into her path. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that you could miss something if you don’t take a break and let your mind relax a little.”
“Is your mind relaxed?” she snaps.
Wow, I’ve never heard Alita snap out anything before. “No,” I admit. ‘
I’m saved from further allegations by a knocking on the door jamb. It’s Tana. “I have brought your relief,” she tells Kegan and Alita. Both of them stare at her dumbly. “They will continue your research through the night. You can return in the morning to relieve them if necessary.”
Oh, that was a good idea. Why didn’t I think of it? I turn back to Kegan and Alita and there is some degree of relief in their eyes knowing someone will be searching for answers even if they are not. They are much more agreeable about going to dinner now. I turn back to Tana. “Thank you,” I say softly. She nods and smiles before disappearing out the door again. I stare after her. She has stepped back into the role of Queen nicely.
“I am still not hungry,” Alita says. “Perhaps we will retire to Isla’s.”
I link my arm in hers. “No way. You guys are staying here in one of the guest rooms. I want you close by so I can keep an eye on you.” Not to mention, if the Sirens try any dark magic Alita will be able to sense it. I have no idea if Sirens even need to use dark magic, but that’s beside the point. “And, you need to eat. If you don’t eat, you won’t have the energy to return here in the morning.”
Alita reluctantly agrees and the three of us make our way to the dining room. Kallen is already here along with Tana and Dagda. As soon as we take our seats, an upset Arie and stone faced Kai enter. I’m kind of surprised they bothered to come since it is so obvious there is something wrong between them. I would have picked up on it even if I didn’t overhear their argument. The furtive glances they send my way, though, give me an idea of why they did show up. They plan to corner me either during or after dinner. I wish I could avoid the conversation, but then again, I don’t want to see Kai end up a slave of the Sirens. Not so much for his sake as for Arie’s.
After studying me for a moment, Kallen asks, “Is something wrong?”
“Other than impending doom?” I retort.
He narrows his eyes. “Yes, other than that.”
I give Arie and Kai a quick glance and turn away guiltily when Arie catches me. “I’ll tell you later,” I say quietly to Kallen. His mouth sets in a firm line but he does
n’t push it.
Tabitha and Isla don’t show up for dinner. I ask where they are but no one knows. Needless to say, the dinner we are served is okay, but it’s not Tabitha’s cooking. The meat is a tad dry and the side dishes are not carefully tailored to our likes and dislikes as Tabitha’s usually are. Wow, have I ever grown spoiled. It wasn’t so very long ago I considered toaster waffles to be an excellent example of fine cuisine. Simpler times, simpler tastes, I suppose. Not to mention fewer death threats.
I am right about Arie and Kai. Though Dagda and Tana both notice something is amiss between the two, they do not mention it. It’s pretty obvious the problem is personal. When the Mercouple linger after dinner, Alita, Kegan, Tana and Dagda make themselves scarce having figured out it is me they want to speak with. Yea, lucky me.
When the room is ours, Kai clears his throat. “Xandra, I have a request I hope you will honor with deference to our status and privacy.”
Well, that’s insulting. He assumes he has to make me swear to this, that I won’t simply do this on my own. Maybe I’m being overly sensitive since I already know what he’s about to ask. My guilt is too much. I can’t keep pretending. “Yes, I will put you to sleep separately from the others.” I feel so much blood rush to my cheeks, my calves have instantly gone to sleep. Arie has the opposite problem. So much blood has rushed from her cheeks that her butt has probably gained a good five pounds.
“How…” is all the MerQueen can say. Kai is too angry to speak. Kallen is staring at me like I’m insane. Maybe I should be concerned about how often he does that.
“I’m so sorry,” I rush to say. “My balcony is above the one you were on earlier and I heard what you were saying.” I am so embarrassed I’m surprised I can make myself speak. “I was going to go back in my room but my chair was squeaky and I didn’t want to draw attention to myself.”