Chapter 45

Once Darrius woke from Malcolm’s sleeping spell, he was going to be pissed. I shook my head not wanting to be in the middle of that fight but watching from the sidelines would be entertaining. Both of them argued constantly when we were growing up and I was always trying to keep the peace.

But not this time. Now I had more important things to handle.

I rounded the corner to Darrius’ chambers to check on Avery. Tinder arched his back, his tail fluffed out.

“Hey, guy, it’s me.” I squatted down offering my hand for him to sniff. “Where have you been hiding?” I asked, glancing out the nearby narrow window as two golden leaves drifted in the wind. “The gardens are starting to look withered and wilted.”

He approached me walking sideways with his black fur standing on end. Before I could say anything to calm him, Tinder hissed. His green eyes darted to something behind me.

Chills paraded down my back. A shadow loomed over me and Tinder yowled before tearing off the opposite side of the hallway.

Clenching my fists, I stood, slowly turning as I did so. Was this the shadow kin that had attacked Avery twice? I wouldn’t let it have a third time.

Malcolm stood behind me with a bowl of broth in one hand. “What did you do to Tinder?”

Dark Fae could mimic appearances and I would not be swayed from a mere replica. I would not endanger Avery or anyone else because I made assumptions.

“Perhaps he was running from you?” I kept my fists ready at my sides.

“You sound like you’ve been reading too many of those human horror novels.” Malcolm pinched the bridge of his nose, then winced as though something hurt him and lowered his hand. The broth sloshing along the edges. “We’ve far worse things than those silly nightmares.”

I lifted my chin in his direction. “What’s wrong with your side?”

His face darkened for a moment before he schooled his features to a neutral mask. “It’s nothing. I caught up to one of the dark Fae and it got a slice of me. Helga’s seeing to it.”

“There’s another one in the castle?” Bile rushed into the back of my throat. How many of our enemies had breached our walls? Unease swirled in my gut.

“No, this one kidnapped two women from the bar the other night. I was able to rescue them and fought it.” He shook his head. “But the fucker was stronger than I realized and gave me a parting graze. It’s mostly a tender bruise now.”

“Then I know your weak spot.” I grinned. Always good to have an advantage in a fight, which with both my cousins, happened every day when we were growing up.

Malcolm chuckled. “Never gonna happen. Are you here to see Avery?”

“Yeah.” Tomorrow was my day, but I wouldn’t turn down a chance to see her.

Malcolm pushed open the door and inside, Helga stood.

“How are you?” I asked, smiling at Helga, then moving to the bed.

“She needs rest. Tomorrow morning, she can get up and walk around a bit.” She shook her finger at me and Malcolm. “No fighting or combat for another day or so and no lovemaking until tomorrow. Or I’ll box both yer ears.”

“Of course.” Malcolm bowed his head.

Helga made a harrumph sound and pushed past us to the door.

“Is that soup I smell?” Avery inhaled again.

“Yes, fresh from the kitchen.” Malcolm handed her the bowl and she kissed him on the cheek before slurping up the broth.

The color was returning to her cheeks and I gave her a nod when she glanced my way.

“Sorry, Simeon, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m famished.”

I sat on the edge of the bed. “Understandable. I can wait.”

Malcolm busied himself with tossing Darrius’ discarded clothes into a corner.

“How are you feeling?” I asked her.

She shrugged a shoulder. “Okay except for a migraine that comes and goes. Oh, and not being able to eat real food.”

“Allow me to take care of that in the morning. What would you like?”

“Donuts.” She sighed. “All the bad kind, too. Chocolate filled and white icing ones.”

I traced my hand over her leg buried under the blankets. “How about a plain, cake donut?”

“No way.” She took another sip of her broth. “I had to have lost five pounds with this liquid diet already, I wanna celebrate.”

“We’d have to go Earthside to get donuts,” Malcolm sat on the opposite side of the bed from us.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” she mused.

Seelie not only viewed Unseelie as inferior, but humans as a hair above them. “None of the previous Fae queens ever crossed the barrier into the human world.” I wanted to bring back the smile and brightness to her gray eyes she had only moments ago, so I added, “But nothing says a queen can’t do whatever she wishes.”

“Exactly.” She nodded, finishing her broth. When she handed the bowl to Malcolm, her nose wrinkled. “Ugh, I smell awful, I need a bath.”

“Allow me.” I stood and bowed, holding out my hand. “Do you feel strong enough to walk?”

“Yeah, I think so.” She lifted the covers off her legs. A white silk robe was tied at her waist and fell just above her knees.

“I’ll join you in a bit.” Malcolm stood, holding her empty bowl in his hand.

And I was grateful for his graciousness in granting me a few moments alone with Avery. I laced my fingers around her waist as she leaned into me firmer than I think either of us realized she would.

Her breathing turned heavy like she was running even though we were walking slowly. The devastation at knowing she’d been hurt burned through my gut.

At the bathing chamber, I quickly called one of the servants to fill the barrel with hot water. A few of the servants had enough magic to make water and others heated it.

“Why didn’t you ask Varaux?”

“Darrius’ brownie would rather give me rude gestures than do anything I asked. He’s always said I was a spoiled brat for living between the human world and Malcolm’s kingdom.” My cousins were a barrier to me and my people of the shadow kin. And now at least two of them were within these walls. “Let’s get you into the bath before it cools.”

She nodded and I helped slide the silk robe off her shoulders.

Holding onto my arm for balance, she climbed into the barrel and sank into the water up to her chin.

“Oh, this feels so nice,” she moaned.

I chuckled. “Better stop making sounds like that or I won’t be able to keep my hands off you.”

“Will have to take you up on that another time.” She fluttered her eyelashes at me.

“Can’t wait.” My body yearned for hers even now when I knew she needed to recover from her injury. “Lean forward and I’ll wash your back.” I grabbed the liquid soap and a sponge.

She pulled her hair over her shoulder, moving forward so I could reach her. I rubbed the soapy sponge slowly over her back.

“Simeon?”

“Hmmm,” I answered, squeezing out the sponge, and rinsing her.

“Do you think it was a mistake that I invited the Unseelie to court?” There was a hesitation, a need for something I couldn’t name in her voice.

“It doesn’t matter what I or anyone else thinks, you are the queen.”

“I know.” She sighed. “But if I hadn’t, we wouldn’t have shadow kin in the castle.”

Couldn’t blame her as she’d been attacked twice now and once was when I was supposed to be with her. A heavy emptiness expanded inside my chest. “We will protect you. I-I made a mistake leaving you alone that night.”

I couldn’t remember leaving her or where I’d gone. I’d just awoken outside covered in blood and standing outside in the garden. My gut clenched and I opened my mouth to tell her when a dark cloud drifted over my mind. What had I been about to say?

“No, it wasn’t your fault.” She turned, placing her hand over mine. “And I’d let myself get too compliant. I should have kept my weapons with me at all times.”

Something snapped inside me like a growled beast awakening. “Why did you invite the Unseelie?”

She blinked hard like I’d struck her. “I-I told you, to bring peace between the Fae.”

“But you hunted and killed our kind.” I pulled my hand from hers. Sick to my stomach that I wanted the connection with her still. How many innocents had she murdered?

“That was before I knew you.” Her voice cracked. “Before I knew my mother was Unseelie. I was wrong.”

Her words pounded inside my mind. She couldn’t be telling me the whole truth. There had to be more to it than she admitted.

“I need you to do me a favor, Simeon.” She stared at me as though waiting for my agreement.

It was her right as queen to demand I obey without question. Was it her new role as queen that made her consider my feelings and not order me to do her bidding?

“Can you somehow get a message to my friend, Maggie? She was with one of the Unseelies. I need to speak with her alone.”

“Why?” Ice pierced my chest. Did she plan on using her friend to assassinate a member of the Unseelie court?

The dark cloud over my mind vanished and her words echoed in my head.

She was asking for me to put her directly in danger without thought to her safety. We’d tempted fate allowing the Unseelie in here for a banquet to start talks of peace and ended up with two stragglers that had hurt Avery. How many more would tag along if we brought her human friend over? One who had been with Unseelie and probably brainwashed and spelled? Possibly even turned into an assassin herself. One who would harm Avery if given the chance. I couldn’t allow it. I shook my head.

“Please, Simeon.” Tears glistening in her eyes. “Darrius will refuse, and Malcolm will take the easiest road—which means he’ll take his side.”

“What’s so important that you want to take a risk like this?” A coldness swept over me again like I was looking through her and everything around like a dream. The edges of my vision were fuzzy. Was she planning on asking her friend for insight into the Unseelie court and world? Perhaps take over as queen as she had the Seelie? I asked again since she hesitated to answer the question. “Why?”

“I need to find out who my mother really was and why she didn’t kill me.”