Black Market Magic

by Amy Sumida

  “Stand back and relax,” I said to Tiernan as I eased away from him. “I want to try something.”

  “You want to try something that I must relax for?” He asked suspiciously.

  “Trust me.” I smiled wickedly, testing that trust.

  “Of course.” He sighed and stood further back, relaxing his arms at his sides.

  I focused and removed Tiernan's clothing with a wave of my hand. They appeared in a pile on a nearby chair. Tiernan gaped down at his naked body and then at the clothing. I smiled in delight; it had worked! Apportation didn't function when the item you were trying to relocate was being held by a living being. Life energy interfered with the process. Thus, the relaxing bit; I was trying to get Tiernan's clothing as separate from him as possible.

  “That wasn't fairy magic.”

  “No; it wasn't.” I grinned as I did the same thing to my clothing.

  “I had no idea you had that skill.”

  “Surprise!” I held my arms out.

  “I can't believe I'm going to say this, but you need to use that more often,” Tiernan growled as he scooped me up.

  I laughed as he carried me over to the bed.

  “What other talents do you have?” Tiernan purred as he laid me down on the velvet comforter.

  “Come here, and I'll show you.” I smiled slowly.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  We took a cavalcade of knights and our royal carriage to Taigh na a'Grian. Unfortunately, even with the numerous inter-kingdom raths we used to jump great distances across Seelie, we still didn't reach The House of the Sun until after the sun had set. So, I didn't get to see it in all its solar glory right away. But Tiernan had sent word ahead to notify the staff of Taigh na a'Grian that we were coming, and soft fairy lights were shining out of the wide windows, casting a welcoming glow on the white stone walls encasing them.

  The palace stood on a promontory that, when viewed from the right angle, gave the illusion that Taigh na a'Grian was floating on the Danuvian Ocean. It was walled off from the rest of the land, but the expanse of white stone only extended to the edge of the promontory. We passed through golden gates, splitting a stylized sun apart as they opened, and rolled up to the tiered steps of the towering palace. A man met us on the steps, bowing as we got out of the carriage.

  “Your Majesties,” he said. “I'm Alain, the steward of Taigh na a'Grian. I am honored to welcome you to the House of the Sun.”

  “Thank you, Alain,” Tiernan said. “Is everything as I requested?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Alain hurried to assure Tiernan. “The royal chambers have been prepared for your arrival, and dinner will be served as soon as you're ready to dine. Shall I show you to the way?”

  “Not necessary.” Tiernan waved Alain off. “I've been here many times.”

  “Yes; I recall, Your Majesty.” Alain bowed.

  “But now, it's different,” I whispered to Tiernan as he led me down a column-lined hallway.

  “Now, I get the best room in the house,” Tiernan agreed. “Though my accommodations were never that important to me when we visited. I would be happy with a tent; so long as it was pitched here.”

  “Well, I won't,” I teased. “I need some creature comforts, thank you. This soldier has been a fairy royal too long to do without them.”

  “Luxury is easy to get accustomed to,” Tiernan agreed.

  We headed past several rooms; empty of people but full of exquisite furniture. Arched beams crisscrossed above our heads, and the clean scent of the Danuvian became stronger the further in we went. Finally, we exited the palace, coming out on a long walkway that connected the main part of the palace to the royal suite—which was a palace unto itself; much smaller than the main building, but a palace nonetheless.

  An island rose out of the sea like a scepter—a cylinder of rock as high as the promontory itself—and the bridge we strode stretched across a channel to it. On this tower of stone sat the royal suites, and beneath the bridge, the Danuvian ebbed and flowed, crashing against the stone with sounds that were oddly comforting.

  Moonlight lit our path and glinted off the water, but the light filtering out of the mini-palace ahead of us was more golden: a soft imitation of the sun. It was only about a hundred feet to the royal island, but I enjoyed every step. All that glittering water around us, the glow of the Moon above, the fairy lights urging us on, the crisp scent of salt on the breeze, and my husband's hand in mine; they combined into the most glorious feeling. By the time we reached the little courtyard—set before the palace and bordered by stone railings—the peace of Taigh na a'Grian was seeping into me.

  “This is stunning,” I whispered to Tiernan.

  “It is, isn't it?” He smiled at me brilliantly. “This is the first time I've stepped foot on Royal's Rock.”

  “Royal's Rock?” I asked. “That sounds like a music genre.”

  “It's a simple name.” He shrugged. “But a name isn't everything.”

  “Clearly not,” I said. “So, we're experiencing this for the first time together?”

  “We are,” he said softly. “And I know it will become one of my most treasured memories.”

  “Mine as well.” I smiled and shook my head. “Could you ever have imagined this as our future, back when we first kissed, in that car in San Francisco?”

  “Honestly,” he whispered and then huffed self-consciously, “I thought there was no future for us; nothing beyond a few moments of pleasure. But I had never wanted a woman as I wanted you, and I didn't care what laid before us, as long as I could lie beside you.”

  A shiver ran through me with the romance in his words, but then I processed what he said.

  “I thought you knew it was the Call of Danu between us?” I asked in surprise.

  “Not at first,” Tiernan admitted. “How could I? I thought you were human, and the Call had never joined a fairy with a human.”

  “We broke a lot of new ground together, Lord Hunter,” I said softly.

  “And now, here we are, standing upon royal ground together, Extinguisher.” Tiernan lifted my hand and kissed it tenderly. “Sometimes I can't believe the turns my life has taken.”

  “Me either,” I agreed. “But I'm grateful for them, and that I turned toward you.”

  “I love you, Seren,” Tiernan whispered just before he kissed me.

  What a perfect kiss in the most perfect place. The heat between us was tempered by the ocean breeze, the sweetness of our kiss was enhanced by the salt on our lips, and our rising passion was strengthened by the deep love between us. We finally eased away from each other, but we paused a moment where we stood; holding hands as we stared from each other to the shimmering sea. Behind us, two members of our Guards—one from the King's and one from the Star's—posted themselves at the end of the bridge. I looked across the way and saw that another team of two had set themselves at the other end of the bridge. When royalty went on vacation, their Guards went to work.

  “Your Majesties?” A woman came out of the double doors before us and curtsied. “I am your chatelaine, Mae. Would you care to settle into your rooms first, or would you like to dine?”

  “We'll take a tour of our suites first,” Tiernan said.

  “Right this way, Your Majesties.” Mae waved her arm toward the palace and then hurried ahead.

  It felt like walking into a nautilus shell, and I was reminded of an old movie I had loved as a child: Doctor Dolittle—the one with Rex Harrison, not Eddie Murphy. At one point in the film, they travel inside a shell; a sea snail, if I remember correctly. But the inside of that snail looked a lot like the walls of this palace. It was slick and soft white with gleaming peony flashes and a golden undertone. The hallways curved over us, not a hard angle in sight. Our footsteps echoed hollowly on the stone floor and off the walls; there was no furniture or even carpet to dampen the sound. But then the corridor opened onto a massive, circular room.

  A few steps took us down onto a platform that ran amid four sunken spaces.
Each area was formed in an organic shape; puffing in and out like a cloud. We passed a sitting section set with driftwood chairs that were built into the sunken curves. Crisp cotton in seafoam green covered the thick cushions on the seats, and an enormous, pointed seashell hung over the center of the arrangement; golden light pouring out of it. To our left, was an area with a bar; driftwood again, with a glass base and crystal decanters lined up on top of it. A spotless fire-pit was lined in mosaic tiles and set with fresh wood.

  The next space held an assortment of musical instruments; including a piano and a harp. Why you needed both stringed instruments was beyond me, but they looked beautiful together. The piano was black enamel; a shocking shift from the more muted color scheme. But the harp was gold; probably solid, knowing the Fey. A stone ledge curved out of the section's bordering wall, with a few throw pillows placed artfully across it. To the right of the music nook, was the dining area. A round table was set in the center of it; it's perfect circle making the shape of the section seem even more fluid. Gilded chairs with seafoam cushions were placed around the table, and china was set before two of them—the settings directly across from each other.

  “Have the wait staff move our table settings together, Mae,” Tiernan instructed. “I like to sit beside my wife.”

  “Of course, Your Majesty.” Mae's dark eyes flashed with approval. “This staircase leads to the King's Suite”—she pointed to a grand set of stairs curving up the wall on our right—“and these lead to the Queen's.” She pointed to an identical set on the left. “Both have been prepared for you.”

  “We only need one of them,” Tiernan said.

  “As I suspected, Your Majesty.” She nodded. “Might I recommend sleeping in the King's tonight, and then trying the Queen's tomorrow? That way you'll know which you prefer for your next visit.”

  “An excellent idea,” I said to her as I wandered past, to the soaring windows before us.

  They were as tall as the room—at least two stories high—and were divided by a curving, golden framework. At their base was a pair of French doors, also golden, and they were open to let in the salt-tinged air. A wide balcony stretched out from them, extending the length of the room and beyond.

  “Thank you, Mae,” Tiernan said.

  “Ring the bell, when you wish for dinner to be served, Your Majesty,” Mae said.

  I assume that she showed Tiernan a bell, but I was too obsessed with the view to look back. I wandered out to the stone railing, trailing my hands over the cool marble, and stared across the water. It felt like being on the prow of a ship, except without all the rolling motion. I couldn't even see an inch of land; just the rolling silk of the sea.

  “I've always thought the view from Taigh na a'Grian was the most beautiful in Seelie,” Tiernan said as he stepped up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “But seeing it from here makes it ten times more amazing.”

  “Now I know why this is your favorite place in Seelie,” I murmured.

  “Wait till you see the sunrise,” he whispered into my ear before he kissed my cheek. “There's nothing like it.”

  “Can we move our bed out here?” I teased him. “I think the sunrise would be even better if I didn't have to leave a warm bed to enjoy it.”

  “We may not have to,” Tiernan said smugly as he took my hand. “Come on, let's have a look at the King's Suite. I want to know if the rumors are true.”

  “There are rumors about the King's bedroom?” I asked with a chuckle.

  “Oh, yes.”

  Tiernan led me up the stairs. My gaze drifted down to the pretty pattern the sunken sections made in the main room, and then up the golden chains of the chandeliers dangling over it, to the domed and gilded ceiling above. I didn't notice that we had reached the landing until Tiernan pulled on my hand, urging me into the King's Suite.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” I gaped at the room.

  Tiernan laughed and shut the door behind us. There was everything I'd come to expect from a royal bedroom in Fairy; a sitting area, an intimate dining area, a fireplace, a dressing area, and a door leading to a bathroom. Pretty normal stuff; if you can call fairy furniture normal. But then there was the bed. It was set into its own nook on the sea side of the room. The nook was circular, and the mattress filled it perfectly. The walls near the foot of the bed curved in a little, making it feel even more as if the nook were made for the bed, or vice versa. The head of the bed was pressed against a wall of windows. Sheer silk curtains were pulled back to either side of the windows, and a mound of pillows was propped against a short ledge.

  “That's one rumor verified.” Tiernan went over to the bed and leaned against one curving wall, to peer out of the windows.

  “We really won't have to leave our bed to see the sunrise,” I noted, and then I blinked. “Wait; you said 'one rumor.' There are more?”

  “Only one more that intrigues me.” Tiernan grinned, but then his smile faded a bit. “Though, now that I recall who used to sleep in these rooms, I realize that you may find it a bit repulsive.”

  “Repulsive?”

  “If the rumor is true,” Tiernan said hesitantly.

  “Is it a sex thing?” I gaped at him.

  “Maybe?” He smiled guiltily.

  “What do you mean; 'maybe?'” I growled.

  “It could be used in such a manner, but it's not overtly sexual,” he stammered. “Oh, bash it; let me see if it's even true first.”

  Tiernan bent by the base of the bed and ran his hand along the wood platform. He found an indention and pushed it. The walls that curved around the bed lowered—even the wall of windows—until there was only a foot-tall rim around the mattress.

  “Sweet Goddess,” I whispered as I kicked off my shoes and crawled across the bed.

  It was a little frightening; the feeling of being suspended thousands of feet over the water. But it was also amazing. I couldn't move; just stayed there on my hands and knees, staring over that short railing across the night-darkened sea.

  “And that makes the view even better,” Tiernan's voice dropped into the low zone of intimacy as his hands coasted over my backside.

  “Funny,” I said as I rolled over to lay back on the mattress. “Oh, wow,” I murmured as I stared up at the glass ceiling—jutting out from the palace wall above us. “We can even lie here in the rain.”

  “Well”—Tiernan made a face as he laid beside me—“it might angle in a bit, but I think it would be worth getting wet.”

  “When you said this might be sexual, I thought Marcan had a secret S&M dungeon or something.” I laughed.

  “No; that's in your grandmother's room,” Tiernan said with a straight face.

  “What?” I nearly shrieked.

  “I'm teasing, Seren.” He drew me in against his chest, and we stared up at the stars together.

  “So, how is this sexual?” I asked.

  “It's a bed, and now we're lying on it together,” Tiernan huffed. “How is it not sexual?”

  “When I fall asleep it won't be,” I said with sass.

  “Not true,” Tiernan said simply. “you accost me in your sleep all the time.”

  “That's an outright lie!” I sat up in indignation. “I am not a sleepfucker.”

  “Is it a lie?” He sat up as well and stared me down.

  “No.” My jaw dropped. “I don't, do I?”

  “It's not your fault,” he said gently. “I'm a difficult man to resist.”

  “Gods-damn it!” I shoved Tiernan away from me and jumped off the bed. “Killian is having a bad influence on everyone.”

  “Killian?” Tiernan blinked. “He has nothing to do with my sexual appeal.”

  “Shut up; you know what I mean.” I rolled my eyes. “His cocky personality is poisoning you.”

  “I don't think I like the sound of that either.” Tiernan lifted a brow. “Can't I tease my wife without it being blamed on another man?”

  “Oh, damn,” I murmured. “You're right. I'm sorry, Tiernan. I
didn't mean it like that.”

  “It's fine, Seren,” he said. “I wasn't really upset. But why don't we agree to not mention the others while we're here? Not in any way.”

  “You got it,” I said immediately. “It's only you and me in the House of the Sun.”

  “Then come back here and show me your apportation skills again, sleepfucker.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The sunrise was indeed amazing when viewed from our bed. The light seemed to surround us, and then it warmed our skin; seeping in to wake us slowly. The breeze brought the ocean to our bodies, and I kissed the salt from Tiernan's sun-warmed chest. We made love with the dawn, and then we headed downstairs for breakfast.

  Tiernan and I spent two blissful days at Taigh na a'Grian; swimming in the Danuvian, lazing on the stretch of pearly-white beach below the palace, and dining on succulent seafood. It seemed as if the sun and sea were both endless, but our time there was not. On the third morning—back in the King's bed—my scry phone chimed. I had been dreading that soft sound, but once I heard it, my heart began to pound faster, and I knew I wouldn't have been able to enjoy much more of our vacation while Barra was on the loose.

  My father's face filled the crystal slice.

  “Dad?” I asked in surprise.

  “Have you enjoyed your holiday?” King Keir asked with a soft smile.

  “Yes; it's been lovely,” I said absently. “What's wrong?”

  “I've been speaking with Killian,” my father said. “He filled me in on the warrant and your absence.”

  “I'm sorry, Dad. I know I said I'd get vengeance for Aideen—”