Shay.
The name whispered through my mind. As if sensing the call, she glanced toward me. I held her gaze, even as her aunt hovered over her, and Brynjar watched us closely.
I couldn’t deny that there was a bond between us. Mayhap it had happened when I’d crossed her over into this realm. Or maybe I imagined the connection.
“Dear God, you’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
Gregor’s words came back to haunt me. He thought I’d betrayed him; thought I’d betrayed the entire kingdom. It didn’t matter. He would understand soon enough.
Shay didn’t scurry away to do her aunt’s bidding. She merely smiled up at the woman. “They were just explaining fairy magic.”
Her aunt paused, surprise crossing her weathered face. “Did we never tell you about it? Why, it’s how we survive, dear. Right now, the fairies give us the dust…
For a price.
“However, if we could find our own supply…”
“You could cut out the middleman,” Shay murmured.
Her aunt frowned. “I don’t know who this middleman is…”
“I meant that I understand what you’re saying.” Shay looked at me. Those eyes always bold. What was it about her gaze that made me feel as if she could read into my very soul, know my lies from truth? “You’re saying you know where there’s an outcrop of this magical fairy dust?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
She placed her hands flat on the table and leaned forward, staring hard at me. “Where?”
I smiled. How utterly delightful. She truly thought I’d admit all. She was direct, and expected everyone else to be. Perhaps they were on Earth Realm, but not here. Here there were games to play, people to manipulate. “Princess, you know I can’t tell you that.”
She frowned, her brows drawn together. “We could torture you to get the information.”
I quirked a brow, having more fun than I had a right. Torture? She couldn’t torture a gnat. “You could try.”
I didn’t miss the way Brynjar’s hands slowly curled on the tabletop. He might not show it, but the soldier despised me, and flirting with Shay was like sticking a knife in the man’s gut.
She tilted her head to the side, studying me carefully. “Then what is it you want?”
The general cleared his throat. It was obvious by Shay’s startled reaction that she had forgotten we weren’t alone. Damnation, I’d almost forgotten as well. The general looked more than annoyed. And with a quick glance around the room, it seemed as if he wasn’t the only one. They didn’t like the fact that this young woman had strolled in and taken over. They sure as hell didn’t like that we were practically flirting in front of them. A shiver of unease whispered down my spine. Shay didn’t even notice the crackling tension. Hell, I wanted to warn her that Acadia wasn’t as forward thinking as my sister assumed. But how could I?
I forced myself to tear my attention from her and focused on the general, giving him the power and respect most men in his station craved. “I’ll escort you to the hive, if you agree to let me go once there. You will also release Gregor the moment we leave.”
The general laughed. “You demand a lot for a man who tried to kill our princess.”
Shay’s jaw clenched, her gaze on the tabletop. She knew well enough I had saved her, even if the others wouldn’t admit as much. It bothered her that she owed me a debt. They, on the other hand, merely pretended it hadn’t happened.
“You will accept my offer because you know if you take control of your own hive, you will never have to worry about war again. You won’t have to worry about energy for a long time.” I shrugged. “You also will no longer have to send your newborns to the fairies. Imagine, getting to keep your children.”
“What?” Shay demanded. “What’s he talking about?”
The general flushed. Her aunt looked uneasily at the floor. “Well, you see, it was an agreement made long, long ago, and the babies are not harmed. It’s only the ill ones…”
Shay surged to her feet. “You give babies to the fairies in exchange for magic?”
I leaned against the wall, enjoying this. Sure, we killed the fairies for their magic, but at least we didn’t hand over our own babies.
“We give them to the nymphs, who then give them to the fairies, as no one is allowed to have direct contact with the fairies.” Her aunt started to ring her hands together. “Just one baby a year, and many do see it as an honor.”
Shay sank into the chair, shaking her head. “Unbelievable. Why do they want our children?”
“We’ll speak of it later, my dear,” her aunt murmured.
Brynjar leaned closer to the table, resting his elbows on the smooth surface, brute that he was. My mother would have slapped his arms away and sent him to etiquette school. His gaze met mine. “You realize that if your uncle finds out, and there is a good chance he will, you will be tried with treason.”
“Yes.”
They were silent for a moment, watching, weighing their options. They didn’t trust me. They shouldn’t. They also knew that neither of us had a choice. I had to offer up the fairy hive, or die. They had to accept, or go to war.
“Brynjar, Lady Millicent, please follow me outside.” The general stood. “My lady Rallora.”
“I want to stay.”
The general frowned.
“My dear, I don’t think that wise,” her aunt murmured.
“I’m fine. I’m staying.”
I almost laughed at their disgruntled looks.
The general headed toward the door. “Watch him,” he growled to the soldiers.
Brynjar glared at me, then followed, taking Shay’s aunt. Shay sat there watching me. We weren’t alone; there were at least ten guards surrounding us, pretending not to listen.
“You don’t wish to know their thoughts?” I asked, surprised she hadn’t pushed her way into the conversation they were having in the hall.
Although they should have been more than wary about leaving her in a room with me, they probably wanted to escape her many questions and unspoken accusations about the fairies.
She quirked a brow. “Why would I leave, when I’m sure you’ve far more interesting things to say.”
Remaining near the enemy, the source of information. She was more intelligent than any of us had realized, and for some reason I was proud that she had outsmarted them. “What do you want to know?”
“Do they truly send babies to the fairies?” She stood and started toward me, her slippers whispering over the polished, wooden floor.
“Yes.”
I could see them in the hall. While the general talked, Brynjar watched us.
“Next question,” I said. “We really should hurry.”
The closer she got, the faster my heart beat. “You’re up to something.”
I leaned back against the wall, all ease, even as my chains rattled, reminding us both how close I’d come to having my head chopped from my body. “Why, Princess, you don’t trust me?”
She paused a few feet away and crossed her arms over her chest. “No.”
Her breath was warm against my neck, sending shivers of delight over my skin. I could have grabbed her so easily. I didn’t miss the way the remaining soldiers stiffened, watching us. They realized I could snap her neck before they made it halfway to us, yet none of them dared to call out to her. Why? Because they wanted her dead, or were too afraid to reprimand royalty?
“Good,” I said softly. “You shouldn’t trust me.”
She arched a brow. “You admit you’re lying?”
By the gods, she smelled good. But then anyone would smell better than the dungeon I’d been living in the last two days. “Why would I admit I’m lying and chance getting my handsome head chopped from my neck?”
“I…” She paused, looking uncertain. Her hesitation more than intrigued me. What could she possibly share that was so embarrassing? “I didn’t want them to behead you. I think it’s…”
“Barbaric?”
“Yes.”
The smug smile fell from my face. “You didn’t want me to die?”
Her eyes held no amusement, only a burning seriousness that made me uncomfortable. Things were getting much too intense. It needed to end now, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself from stepping closer, even as I noticed the soldiers reaching for their swords. I wanted to know if her hair was as silky as it looked, wanted to see if her eyes would flash with desire if I kissed her. Needed to know if she felt even a pinch of the attraction I felt.
“I suppose I didn’t,” she murmured, her brows knit together in confusion. “I want no one’s death on my hands.”
No one, or mine? “Have I grown on you, my lady?”
She flushed, those cheeks blushing pink. “Yes, much like the mold in the dungeon.”
I nudged the tip of her slippered foot with my booted one. “Come, tell the truth, you would have missed me.”
“How can you joke about this when you almost lost your head, still could?”
The corners of my mouth quirked. “It’s laugh or cry.”
She released a wry laugh. “I can’t imagine you crying over anything. Maybe if you lost your family inheritance, or your looks.”
She wasn’t wrong. When was the last time I cried? As I stared hard at her pretty face, I realized that I felt like I knew her in some, strange way. And she, apparently, knew me as well.
“You think me so shallow?”
Her lips parted, but she didn’t have time to respond, for the general swept inside, Brynjar following. Shay stepped back, moving to the windows. She was still nearby, but far enough away that we no longer seemed intimate.
“Fine,” the general snapped out. “We agree to your terms. However, if this is a trap, both of you will die and we will war.”
Relief washed through me, making my knees weak. I had bought myself a few days, saved Gregor. “Swear you will release him?”
The general frowned. “I swear.”
I gave a quick jerk of my head. Perhaps they lied, but it was enough for now. It had to be. I slid Shay a glance. She stared unblinkingly out the windows. She hadn’t said a word. Didn’t acknowledge relief of any sort, happiness, even displeasure. What was she thinking?
The general turned toward Brynjar. “Men, out. Brynjar, take the prince to the dungeon for now. Then gather twenty of your best to escort the prince to the mountains in the morning.”
The soldiers marched toward the door, one by one, their swords clanking against the armor covering their hips and legs. Brynjar bowed. He wouldn’t have to send that letter to my sister after all. At least not yet. I had a feeling he was disappointed. The sound of the soldier’s footsteps faded.
The general snapped shut the book of maps. “You shall leave when the sun rises.”
Brynjar nodded and headed toward me.
“How fun, a trip together,” I said, just loud enough for him to hear.
His gaze flickered with annoyance as he gripped my arm. “I almost hope you’re lying, so I can shove my sword through your gut.”
I lifted my brows. “How savage.”
“Wait.” The princess spun around from her position by the windows. “Wait.”
The general paused halfway to the door, slapping the map book impatiently against his palm. “What is it?”
She tilted her head stubbornly high, her gaze growing hard. I hadn’t been in her company long, but I knew her well enough to know whatever she was about to say was going to cause chaos. How gleefully I looked forward to it.
“Princess,” the general insisted. “We are in a hurry.”
“Of course. I was just going to say that…” She took in a deep breath.
“What?” the general snapped.
She narrowed her eyes into glare. “What I mean to say is that I’m going with them.”
Chapter Nine
Shay
“My lady.” Helen hesitated in the doorway, her arms full of folded clothing. She was helping me pack, even though her tense face showed her disapproval. “Are you sure this is a wise decision?”
I tossed my bag onto the bed. No, actually I wasn’t. But I sure as heck wasn’t going to admit that. Ever since I’d decided to go, I felt an odd sense of urgency I didn’t quite understand. Was I running away from my problems? Maybe. But sometimes all you could do was run.
The sun would be up soon. Darkness was my friend. Maybe I wanted to escape this castle, get away from prying eyes, and people who wanted me dead. Maybe I wanted to prove something to myself. Or maybe I was hoping to find answers out there. Whatever my reasons, the urge to flee could not be denied.
“I am sure. Did you find some clothes?”
With a sigh, she swept into the room. A good princess did not go traipsing around the countryside with men. Oddly enough, my aunt was the one who supported my insane idea the most. She probably assumed I’d be safer outside the walls than inside. And she was probably right.
“Yes. They should fit. Two pairs of trousers, two shirts. A jacket. My brother won’t miss them. And don’t worry, they’re clean.”
“Excellent.” I wore pants, shirt, and jacket that Helen had managed to steal from the washing room while they dried on the lines. The material was rough, heavy and simple. I glanced in the mirror above the fireplace and pulled the cap over my head. With my hair tucked up into a hat, I hoped the soldiers wouldn’t realize my true identity until we were well underway.
A sudden breeze swept from the ocean and rattled the windows. The winds were changing. There was a cold front moving in, or so I’d assumed. But when I’d mentioned as much earlier, Helen had looked anxiously out the windows. A premonition? Magic? What did she see that I didn’t?
“My lady?”
I turned.
Helen gripped the hilt of a dagger in her hand, the tip of the blade pointed at me. My heart lurched into my throat. I was ashamed to admit that for a brief moment I wondered if she’d become a traitor.
“Helen, what is it?”
“It’s not much,” she said. “But the dagger is special. It even works on the enchanted beings.”
I hesitated, unsure what she wanted me to do with the weapon. “You…you want me to take it?”
She nodded sincerely. So then, she wasn’t trying to stab me. The relief I felt was immediate. Guilt quickly followed. Helen had shown me nothing but kindness, and I’d thought her a traitor.
“I can’t take it.”
The dagger flashed between us, as if speaking to me. Something indecipherable whispered in the air. It was almost as if I could feel the power of the blade. “You can and will take it.”
It was beautiful, but the dagger wasn’t for cutting food, or pretty decoration, she wanted me to use it to kill, if I needed. To protect myself. My jaunt into the mountains was suddenly becoming all too real.
She turned the blade so the hilt faced me. Slowly, I reached out and wrapped my fingers around the cold, metal handle. A tingle of awareness whispered up my hand. “It’s beautiful.”
A silver blade and a golden hilt with a pattern of vines that swirled up and around the dagger. Intricate, but deadly. Could I use it? Could I stab someone to death? I could see my own face reflected, warped and monstrous in the blade.
“Forged by trolls, my lady. Do you feel the power?”
The very air felt charged around us. The encroaching storm, or the blade?
“The best weapons are made by trolls. They live deep in the mountains, rarely come into the light of day. My father gave it to me years ago and now I want you to have it. I know…” She took in a deep trembling breath. “I know they’re illegal, but I also want you to have the best protection you can.”
“Illegal?”
I didn’t miss the flicker of anxiousness in her gaze. She swallowed hard and nodded. She was trusting me not to turn her in. I smoothed my fingers over the blade. A tingling of awareness whispered up my arm. It was as if the blade had a secret to tell. Trolls, fairies, unicorns…what would I see i
n those mountains?
Feeling a bit uncertain, I glanced out my bedroom window. In the distance, the mountains loomed large and impenetrable. I would be so out of my element, and completely reliant on Brynjar and his soldiers. “Are you sure you want me to take it?”
“Yes. Please, it’s my gift to you.”
She was so solemn, so sweet, I couldn’t help but feel touched. “Okay.”
Seemingly relieved, she handed me a leather pouch. “Keep it in here, my lady, so others can’t feel the magical pull.”
I slid the blade into the pouch, then tucked the weapon into my jacket pocket. I’d never been good with affection. Hell, even hugging felt awkward. Years ago, a guidance counselor had told me that maybe I didn’t think I deserved affection. I’d flipped her off and was suspended for two days.
“Thank you.” I grabbed my pack and threw it over my shoulder. “I’ll return it to you when I come back.”
She smiled and nodded. A promise from me. I would return. But we both knew I could control my promise about as much as I could control being a princess. Truth was, I might never see her again.
I opened my arms. “Should we, like, hug?”
Her eyes went wide. I was surprised when she actually took a step back so quickly, she bumped into the small side table, knocking an empty glass to the carpet. Apparently, someone hated affection even more than I did.
“Oh no, my lady.” She shook her head. “I’m not allowed to touch you! You’re royalty.”
I almost laughed at the ridiculousness of that comment, until I realized she was serious. On Earth I wasn’t worthy enough for affection. Here I was too worthy.
“Pretty sure you grabbed my arm while we were running from the garden to the house the other day.”
She blushed a deep red. “And I do apologize. My emotions got the better of me. It shall not happen again.”
“What if I’m sad?”
She knelt to pick up the glass she’d knocked over. “I would comfort you with words.”
“What if I beg you for a hug?”
“I…I would get your aunt,” she said, sounding unsure. “You could hug her.”
“What if I demand you hug me?”
Warrior Page 13