Blood and Reign (Cassandra Myles Witch Series) (16 page)

“Do it. I want it.”
I was barely breathing, waiting for him to pierce me.

He was back lying on the bed and I couldn’t understand what had happened. I was on the verge of tears.
I felt like he had yanked the rug out from under me.

“You are going to the goblin realm. They
admire strength. Being marked as mine would not gain the respect you will need. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.” He looked sad.

I rubbed my neck where he had pressed against my skin. “That was a bit of a mind fuck
, Lucius.”

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

I nodded and left the room. For no reason I could discern, I felt used. I shook off the feeling. Whatever was wrong with Lucius, I didn’t have time to worry about it right now. I was running late.

Ruby was waiting for me. She was
going to sit with Oona tonight. Na’min used to be able to leave her alone, but she had become more and more agitated and he feared leaving her for that long. Sometimes, I feared him being with her. I felt bad for Na’min; he had become her caretaker by default.

No one else wanted the job and he had been there from the beginning. She grew attached to seeing him every
day, even if she didn’t always know it was him. Lochlan had tried to stay with her a few times, but just the sight of him threw her into a fit.

I was
sure he reminded her of being with Mab and whatever sick and depraved things she had to endure. I hoped we could come up with a better solution than having Na’min trapped with her around the clock. He was the reason everyone had a second chance in the fae realm and it seemed unfair that he had to be saddled with such a burden.

“You are very sweet to do
this, Ruby. I know your family’s feelings about Oona.”

“I’
m doing it for you and Prince Na’min. I want him to be able to have a good time tonight. He’s been at her beck and call and he deserves to have a break.”

Ruby and I made the short distance down the hallway by ourselves. It felt naughty not to have an escort.
Even for a walk as short as this one, someone always accompanied me. Someone a little stronger than Ruby, at any rate. If Lucius knew I hadn’t summoned Kael, he would have had a fit, but what he didn’t know, couldn’t hurt him.

Like a child on Christmas Eve,
the anticipation was killing me. The goblins were so different compared to anything I was used to and getting to see their realm was such an exciting thing. I hadn’t even met a female goblin. The evening was going to be a potpourri of new experiences. Being escorted by two very handsome gentlemen didn’t hurt either.

I
knocked on the big oak door and Na’min answered. Compared to the other fae I had seen, Na’min was a casual dresser, but tonight, he fit his role as fae prince. He wore a black silk shirt with a black velvet jacket and matching pants. A silver threading wove an intricate design. It was a pattern that formed swirls and waves. The whole thing made him look even more magical than he already did. He was stunning and that familiar transfer of power passed between us as we hugged.

“
You look stunning, my queen. I’m glad I dressed up for you.”

“Na’min
, you are outshining me twenty fold, but thank you anyway.”

He bowed before Ruby and she giggled. “Lady Ruby, you look beautiful as well.”

She had a crush on my date and I thought they would make a perfect couple. Na’min deserved someone like Ruby and if Na’min made Ruby happy, even better.

“We are meeting Cian at the fae do
or. I thought it would be hard for him to go back there after being a prisoner there for so long, but I think he liked it there. He jumped at the chance to go.”

“I think his eagerness may have had to do with his date and not the place he was going.”

“Na’min, you’re making me blush.” I could feel my cheeks burning. I was never good at accepting a compliment.

I walked in the room
. Queen Oona was sitting up and sipping some tea. She smiled as we entered the room. “Good evening, Oona. You are looking well.”

She narrowed her eyes and sneered at me. “Na’min
, there is a human here and she isn’t addressing me properly. How did she get in my realm?”

He rushed to her side and he took her hand. “She is here to help us
. She meant no disrespect.”

Her face relaxed and she smiled at me.
“That is very good of her. Human’s always were so nice, weren’t they, my prince?”

“Yes
, Your Grace.” Oona was busy beaming at me while Na’min gave her a sad weary look. He needed a break tonight and I was glad he was getting one.

He kissed her cheek and rose back up. “Lady Ruby is here to tend to anything you may need. I have a meeting to attend.”

“Will you be long?” Panic lined her beautiful face. My heart was breaking. She had no idea what was really going on. She could live like this forever.

“No
, I will be back before you know it. Finish your tea and allow Ruby to help you into bed. I will wake you when I return.”

“Promise?”
She clasped her hands together as if she was saying a prayer. The desperation in her face was scary.

“Yes, of course.
Don’t I always?”

She nodded and
settled back into the sofa, sipping her tea as if we were weren’t even there anymore.

“You two get going and have fun. I will make sure Oona gets to bed.
You can rely on me.”

Na’min kissed Ruby on the cheek and she blushed a dark pink. “Thank you
, Ruby. I wish our queen wasn’t so fond of you. I’d try to steal you for my own.” He whispered so Oona wouldn’t hear him.

“
I will help you whenever I can, Prince Na’min.” She was grinning from ear to ear as she skipped off to attend her former queen.

We left quickly. I got the fee
ling that Na’min wanted to be gone before Oona tried to stop him. He took my arm as we wound our way through the labyrinth of halls and stairs. Going down floor after floor, a sudden turn here, a short passageway there, Na’min knew each turn and step, never pausing.

“I think I could walk this castle with my eyes closed.
Oona and I grew up here and we would spend hours exploring every nook and cranny. Every time we found a room or closet no one had entered for a long time, we felt like explorers.” His face had lost its weariness and he was reveling in the memory. “She was a sweet girl, Cassandra. I try to hold on to that when I deal with her now. I don’t think having absolute power for as long as she was queen is good for anyone. It warps you. I wish I had seen it sooner. Fae families are small. Oona and Lochlan are the only family I have left.”

“I hope you consider me family one day. I could use a bigger family myself.”

“I would be honored, Cassandra. I should be used to your open kind nature, but sometimes, it still surprises me. The fae keep all but their anger very close to the vest.”

“Oona
might recover someday and, until then, she is in very good hands.”

“
You have no idea how happy I am to be out of that room right now. She talks in circles and repeats herself. She asks me questions constantly, but they are the same ones over and over. I feel drained.”

“That’
s only natural. She’s a lot for one person to take care of you need to share this burden.”

“I can’t
. She’s most settled with me. Lochlan tried one day, but I think he reminds her of being with Mab. She didn’t say that, but she was terrified of him and Lochlan loves her as much as I do. It was a mess and it took a long time to calm her back down. I am so worried. What if she is like this forever? Mab may have broken her mind, Cassandra.”

I stopped him and gave him a hug. He melted into my arms. “You’re not alone. We’ll figure something out. I promis
e. Maybe if Ruby works out, we could find someone to help you on a regular basis.”

He pulled back and kissed my forehead. “Maybe.”

I hadn’t convinced him, but I would. Na’min was a good man and he deserved better than being a nursemaid to a mad queen.

We went down a final narrow set of stone steps. They were slick with moisture. My shoes slipped a few times
, making me cling to my escort’s arm. They ended in a small stone room. The wall opposite the stairs had a massive metal door. It was the only way in or out of the room except for the way we had come. A gate made of thick wrought-iron bars and a gold lock covered the door. A scene of a great battle between two factions of goblins was inlaid in gold on the door. The weapons each goblin held were made of silver. It was a bloody scene, but the detail and skill made it beautiful.

“Am I interrupting something?”

Cian had come down behind us. Neither of us had heard him padding down the stairs.

“Don’t worry
; it’s one of my gifts. I used to lead the fae great hunt. It was said I could sneak up and pet the great beast before he knew I was there.”

That was a whole lot
of things I didn’t understand. Cian wore his trademark sly grin and he looked amazing. He wore a green velvet suit that set off his fiery hair. It was tailored to perfection. He would be a hard man to resist if he turned his charms your way. “You look extremely dapper, Sir Cian.”

He grimaced. “Please, just Cian. The mad queen tried to give me a title, but I refused. They seem to be more trouble than they’re worth. The aristocracy
only put up with me and my shenanigans because before we lost our magic, I was quite powerful.”

I looked to Na’min
, who seemed to have lost interest. He opened the gate and then the door. I didn’t know what to expect. The passageway on the other side was a long tunnel. Torches lined the sides and a pair of goblins waited for us with their arms by their sides, standing as straight as a goblin could stand.

“We are to escort you to our
king. The passages twist and turn many have been lost in them,” the goblin on the right hissed. His tongue was flicking out as he talked.

“Thank
you; we will welcome the escort.”

The only sound following us through the maze of caverns and tunnels was the click of the goblins’ toenails against the stone floor and the quiet crackle of the torches on either side of my head. I passed through easily, but Na’min and Cian had to stoop slightly. I expected the caves to be cold, but they were warm and dry, and much more spacious that I ever would have predicted. The goblins in front walked slowly enough to allow us to keep up. I was lost on the second turn and gripped Na’min’s arm. If I lost them now, I would never find my way back. We went deeper and deeper into the ground. How far, I couldn’t guess, but the air pressure felt intense and took a long time to get used to.

The last part of our journey level
ed out and we stopped our descent. The caves got increasingly bigger as we went on. The last twist ended at a large stone arch, which opened out into a massive room. The beauty of it made us stop short to take it all in. The ceiling had to be a hundred feet in the air and the walls were covered with blue and green glowing crystals that danced in the light of the fires lit in pits dug into the ground that were scattered all over. A low, stone table circled each fire. Goblins sat at each one, talking and laughing pounded through the air. There was no doubt this was a celebration and it was impossible not to get caught up in it. The king and queen sat at the far side of the room. Their fire was identical to the others except it was slightly bigger and the cushions surrounding it more plush and ornate. I was ashamed to admit I expected everything to be crude and ugly. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The setting was beautiful. If this room was any indication of what the rest of the goblin realm looked like, then it could give the fae realm a run for its money.

Our goblin escorts gave us a couple seconds to take
it all in and then one of them blew a small horn that made a deep boom, silencing the room. Every goblin turned our way and rose in unison. Even the royal couple stood. All eyes and double lids followed us as we weaved in and out of the tables. Goosebumps peppered my flesh. It was almost too much. Na’min whispered in my ear, “Enjoy it; it’s all for you. The goblins only do this for those they love.”

Trehern and his wife greeted us with open arms. We each took turns embracing one
, then the other. “Your Majesty, we welcome you to our realm.” He bowed. I felt I should do something in return and came up with an awkward curtsey-bow. No one seemed too horrified, so I assumed I hadn’t done anything too embarrassing.

“Na’min
, it has been quite a long time since we have had the pleasure. I was a lot younger, but not nearly as charming.” He turned to Cian and patted him on the back. “Cian, you devil, we’ve missed your parties down here. I think my wife has a crush on you.” His long tongue came out and waggled in front of him.

I expected Cian to cringe. The go
blin women were not much better than the men when it came to physical attractiveness. “I may have a crush on her too, but don’t tell her husband. I hear he’s a mad man.” They shared a hearty laugh together.