Faery Queen (17 page)

“I will let William in.” She entered the palace hall and willed the palace to appear before William so that he may find the front gate. “Whispers came from the forest about your brother appearing. He comes with two men, but I cannot tell who they are.”

“Come here,” Hugh said and she felt his hand on her hip. “I want to talk to you.”

“Talk?” she laughed in disbelief.

“Aye, among other things,” he said naughtily.

“My lord, have you been listening? William is not a prisoner of Lucien. He is safe.” She frowned. Somehow, she'd assumed the news would have pleased him, but he didn't seem to be concerned. That wasn't like Hugh not to care. Normally, he cared a great deal about a great many things. “You were worried about your brother and now he is here, safe.”

“Excellent.” Hugh sighed, but she got the impression he wasn't really listening. “Let us go back to bed.”

Tania pushed his hand from her hip, even as pheromones erupted from her wings, attesting to her bodily interest in his offer. “Methought you wanted to talk.”

“Wed with me. Be my wife.” Hugh again reached for her. Tania's mouth opened in surprise. Pleasure unfurled within her as she began to nod. Only, a sobering voice broke into her answer before she could speak it.

“Hugh?”

Tania turned toward the hall. A few faeries flew overhead. William entered, holding the hands of his two companions. Tania ignored the men, as she watched William. He let go and they stopped walking, standing completely still in the entryway. Seeing the earl, William strode forward.

“Hugh,” William demanded.

“Aye?” Hugh did not turn to him.

“Hugh,” William said, louder as he went to his brother. He shot Tania an irritated glance before taking Hugh by the shoulders and forcibly turning him around. “Hugh, look me in the eyes.”

Tania stepped back, frowning. Hugh gazed at his brother, but his face was blank. William let go of him, turning to the queen.

“You drugged him,” William accused.

Tania gasped, the sound joined by her subjects in her hall. More had gathered to see the palace guests. “I have not!”

William glared at her and she shook her head. What was he talking about? Drugged? She'd not done anything to him—well aside from the slight “detainment”. Oh, and the small matter with King Lucien. Guiltily, she looked away.

“Hugh!” William yelled and she couldn't resist glancing back to see what was happening. “Hugh, see me!”

“He can see you. He is looking directly at you,” Tania said.

“Do you not see it?” William demanded, not sounding as angry at her as before. “Look at his eyes. They are dazed.”

“Ah…?” She frowned. He didn't look any different to her. Hugh's face turned to her and he smiled, the come-hither look in his eyes as if he beckoned her to his bed. Tania shivered, drawn forward to answer his call.

“Oh, really? Then observe.” William drew back his hand and slapped Hugh across the face. The earl grunted, blinking as he turned to look at his brother. William slapped him again.

“William?” Hugh blinked in bewilderment.

Tania flew forward, reaching to protect him. Hugh turned to her, drawing back slightly from her touch.

“What is happening?” Hugh asked, shaking his head. Then, as if finally feeling the pain of William's slap, he grunted and reached for his face. “Did you hit me?”

“Aye,” William nodded. “And a good thing I did, too.”

“Blessed saints!” Hugh rubbed his cheek, confused. “William, why did you…?” Stopping, his eyes rounded. “William? By all that is holy, it is you!” He grabbed his brother, pulling him into a fierce hug as he pounded his brother's back. “How did you get here? Methought Lucien had you. I…”

“Lucien did have me. The violet-eyed nymph, her name is Mia by the by. She freed me and sent me to you.” William returned the embrace as Hugh pounded him on the back a couple of times. “Actually, she detained me at Bellemare and then I woke up in Lucien's hold. I'm not sure how I got there or if she did it, but she did free me. She claims Lucien was going to kill me in two days.”

“Two days?” Hugh whispered, his voice anguished. “Wait, Mia. I know that name. She took me to the Fire Palace and then begged Lucien not to hurt me. That is the violet-eyed woman? She is working for King Lucien.”

“I think she is forced to help him,” William said. “She tried to warn me at Bellemare about Lucien and she did save my life.”

“She takes us to save us?” Hugh frowned. “I do not trust her. I do not trust any women of this realm.”

Tania's stomach knotted in fear as she watched the interplay. The answer to his question burned inside of her, only how could she give it to him now. How things had changed in a single flap of her wings! Slowly, Hugh turned to her and she felt as if her world was ending. His eyes were hard, so unlike moments before. There was no love in him, not for her, not for anything at the moment.

“I was going to go get you,” Hugh continued to his brother, his voice tight as he looked at her. “I was going to leave days ago to find you.”

“Hugh, I…” Tania tried to speak. When William slapped his brother's face, her head had cleared some. Lightly, she whispered, trying to explain what had happened to him, “Euphoria.”

“Do not you say a single word to me!” Hugh demanded. “No more of your faery spells. I cannot believe you did it to me again. You drugged me to keep me here. You took away my will.”

“I did not,” she said weakly. “I swear to you, Hugh. If I did, I did not know.”

Why hadn't she seen it? Hugh had been drugged with faery passion. Though, she'd never put a man under her spell, she had see it before, many times. She should have seen that Hugh was under faery magic. Did that mean the last couple of days were a lie? She'd been a fool. She hadn't wanted to see the truth.

“You do not love me,” she whispered, shaking her head. A severe pain etched itself over her. She felt her scalp burning and lifted a hand to touch her head. Strands of her hair fell forward as she lowered her chin. They were again dark. The walls of the palace began to tarnish once more, evidence of the lie their time had been. Her faeries made weak noises as they began murmuring frantically amongst themselves.

“Not anymore,” Hugh growled. “Not that you could call what happened to me love. Your spell is broken.”

Tania sunk to the ground, too weak to fly. Her wings drooped and she had to put a hand on the chilly floor to keep from falling over. Inside she felt cold, alone. Had the euphoria impaired her as well? Was she awakening from a dream into bitter reality?

Hugh towered above her, his feet stopping near her hand. Her whole body shook. She wanted to reach for him, but couldn't move more than a finger toward his shoe.

“You selfish woman,” he hissed. “Is my life some sort of diversion to you? First Juliana and now you almost cost me William. You are fortunate you are a woman otherwise you would be dead right now for all you have done to my family. But, if your antics have in anyway harmed Thomas, I will be back to settle. And make no mistake, this time it will not be to take you to bed, but to kill you—and your being a woman will not stay my hand.”

The faeries in her hall gasped at his declaration. She felt their eyes on her, knew they were confused, scared. For the first time since her reign, she didn't think she could protect them. She was drained, tired, and she was too weak to stop him from going.

“You are leaving?” She hoped by some miracle he would stay.

“Oh, aye, most certainly. I am done with this place, this realm of magic and I am done with you, Queen Tania. If I never see you again, it will be too soon. I am going home to Bellemare and I am taking all my family with me—all of my family.”

“Nay.” She shook her head, trying to form the words she needed to speak. It was hard under the stare of his accusing rage. “You cannot.”

“Pardon me?” he demanded.

“You cannot go. You will die if you go back to Bellemare.”

“You are threatening to kill me if I leave?” Hugh snorted in obvious disbelief. “Farewell, Tania.”

“Nay, wait.” She tried to make him understand.

“Come, William.” Hugh turned his back on her. “Let us get out of this accursed place.”

“Nay, Hugh.” Tania pushed up from the floor. Her limbs shook and she couldn't move her wings.

He didn't stop walking.

“Hugh, please.” Tears streamed down her face. Tania fell back down, resting against the hard stone. “Please do not leave me. I love you. I want to wed with you. Please, Hugh, just love me.”

 

 

 

“I would apologize for my commander's hospitality, but we are in the middle of the war. You were seen with goblins and there was no way for him to know if you were who you said you were.”

“I understand,” Thomas said, trying to stretch his sore muscles as he looked at King Ean. He'd been treated fairly, considering the entire encampment had been busy with other things. The elves had fed him, gave him a fire, let him stretch his legs regularly. They took his sword, but hadn't searched him for other weapons, a thing he found odd, but excused as them being unafraid of any human defense he'd be capable of. “Commander Adal and I have never been introduced. I did not expect that he would know me.”

King Ean sat on the floor of the white gossamer tent. The walls were transparent, allowing them to see the small encampment in the forest and the elfin army that inhabited it. However, all sound was blocked, like they were surrounded by thick, impenetrable stone.

Threads of gold shone with daylight along the tent walls, reflecting the sun. The king was the only other person with him, completely unprotected in his red tunic. It was the same design as his men, only it was embroidered with blue instead of gold. Just like the last time he'd been in the king's presence, Thomas felt a strange connection to the man. It was more of a pull, a sensation of the familiar, like when he was near his brothers, or his father before he died. Hugh said being near the Blessed King reminded him of the feeling he got in the moment of winning a tournament or battle. Whatever it was, the feeling was nearly impossible to describe and Thomas was inclined to think that one could only understand if they'd felt it for themselves. But, regardless, the connection was there.

“I do not think you do understand,” Ean said. “It is not that Adal did not know who you might be, but that he was not sure you were not a shapechanger. Rumors have come from the forest order of wizards that Merrick has conjured the power to create one.

“One what?”

“A shapechanger,” Ean repeated. Blond hair hung long around his shoulders, very much like King Merrick's, but instead of the darkness of the Unblessed King's eyes, Ean's were blue. “You were seen being escorted by a goblin and a troll toward my encampment only to be left alone by them before trying to make yourself known. Trolls and humans are rarely seen together. It would take a great act to create such a circumstance—say the will of the Unblessed King. It was feared Merrick sent a spy into our midst.”

“I am no spy. I did go to Merrick's castle, but only because my sister is there, or was there. I am only in this realm to find my brothers.” Thomas sighed. “And, apparently, my sister now as well.”

“It would seem your family cannot stay away from this realm,” Ean mused.

“It would appear so.” Thomas nodded. “But I assure you, it has not been from lack of trying.”

Standing gracefully, the king faced Thomas. “You went to the Black Palace?”

“Aye.”

“And Juliana was not there?”

“Not that I could see.”

“Merrick did not explain her absence?”

“He said she was in the garden and would not come out. I know my sister. Juliana would not refuse to see me, not after so long apart. King Merrick is hiding her from me and deliberately not telling me what I would know. I was hoping you might know something.”

“Of the Unblessed Queen?” Ean shook his head. “Nay. None have seen her. We listen for news of an heir, but…”

“What?” His stomach tightened. He had the sick feeling something happened to Juliana. It had been so long since he'd seen her, not counting the old magical missive he'd watched, and Merrick was refusing to let him talk to her. “Please, tell me. What is it?”

“Merrick should not be able to have a child. I fear the baby might not be his.”

“Nay,” Thomas instantly denied, ready to defend his sister's honor. “Juliana would never—”

Ean held up his hand. “I do not mean to upset you, Sir Thomas. I only mean to tell you the truth.” He motioned around them to the tent walls. “This is a place of truth. If either of us were to lie, the walls would collapse upon us.”

Thomas nodded, remembering Hugh describing the tent as such a place. “Please, what do you know of my sister? Can you feel anything? She is one of your wards.”

“I know nothing of your sister. As the Unblessed Queen, she is no longer my ward. She belongs to Merrick.”

“I want to see her, but he will not let me talk to her. I do not know how to reach her. I—”

“I know nothing of your sister,” Ean repeated, cutting him off, “but I do know my realm.”

“And your brother? You do know him, right? Merrick…” Thomas didn't continue. The king's eyes turned away from him. “I apologize.”

“King Merrick was once my brother, but those ties have been…” Ean took a deep breath, closing his eyes. “It is not as it once was. Times have changed. Fate has seen to that.”

“The bonds of blood can never be severed.” Thomas wasn't sure if he was helping. He only knew no matter what happened, he would never give up on his family. They were a part of him, a part of his soul and such ties could never be broken.

“That is easy for humans to believe, but an eternity is so much longer than a human lifetime. To you a day is precious, yet to us it is a blur amongst a hundred more like it. You think a year a long time, I think it a blink.” Ean patted his arm. “You cannot know what an eternity can do to the bonds of blood. How many centuries does a man hold on after the ties are strained? I can tell you what the Merrick of my youth would have done, but King Merrick of the Unblessed? Nay, I cannot tell you what deceits he is capable of, only that none of his deceits would surprise me. The Merrick of my youth would never have started this war, yet now, he is the first to shoot the arrow.”