by Karen Lynch
I stared at him at a temporary loss for words. Good God, was that what people here thought? If so, I needed to set the record straight.
“It wasn’t a reward. I nearly died, and he did the conversion to save my life.”
“And here you are now, a guest at the king’s party,” Joreth replied cheerfully, oblivious to the edge of annoyance in my voice. “I am fortunate enough to be your escort. I hope that by the time this night is done, you and I will be friends, too.” He gave me a secretive smile and lowered his voice. “Or maybe more.”
I had no response to that, so I took a sip from my glass instead. Thankfully, servers chose that moment to arrive with our first course, and I was saved from having to reply.
Talk was sparse and light through the five-course meal. Even Fayette and Cleon joined in at times, mostly to talk about who was seated with whom and what they were wearing. The conversation was so shallow I was bored nearly to tears by the time dessert arrived.
I tried not to stare at Lukas and Dariyah, but I couldn’t help myself. I wished I hadn’t whenever I saw her smile and lean in close to say something to him. It killed me to admit it, but she looked like she belonged there with the royal family. And she knew it.
At one point, she had looked straight at me as if she’d known I would be watching. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile, and she’d laid a hand on Lukas’s shoulder in a way that suggested they were more intimate than dinner dates. Lukas had been talking to his mother and hadn’t reacted to her touch, but it bothered me all the same.
I wasn’t the only one unhappy with Dariyah’s display. The few times I glanced at Rashari and Delphine, the pair looked like they were plotting her demise. Dariyah seemed to revel in her competition’s jealousy, which only riled them up more. If I were her, I wouldn’t be taking strolls down any dark hallways after this.
Servers came to clear away the last of the meal, and people at the small tables began to leave their seats to mingle around the room. As soon as Fayette and Cleon left us, Joreth placed a hand over mine on the table. “I hear there is going to be a special light display after dinner. Why don’t we take to the gardens and watch it together?”
I had to stop myself from jerking my hand away when his thumb stroked it. Smiling, I eased it from under his and rested it in my lap. “I think the view would be so much better up here. Don’t you agree?”
He leaned in so close our heads touched, and his voice dropped to a husky whisper. “It will be crowded here, and we can spend some time getting to know each other better. I would love to hear more about your life before you came to Faerie.”
I laughed. “You’d be better off taking a trip to my world and seeing it for yourself.”
“Is this not your world now?”
“I haven’t been here long enough for it to feel like home,” I replied honestly.
“Then we shall have to make you feel at home here,” he persisted, clearly not getting the message.
I picked up my glass and took a sip, scanning the room for an escape. I caught Faris’s eye, and the look he gave me said he wanted to help but couldn’t. My gaze slid down the table to the spot I’d been avoiding for the last half hour, and my pulse jumped when I found Lukas staring in my direction. His eyes and jaw were hard, and my breath caught before I realized his glower was not directed at me.
Joreth pulled away from me as if I’d burned him. I didn’t need to look at his face to guess he had also seen Lukas.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to say hello to some friends of mine,” he said, already half out of his chair.
“I don’t mind at all.” I waited until he left to return my gaze to Lukas, who looked slightly appeased. I smiled and gave him a tiny shrug, and his answering smile sent a delicious shiver through me. Even with a room and a hundred people between us, I could feel his presence as if he was beside me.
His mother said something to him, and he looked at her, breaking the spell between us. I stood and walked to the rail, wondering what the proper etiquette was for these dinners. How long was I expected to stay here? Was it rude to leave before the king did?
I became aware of the whispers nearby just as a voice said, “Jesse James, I hoped I would have an opportunity to talk to you during our visit.”
I turned to face Prince Rhys, who stood a few feet away with Bayard and another of his personal guards. The prince was smiling, but his two guards looked none too happy to be there.
“Prince Rhys… how nice to see you,” I stammered.
“I thought you agreed to call me Rhys,” he said in a teasing voice.
I smiled. “Rhys, how are you enjoying your visit to Unseelie?”
“It’s been rather dull until now,” he confessed.
I gave him a disbelieving look. “I spent an hour in the first meeting, and it was anything but dull.”
His mouth turned down. “It is when you sit in them for three days and are not permitted to participate. My mother believes I am too young and inexperienced to contribute.”
His frankness was unexpected. “Why did she bring you if you can’t take part in the discussions?”
He leaned in conspiratorially. “Appearances. It’s a show of strength. Where one crown prince goes, so does the other.”
Bayard made a disapproving sound, but as usual, Rhys ignored him. I sensed something was off between Rhys and the queen. When he’d talked about her the day we went to lunch, his tone was affectionate. Tonight, there was a note of aggravation in his voice.
They were blocking my view of Queen Anwyn, but I knew she would not be happy to see the prince talking to me of all people. I was safe from her in Unseelie, but that fact did not stop a chill from slithering down my spine.
“What do you think of Faerie so far?” he asked me. “I see you have mastered the language already.”
“I’m a quick study. What I’ve seen of Faerie so far is beautiful, although it’s definitely an adjustment after living in New York my whole life.”
“Yes, it’s nothing like the human cities. I have not been home long, and I miss that world already.” He stared thoughtfully at the darkened valley. “I have realized during this visit that there is so much of Faerie I have not seen. The Unseelie court is very different from ours. This mountain is quite large, but I cannot imagine living in close quarters with so many others.”
“You call this close quarters? You’ve never been inside my apartment in Brooklyn.”
Rhys laughed. “In Seelie, only the royal family and their guards live in the palace. We have servants as well, but everyone else lives in nearby estates or in the town.”
I tried to imagine what it must have been like for him living in a palace with only his parents and guards for company. It sounded like a very sad and lonely way to grow up.
Bayard stepped closer to the prince. “Rhys, the queen is signaling for you to rejoin her.”
“I am surprised she waited this long.” Rhys released an inaudible sigh. “It was good to see you again, Jesse.”
“It was great to see you, too,” I said and realized I meant it. Despite being raised by Queen Anwyn, he was a genuinely nice person. As he walked away, I wondered what it would have been like if we’d grown up together as brother and sister. I felt a pang of sorrow for what we’d lost.
I glanced around the room, ignoring the people still staring at me after my encounter with the Seelie prince. The diners, except for most of those on the dais, were walking around the room and engaged in conversations. It was as good a time as any to slip out without anyone noticing my departure.
The thought had barely crossed my mind when I caught sight of Rashari and Delphine headed in my direction. Their intentions were written all over their faces. They couldn’t rip into Dariyah while she was with Lukas, so they thought they could take out their spite on me.
I groaned inwardly. Aedhna, you’re testing me, aren’t you? You couldn’t let me make my getaway?
A flash lit up the sky. I looked out, expecting to see t
he king’s light display, but I was greeted by the sight of purple lightning streaking through the sky toward the mountain. A deafening boom sounded directly overhead, and my ears hurt from the sudden change in air pressure.
Then the mountain shook.
I stumbled back from the rail as a basketball-sized rock struck the floor a foot away. I looked up in time to see more rocks break off from the side of the mountain and tumble toward us.
People screamed and pushed at each other to get away from the open section of the terrace. I whirled to run to the nearest wall and spotted Delphine frozen like a deer in headlights. Rashari was nowhere to be seen.
Changing direction, I raced to Delphine, dodging the smaller rocks coming down around me. I plowed into her and shoved her forward with all my strength. Seconds later, something big crashed into the floor behind me.
I pushed at Delphine’s back, yelling for her to keep moving. But when I tried to follow, I couldn’t. I looked back at the boulder pinning my train to the floor and gulped at how close it had come to flattening me. Gripping the material, I yanked hard, and it tore free.
Pain lanced through my skull. I staggered as something warm ran down my temple, and the room dimmed. My knees gave out, and I heard someone shout my name before the noise faded to a dull buzz. Then everything went black.
Chapter 16
“Jesse, Jesse, talk to me,” Lukas begged in a voice edged with fear. “Please, mi’calaech, open your eyes.”
Faolin’s steely voice rang out, making me flinch. “I said stand back. Do not make me say it again.”
Warm hands cupped my face. “That’s it, Jesse.”
I coughed and immediately winced at the sharp pain in my head. “Ow,” I groaned. “Who hit me?”
“The mountain,” Faris said in a teasing voice. “She’s okay, Vaerik.”
Opening my eyes, I stared up into Lukas’s dark ones. “You guys really know how to throw a party.”
Male laughter came from nearby, and Lukas’s mouth softened into a smile that made me forget about my throbbing headache.
“A healer will be here shortly, Jesse,” Faris said. “Do you hurt anywhere besides your head?”
“No.” I moved my arms and legs, and everything worked. “All good. Can I sit up now?”
Lukas gently picked me up. I suddenly became aware of my surroundings. Faolin, Conlan, Iian, and Kerr formed a barrier between us and a curious audience, but I heard people talking excitedly and a few crying.
“Let’s get you out of here.” Lukas stood and spoke to Faris. “Send my healer to me.”
“I can walk,” I insisted, but he ignored me. “I thought you were done carrying me around like this.”
His chest rumbled with laughter as he turned to Conlan. “Tell my father I will talk to him after I see to Jesse.”
Conlan moved away, giving me a clear view of the onlookers. At the front was Dariyah, who looked close to having steam come out of her ears. The thought made me giggle, and I covered my mouth with my hand. That movement brought the pain back, forcing me to close my eyes as Lukas carried me out of the room.
I didn’t say anything when he took me to his quarters instead of mine. He laid me on his bed and went to admit the healer, who cleaned the cut on my head and gave me something sweet to drink.
I didn’t protest when she helped me out of my torn dress and into one of Lukas’s shirts before tucking me into bed. By the time she began to pack up her bag, the pain in my head had receded to a dull ache.
“Your head wound will heal by tomorrow, and you have no other injuries.” She smiled at me. “I hear you were hurt saving someone’s life. That was very brave.”
“Thank you.” I smothered a yawn. “Did you give me a sleeping potion?”
She shook her head. “Menak is strong, and it can have a sedative effect on the young. You are a new faerie, so it will affect you the same way.”
“Oh.” I closed my eyes and listened to the soft murmurs of her talking to Lukas in the other room.
“Jesse.” Lukas’s hand touched my cheek, and I forced my eyes open.
He smiled, but his eyes were troubled. “My father has called an emergency meeting, so I have to leave you for a few hours.”
I lifted my head. “I’ll go back to my room then.”
“I’ll feel better knowing you are here.” He tucked the blanket around me. “Elva will stay until I get back in case you need anything.”
I assumed Elva was the healer, so I nodded.
Lukas leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against mine. “Rest. I’ll return soon.”
“Okay,” I said groggily.
I heard him leave the room. A minute later, the bed dipped slightly, and a warm weight laid across my stomach. I reached down to pet the furry head. “Hey, Kaia,” I said before I drifted off to the sound of her purrs.
The next time I woke, I was curled against Lukas’s warm body with my head in the crook of his shoulder. He was still wearing his formal clothes, minus the coat.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said softly. “Go back to sleep.”
“What time is it?”
“Early.” His fingers played with my hair that had come partially free of the pretty braid Gelsey had done for me. “How do you feel?”
I did a self-inventory. “Better. Was anyone else hurt?”
“Minor injuries. It could have been much worse.” He drew in a breath. “I have always admired your bravery, but when I saw you push Delphine to safety and almost get hit by that boulder, my heart nearly stopped beating.”
I laid my hand on his chest. “You have to know by now that it’ll take more than a storm to get rid of me.”
His other hand came up to capture mine, holding it over his heart. “If you had been with me at the dinner, you would not have been in danger. That was my father’s doing, and I’ve let him know it will not happen again.”
“There was no way he could have known there’d be a storm,” I said as my heart soared at his words.
Lukas’s voice hardened. “I don’t blame him for your injury. But he went too far when he arranged for someone else to escort you to dinner and tricked me into taking Dariyah. I’ve tolerated his interference for too long, and I made it clear I am done with it.”
I wanted to believe the king would stop trying to match his son with a suitable mate, but it was a futile effort. I wondered if Lukas knew that, too.
I tilted my head back to look up at him. “You were in the meeting for a long time. How did it go?”
He pressed his lips together as if he was formulating what to say next. “My father and Queen Anwyn agreed to a temporary travel ban between the realms. Faeries in the human realm will be notified that they have three days to come home before the ban.”
The air squeezed from my lungs. The one thing I was trying to prevent was happening, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
“It’s a temporary ban, Jesse.” The hand in my hair moved down to rub my back. “You’ll see your family again soon.”
“But they’ll be alone if your men come home. Who will keep them safe from Davian?”
Lukas gave me a reassuring smile. “Faolin has been working with a security firm he hired to track down Davian Woods. These are ex Special Forces, and they’re trustworthy. He’s going to arrange for the firm to take over protection detail until we return. It’s not a matter of if but when the team will find Davian. If that happens before the travel ban ends, they will take your family home to New York, unless your parents wish to remain on the island longer.”
His confidence in the security team eased my fear, and I relaxed against him. I rested my head on his chest, and the steady rhythm of his heart coupled with his fingers in my hair soon began to lull me back to sleep.
“I should probably go back to my room,” I murmured.
Lukas stopped toying with my hair. “Do you want to go?”
“No. I don’t want people to talk when they see me walking back to my quarters in my
dress.”
Chuckling, he tugged the blanket up to my shoulder. “You’re already the talk of the court after that dinner. What’s one more rumor.”
“Ugh.” I groaned into his shirt. “You’re not helping.”
He wrapped his arm around me. “Will you stay if I tell you it will help me sleep having you near?”
Warmth spread all the way to my toes, and I snuggled against him. “Yes, I’ll stay for that.”
* * *
When I woke, I was alone in the bed, but the spot beside me was still warm. I slid out of bed to go find him, and I made it to the open bedroom door before I realized I was wearing nothing but Lukas’s shirt. I was looking around for my dress when King Oseron’s voice stopped me in my tracks.
“I like the girl, Vaerik. She has many traits I admire, and the service she did Faerie can never be repaid,” the king said. “But that does not change the circumstances of her birth. She is neither Fae-born nor royalty.”
I recoiled as if he’d slapped me. I wanted to retreat to the bed where I couldn’t hear any more of the conversation, but my feet refused to move.
“Father, we have discussed this,” Lukas replied in a low, angry voice.
“You are drawn to her. I understand that. She is lovely and spirited and brave. Were I your age, I would find her appealing as well. But in the end, I would fulfill my duty to Unseelie.” There was a quiet pause before the king said, “Think about it, Vaerik. Remember Onagh.”
Onagh? Lukas had never mentioned that name before. Who was he, and what did he have to do with Lukas and me?
The sound of the door closing sent me tiptoeing back to bed. I lay down and pulled the blanket up a few seconds before Lukas came into the room. I debated whether or not I should pretend to be asleep and decided I wasn’t a good enough actress.
He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at me with apologetic eyes. “How much did you hear?”
“Enough to know your father doesn’t hate me, so that’s something,” I said lightly.
His mouth tightened. “My father’s intentions are good, but he is too set in his ways to see past his vision of the future for his children. He does not consider what we might want.”