Betrayal (25 page)

“Take her to your chambers and prepare her,” King Sane said to Kin.

Prepare me for what?  I looked at Kin, but he just took my hand and walked me to the room in question.  I remained silent since we were followed by two escorts including the brutish guard that captured me in the first place.  I gave him dirty looks every chance I had to look back in his direction.

Once we were behind closed doors he walked me straight to the bathroom.  I protested with my feet and hands, but he just put one finger over his mouth and held his hand out to go in.  I might be the stupidest Fey queen that ever existed, but I complied.

Once the door closed, he turned on the faucet and shower and bath.  He walked up close enough I could smell the musky smell of something other than his usual leathery manly scent.  He bent his head to my ear and held his hands around my waist.  I allowed more trust than I probably should, but I just had this feeling that he would get me out of all this.

“You are preparing to marry me before the night ends and bed me so that my father can take your court,” his mouth was touching my ear.  He didn’t move at all.

I tried to jerk back at his words, but he held me there against him with an iron grip. It was fated to be.  I was doomed.

“We are being watched even now.  Follow my lead, Grace.  I would never force you to do anything, but if they doubt me right now, they will take your memory in a matter of seconds.”

I put my mouth to his ear as if to appear behaviorally acceptable to the play we were acting out.  “How are they watching?”

“Don’t ask?”

Meaning I didn’t want to know.  “Can they hear me?”

“No, as long as you only whisper in my ear and no thoughts.”

Got it!  No thinking about Kin, the Unseelie hot as hell prince, licking my ear. 

“What will you do?” I leaned up as if the answers would come faster.  My mouth went to his ear and my lip bumped the bottom of his earlobe.  He stiffened to a familiar stance I recognized with Ian and I forcefully moved back from him.  His eyes were dark black glittery bands of danger pulling me back into him.  “Grace, don’t do that again.”

Whoa!
  Total accident, but astronomical reaction.  “Sorry!”

“Yeah, I’m not,” his voice was husky like sandpaper.  He coughed to hide the moment.  When he finished the fake fit and moved back to me, he whispered, “We have roughly five minutes.  If you can tell that Pike or Ian are close at any time, you can call out to them, but know that you will have seconds before you are dragged away.”  The truth of the situation loomed over us.

Brilliant! 
Chance of survival
, none!
“I already feel them.  They are close.”

He seemed to be thinking, because his head stayed against my neck.  I did feel his hands move up and down the length of me.  “Do you have to do that?”  I asked.

“Sorry!  Didn’t realize.”

He didn’t even know he was
touching me
all over?

“When I turn the water off, stay wrapped around me till we get to the door of the room.  When I get the door open, reach your legs up and wrap them around my waist.”

I cast a downward look at his face as I was less than an inch from it now so I could show him that this was not what I deemed appropriate. 

“Grace, we can’t fool them without it.”
              “Fine!”  I said this but something else softened the last part of the word.  He was betraying the father who was betraying him.  He wasn’t anything like his father and yet he was everything like him.  I was so confused.

“Now, step into the shower and I am going to get in with you.”

“What?”  I said too loudly way far from any thoughts now.  I heard a faraway laugh.  Eww!  They
were
watching.

“We will stay fully clothed.  They can only see us moving about and will know we stepped in.  They can’t see us clearly.”

Thank the heavens!  I stepped in.  He followed. 

“You know, I really could show you what it would be like?” he smiled.  Things were different, but not better.  Insufferably
wrong
and
dangerous
.

“Kin, I’m not in the mood to be taken advantage of.  I thought that’s what you were saving me from?” I didn’t have to try to sound annoyed.  I was plain scared.

“I meant a kiss, Grace.  A kiss.”
              “Oh! Sorry!”  But still.  Before I could protest it also, he kissed me.  Soft at first.  Then...then...I bit him. 

“Kin!” 

He licked his own bruised lip.  “Wish I was sorry for that.  Worth it.”

I huffed even with water running all over my face. My makeup had washed completely off by now, even my mascara.  I analyzed that kiss a little.  It was like he was giving me something, a gift in his eyes.  He really liked himself too much.

“It needed to happen, I just wanted you warned.  I said I’d ask for consent, but time is essential at the present.  He needed to smell me on you to believe it.”

Smell me?  Fear outweighed the danger I was already in.  “I-I thought being marked was different.”

He laughed low.  “It is, oh lovely Grace.  It is.  This is just a power only my father holds.”

Oh!  I sighed with relief. 

“No, you said permission.”

“What?” he looked confused.

“You used the word permission when you would kiss me again.   Not consent.”
Skeevy man!

“Are you ready?”  His bewilderment was ongoing whenever I said out of the blue stuff like that.  He turned off the water before I answered welcoming the warm towel he handed me.  I did as he told me all the way out the bathroom door and bedroom door.  He hinted with his eyes only that it was now or never.  When we were outside the door and the guards began to whoop and holler I knew what to do next.  Kin wanted me to run.  Like the best villain voice ever practiced, a guard said something behind my back about me glowing and that sent my panic attack into survival mode.

I looked back like Lot’s wife and worried for one brief second about the consequences I would be giving Kin, but his face said all manner of “get the hell out of here”.

I took off down the absurdly long corridor in escape, turning left, then right, and out into the woods where we’d entered.  I ran so fast and cried the whole way.  I was a sopping, soggy, pathetic mess of a girl.  I yelled for my rescuers.

Screaming erupted in every direction.

Catrin was there.  Standing with a knife.  I hadn’t once pictured her in any demented twisted way like I did just then.  She wasn’t a happy little camper.  It was disturbing to think she was that much like Kin, Unseelie all the way.

              Kin shouted from behind to her.  She reluctantly dropped the knife to her side and let me pass not having time to freak out.

I heard the guards yelling my names, or various versions of it, behind me as I vacated the winter court feeling the warm air hit my skin.  It shouldn’t be this hot, maybe it’s just me.  I was sweating like a track runner after a fifty yard dash with blurred vision.  I didn’t have much time and the twenty feet it took to emerge out of the court felt like a mile.  I shrieked in my head for Pike and Ian alternating between them.  A giant insect landed on my arm—I didn’t care and barely noticed when it flew off.  I tried hard not to slow down, but my heart pumped me into a slow motion run.  When I hit something hard and felt the prick of limbs scratching my arms, I threw my wet mopped hair back and forth out of desperation to free myself reminding the idea that I was ever battle material.  If I survived this, I’d confess to Ian at the first chance that I was a stay at court kind of queen and he could defend me in any way he deemed necessary.  I didn’t want to lose my memory of him.  I begged him to rescue me.

The claws grabbed me still.  I writhed and clawed back at my attacker.  It wasn’t a tree.  I heard a voice screaming at me like glass breaking around me.

“Grace.  Grace.  Stop fighting me.” 
              I froze.  Pike?  I wanted to look up, but something told me to keep fighting.  I jerked again and started to scratch whoever had me, but my arms were locked down my waist and I was held still.  My hair covered the front of my face like I’d just stepped out of the shower after dancing like a maniac, for which I hadn’t.  I sobbed so loud I was a shrill beacon for all to hear.  I heard the holder tell me to open my mind.  I did what I was told despite what I’d been taught. 
              Grace.  It’s me.  Pike.  Stop struggling.

All at once, I passed out.

“Grace was in that court Ian, let’s stop wasting time and go shove it up their a—” Pike half yelled, half stammered out but was cut off by Ian’s loud bark with an equally choice word.  The storm cloud above was about to break loose by the thunder I heard.  Neither of them had seen a storm like that since living in the human world and I know who caused them.  Somehow still being outside I couldn’t help but predict the worst.  I wasn’t awake yet, but I knew.

Ian stood over me.  I could feel his breath above my nose.  I knew his taste and could even sense it now.

Pike continued though Ian never answered him the first time, “I see your point Ian, but if we are to go in there expecting a fight yet walk away as the pyrrhic victors of less than only ourselves remaining standing, or worse.  What
is
the point?”

Ian didn’t disagree on any part of it, but such was the notions of the courts and their ways.  I was alert enough to see they argued over going back to made amends for taking me.  Pike was out for blood, while Ian was the one thinking straight and looking out for me and the courts alike.  We’d come too far to,screw it all up now..  “I think we should wait.  When Grace is revived we will continue this discussion.”

Pike let out a vicious curse, huffed mulishly and walked away.  I still couldn’t seem to wake up enough to respond though I could still feel Ian’s breath above me.  I managed to lick my lips and somehow knew I’d done it.

Then, I felt his lips fall across my own and could tell they quivered uncontrollably like my arms.  I warmed at their touch feeling the security they gave me in length, but I was so out of it still.  When my eyes flicked open, I saw the length of his bangs starting to fall into my eyes as he rested his forehead on mine.  Lifting away, his eyes came into focus.  His tousled dark hair was a mess, but his deep sad eyes still found mine. 

Heaven.  Those eyes were a semblance of calming peace, however pained they looked at the moment.  He smoothed my hair back from my face as he’d done it several times already. 

“I’m so sorry,” he said to me pushing his own hair from his eyes.

I coughed over my words or lack thereof wanting to tell him I was okay, but somehow I knew that my erratic behavior would dissuade him from believing me.  Besides, my head felt like it had been spun around ten times and wrapped in a smothering cotton blanket.

Again, I blacked out but it couldn't have long.  I swallowed and tried to sit up.  When I got to one elbow, I saw that I was on a table.  The dining hall table! 

“I want to tell you something.”  I had to tell him what happened with Kin and that I never wanted to fight anywhere ever again. To forget the prophecies and ignore them.  That he was my hero and I could live with him being the ape man protector of all mighty Grace.  He uncomfortably held me balanced in the air.  “Kin kissed me.  He said he had to for us get out.  As soon as we were out the door—“

“Grace, I know.  I know.”

“You don’t,” I croaked out the words.

“Yes, I do.  Kin just left.  He told me everything.”

He did? 

“You don’t have to explain,” Ian told me.

“I don’t want to fight.”
              “We’re not.”

“I mean me.  I don’t want to ever have to hit anything again.”

Now he understood and his face forced the tears.  Yeah, I was a major wimp at the moment, but I just wanted him to make it known that I would be safe.  I didn’t want to be taken again.  I didn’t want to lose my memories. 

“No one will hurt you again.  I will not leave your side if I have too.”  I think he was serious.

I smiled for the first time.  “I think I will need some private moments.”

“Not unless I’m posted,” he countered.  Either I’d gone too far, or I’d sent Ian into an overprotective state of certifiable craziness.  Okay, so I got his point.

“Okay, so I don’t want to be in that court ever again without you beside me.  Is that better?”

“Done.  But don’t walk around our own court without an escort, especially outside the garden.  It seems to be the problem area.   There are certain obligations as the queen and attempting to preserve your own safety is one of them.”

He was in Fey court prince mode at the moment.  If I had the strength to salute, I would. “And what about obligations towards you?” I tried to be funny even though my strength was weak and it came out sounding like a goofed up clown.

“If you mean that I would prefer you not to try and get yourself killed or worse, then yes I would be most grateful if you’d consider it an obligation to me also.”

Well, okay then.  I did ask.  “Can I go lie down on something softer,” I asked giving up the fight that was still in me. 

He didn’t make a readable face, but picked me up in his arms and carried me to his bed.  I slept most of the day and night.  When I woke the next day after noon, I was famished. 

Not bothering to change clothes even, I brushed my teeth with the toothbrush I’d added to his bathroom weeks ago and headed to find something in the kitchens.  The noon meal was already over and the table was empty.  I didn’t find anyone, anywhere.  Strange!

Alone and walking around the kitchen area, I found a loaf of bread baked from the morning.  My nose caught a few of the phantom scents that had me confused lately with who was near and who wasn’t.  I dismissed my worry and went back to my bread taking in a whiff of the fresh baked perfection.  Tearing off a piece, I greedily shoved it into my mouth not waiting for a condiment or drink to ease it down.  My stomach grumbled even more with each bite.

“Dost thou fair maiden wish for a drink?”

I jumped so fast my bread flew in front of me and hit the floor.  With my eyes wide with the caught in the cookie jar look, I brought out additional unladylike manners by coughing up my bite and forcing it back down in one swallow.   I’d had a tough few days it seemed.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, love,” Ian patted my back like he might give me the Heimlich maneuver.  After gaining my composure, he and I both sat down on the tall kitchen stools with a loaf in front of us.  It reminded me of Kin’s kitchen at the lair.  Never really appreciating the kitchen at the summer court before, I looked around for the similarities it held to Kin’s.  They were pretty close to the same with a few more Tuscan-like primitive aspects here at my court. 

“How long did I sleep?” I finally asked after my stomach and head were on better terms.

“Two days almost.”

Ouch!  No more sleep!  I felt like everyone else was living while I only practiced getting ready for the afterlife.  “Did you guys do anything foolish during which?”

His brow furrowed, “Now is that any way to say thank you?”

I smiled and said thank you, then asked it again.

He made a low, deep noise dismissing me, pulled me gently off the stool, and led me in the direction of the meeting room.  He never told me where he was leading me to or why.

“We can’t just sit and wait,” Bane banged the table in the center of where he stood.  The sound echoed in my ears and vibrated through the room.  At least to me. 

“We wait for Grace no matter the decision.  It is her call,” Pike retorted.

My call?  How nice.  I listened on, but heard nothing.  Ian gave me a nudge into the room and without fail all eyes fell upon me, the
decision maker
.

“I want all the facts first.  I readily admit I did not think he was capable of this.”  Pike went on despite my presence.

“Kinsler knew better,” Bane fisted the table again.  He was beyond furious.  In fact, he was turning an angry shade of red.  I’d never seen him like that.

“Kin had nothing to do with what happened except to save my life. If he hadn’t been there to help me, I don’t know what shape I would be in right now.  No, I do know.  That worthless excuse for a father and king manhandled his way into Kin’s personal guard’s mind and forced him to take me.  Kin heard my scream and arrived just before Ian and Pike at the lair.  If he hadn’t—“

Ian’s hand landed on my arm.  I shut down instantly.  The tears came fast.  I guess I wasn’t fully ready for a “go at it” meeting of the minds.  Blurry eyed, I turned on Ian and nodded a meaningful look of appreciation to him.

Pike cleared his throat, “We all know that Kinsler helped with the situation.  He shared with us the details of what you’ve been through as well as we have all been informed of what his father planned but failed to complete thankfully due to Kinsler.  We are in his debt.”

In Kin’s debt?  My tears stopped instantaneously. “There’s no time to humor me at the moment,” I said dryly.

“I’m not,” Pike responded.  “I’m just trying to avoid something going wrong before we can make it right.”

Wow!  Pike advice that actually makes sense and is applicable.  However, there is always time for things to go horribly wrong.  I tried to smile to prove I was capable of something other than lethargic thinking processing.  “So what’s the plan?”  Avoiding everyone possibly knowing the details of my shower with Kin made me at the same time avoid everyone’s blank stare.  Were they just trying to keep from thinking about it?  I opened my mind to read a few faces as Bane started to talk.  I was supposed to be listening, but all I heard was Pike’s yell for one particular guard to stop staring at me.  This was all
silent
of course.

  I spun my head in the guard’s direction that Pike leaned his head toward and scowled aligning myself with Pike’s slightly colorful thoughts.  Pike felt me tap in and gave a curt nod in my direction.  The guard looked positively like death warmed over with my ability to mimic another and opened his mouth wide in surprise.  I heard the tough as a biker dude on Sunday guard say to himself in his mind,
“you were right dude, she is nice piece of—“

  I growled at the guard and instinctively slapped a hand across Pike’s face at the same time.  All words from Bane ceased to a halt. 

“You told him that?” I squeaked out losing my ground to look angry.  With every eye on Pike’s hands flashed in the air like the cops just appeared, I smiled like the good girl that I am and said to Bane, “Carry on!”

He stammered on his words but continued.  I caught up to the line of thinking Bane was sharing with the group as Pike hung his head in a persistent “what did I do” look for half of the meeting.  I was a little surprised he let me get away with striking him, but it really hadn’t been that hard and he really was guilty.  His face didn’t even turn red.

No one asked that I know of and I didn’t tell.  It was humiliating enough.

The plans were made to return to the winter court and demand some type of agreement.  The events they planned had me anxious and scared for the possibility of lives lost over anything else.  Kinsler  as the head of it all, was the key part of the conversation that marked me as crazy worried.  He had the Nyms on our side and ready to fight for me with the assumption that the winter court would be overthrown and a deal would be made for lands.  That was unreal.

Ian punched the desk.  I jumped beside him.  Ian had tremendous presence upon others no matter where we were.  I saw in that moment others seem to respect him no matter how diplomatic his usual demeanor was and sometimes not, he was a force to be reckoned with.  I only ever feared Pike or Kin.  I never once thought to fear Ian.  And watching him now, Kin and Pike combined weren’t the force he created. Somehow, he is stronger than before.

It’s you.

What?
  I turned to Pike who chose to speak to me internally for some reason.

Combined, you two are more powerful than anyone king or queen, and he shows the signs of it coming already.  After you’re married, or rather...the two of you will be unstoppable.

Oh!

***

I sat in the kitchen making breadsticks for our coffee time the next morning.

“You can be such a downer some times,” I told Pike after he had just finished telling me that he’d never find anything worth living for.

“Yeah, the world needs us!”

“Who?” I looked bewildered remembering he’d yet to mention the reason I’d slapped him before.

“Pessimists.”

“Why is that?” I rolled my eyes. 

“Without us, there would be no optimistic starry eyed queens who think they can save the world,” Pike was twisting the bread up and making a mess.

“You’re doing it all wrong,” I took the bread pieces from him and started twisting them into a breadstick.

“That’s not something I’ve ever been told.”

I glared at his double meaning
off topic far from innocent
face.

“You’re wrong.”

His crazy one eyebrow move played me asking for the reason why.

“I admit first hand I can’t save anyone much less the Fey people and this feud between the courts.  The stars realigned already to accept my failure.”