To Love a King (Court of Annwyn) (15 page)

Dylis inclined her head. “I will do it. I’ve protected Caspian and will protect Jacqui as my last act as guardian.”

Bramwel kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t be late.”

“I won’t.” Dylis placed her hand on Bramwel’s thigh.

Felan hoped this wouldn’t all unravel, but he’d listened to the stones singing of his father’s battles. He knew how many consorts had been killed before they even set foot in Annwyn, and then those who had been poisoned or stabbed before the formal protection could be given. Until the formal protection was given, it was consort hunting season. Unfortunately for him, Sulia only needed a willing man, not even the father of her child. His consort needed to be pregnant with his child, a fairy child.

One of the first things he was going to do was issue a law protecting all consorts on both sides of the veil. The killing for political gain had to stop.

“We’ll meet again this evening, then cross to Annwyn—except Dylis and Jacqui. After the Queen is executed, I will only have one mortal day to produce my consort.” The trick being, if he left, Sulia might take the doorway to prevent him from getting through, or follow and attack him in the mortal world. All of which had been done before, which was why he had to stay and make sure Jacqui could get through.

“How will you gauge the time difference?” Caspian glanced between Felan and Dylis.

“That I can help with.” Verden pulled out Felan’s ceramic watch. The watch Jacqui had given him all those years ago. “I found a man who owed me a favor.”

“We have fairy watchmakers?”

“I’ve discovered there’s a lot that happens here that we don’t acknowledge in Annwyn.”

“Banished?” Felan asked.

“Exiled.” Verden raised his hands. “He knows his time is up.”

Damn it. He didn’t want fairies to die because they were in exile. It was one thing to condemn them to a social death beyond the veil but another to kill them. Not even banishment was a direct death sentence—but most used too much magic and suffered the rapid effects. Unlike Verden.

Felan held the watch. At first glance, it looked the same, but as the light shifted on the glass face, he saw the Castle in darkness. Not a clock, but enough that the wearer could gauge the time at Court. “Will it work in Annwyn?”

“I hope so. I cleared a debt for it,” Verden said. “He wanted to die knowing he had left no promises unfulfilled.”

“Thank you for getting it repaired.” For a moment he just held it and watched the second hand tick happily around the face. He doubted anyone here knew how much it meant to him. Then he handed the watch to Dylis so she could have a look. “Bring Jacqui through during the execution. Take her directly to my chamber and do not leave her unattended for any reason.”

Dylis peered at the watch, tilting it to catch a glimpse of the Court. “Will you set guards on the doorway?”

“No, I want Sulia to think I’m planning on coming back to claim my bride.” He’d even reference that clause when announcing the new execution date. Let Sulia make assumptions about his plans. “Verden, I want you to find out what you can about the kidnapping, track down the whispers.”

Verden nodded once. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good.” Felan looked at everyone at the table. Dylis handed the watch back to him and he put it on. “I’ll be back this evening.”

***

Jacqui held her breath as the plane touched down, bounced, and then settled on the runway. The small craft shuddered as the pilot slowed. She had no idea how much Felan had paid, but the plane had taken off from the small airport and was landing at an equally small one in South Carolina. She’d never been this far south before. Hell, she’d never been on a tiny little plane before. Or forced to flee across the country because Greys were after her. A day for firsts really. And none of them were good.

Except for the bit where Felan had actually asked her to marry him…although it wasn’t what she’d hoped the proposal would be. She’d hoped for more romance and less drama. But every time she thought of him wading into the ocean to get her, her heart gave a patter of excitement.

The plane came to a stop, and after a couple minutes, the pilot got out of his seat. “Here we are.” He gave her a weak smile. “I hope your family stays safe with all the trouble happening.”

“Thank you.” Her stomach tightened. She was partly responsible for all that trouble. The escalating death toll, the grinding to a halt of all travel and tourism, and increasing fear. Was this how the end began, with fairies going to war over who should rule? Had people thought that the end was coming thousands of years ago when Felan’s father had fought to keep Annwyn from his brother?

She shivered, even though the plane was warm. The pilot opened up the door and she climbed out, her one bag thrown over her shoulder. She still felt bad about lying to Ash, and for telling her she was going home before all the planes stopped flying. She still didn’t know what to say to her parents, only that she had to say something before she went to Annwyn. But she could do that over the phone.

Jacqui walked across the tarmac, hoping that Caspian would be there as Felan had promised. And if he wasn’t? She wouldn’t let herself think of that.

Airport
might have been glorifying this place. It was more like hangars and a small building for passengers to pass through. As soon as she stepped into the building, she saw him and she relaxed a little. Her lips curved in a smile, but even as it formed it froze. Something was wrong. The man was using a glamour. He walked toward her. For half a second, she considered running, but where was she going to run to? Instead, she forced herself to take a breath and keep moving toward him. He didn’t know that she could see through glamours.

He already had dark hair, but he was too young to be Caspian. His eyes were brown, not green like Felan’s, and he was trying to dress like a fairy but without pulling off the style or elegance. Human then? Not changeling, as they always had pale eyes that gave away their parentage. Felan had told her what Caspian looked like as she’d packed for the flight. This man wasn’t Caspian, but he was hoping she’d think he was. Not a good sign.

The man smiled at her, but it was too sickly and she could see the cunning in his eyes. This was a man who’d do anything to ingratiate himself with powerful people. “Glad you arrived safely.”

He offered his arm, but she didn’t actually want to touch him, so she shifted her bag to the other shoulder. “Yep, good flight.”

Where
was
Caspian?

She walked toward the doors as quickly as she could, trying to work out a way to avoid getting in a vehicle with this man. He followed a few paces behind—that made her worried. She could turn around and speak to the one person at the desk, but what would she say? That this man was trying to kidnap her when he’d done nothing wrong? Yet.

The doors swished open and sunlight bounced off the footpath. A silver sedan was parked against the curb; a dark-haired man leaned against it. He lifted off his sunglasses and revealed eyes of the palest green. Exactly like Felan’s. That was his son.

His gaze flicked to the man following her, but he didn’t move. “I thought you were traveling alone?”

“I did.” She turned to face the other man and did her best to look confused. “You aren’t both here to pick me up, are you?”

The man looked at Caspian, then Jacqui. “You’d best come with me if you want to be safe. He’s a glamoured Grey.”

“He’s a glamoured human. Why would a human need a glamour?” Caspian moved toward them both.

She really wanted to run to his car. But since he was treading carefully, she decided to follow in his footsteps and be safe. “What’s going on?” She turned to be able to see both men.

The fake Caspian grabbed her arm. “Stop being silly. I wouldn’t want you getting hurt.”

Jacqui stomped on his foot and yanked her arm free. “Don’t touch me.”

As he reached for her again, she gave up on playing it safe and ran for the silver car. She was yanked back by the man grabbing her backpack, and she couldn’t shrug out of it fast enough. Her butt hit the footpath. The man lifted his foot to stomp on her belly, and she punched him in the groin. He doubled over and she scrambled up.

Caspian grabbed the man by the collar of his burgundy waistcoat and hauled him upright. “Who sent you?”

“Your future Queen,” the man gasped out.

“And you are?”

“Stuart, her consort.”

“You’re an idiot. Run while you still have the chance.”

“I will be King.” He struggled to get out of Caspian’s grip and failed.

Caspian saw the ring on Stuart’s finger and tugged it off. “We’ll see.” The glamour ended as soon as the ring was off his hand. “Don’t wear my face again.” Then he dropped it on the ground and stood on it. The ring crunched, and for a moment the scent of cold and pine trees filled the air. He released Stuart with a shove in the opposite direction.

Stuart stumbled and turned, determined to have the last word. “I’ll do what I want and answer to none. Especially you, changeling.” He spat and walked away as if he’d won. From a safe distance he turned around. “You won’t live to see the execution.” He mimed shooting her and then laughed.

Jacqui watched him. He was Sulia’s lover. Sulia knew she was here. She’d crossed the country for no reason. Her blood chilled and seemed to stop moving. Her wrist started hurting and her legs felt weak.

“Are you okay?” Caspian picked up her bag,

She nodded. No she wasn’t. She’d just been attacked by a man wearing magic, her butt hurt, and her wrist ached. She shook her head. She should’ve been safe here.

“Come on. The quicker I get you back to the house, the better.” But Caspian wasn’t watching her; he was watching Stuart’s back. Stuart seemed to be the kind of man that you never took your eyes off. Not even for a second.

“I’m not safe anywhere.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” He opened the car door and held it for her. “There’s too much riding on this.”

She was getting tired of hearing that. Like it was her responsibility to save the world.
Worlds.
“So why did you wait out here if my safety is so vital?”

“I saw him go in and thought it best to wait.”

“He could have killed me.”

“Not in there he wouldn’t have. He would’ve hoped you’d get in the car with him.” Caspian placed her bag on the backseat. “You saw through the glamour.”

“Don’t make that public knowledge.” While she’d hated the ability for so many years, it was becoming quite handy when the enemy didn’t expect it.

“You aren’t a changeling.”

“Nope, I unwittingly drank fairy wine.” There was no need for Caspian to know his father had given it to her without telling her what it was or what the side effects would be.

He shut the car door after her, then walked around and got in. “Have you ever been to Court before?”

She shook her head; she was trying to concentrate on getting through the next few days. One thing at a time for the moment.

Twenty minutes later, she was sitting in a grand old plantation house at the kitchen table with one fairy and one human. Caspian and another male fairy had left to put a note up that his shop would be closed for the next few days. Most people would think it was because of the disease outbreaks. She knew better. It was all about staying safe from those working for Sulia.

Lydia was the human at the table and Dylis was the fairy—the one who’d she seen with Felan in the mirror—and they both looked concerned.

“Really, I’m fine. I just landed on my butt.” She’d said it three times already. She wasn’t made of glass.

“You sure?” Lydia glanced at Dylis and a shiver of warning traced down Jacqui’s back. What weren’t they saying?

Dylis rolled her eyes as if humans were dense. “And the baby?”

“What baby?” Had she missed part of conversation somewhere?

“You aren’t pregnant?” Dylis leaned forward, her eyes wide. “That lying bastard.” She stood up. “He told me that his line was secure.”

Was that what the attack had been about? They all thought she was pregnant and Stuart had wanted to make her miscarry? The image of his raised leg ready to stomp down on her stomach filled her mind.

“He told you I was pregnant?”

“Not in so many words.” Her eyes narrowed. “You have to be pregnant for him to take the throne. He needs an heir, and you won’t conceive once you’ve given your soul to Annwyn.” Dylis almost glittered with annoyance. She would’ve been beautiful in her anger if she’d been angry at someone else.

“Pregnant?” Jacqui leaned back. Felan had failed to mention that as well. If he’d been here, it was entirely possible that she would have killed him. How could he leave that bit out? It was so typical of him. She closed her eyes and saw him wading out to get her, remembered the heat of his kisses as they’d made love on the beach. He’d known and said nothing—surely he could have slipped that in while telling her she’d have to give up her soul?

Dylis laughed. “You agreed to be his wife without examining the fine print? Never make deals with fairies without understanding the terms.”

“Enough.” Lydia got up and put her arm around Jacqui. “Dylis is honest, in the brutal fairy way, which I’m sure you’re used to. And I’m sure Felan had a good reason to lie about the baby.” There was an edge to her voice that couldn’t be hidden.

But Jacqui didn’t want to be coddled. She’d ask Felan about the lie later—although he would deny that it was a lie and more of an omission of the truth. To her, an omission was still a lie, but to Felan they were completely different, as a lie was a deliberate and misleading act.

Did slimy Stuart know that he’d have to give up his soul to rule? Even if he didn’t, he’d probably sell his own mother for the power. It wasn’t just Felan versus Sulia. It was Jacqui against Stuart. The downside being Stuart didn’t need to be pregnant.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to be pregnant after last time…

Had the sex on the beach been simply because he needed to get her pregnant, or had he actually wanted her? She drew in breath loaded with suspicion. Is that why he’d tried to sleep with her after their first date? No, she’d invited him back. He’d simply accepted.

And if she needed to be pregnant before going to Annwyn, hadn’t he left his run a little late? These things could take months, and they had days.

“Felan is coming here this evening?”

“Then he goes to Annwyn. I will smuggle you in later so Sulia doesn’t try and kill you.” Dylis smiled as if what they were talking about was perfectly normal.

“So if I don’t get pregnant tonight, what happens?” The silence was complete and unnerving. “I mean, there has to be a backup. These things don’t just happen. Fairies aren’t known for their swimmers.” And she only had one ovary. Surely there was another plan.

Dylis looked at her fingernails as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world.

Lydia shrugged. “I don’t know. He needs an heir…do the rules say the Queen has to be the mother?”

When Dylis looked up she didn’t need to speak. Jacqui could see it in her eyes “There has been more than one heir before. While the Queen is usually the mother of the first child, the others are fairy through their father’s line.”

“So he could have an heir already.” She felt sick. The room was too hot. Her throat prickled and sweat beaded down her back. He could’ve been having sex with half a dozen different women in the hopes of getting one pregnant. No, he’d said he had no other children except Caspian. Could Caspian be his heir, or was that not allowed because he was changeling?

Dylis shook her head. “He doesn’t. It’s why we were hoping to see you walk in with a rounded stomach.”

“And you know this how?” Just what was Dylis’s relationship with Felan? They were obviously close from what she had glimpsed in the mirror.

“Because I’ve occasionally been his lover over the last seven years.”

Right. Of course. She hadn’t expected him to be celibate. She hadn’t been single. They’d separated, so there was no need to be faithful. Yet when she looked at the delicate blond with icy-blue eyes, Jacqui wondered how he could see anything special in her—aside from her soul and womb. Today was getting steadily worse with each passing hour—just maybe she was starting to regret saying yes to him.

“I know you humans think sex is everything; it’s not. It’s love and power that count. When Bram and I want a child, I will find a suitable human male. If he wants one for his line, he will find a suitable female. The children will be raised by us. They will be our children. Our love will be unchanged. In Annwyn, to let your husband or wife go and create a child is seen as a great gift, not only to them but for all of Annwyn.” The snark was gone from her voice. Dylis actually believed what she was saying.

“But he would be having sex with someone else.” Even the thought was too much. She wanted to be the mother of his child.

“It’s just sex. Fairies aren’t fertile with each other; if we didn’t sleep with humans, we’d have all died out years ago.” Dylis was frowning, as if she couldn’t understand the fuss. “His heart is yours and has been for years. I knew it when I was with him.”

“Then why sleep with him?” Jacqui snapped.

“It was convenient. It stopped others from hassling him for a place in his bed and gave me someone to do while Bram was trapped as a tree. It was an arrangement that suited us both at the time.”

Lydia gave Dylis a glare, then looked at Jacqui. “This is a lot to take in, and you’ve been up most of the night. Why don’t you go upstairs, have a shower and rest, and when Felan gets here, you can talk to him?”

“She’d better do more than talk. If the Court knew he was bluffing…” Dylis made a slicing gesture across her neck.

If the Court knew, Felan would lose all support. Sulia would win by default and Felan’s life would be forfeit. The crushing weight was back—the same weight that Felan must have been carrying alone for decades. She didn’t know how to deal with all of this. She needed time that no longer existed. “You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?” Jacqui asked.

“Of course not. That won’t help get him on the throne, and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen.” Dylis stood and walked out the kitchen door. The door swung closed behind her.

Lydia inhaled. “She’s been Caspian’s guardian since he was born. You can trust her. She won’t do anything that harms Felan or Caspian.”

“But I’m expendable.” As she’d once said to Felan, any woman could be Queen. She’d just been the one dumb enough to agree. She wasn’t sure their love was enough to conquer Annwyn.

***

The second floor of Callaway House was all bedrooms and one bathroom. Lydia had given her a room with a four-poster bed, complete with sheer curtains. If it was meant to make her feel like a princess, it wasn’t working. After a shower and some food, she’d slept a little. Now she was watching the sunset, knowing Felan would be here soon and wondering what to say to him. She didn’t want to argue, but she wanted answers…or reasons, since she already knew the answers.

She fiddled with her cell phone. If she didn’t ring her parents soon, it would be too late. With the death toll climbing by the hour and hospitals overflowing, maybe she was already too late. She found her mother’s cell phone number and pressed dial.

It rang a few times, and just when she thought it was going to go to voice mail, it connected.

“Hello?” Her mother’s voice was still rather prim, as if she were blaming the unknown caller for interrupting.

Jacqui bit her lip. What did she say?

“Hello?” her mother said again. She’d hang up in a moment.

“Hi, Mom. It’s Jacqui.”

“Jacqui? Oh my God! Are you all right? You’re not sick?”

“I’m fine.”
About
to
leave
this
world
but
fine.
She swallowed to keep her throat from closing up. “I was just ringing to see if you and Dad are okay.”

“We are. Your father made sure we stocked up on water and canned food, so we are going to stay inside for as long as possible. I hope it doesn’t get any worse. Your brother can’t get home.”

“I think the airlines are just about grounded.” She sniffed. She wasn’t going to cry. She would see her parents again. She’d make sure Felan gave her that. “I saw his last game on TV.” There would be no football this week, as large gatherings were banned and the teams couldn’t fly. The whole country was grinding to a halt.

“You’re safe?” her mother asked again.

“I am.”

“Did you want to talk to your father?”

Jacqui closed her eyes as a tear trickled down her cheek.
I’m not going to cry and blubber all over the place.
“No.”

She didn’t want to listen to him tell her how much of a waste of space she was for getting pregnant, for dropping out of college, for breaking down, for stopping her meds. Her mother had wanted her to stay on the meds and stay at home, so she could be easily controlled. They were both as bad as each other, but they were still her parents.

“He loves you. He just wanted what’s best for you.”

He wanted what was least embarrassing for him. “Just tell him I’m happy. That I’m engaged to Felan and we’re expecting a baby.” Now who was lying about the baby?

Jacqui could almost hear the shockwave hitting her mother in the seconds of silence that passed before she spoke. “What?”

“Yeah. It took seven years, but we found each other again. And this time you and Dad won’t get between us.” It was because of their hatred of Felan that she’d kept the baby a secret the first time, a secret that had almost cost her life. She hadn’t meant to tell her mother that, but she wanted her father to know that he was wrong. Wrong about everything. She was strong and capable and smart. And she could save the world.

“Are you sure that’s what you want? He was so bad for you.”

“Mom, he was the good part of my life. You let him believe I’d terminated our baby. But I forgive you, and I forgive Dad.” They didn’t see the world the way she could. They didn’t know that fairies and Greys walked among them, and that it wasn’t human governments causing the plagues.

“Honey, you’re scaring me. What’s going on? Are you sure he’s not hurting you?”

“He never hurt me.” She drew in a breath. “I just wanted you to know I’m fine. I’m glad you and Dad are holed up in the house. When this is over, I might come and see you if Dad can be civil.”

“What about a wedding?”

“It will be overseas.” Which was about as close to the truth as she could say.

“I thought you were in California?”

“Not anymore, Mom.”

“Where are you?”

“It doesn’t matter.” The bedroom door handle turned. She knew before the door opened it was Felan. “I have to go.” Felan stood in the doorway, hesitating as if he wasn’t sure he was welcome. Perhaps Dylis had told him about their conversation.

“Jacqui, please. I miss you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom. I will see you soon. I promise.” She was looking at Felan as she said it. She hung up as he closed the door and then leaned against it as if for support. She’d never seen him look so tired. He was still in the same clothes. His dark blue coat was crumpled. His hair looked like he’d raked his fingers through it many times.

“Tough day at the office?” She tried to sound like she was joking and failed. There was too much going on for her to find anything funny. She just wanted it all over. The deaths, the anguish, the uncertainty of if they would survive until morning.

“I heard you were attacked.”

“I survived. So did the imaginary baby.” She patted her stomach.

He closed his eyes. “Jacqui.”

“Don’t. Whatever you are going to offer as an apology, I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want sorry. I want to know why you didn’t tell me what you needed.”

Felan looked up. “I did. I said I need you. I love you and I can’t live without you.”

“The fine print, Prince Felan.”

He winced and glanced away at the use of his title. When he looked at her, his face was unreadable—the mask of the Prince who wouldn’t let anything slip. “I thought you wanted to know what I wanted, not what Annwyn needed?”

She threw a pillow at him. Damn him for tossing her words back at her. He caught it and let it fall to the floor. “Don’t split hairs. This is my life too. Dylis said you need a pregnant Queen and if I can’t give it to you, you will go elsewhere. Is that true?”

“No.” He pulled something from beneath his coat and tossed it on the bed.

It was the drinking horn that had been on his belt at the beach. Even though she wasn’t fairy, she could feel the magic lifting the hairs along her arm. She glanced from the horn back to Felan.

“I never planned to have a child with anyone but you. The cup of life ensures that happens.”

“You said it heals.”

He nodded. “It heals the sick, creates life, and is the opposite of Annwyn.”

“Where did you get it?” Had he been carrying it around so he could use it with her? Would he have told her first? He’d have had to, as there was no way she’d have drunk anything out of a magic horn without noticing—although she had drunk fairy wine without noticing.