Tainted (18 page)

I opened the top off the bottom side hearing a shift in tissue paper.  Sitting the top to the left I folded the paper back to reveal a lengthy silk gown made of pure gold.  I couldn’t do this gown justice.

Sliding it from the box I held it up against me.  It would reach the floor and then some.  The shoes sitting in front of the bed were higher heels than I’d ever worn.  Well, I had no choice if I wanted to leave here with him in believing I was on his side somewhat so here goes primp and style Barbie.

After fixing my hair up in the pin’s left on the counter, washing my face and teeth with water in the sink, shining my lips and powdering my face with the lucky makeup I had in my back pocket of my jeans, I was ready.  The shoes laced up at the ankles.  That took me ten minutes alone.  I found a jasmine perfume inside the box with my dress that smelled divine.  What was with attention to details in the scents these men chose?  Kin happened to pick jasmine.  Was it because of the way he tainted the jasmine barricade at my house or was it a message?  Did he know it masked their scents?  Or was that the purpose all along.

After two hours of hard labor work on myself, I was ready.  I could tell I’d become accustomed really fast to pampered life because it took Danella and Tren half the time. 

The final gift was still in the box. In four inch heels, I stepped over to the bed that I refused to think about since it belonged to Kin and peeked over the edge of the larger box.  At hands reach, I picked up the small one wrapped in gold and blue ribbons.  Who’d have thought Kin was capable of such beautiful things.  Untied ribbons pooling around the box, I slid the top off slowly as if something might pop out, but nothing did.  Instead I found an pendant on a chain.  All gold,
ALL
GOLD!  It was very much real and shimmery and cold against my skin.  I tried to clasp it and couldn’t seem to get it with my fingernails.  I would need help.  After examining the pendant carefully and seeing it was a locket, flat and cold and shiny and previously opened, I second guessed the meaning behind it. Inside…well, I didn’t know what to expect.  But it had a picture on each side.  On the left, summer.  On the right, winter.  This was his way of reminding me once again what road I must choose or choose between rather.  He was really possibly giving me the reason out…or in to his world, for which he actually thought he had a chance at getting.  No need to think about a reasonable Kin right then.

I unlocked the door and slipped the key down inside my dress. I sucked in to make it drop and looked down expecting a key impression lying against the front of my stomach through the thin fabric, but it didn’t show. 

My head started to buzz.  Zap!
 
It could only be Kin but I detected no thoughts.

I closed the door behind me and headed down the hall to the great room.  At last thought I moved the key to a more hidden spot hoping to deter giving it back in case I had to give chase to safety as well as some further use later. One never knows.  I turned the corner expecting once again to see the Kin I last saw two hours ago, but what I found was something altogether ethereal and enchanting and easily the very description of Prince Charming.

He was standing by the one of the chairs leaning his hip against it with the remote aimed at the screen and talking to one of the cooks from earlier.  He didn’t see me yet standing in the shadow of the door.  He was tall and muscle lean, with his unusually too broad shoulders covered in the navy blue jacket that matched the chair.  The very essence of the dark prince he was with one exception. At beryl seven feet, he is a giant in human eyes.  Jack and his beanstalk better watch out.  The white linen shirt made its appearance again untucked over black jeans and black boots.  Was he kidding me? It was Ian's signature look.

I took two more steps out so he could see me but my thoughts had already announced my arrival.  The cook left and so did the zapped feeling in my head.  He looked me over, his eyes glazing rather quickly.  I loved it when a guy’s eyes did that.  It made me feel powerful. 

He sat the remote down not taking his eyes away and made his way slowly to me. He stopped only to breathe in rather inconspicuously but hardly hidden.  This was like some Cinderella movie remake except I wasn’t going to fall for this prince. 

You smell divine.

He grabbed my hand, pulled it to him like before and kissed my palm with his eyes burning into mine.  His fingers tipped my hand over to reveal the necklace clasp dangling back and forth in the air.  He glanced back up to my face. 

What’s with the jasmine?

It’s your scent.  Always has been.
“You don’t want to wear it?”   He meant the pendant. He was actually hurt.   The macho, huge jock size dude was hurt by me.  The irony of things in my life confound me to no end.

“I will.  But the clasp is being difficult.” I was seriously reassessing this whole situation feeling like this was a little too intimate and a betrayal to Ian, but to know my enemy I must follow through with this dinner so I can get back in one piece.  And he can’t be anything but unfocused which is where I need him to stay!  Besides, maybe I can keep the dress.  Not that Ian would ever approve.  It was cut too low in the back,
too
low in the front, and the opposite of what he would have ever picked for me to wear.  Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to wear.  It’s the Cinderella ball night and I would poof out of here at…dawn.  Okay, so the details were a little blurry in between and the goal was information, not marriage.

With a smirk his hand held my shoulder and turned me.  When I cringed unexpectedly, he dropped it.  Though he knew it, he carefully made sure his fingers did not touch me again, the cold chain lying against my skin.  When I felt he was done he answered my thought by telling, not turning me around. I faced him again reaching near his height with the chosen shoes.  He asked if I was ready, as a gentleman should.  Weird!  Kin!

We filed out the front door heading to a lit up bonfire.  Despite the dry air the fire put out, the cool mist air in the night sky hit me first.  Surrounding the blaze all the way around its length was a long wooden table.  Already seated were many Nyms, a few elves I believe, and even some dwarves.  I couldn’t be sure for I’d only recently read about the real ones in the books of the court library.  Kin was reading my face most likely in addition to my thoughts.  He was also reaching his face too close to my neck and undoubtedly...breathing in.

“I can’t read your thoughts.  The charm,” he pointed to my chest where the charm was not hidden only because the gold chain was showing, “is a creation of my court.  It hides your thoughts from me.  That is what you want?”

I nodded.  Great!  Now I have time to ponder two things that seemed to keep popping up.   One, what’s with the smell thing?  Can they smell me too or is it a guy thing to have us smell good with their own chosen favorite scent.  Ian loved lavender.  Kin loved jasmine.  While I’m thinking about it, did Pike have a preference?  I giggled aloud.

“Where is your key?” His eyes questioned the giggle but focused on looking down my chest for his chain.

Uh, didn’t want to tell this.  No avoiding it with him, the control freak.  “Well hidden.”  I received a rather devious smile.  He knew it could be only one of two places.  Oh, to be a woman and the power we hold.

Being seated in the chair pulled out for me helped determine I was at the head of the table with the head honcho. 

Keeping to my queenly mannerisms by eating properly, drinking little, and laughing at all the right times when someone made conversation with me allowed control over the situation.  Nothing important had been discussed so far so I wondered briefly if all the information Kin planned to share was over.  Surely there is something else. I at least learned that I can break into his thoughts too.   More, I can block and read at the same time.  Hallelujah!  Why is it that Pike and Kin can so easily and Ian can’t if they are all equal?  That’s number two on the list of need to knows. 

Just like clockwork, he was answering my thoughts that he says he cannot hear at the moment.  In my ear he whispered, “I have a secret.”

This is more like it.  I sat up straighter waiting in anticipation with batted eyelids. 
Yes, Prince Kinsler.

“I have it on good accord that the Seelie court has a queen of such exquisite beauty that she radiates in the fire light and moves with such grace that it causes quite a stir among its natives.”

This is not news. I rolled my stop-flattering-me-it’s-not-working eyes at him.  “And you listen to rumors exclusively I see.”

“At times they reveal much.”  His smile and eyes spoke volumes.  “Might you dance with me?”

“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”  That was too intimate.

“That’s what makes it such a good idea.  Come on, only one dance.  No strings!”

I was leery, but followed.  We made our way to the open space that had escaped my attention on the way into this outside party set up.  He took my hand and we danced to a not too slow song played by a real violin and cello led by the two elves.  It was great.  Fun even. I tried not to laugh, but it escaped my lips. I was twirled out and back in, spun around, and back again.

“Don’t look now, my queen, but you appear to be having fun.”

“I’ll not admit anything.”  I frowned but saw my opportunity and turned it to a smile again.  “So, when do you let me in on the whys of being here?”

“Oh, so inquisitive Grace.  I have achieved one success.”

It was my turn at a raised eyebrow.   I knew enough, but if I could get more...so be it.

“Your smile.  In the raw!”

Oh!

“And since we're on the subject.  Seeing you in this,” he pointed to my clothes, “my court’s finery.  I am entirely in awe of your beauty.  You exceed all expectations.”

“You had expectations then.  Sad to hear from a girl’s perspective dear Kin.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning…that you can’t just be happy with who I am.  That is the Kin you live up to be in my eyes.  You are never happy with just who I am and never was.  You want to change me into what you think a winter court queen will or should be.”

“No, that’s not it at all.  You misread me as all women seem to do.  You are exactly what you should be and more is the exact meaning I’m trying to get across.  And I never wanted you to have predetermined negative views of me as the winter court son of the king that you seem to have, but the circumstances never seemed to fall our way.  I am and will try to make you see that I have my court’s best interest at heart.  And you have the ability to make it greater than it’s ever been.  Come…come with me to my court…meet my father.”  His eyes were seeing hope.  This was not the Kin I knew.  He’d surprised me in so many ways today.

“Kin, you are just full of surprises.  You are exiled, remember?”

“Only just.  I can return.  My father will hear me out.”

There something he’s hiding.  He said he could only return if he had me in his clutches. I’m beginning to recognize things hidden in his eyes.  Is that what the boys can do to me or am I just that perceptive?

“No, Kin.  I’m not ready for that.”  Besides, he said something about a bride returning with him and I didn’t want his father to get ideas.

He leaned in close to my face, “When you are, just take the amulet off and call.”

Well, how easy.  Scary!  And a quick realization forced me to notice that he was not all burnt rubber.  A tinge of something else was there, hidden underneath.

“And you may have these back.”  His hand held out a pile of my confiscated jewelry.  I took them cautiously and waited patiently as he offered to put them on for me.  When he finished, he asked with unreadable eyes, “May I ask you for one more dance?”

He was being kind, so I would, right?  I nodded and felt his hand and arm and elbow all touching me at once across my sides in more places than I cared for.

“Is this okay?” he asked not moving away.

“Fine.”  I wouldn’t answer the way he wanted.  He looked quizzically at me.
Leather! 
That’s it.  It’s not so much a rubber scent, but leather.  As if I’m in the boot store and he surrounds me.

“You bewitch me, my queen.  I can never predetermine your next move, nor have I ever.  A first for me.”  He looked upward and I felt the wind move.

I snorted my only response acknowledging that he was trying to bait me.  I closed my eyes to catch the cool breeze that whipped my face.  It felt good.

“I have no intentions of destroying your court.”  He looked upward again.  The wind moved across my face again at precisely the same time.

“
That
really is news to me.  Just days ago you spat in my face that we were heathen court jesters infringing on Nym lands and that you would see the end of me,” I said before my brain caught up to what my mouth was saying.  So much for appearing to be neutral.

“No, I originally intended it.  I thought you’d have me dead.  You seem neither vile nor cruel like I perceived you would be as the new queen who I thought would mimic the last one.  Yes, I have defended the Nyms.  No, I will not let you or your court come to harm as long as you are present in it.  And yes, I will wage war if it comes to it but allow no harm to come to you no matter what you choose.  But seeing as how you’ve proven to be a more fit queen to join the masses, I see no reason for the Nyms to need a war.  Nor do I see the elves or dwarves waging a war either after I calm their fears.”  He continued to dance very close to me.  I didn’t even notice all the eyes watching us but it was easy to see His aim for the night was more than wooing me.  The clever man was reassuring the others of my intentions. And it was news to me that the elves and dwarves were unhappy.