Hidden Darkness (Hidden Saga Book 4) (4 page)

After the gathering, our newly arrived guests were shown to their quarters to rest up from their trip to California. Ryann and I retreated to my room.

              She was beautiful with her long hair pulled up, exposing her pretty neck, and soft tendrils falling down around her face. The Elven gown she wore complimented her figure, teasing me with its nearly sheer layers.

              I drew her into my arms, which was where I wanted her all the time. Glancing over at my bed across the room I had to laugh at myself. Well,
that
was actually where I wanted her, but we were getting to that. If I could blink and skip ahead to our wedding day, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

              I’d move the date up if I thought I could get away with it, but tradition was everything to my people, and how could I violate the mourning requirements for my own father? Mother would never forgive me. I’d have to be patient. Somehow.

              Pulling the pins from her hair, I sifted my fingers through the silky length of it. “You were great today—very regal.”

              “I don’t like it.” Her beautiful eyes were troubled.

              Unable to resist, I kissed her softly then pulled back. “What don’t you like? Being a monarch? Join the club. Or if it’s my room you don’t like, you can change it any way you want once we’re married.
Or
we’ll move into your suite. Or select another one in the royal residence. We have about… oh… fifty to choose from.”

              She gave a giggle and a light slap to my arm. “No. You know what I mean. The fact that she showed up here with someone else. And she was nervous.”

              “They’re betrothed, Ryann. You know the significance of that—you know what it feels like to be apart. This ambassadorship could be a long-term thing. According to Nox, she had no choice about accepting it. The least I can do is let her be with her fiancé. She was probably nervous because she thought I’d turn him away. What else could I do?”

              I started kissing her again, but she resisted, and finally I ordered my libido to take five so I could hear her out.

              “Something feels weird to me,” she said. “He didn’t seem like a man in love.”

              Now she had my attention. The muscles in my neck pulled tight. Had he said something to her mind-to-mind? Come on to her? If so, he’d be out on his pretty-boy ass within the half hour—no matter
who
his daddy was.

              “What do you mean? Did he say something to you?”

              “No, it’s… it’s nothing. I just think—he
enjoys
female attention.”

              I let out a long breath. “Don’t we all? Only I want the attention of just
one
female.” Smiling, I pulled her close again and dropped another kiss on her lips. “You should be happy she’s betrothed. Now you don’t have to worry about her trying to seduce me like you were always accusing Vancia of doing.”

              Of course I’d known all along that Vancia didn’t desire me. Her affections were reserved for one guy and one guy only—Nox. We’d only agreed to the betrothal to give her cover for her investigation of Davis’s scheme. She’d never have worked her way back into his good graces otherwise. Vancia and I had never kissed, never even held hands except for when we were forced to do so to support our story. Ryann was the only girl I’d ever kissed—the only girl I ever
would
kiss—for eternity.

              She blushed, my playful accusation hitting its mark. “All right, all right, you don’t need to remind me of my pathetic insecurity. And you’re right. Ava probably just wants some company here in Light Elf Land. As far as she knows, you’re the only one here who even speaks aloud. Maybe she and I will become friends.”

              “That’s my girl.” Now I kissed her more deeply, angling her delicate face to give me better access.

              The sweet taste of her mouth made me ravenous, and the feel of her softness under my hands drove me crazy. Ryann thought
she
was the one having difficulty waiting. I might not be able to rule my kingdom if I didn’t get some relief soon—I’d be a flaming mass of unsated lust by the time our wedding night finally arrived.

              As if sensing my weakness, Ryann ran her hands over my abdomen hungrily. Her lips touched the exposed skin at the v of my shirt’s neckline. “Mmmm. You feel so good. Are you sure you won’t change your mind?”

              Was I sure? Not at the moment. I wasn’t sure of anything beyond how much I wanted her. As she kissed my neck and inched her playful fingers lower, I groaned, praying for will power. It felt like I’d been fighting my desire for Ryann nearly all my life, and I didn’t have much strength left. We were so close to the wedding… it wouldn’t be
so
bad, would it? My eyes drifted to the bed again.

              And then I thought of my father. Of how he’d been alive and angrily telling me to get my act together one minute, and then less than an hour later, he was gone forever, his immortal life snatched away by a crafty and deceitful adversary.

              I was in a position of power, but I was also vulnerable. And selfish. There was no way I could spend my life apart from Ryann—not while she lived—but until the moment we were bonded I could rein in my selfishness enough to protect her from the eternal, irreversible consequences should something happen to me.

              Once we were bonded, that was it. We’d both be in it forever. But until then, I’d be strong and consider
her
best interests—not my own body’s demands.

              My fingers wrapped around her tiny wrists, halting the progress of her ardent exploration. “Okay. I think that’s enough torture for now.”

              Instead of a pout or reluctant cooperation, her expression held a shade of desperation when she turned her face up to me. “Let’s not wait anymore, Lad. I mean it. I’m afraid.”

              I froze, tightening my grip on her. “Afraid of what? Are you saying you want to just go ahead and get it over with because you don’t think it will be good?”

              “No. No—of course not. It
will
be good—I have no doubt. I’m afraid of something stopping the wedding—especially after this morning’s surprises.”

              “What? Why?”

              “Just a bad feeling.” She paused for a moment. “Have you met Ava’s fiancé Culley before?”

              “No, why?”

              “You made a reference to his father.”

              “Oh that. I recognized his last name, and then I made the connection. His father is Audun Rune, the new head of the Dark Council. You met him, remember?”

              Ryann’s eyes went wide and dark. “Of course. I also remember what Nox said that night—he said Audun was ‘mercenary.’ And then he said something about his ‘kid’—I can’t remember exactly. But it wasn’t flattering. Don’t you think it’s a weird coincidence that Ava’s betrothed happens to be Audun’s son?”

              “No I don’t. Nox said her mother Thora is also on the Dark Council. It makes perfect sense according to the Elven tradition of arranged marriages. The two of them are of equal social rank.”

              “I don’t like it,” she said for the second time today. “And I
really
don’t like him.”

              “Good,” I pulled her close again, relishing the feel of her soft curves. “Because he’s about the best-looking Elf I’ve ever seen—and I don’t want him anywhere near my future bride.”

              She broke into a bashful grin, obviously pleased by my possessiveness. “I could say the same thing about Ava and my future groom.”

              I brought a hand up to cradle her jaw and made sure she was looking directly into my eyes. “Believe me, Ryann. You have nothing to worry about.”

I moved restlessly around our suite, pacing from one stucco wall to the next, absently touching the ancient wall hangings and elaborately carved furniture. Not only was I in a foreign kingdom, I felt like I was in another time, another realm—a place I definitely did
not
belong.

              Stopping in front of an unusual instrument, I plucked one string and felt the sweet note vibrating through me, bringing a tear to my eye with its exotic beauty.

             
What am I doing here?
The people of Altum—especially the young king and his betrothed—had been too welcoming, too kind. Too trusting.

              “You don’t seem quite comfortable, love.” Culley’s smooth voice came from behind me, making me jump. He’d entered my room without my realizing it. I wasn’t used to his near constant presence yet. “Feeling claustrophobic here in the Kingdom of Mud? One
would
expect the Light Court to offer a bit more… light.”

              I turned to face him, started to speak and then stopped myself before beginning again. “It’s not that. I just… I didn’t realize they’d be like that.”

              One of his brows arched in wry amusement. Was Culley ever
not
amused? He seemed to take nothing seriously.

              “Who? The Light Elves?” he asked. “You’ve been to the Assemblage before haven’t you? Did you not meet any of them then? Or did you forget their… quaintness.”

              “No, I mean Lad and his betrothed—the half-breed. They were… well, it wasn’t what I expected.”

              I’d anticipated nerves when meeting the Light King and his future bride. I’d expected to be impressed even—I’d been warned about the devotion his people had to him. What I hadn’t predicted was the obvious devotion between the two of them. I had never even known love like that existed for members of our kind.

              “And that’s a problem because?” Culley prompted.

              I glanced back at him, uncertain whether I should put my feelings into words. “I’m not as sure as I was before about this plan.” I rushed to prevent any misunderstanding. The last thing I needed was for him to report to Audun that I was wavering in my commitment to our bargain. “I mean, I’m still in, of course. It’s just—now that we’re here, now that it’s
real
, I feel a bit… anxious. I don’t know if it’s going to work.”

              A grin spread across Culley’s face. “Oh, now I see. Overwhelmed by all the
true love
vibes, are we? I know, it’s a bit sickening. If it makes you feel any better, I was surprised myself. They are really
into
it.” He rolled his eyes. “So then… what? Should I re-pack my bags?”

              I frowned at his carefree tone. We couldn’t just
leave
Altum and defy his father’s orders. Well, maybe he could, but I couldn’t.

              “You know that’s not a possibility for me.”

              Culley picked up the instrument I’d been admiring and tucked it against his abdomen, picking out a few notes. He cocked his head and glanced up at me, the lazy set of his mouth betrayed by eyes keen with perception. “What
is
your deal with ‘the mighty Audun,’ anyway? He talks about you like you’re his favorite lap dog.”

             
Lapdog.
I sniffed a humorless laugh at the analogy. Prized pit bull was more like it. Audun hadn’t put me into the ring and forced me to draw blood from my opponents, but he might as well have. The wounds I inflicted were much more difficult to heal. And we
did
have a deal, one that would earn me my freedom if I managed to pull this off—not that I would discuss the details with Culley.

              “I don’t want to talk about it,” I muttered, walking away from him and hoisting one of my suitcases onto the bed. Maybe if I started pulling out my pj’s he’d take a hint and leave.

              Culley followed me, strumming chords as he strolled across the room. “Come on now, Angel. It isn’t right to keep secrets from your betrothed. Pretty soon we’ll know
everything
there is to know about each other.” Stopping beside me, he used one finger to lift a pair of lacey panties from my bag.

              I whirled on him, snatching my undergarments from his hand, mortified heat creeping up my neck. “Why did you agree to the betrothal anyway? I know why I did it, but what could your father possibly have offered you to make you sign on for this?”

              There was a flash of something in Culley’s eyes—pain? Sadness? It was only there for a split second, replaced immediately by his usual apathetic expression.

              “Why not?” He shrugged. “Maybe I was bored.” He resumed strolling and strumming. “Maybe I’m tired of the fast life. Even the most dedicated of hellions needs a break every once in a while.”

              I’d heard that about the son of Audun. He was rumored to be a globe-trotting wild child, irreverent and spoiled, his powerful parents covering his tracks whenever his partying got out of hand and left expensive destruction in its wake.

              My life had been anything but decadent. Though my mother was also on the Dark Council, our fortunes had taken a downturn when my father had been killed years ago—by a human, of all things.

              Since then, Mother had drowned herself in grief and coppery hair-dye, nurturing an intense hatred for the human race and fretting about her future. Her own glamour was basically useless now that she was a widow. All her expectations had fallen to me.

              I pulled out my most comfortable, most
modest
pajamas and slammed the suitcase closed again. “Well,
I
have a job to do. And my mother is counting on me. I’m all she has. I owe her.” 

              “Aren’t you the dutiful daughter and loyal subject?” Culley laughed, dropping the instrument to his side. “I’m sure my father feels I owe
him
as well.
Everyone
owes him just because he walks the earth. I ignore half of what the tosser says and distrust the rest.”

              Listening to his free-wheeling approach to life just underlined the constrained nature of mine. It was infuriating. “It’s so
easy
for you, isn’t it? You care about nothing and no one. You just glide through life with no responsibility, no one depending on you, doing whatever you want wherever you feel like doing it.”

              Culley smirked. “Yeah, I’ve got it made all right. No ties, no dramas.” His voice didn’t sound quite as unbothered as his words did. Stepping closer, he surprised me by taking my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles in a soft sweep. “If you want my advice, Angel, it’s simple. Don’t worry about whether it’s right or wrong. As you said—you have your job to do. I have mine. Just get it done, get your mum off your back, and then get as far away from her and my father as you possibly can and live your life in peace. It always works for me.”

              I stared up into his sky blue eyes, captured for a moment by the glimpse of vulnerability I’d seen in them.

“Culley?”

              “Yes, my dear darling fiancée?” he quipped, bringing my hand to his lips for a meaningless kiss.

              I yanked it back. “What
is
your job?”

              He studied me for a moment through slitted eyes, his lips quirking with humor. “If I need your help, Angel, I’ll let you know. You’ve got enough on
your
plate, dealing with the Desperately Devoted Light King. I hope your glamour is as effective as it’s reputed to be.”

              So did I.