Tainted (19 page)

“But isn’t that exactly how a winter court queen would act?  Vile?  Cruel?”

“Ahh…I’m not the only one with the wrong perceptions.  You are listening to the wrong people.”

My face reddened no doubt and I was about to let him have it but he looked up at the sky as a roll of thunder crossed it and back to me again.  “Let me clear the air.  They left a few things out.  Yes, we do not follow the same rules the Seelie court lives by.  We have some unorthodox values when it comes to how we deal with discipline and the terms of fulfilling a debt.  Yes, we may seem a little less smiley happy shiny in your eyes, but we are a more reserved serious bunch.  As you have seen in the summer court so far, they are a more pleasant peace, love, and joy kind of bunch.  Neither court is perfect, neither court is bad.  I feel that joined together, we combine the best of both.  For hundreds of years, the courts have been divided living out what should be a joint effort to sustain earth.  The humans have one thing right, harmony.  They are just in bad need of a cleansing. 
That
our courts cannot and will not do!  For now, we remain hidden and simply learn from them.  If you will please spend some time thinking over my proposal, I would be most humble in hearing your opinion and decision at a later date.  For tonight, we dance and enjoy.”

I’d already prepared my only comeback wanting nothing towards an actual answer.  Be his joint court queen?  I don’t think so.  “And they say I’m the monologue person.”  He was so not going to think I’d hook up with him just to make two courts happy just so he can behead me and marry the next vixen.  Henry VII needed to quit teaching this boy bad karma. 

“I’ve heard that about your soliloquies.  Witnessed it even in quiet secrecy.” 

Stupid protection men hearing!

“If I for one second stop to even consider what you are asking, you know that it will betray my future king, my current court, and go against all honest intentions that I hold.  Solving this war court drama is in the prophecy, but nowhere did I read that I had to hook up with—“

“Yes, but you have to also consider if my proposal is at all the right thing to do.  I will not lie to you now, Grace.  I intended to overtake your court, take you for my own, and force you to be my queen. I am not sure what spell you put me under, but it is not me who is in control right now, or have you noticed?”

I have and girl power is an awesome thing considering he could take me there now if wanted.  Thank you goddess of the X chromosome for that.  But seriously, the admission that his plans have changed and that the future completely depends on me!  THAT IS CRAZY STUPID!

“Well, Kinsler, son of the Unseelie court, I will consider what you have shared with me, happily keeping it to myself for a while, and will let you know.  For now, I have one more question before I will need to be excused for a moment.”  He relaxed surprisingly.  “I would like to see your court.” 

His shock was priceless, and his eyes twinkled like twin blue flames.  “Okay, yes, I will—”  He ran his hand through his hair. 

Why do all men do that when they are nervous? 

I put my finger to my lips.  He said I was in control, right?  Let’s see how much.  “On one condition. I will go only disguised as another.  A human if needed.  But your father will not know who I am.  That you will make sure of or I will never for one moment consider what you propose.”

“Done!”  No delaying what he wanted most, and I will gain the favor of knowing the opposing court.  

He pulled me fast around in a spin and dipped me.  I couldn’t stop the laugh and we didn’t talk again until I asked to be excused and he walked me inside his “lair” as I called it now.  When I returned to the front room, Kin was in the same chair as before with a glass in his hand.  When he saw me, his face lit up and he stood, sitting his glass down.

I knew he pondered in all matters of why I want to visit his court, but it was simply so I would know what it looked like, ran like, things like that.  It was a great opportunity that no other human had ever done and I would be that person. And I needed a closer look at my enemy.  Besides, after I became the Seelie court king’s wife, I would not be able to go anywhere undetected from what I understood.  And Kin and me...so not happening.

“One more question.”  He nodded after moving an impossible speed to relocate a log onto the flames that had moved too far over.  “I know you mentioned this, but why did you hate me if you wanted…well you know?”

His brow bunched up.  “I never hated you.”  He paused.  “I never thought you’d end up being…as you are.  I expected you to be like Queen Lazyra.  Or like my mother.”

I fretted on a whole different level about the view Kin had of what a woman should be.  If these two previous females were his role models of feminine excellence, I understand the sordid reasoning.   

“Kin, I don’t believe the women of your past set a very good example of humbleness, sweetness, or love.  I would hope that maybe you’ve kidnapped me for the simple reason that you see something different in me that was missing in them.  As you said yourself, I’m also guessing that since I’m here, you’ve changed your mind about how you thought I’d turn out.  This is a good thing.  However, I also think you need to take some private time to realize that the two previous female examples you based your preconceived notions from were natural born Fey court queens with no human blood in them.  Perhaps my being sent here to the courts was to help spread a little sassy love.  Who knows?  But please know one simple phrase we use back in the human world that proves true, ‘don’t judge any book by its cover’ or you might just end up on the losing end.”

He watched me catch my breath and continued our stare in the candlelit darkness with only the fire for light.  I left his thoughts to himself and let my eyes take in the surrounding of where I was, this wonderful room.  Or rather who I was with.  An Unseelie court prince with a half human Seelie court queen surrounded by a group of half Fey/half whatevers.  My life was one big scoop of strange.  Make that three scoops.  And all three of those scoops were either labeled frozen, beginning to thaw, or melting me like butter.

Right before the fire was about to go out I asked him, “Is it you making the wind hit my face outside?”  Like the Seelie and their control over the things that grow, the strange weather seemed to follow his lead like a command.

“Very perceptive.  One of my perks.”
              He didn’t elaborate and I wanted to know.  “And that means?”

“I control the winter wind to a degree.  Not good for much but watching your hair blow in it.”

Ignoring what was said and pondering that one of his other perks is strength made me dig deep into the lives of these royal princes.  For Kin, he seems to move anything with the tips of his fingers.

I sat lady-like on the far edge of the sofa from where he stood.  He didn’t sit again after moving the log, but offered me a drink of champagne again.  I effectively raised one eyebrow at him mighty proud that I could do the eye trick myself now.

  "One more drink after so many hours will not affect you so much.  Please, indulge in my gifts.  I want you to leave me knowing I hold you in the highest, Grace. And that I can give you the world, you need only ask.”  He took a drink after raising it into the air giving me yet another whiff of the leather scent I’d misread all these years as evil.
 
No, facts are facts.  He is bad in many ways.  All ways!  I just didn’t understand all his motives yet.

I smiled because that’s what he wanted.  We talked for hours into the night about high school, how old he was, and what happened to his mother.  Is it a coincidence that all three of my men are around the same age, Pike being the oldest and lost one parent so quickly? I made the mistake of telling him my nickname for his building here asking if it was anywhere near the winter court.  He laughed a little longer than could be called normal, but never hinted any mapping for the greater good.  I think my champagne started to talk when I caught myself giggling a little too much so I cut myself off. He talked about how Pike was the best duck shooter and that Ian was always at least an arrow or two behind him.  He himself gave up and used daggers quite often.  The stories of three boys just hanging out never entered my mind with these three.  They were friends in secret, of course, since they were from different courts.  But the prophecy stopped all of that for the simple reason of fighting for the affections of a single half human girl and her birthright.  And that girl was me.

Kin had me back at the trampoline and was gone before I could turn around.  He told me that the hound dogs, as he called them, would be at my side in seconds.  He was right.

I stepped three feet closer to the smoking fire pit but never made the fourth step.  Pike’s arms were around me and pulling me to him, trembling like a leaf in the winter wind. 

At the same time I struggled to release myself from his clutches a tree root the size of a small dog caught my foot and tangled me to Pike jerking me down to the ground.  Pike took the fall of course.  He landed against the root causing his back to buckle under my weight.  But as we tried to untangle I realized my ankle was twisted sideways and stuck in the root itself.  I yelped feeling Pike move under me and attempting to see why I couldn’t free myself.  I looked back at his eyes planted on my face and saw none of the usual Pike who would turn this into a suggestive joke.  He was...scared.  And relieved I think too.  But now his face was changing and he looked panicked.  This was all in a matter of seconds so I sat still analyzing it as long as I could, but then another pain shot up my leg and I made a very girl cry sound mixed with two choice words that Pike raised an eyebrow to.  My Pike was back. 

“Stay still,” he said.

I did.

He maneuvered here and there around me while still lying under the lower half of me.  I only caught a glimpse or two of him pausing a half second to collect his thoughts.  This was as awkward for him too thankfully.  At some point he had my dress almost dislodged, but hiked up to almost indecent.  I told him to just rip it, but he insisted on removing it undamaged.  I wondered at his motives.

When the dress was two inches from freedom, he lost his grip and his face landed against mine.  His lips brushed my cheek and I couldn’t stop the reaction.  It was just a small little gasp, but it was still out there, lingering in the air.  I opened my eyes and looked right into his. 

I felt and heard the tug of silk stretch with my excellent hearing that only seemed to work some of the time and never at the needed time.  He was yanking fabric again while staring straight at me with all that hot breath hitting my cheek and not a single flinch of the eye.  The last tug was out and I was free.

He picked me up to standing and yanked my legs into the air.

I was going to force him to put me down and let me go but he just closed his eyes and I knew the second he opened them, he’d managed to shut off whatever he couldn’t seem to control right then.  Unspoken words fell on both of us as I just gave up and laid my head against his chest.  I felt him tense and then relax at the same time.  And then I closed my eyes.

***

I woke up in a soft place.  A bed.  I peeked one semi lucid eye open and saw a blurry dark brown and forest green.  No, a deep rich brown.  I had no idea where I was. 

When both eyes finally opened I sat up quick to assess the danger, worried I’d been taken again.  The room was empty.  All around were rich browns and blacks, and greens.  Averted from my initial fears, I took in my surroundings guessing this was not Unseelie room.  The ceiling was deep brown and green mixed beautifully.  There was a real roof to this room making me wonder if I was indeed in the Seelie court, a room unseen.  The sheets beneath were a silky chocolate flowing around me, bedposts were tall and black on all four sides.  Something sparkled in the corner on a rich oak finished table.  A sword.  I recognized it completely.  It was definitely from the Seelie court.  A painting hung between the two doors in the room.  One, I hoped was an exit and the other must be a bathroom. 

The painting was...different.  I’d just spent time staring at a waterfall and the road less traveled by with Kin.  Both rooms had very few colors.  But in this room, all the solids blended in so that this one artifact could stand out. Or rather artifactless. It was blank.  Solid bright forest green and waiting for its partner in crime to be placed for display within its empty shadowbox.

I folded up and over to roll onto my back.  With my ankle screaming, I gave up and lay back where I was only to catch something floating above me. Leaning my head back, I looked up.  A single red rose was encased in a frame above my head.  Could it be?

I surveyed the room for other clues and found none.  I debated heavily about getting out of the bed but the pain in my side and my ankle kept me from moving much.  I remembered falling over the tree root when I came around the trampoline and slammed into a running Pike.  We collided and he caught the brunt of the fall, but my leg was twisted either way.  Under the covers I noticed someone had wrapped me in bandages taking care still to not damage the dress.

Just then, the first door opened and the man of my dreams stood in the door frame.  When he found my eyes and saw them open, time stopped for me.  I sucked in my breath bracing myself against the soft sheets.

He moved quickly over to the bed putting his weight beside me showing that he was being careful not to hurt me.  I wasn’t really hurt much.  The rush of pinned up emotion flooded out with every glance.   He leaned over still discouraged enough to touch me.  I reached up putting my hand on his face and pulled him closer not caring if he thought it hurt.  He leaned his forehead to mine and stayed there so I closed my eyes taking in his scent. 

“I love you.”

“I love you more,” I whispered. My voice sounded like a croak.  We stayed that way forever I think. 

“Where am I?” I marveled the novelty of what this room might be.

“Didn’t you ask once to see my room?” His cocky attitude didn’t disappear from emotional damages caused by loving me.  Or the lingering questions in the air.

“You mean man.  Why did you bring me
here
?”  My mom came to mind.  YES, my mom.  She used to sing a song from her favorite group,
In your room, I come alive when I’m with you—

“I wanted you in my room.”

I scanned everywhere but his face again hearing the lyrics to my song coming from him unknowingly.  I eyed the empty picture frame but settled my eyes on the ceiling.  “It looks so...human.”

“Is there something missing?  I can get whatever you need.”

“Just you.”  He was acting all protector give-me-everything-I-want Ian.  I needed him to chill on the giving me everything I want before I took advantage of it.

I am in his room.  I AM IN HIS ROOM. My thoughts advanced to go and were dueling it out with a great feverous effort as to what I should do next. 

After much quiet time, he sat all the way down on the bed.  He breathed me in without hiding it and catching the new scents he probably didn’t like.  “I thought I’d lost you.  I couldn’t find you.  Why did he let you go?  What happened?”

Oh boy!  He wasn’t going to like any of this.  And for the time being, I would fail to mention my possible visit to the other court. Ian would be on me like white on rice for a while. “Kin took me, but never harmed me.”

“Where did he take you?” His eyes filled with fear.  He wanted to know it all instantly. 

“Somewhere in the woods.  His camp, I’m guessing.  We talked, ate, sat by a bonfire, and I fell asleep.”  For less than an hour or so.

He didn’t believe it and moved away from me.  Not for the first time, he was scrutinizing what I had on.  His eyes registered the low cuts, the gold, the new necklace, my bracelets returned, the smell even on my breath.  He was very observant, but I had one item hidden.  It might save my life one day.  No one would know about that and I might need it in a pinch.  Survival is a common trait I’m finding as a new queen and the enemy is your first toolbox item to acquire for peace.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“He asked me to wear this to dinner.  I ate.  Drank champagne.  And danced.  That’s it, Ian.”  I wouldn’t plead.  “I didn’t know what he would do if I didn’t obey.  He is not like the Kin of the past.  He was kinder, less controlling if that’s possible, but still a terrifying bully.”

He frowned heavily.  His lips pursed severely, “And this?” He touched the locket, flipped it over.

“An amulet.  To keep him out of my head.  It is made from the winter court and worked perfectly to hide from him.  He took my bracelets initially and left me at his mercy.  He invaded every thought I had until….” 

I remembered dancing with him.

“Until?” Ian pressed me to finish. 

“Until he returned all three and told me he would not invade my thoughts again without permission.”

He huffed.  Well, at least someone valued my privacy.  “We do not invade your privacy.  It is to keep you safe.”

“Understood.”  That was all I said.  And that was enough.

“You can discard of it now.  You are safe and back at your court.”

“NO!”  He was alarmed by my abrasiveness so I quickly added, “Um, he said he’d be able to hear me if I took it off.”  And come take me again.

“He did now.  It seems he left out what that charm holds in full.”  He drew in his mouth.

“And that is?”

“A very powerful gem that does more than evade.  Can I see it?”  He was asking.  Strange!

I held it out for him.  He turned it over backwards to see the back.  Sure enough, there on the back were tiny diamonds all encrusted across the elongated rhombus shaped gold. 

“This is dwarf magic.  It will shield you from him and anyone in his court.  But why would he give it to you?”

I know, 
Now!
  He hoped I would say yes to going to his court by calling on him.  He was already ready for my yes.  Men!

Left alone for a while, I went over the day and night’s details.  Ian was not happy I was keeping the Kin pendant on at all times as well as my bracelets even if he misunderstood my reasons.  I told him it was simply because that kept him out of my thoughts since the charm was made from the winter court and I needed that protection.  His top reason for ditching it was that he didn’t want any gifts of Kin anywhere on me.  I understood that fully, even “ahhing” at the thought of his jealousy.  But in these troubled times, secrecy to my thoughts was necessary. 

I also thought back to the last events at his lair.  I’d fallen asleep on the sofa.  He’d moved over to sit beside me before I’d nodded off. He’d returned me the next morning to the trampoline where he took me, the key still with me.  My side still hurt.  My ankle was fine.

I settled in Ian’s room for the night with a busybody Danella by the door for half of it. Ian stayed beside me the rest of the night stepping out only once with the locket and returning.  We talking about anything but Kin.  He didn’t keep a hand far away from my skin in some way as if I might disappear if he took it away.  I felt my legs and arms numb several times in fear of him removing it feeling partly the same.

A party was arranged and the whole court celebrated my return just as Kin said the court relished in on a regular basis.  He was right.  So how was his court any different?  I was willing to find out.