Tiki took a deep breath, inhaling the smell that was London. She held her arms out and twirled once. “We’re back.” Rieker caught her as she tilted. “Do you think it’s too late to call on Leo?”
“No.” Rieker grinned. “I’ve called on Leo at much more disgraceful hours.” They hailed a hansom cab and twenty minutes later they were ringing the back bell at Buckingham Palace.
“Lord William Richmond and Miss Tara Dunbar MacLochlan to see Prince Leopold,” Rieker said to the footman who answered the door.
“Very good, sir.” The man tucked his head in a neat bow. “One moment please.”
Tiki couldn’t stand still, shifting her weight from one foot to the other and then back again. She clutched and unclutched Rieker’s hand, fighting the urge to jump up and down.
“Take a deep breath, Teek,” Rieker said with a low laugh, “before you wrench my fingers from my hand.”
“Oh.” Tiki jerked her hands free, her cheeks warming. “Sorry about that.”
“This way, Sir and Miss.”
Tiki hadn’t heard the approach of the footman and she jumped to attention. As he led the way through the winding corridors the smell of fresh roasted meat permeated the hallway and Tiki’s mouth watered. It seemed like forever since she’d sat down to one of Mrs. Bosworth’s good English dinners. It was when they reached the third floor that Tiki heard a familiar shriek. Somewhere up ahead a door was yanked open and voices that had been muted suddenly became clear.
“Tiki’s here!” The pitter patter of several pairs of feet echoed down the hallway.
Tiki couldn’t stand it any longer. She peered around the footman’s shoulders and there at the other end of the hallway were Clara, Toots and Fiona.
“There she is!” Toots shouted and pointed. The three children began to race towards them.
Tiki didn’t hesitate. She yanked her skirts up and ran as fast as her feet would carry her to her family.
The footman jumped to the side as Tiki zoomed past him. Behind him, Rieker chuckled.
They collided in the middle of the corridor, hugging, laughing, calling out each other’s names as they fell into a giggling heap.
“You’re back! Where have you been? How have you been? Have you seen Johnny?” Are you well?” The questions floated in the air above their heads like a jumble of bird calls.
“And Rieker’s here too!” Toots jumped up and ran to where Rieker stood a step back from their joyful celebration. Rieker bent down and caught Toots in his arms, hugging him tight and twirling him around.
“William!” Clara shrieked, sounding like a little-girl version of Tiki, which caused Tiki and Rieker to break out in laughter all over again. “Twirl me too.” She bounded from where she had her arms wrapped around Tiki’s neck and threw herself at the tall young man. Rieker scooped her up and held her at shoulder height as he spun in a circle.
“Whhhheeeeeee!” Clara cried as she held her arms out like a bird. Fiona clapped her hands and laughed while Toots danced an impromptu jig.
Behind them a deeper laughter joined theirs. Tiki swiveled to see who had joined them. Queen Victoria and Prince Leo both stood watching with broad smiles. Leo gave Rieker a shape salute then held his hand out to Tiki and pulled her from the floor.
“Welcome home Wills and Tara.” He bent and kissed Tiki’s hand, which reminded Tiki of her first dance with the young prince. He lifted his head and smiled into her eyes as if he were remembering too. “So nice to have you back where you belong.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Tiki and Rieker stayed at Buckingham Palace for two days while Rieker made arrangements for a townhome somewhere other than Grosvenor Square.
“We can’t take the chance.” Rieker had been adamant and Tiki agreed. They’d been found there more than once—it was time to start someplace new. “I’ve found a nice place up in Hampstead that should do just fine.”
AFTER STEWING FOR hours trying to figure out how to delicately ask the question, Tiki found a rare moment of privacy with Rieker at breakfast the morning they were to move.
“It has four bedrooms and a good-sized drawing room with an excellent study for my office. I think Mrs. Bosworth will be happy with the kitchen—”
“The house in Hampstead sounds lovely but how will we explain our living situation?” she blurted.
Rieker put down his fork. He cocked his head at her and his expression turned serious. “It does seem that perhaps it’s time to fix that problem, wouldn’t you agree?”
Tiki gave a hesitant nod, not sure of his meaning.
“I didn’t plan to do this over toast and jam, but lately it’s been hard to find a ‘right’ time.” He smiled at her. “I am, however, convinced more than ever that this is the best decision I’ll ever make in my life.” To her surprise he slid off his chair and got on one knee. He took her hand in his. “Would you, Tara Dunbar MacLochlan, most beautiful queen of the Seelie Court and love of my life, do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Though she had hoped that Rieker would one day propose to her, he came from such a different world than she it seemed an unbridgeable gap at times. But now—she thought of the peace and security she would enjoy, knowing she would wake up by his side every day—
“Teek? My knee is starting to hurt….”
“Yes!” She laughed and threw her arms around his neck. “Yes, yes, yes—a thousand times, YES!”
He took her in his arms and kissed her.
“Why are you kissing already this morning?” Clara walked in the room, holding her stuffed pink dog. “Isn’t that for nighttime?”
Tiki laughed as they separated and planted a kiss on the little girl’s forehead. “Do I only kiss you at nighttime?”
“No, but I’ve only seen you kiss Wills at night.” Clara crawled onto a chair and positioned her dog next to a glass of milk that waited for her. “But that’s all right.” She smiled at both of them. “I like it when you kiss.”
“I don’t. Blech.” Toots came into the room followed by Fiona who was yawning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Why would anyone want to press their lips together and share spit?” He grabbed a biscuit from a nearby bowl and took a bite. “Right disgusting, if you ask me.”
“No one asked you,” Fiona said as she sat in a chair next to Tiki. “Why are you kissing so early in the morning?” She looked at their intertwined fingers. “And holding hands?”
Tiki smiled and looked at Rieker. “I forgot what’s it like to live with this lot—no privacy—ever.”
Rieker swallowed his bite of toast. “We’re kissing because we’re happy.”
“That’s nice,” Clara said, pretending to let her stuffed dog drink from her glass. “Doggie and I are happy too.”
“Tiki agreed to marry me this morning.” He squeezed Tiki’s fingers and grinned at her, his grey eyes clear of the shadows that so often lingered there.
Three heads shifted to look at Tiki and Rieker. Then everyone started talking at once.
“Does that mean you’re getting’ a fancy dress, Teek?” Clara cried, her eyes glowing with excitement. “And Fi can do your hair!”
“Married!” Toots scratched his head. “Aren’t you already married?”
Fiona clapped her hands. “It’s about time!”
Tiki laughed, feeling as though she were floating on air. “We haven’t picked a date yet, or—”
“What’s this I hear of marriage?” Leo stood in the doorway, a startled look on his face.
“Good Lord, who left the barn door open? Is the Queen of England going to join us this morning too?” Rieker laughed. “Tiki has agreed to marry me. I will die a happy man now.”
Tiki frowned and squeezed Rieker’s fingers. “Don’t say that.”
“My most hearty congratulations.” Leo pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. Behind him, liveried servants magically appeared and moved soundlessly serving the meal. “And when will we celebrate this great event?”
“I’m not sur
e.” Rieker looked at Tiki. “In the summer, I would think—”
“Yes, in the summer.” Tiki nodded. “When the sun is out and the flowers are blooming—”
“And the palace is at its best. Perfect. You shall have the wedding here.” Leo raised his cup of tea at them. “It will be the event of the season.”
“And I—” Fiona said with a breathless smile— “will finally attend a ball.”
THE MOVE WAS to the Hampstead house was simple as they barely had more than the clothes on their back. “I don’t think we dare take the chance to even visit Grosvenor Square,” Rieker said. “If Donegal has someone watching the place then we’ve lost our advantage. Better to make do with what we’ve got and move on.”
He secured a carriage and a driver and though the children had been sad to say goodbye to Leo and the palace, they were excited to be reunited with Tiki and Rieker and to be moving to their new home.
“Maybe we can get a horse and a dog,” Toots had suggested.
“We have a dog,” Clara said, holding up her pink stuffed doggie.
“A real dog, birdbrain,” Toots said, pretending to knock on Clara’s head.
“Doggie’s going to bite you if you do that again,” Clara threatened.
“Hush, you two,” Fiona scolded, frowning at them. “Or I might bite you both.”
Tiki smiled, soaking it all in. She was home.
THEY HAD BEEN in their new home in Hampstead for barely a week when a terrible storm descended upon London. Trees thrashed back and forth as though whipped by unseen hands, while the wind shrieked around the corners of the house. Day turned to night and the lamplighters set about their rounds midday rather than evening.
The sky was layered with threatening black clouds that formed great swirls of darkness—as if stirred by some greater force. The skies pressed down on London with an oppressive weight, until it seemed the City would crumble beneath their weight.
Tiki found Rieker out on the porch, staring up at the sky with a worried frown.
“It’s him, isn’t it?”
Rieker slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “It has to be. Even though it’s December I’ve never seen the sky look like that before, have you?”
Tiki shook her head, a cold knot of worry forming in her chest. “No.”
“If we’re seeing a storm like this in London you can imagine what it must be like in the Otherworld.” As if to prove his statement, hail started pelting the ground. The wind shifted in their direction and a few of the pellets struck Tiki on the arm as if thrown at her, stinging her skin.
“Ow,” she said, stepping back.
Rieker pulled the door open and motioned for Tiki to go inside. “No need for you to be out here.”
She retreated indoors, wishing she could ignore what the elements were telling her, but she couldn’t stop thinking of Dain, the Jester—even of Larkin.
IT WAS LATE when a knock sounded at the door. The children had long gone to bed and the fire in the drawing room where Tiki and Rieker sat had turned to orange-glowing coals. Tiki met Rieker’s gaze. There was no one who would be calling on them in this location, especially at this time of night and given the storm that still blew outside.
“We know Larkin would never bother knocking,” Rieker said as he pushed himself off the couch. “Let’s see who it is.”
“Is that supposed to be reassuring?” Tiki whispered as she followed him toward the door. The lamps had been turned down for the night and they cast a soft glow that was just enough light to illuminate the long hallway.
“Maybe you should wait here,” Rieker said as they reached the foyer.
“No. I want to know who it is.”
The knock came again. More insistent this time.
Tiki followed Rieker to the door, her heart pounding harder with each step. She stood slightly behind him, her fingers nervously tugging at the back of his vest. It was one thing when she and Rieker had to defend themselves and something entirely different when the children were here unprotected.
Rieker gripped the brass handle and pulled the door open.
A man stood on the doorstep. He wore brown slacks, a white shirt with a brown coat and vest, a bowler hat clutched to his chest. Though tall, his shoulders slumped as though under a heavy weight and lines of exhaustion lined his face. Before he could speak a name burst from Rieker’s lips.
“Kieran! What are you doing here?”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Before the man could respond Rieker retracted his outburst. “I..I beg your pardon, sir,” he stuttered. “You remind me of someone I used to know.”
“You do know me, William,” the man said gently. “You know me as Kieran tonight but you also know me as the Jester or, as some would call me—the Fool. Eventually, I hope you will know me as Fial.”
“Kieran?” Tiki said softly, coming to stand next to Rieker. “But I thought—”
The man raised his eyebrows. “May I come in? It would be better if I remain unseen—”
“Yes, yes, of course.” Rieker pulled the door open and swung his arm wide to invite the man in. “My apologies.
The man stepped over the threshold and nodded his thanks. As tall as Rieker, his clothes hung on him emphasizing his frail frame. Yet, even so, there was something so familiar about him Tiki felt instantly at ease.
Rieker led them back to the drawing room and Tiki peered at the man curiously, seeing him without makeup or artifice for the first time. “I’m so glad you’re feeling better,” she said softly.
“Yes, thank you.” The man nodded. He moved slowly as if he were still in great pain. “Better every day, I’d say.”
“Sit here, by the fire.” Rieker indicated an overstuffed chair positioned close to the fireplace. “Can I get you something to drink?”
The man waved off his offer and braced his hands on the arms of the chair as he slowly lowered himself into the soft cushion. He let out a small sigh of relief as he relaxed into the chair.
“We saw the storm today. You’ve brought us news, I take it?” Rieker asked, perching on the edge of the nearby sofa. Tiki sank down onto the cushion next to him, watching their visitor with a mix of fascination and fear.
Fial nodded. “Not good, I’m afraid.”
His dark hair was swept away from his face, revealing handsome features that were not too dissimilar to Rieker’s and Dain’s. Tiki wondered where one glamour stopped and another began.
“Tell us.”
“When Donegal learned of my escape he attacked the Plain of Sunlight.” Fial sighed. “There are many dead and things are getting worse by the day. The Wychwood continues to burn and the winds are not blowing in our favor.” His gaze shifted to Tiki. “We need the Faerie Flag.”
“And we need answers.” Rieker’s tone was crisp. Tiki glanced at him in surprise. It was as if a mask had dropped over his face and London’s best pickpocket sat next to her now, coolly appraising the man before them.
Fial inclined his head. “I understand. I suspect that’s why Larkin asked me to come.”
“Larkin?” Tiki echoed. “But how did she know where to find us?”
In a move reminiscent of the Jester, he gave an eloquent shrug of his shoulders. “I believe her daughter lives with you?”
Tiki’s heart pinged at the word ‘daughter’. It still hurt to think Larkin had some claim to beautiful little Clara. But with Kieran’s comment came a sudden clarity that as long as Clara was with her, Larkin would somehow always be able to find them.
“The first thing I want to know—” Rieker’s gaze was locked on the older man— “is who you are to me?”
Their visitor crossed his legs and steepled his long fingers together, gazing toward the fire. “A fair question. What wise man doesn’t seek the answer to his origins?” Fial shifted his gaze to Rieker’s face. His black eyes were dark and unreadable, making Tiki wonder at the secrets he knew. “And your past has been unusually complicated. I apologize for that.”
/> “So you’re saying you’re my—”
“Father. Yes, William. You and Dain are my sons.”
Rieker sank back against the couch. “Larkin told us the truth?”
Fial’s lips curved in a pensive smile “She usually does, but in a twisted sort of way that makes one constantly wonder. Part of her charm, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Hardly.” Rieker scowled. “She said something about being a Winterbourne—”
The older man nodded. “It’s true. You, Dain, myself—we all have Winterbourne blood—just as we have Seelie blood and probably five other kinds of blood if you go back far enough. It doesn’t change who we are. It shouldn’t change our choices in life.” He looked down and smoothed the fabric of his trousers with thin fingers. “The truth of the matter is the Winterbournes broke away from the UnSeelies long ago. They returned to Ireland and created their own courts—fought their own battles, primarily with Somerled. But still, to some, the name Winterbourne will always be synonymous with UnSeelie.”
Fial raised his head to consider his son.
“I remember other nights when you allowed me to warm myself by your fire, William. Hidden beneath bridges and within burnt out buildings. You didn’t know who I was—what I was—or if I had one kind of blood or another.” Fial held out his hand. “You only saw a man in need. And you reached out and helped me. That is the measure by which we should be judged. It was for that goal that Finn and Adasara gave their lives. It is for that freedom that Larkin and I sacrificed those we loved most—our children—to fight for a future we believed in.” His voice softened. “At a most painful cost.”
Tiki looked down. The thought of sending Clara off to live with strangers made her stomach roil uncomfortably. Would she make a similar sacrifice in an attempt to change the world? She doubted it.
“But I kept an eye on you boys as you grew up and I was pleased with what I saw.” Fial smiled gently at Rieker. “You’ve become young men I am proud to know.” He gaze shifted to Tiki. “As have you, my young queen. And now the time has come that I must ask you to help protect a world you’ve barely even known. Hardly fair, is it?” He tilted his head to consider their reaction.
The Faerie Queen (The Faerie Ring #4) Page 15