Queen of Hearts (The Risen King) (17 page)

“Thank you.” Zela nodded to the trees. Her fingers danced across Aiofe's temple when she reached Lancelot. “What happened?”

“
I don't know. I haven't been thinking straight. But I found Aiofe in Guinevere's room, and then we came out here. I don't... I can't...”

Zela placed her other hand on Lancelot's shoulder. “It's okay. Don't think about it now. We'll discuss it later. First, we need to get her to the castle and find Arthur. It looks like just a nasty bump on the head, but I want to check her over thoroughly to make sure there is no dark magic at work her.” She shot a glare at Guinevere.

Lancelot agreed wholeheartedly. “Guinevere,” he said. “What about her?”

Zela's lips curled. “She can stay right there. The trees will make the perfect captors and we won't have to worry about her breaking free. Where is her guard, anyway?”

Lancelot shrugged as they walked back toward the castle. “I don't know. He wasn't there when I reached her room, and I didn't see him when we came out here.”

“
I see. I wonder how long she has had free roam of the castle without our knowledge. This is concerning.”

Lancelot couldn't agree more, but he didn't respond. His head was still pounding from the battle of wills that had raged inside it and the weight in his arms was growing heavier by the moment. He just wanted to sit down and sleep for days, but he had one goal at the moment and one goal only. He needed to find Arthur, and he needed to tell him the truth. The whole truth.

Behind them, trapped in a wooden suit, Guinevere thrashed and screamed. Or tried to. The trees laughed at her failed efforts. And at the two blue toes that poked through the branches.

*~*~*

TWENTY-ONE

*~*~*

Lancelot pounded up the steps to the castle as fast as his rubbery legs would take him. “Arthur!“ His shouts rang out off the halls as Calis swung the door open for him. Zela was right behind him and her shout echoed his.

The king poked his head out of the council room. “What...” His voice trailed off when he saw Lancelot with the bundle in his arms. He crossed the space between them in two massive steps.

“
Aiofe?” Arthur brushed her hair back from her face and relieved Lancelot of his burden.

Lancelot sank against the wall as the adrenaline rushing through his veins began to fade.

“Eden.” Zela called into the council room and the Eastern general appeared. “Lancelot needs assistance. He has been under a spell. Please make sure all remnants of Guinevere's influence are removed.”

Eden tipped her head in Zela's direction and knelt beside the knight. “Head up. Let me look into your eyes.”

“Aiofe,” Arthur cradled the still body against his. “Guinevere did this?” The fire in his voice sent servants skittering.

“
She did, but she has been detained. We can deal with her later. Bring Aiofe here.” Zela walked into the room and pointed to the table.

Arthur laid Aiofe on it and took half a step to the side. Zela placed her hand on her niece's head and closed her eyes.

“I will see that woman hanged.”

Kane stood on the other side of the Arthur and stared at his daughter.

“Get in line,” Arthur growled. The two men stood together, watching guard over the woman they both cared deeply for as Zela examined her.

“
Move.”

They shifted aside and let the smaller faery step between them. Her hands roamed over Aiofe's body, checking every inch of her.

“I don't find any traces of magic anywhere,” she said once she was done. “All the damage appears to be physical.”

Arthur sent one of the knights to fetch the castle physician. “Have her meet us in Aiofe's chambers.”

He slipped his arms under her and lifted her from the table. Kane watched as they disappeared out the door.

“
Go with her.” Zela's hand rested on her older brother's back.

“
I'm not welcome there.”

“
She's your daughter, Kane. She may hate you now, like we all do, but you have to be there. You have to earn her trust if you ever hope to have a relationship with her.”

Kane stared at the empty hallway. “What are you going to do?”

“I'm going to go bring in the traitorous witch I currently have hanging in the woods and then we're going to figure out just how big a mess we're in.”

Kane nodded. “I better go.” Kane patted Zela on the shoulder and walked toward the stairs.

“Kane...”

He stopped and turned to face her.

“I'm glad you're back.” Her face held a small smile and her eyes glistened a bit. “I missed my big brother.”

His voice caught in his throat so he just smiled and nodded. A weight that he hadn't known he was carrying lifted off his shoulders and he felt a million pounds lighter as he headed toward the stairs.

The castle physician was already in the room when he arrived. The purple-haired woman buzzed and hummed around Aiofe's bed and kept shooing Arthur away.

“
Last warning, your highness,” she chirped as she shoved him aside once more. “Move move move. I must work in peace.”

Arthur grumbled, but he squeezed Aiofe's hand once more and walked over to where Kane stood at the curtain.

“How is she?”

Arthur shrugged. “Hurt. She has several cuts and lots of bruises. She was hit on the head with something heavy.”

Kane's eyes scanned the room. It had clearly been cleaned recently and the furniture was rearranged.

“
Did Aiofe redecorate in here?”

Arthur blinked at him. “I don't think so. Why?”

Kane pointed to the carpet. “The chairs have been moved. The rug is faded enough so you can see where they used to stand.” He walked around the room. A piece of wood sticking out from under a side table caught his eye. He stooped to pick it up and something caught his attention. He picked up a candle stick holder and held it out to Arthur. “Blood.”

Arthur took it and examined it. Sure enough, blood sat in the grooves. It had been cleaned, but not thoroughly. 

“What's going on here?” he mumbled.

“
I think I know.” Both Arthur and Kane spun at the voice behind them. Lancelot stood there. He still felt woozy, but he was all right.

“
Explain,” Kane said, crossing his arms.

Lancelot shot him a glance, but gave his full attention to Arthur. “Arthur, there's something you need to know about Guinevere. Something I've known since... since before. I should have told you, but I was weak. I let her use me, and I may have hurt you again.”

“Lance, sit.” Arthur helped his friend to a seat. “Now what is it?”

“
Guinevere is a faery.”

“
What?” Kane and Arthur spoke together, both voices echoing their confusion and disbelief.

“
Half faery. Her mother is Leanansidhe. She has used you, ever since the beginning. And she used me. She nearly destroyed us, and she's trying to do it again.”

“
I refuse to let that happen.”

“
So do I. She seduced me, but somehow, this time I broke free. When I found Aiofe, when I saw that she was hurt and thought about what that would do to you... I couldn't do it again. I couldn't take everything you loved from you. I couldn't let Guinevere do it, either. I don't think I would have been able to do it myself if Zela hadn't been near.”

He shook his head and rested it in his hands. “I'm so tired.”

“Stay here and rest.” Arthur squeezed Lancelot's shoulder before looking at the physician.

The woman caught his eye and waved a hand at him. “Go, go. You can do nothing here. Leave me in peace.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes at the woman. “Lance, rest here for a bit. Stay with Aiofe.”

Lancelot nodded and settled back in the chair.

Arthur caught Kane looking at him and tilted his head toward the door. Without another word, the two men stomped across the floor, ready to exact their revenge.

They were barely out of the castle door when they heard Guinevere's screams echoing across the courtyard. “Let me go! You have no right! How dare you! Do you know who I am? I am the
queen
. I am Guinevere and I will not be treated like--“

Zela waved a hand and a vine snaked up to cover the other woman's mouth. “Does she ever shut up?”

Arthur snorted. “No. At least, she never did before.”

He looked the half-faery up and down. The trees had sacrificed some vines and branches to keep her contained. The only parts of her that weren't covered were her head and her feet. Her hands were pressed to her sides. Arthur stared down at her shoeless feet.

“What are those?”

Zela shrugged. “She refuses to talk about it. Says she won't tell us anything.”

“Uncover her mouth, please.”

Zela hesitated, but raised a hand and let the vines drop.

“Arthur, you can't do this to me. After all I've done for you, after all we've shared...” Guinevere's formerly angry face morphed into one of innocence and sadness. “Please.”

The king took a step forward so that he was blue toe to boot with her. “Guinevere, or whoever you really are, I hereby accuse you of crimes against, well, everyone. You have betrayed the land of Faery and the world of humans. You have deceived and seduced in order to destroy the trust and faith of those around you. You are an ally of the wicked Leanansidhe and you are our enemy. I sentence you to an eternity of imprisonment in the darkest dungeon cell in Castle Daor. You may not be freed by anyone but myself, forever until the end of time.”

“Arthur,” Guinevere cried. “No!“ She tried to step toward him, to lean up and kiss him, but her binds encumbered her and she stumbled and fell.

Arthur stared down at her. “I offer you one chance of clemency. Tell us everything you know about your mother. Her weaknesses, her faults, everything. Tell us how to defeat her and I shall lessen your sentence.”

Guinevere's nose curled and her lips puckered. “Foolish human,” she snarled. “You think I would tell you anything? Try to keep me here, I dare you. My mother will come for me. My mother will rescue me from your filthy hands and slay you all. You will never win. Never. Cur.” She spat at him, but she was on her back and the glob of spit arced and landed on her neck.

“
Take her to the dungeons.”

Arthur stood aside as Zela bound Guinevere completely. Two guards hefted her over their shoulders and they carried the squirming, mumbling bundle into the castle through a lower door.

“Do you think she's right?” Arthur asked Kane as Guinevere and her captors disappeared. “Will Leanansidhe come for her?”

Kane pressed his lips together and thought for a moment. “No, I don't think she will. Lea has never once mentioned a daughter. She has never mentioned any family aside from her father. Guinevere was just a tool for her to use in her ongoing war against my mother. Once she is no longer useful, she will be discarded, just like everything else.”

Arthur nodded thoughtfully. “Then I think Guinevere is going to spend a long time in that dungeon.”

Kane fixed him with a stare. “I hope so. For what she did to my daughter and others, she needs to suffer.”

“I agree. Let's go find out who else in the castle has been under her spell.”

Eden met them at the stairs. “We found Aiofe's handmaiden in her chamber. She was confused and lacked large portions of memory. Norin is with her now, sorting through her mind and trying to find the missing pieces. Guinevere's guard was found unconscious in an unused stairwell. He was a strong-willed man and the battle he lost to Guinevere cost him dearly. Without her controlling him, he is simply a shell. There's nothing left in his head. I have the Deklen and the guards searching the castle and lands for others who have been corrupted by her influence. So far they have found several who have been affected by her in some way. It's going to take awhile to sort it all out.”

Kane pressed his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose as Arthur sighed. “Oh, Guinevere,” Arthur mumbled beside him. “Will you always be the bane of my existence?”

Kane laughed. “Women tend to be like that.”

Arthur shot him a glance. “Aiofe isn't.”

Kane gave him a wry smile. “You don't know her yet. If she's anything like her mother--and from what I've seen she's the spitting image--you're going to have your hands full with that one.” Kane stared off into the middle distance as he imagined Caena's sweet face. “But the difference between Aiofe and Guinevere is that, with Aiofe, it will be worth every moment. Every headache, every annoyance will be a willing price you pay for the love of the most wonderful woman you could have ever imagined.”

Kane put his hand on Arthur 's shoulder and spun the king so he could look him in the eye. “But know this. If you ever hurt my daughter, in any way, you will answer to me. I may not be a great father, I may have hurt her more than anyone ever could, but I will protect her with every breath in my body.”