“My Queen,” Royce started to say as she sat. “First, allow me to point out that the child wasn’t dying. Hence, it wasn’t as though I was bringing him back to life …” The words she had just blurted sounded absurd even to her, but it was the truth, at least as she saw matters. She immediately observed the queen’s reaction and stopped any other words that wanted to tumble from her lips. Instead, she folded her hands together in her lap and tried again, more calmly. “What I am trying to say, Queen Aaibhe is this: I did not really infringe on the path of destiny … and even if I did a little, it was totally necessary because he would not have been in that awful and unacceptable situation—well, it was in essence, our fault, wasn’t it … I mean …”
“Our fault?” The Queen of the Seelie Fae raised her lovely brow and interrupted. “How so?”
“The Dark Fae escaped because we couldn’t stop them from doing so. One of those sinister monsters chased young David, reached for him, and the child stepped backwards into the street. He was hit by a car and would have been paralyzed for the rest of his life. Our fault.”
“I see,” Aaibhe said so softly Royce almost couldn’t hear her, and then she asked, “So then, my Princess, do we make it our business to round up any humans that survived an attack by the Dark Fae but are in critical condition and heal them? Is that what you are suggesting?”
“No, I know that is not possible, although I wish it were. I know we can’t reveal ourselves to the general population, but in this case I was right there! I saw it happen, and before I could do anything to stop it …” She shook her head. “David and his family are friends of mine, and I have a great affection for them … and … I … I couldn’t …”
“You were there because you were involved with a human family—and overly involved and attached with this child. It put you in a precarious situation. You lent your aid without permission, you risked exposing yourself and us to humans, for what? So that you could heal the boy. I am not without compassion, my dear. I do understand. I do see it all very clearly. The question is do you?” Aaibhe said grimly.
“I am their friend—they don’t know that I am a Fae … let alone a Fae princess. They didn’t know that David’s injuries were serious. I healed him before they knew anything. They simply did not realize anything untoward had occurred.”
“Let me understand your point of view. Are you saying that when we happen to be on the spot … and a favored human is injured, we may heal them without taking precautions or worrying about the repercussions?”
“No … that is not what I am saying.” Royce pleaded with her eyes and hoped her queen would understand. “These were extraordinary circumstances. The Dark Fae were our responsibility, and they escaped because we didn’t keep them contained. They were loose … killing and maiming, and David was there, right before my eyes, and he would have been crippled all his little life and …”
“And as I have said, I quite understand, do not think I don’t … but what I want to know because I am your queen and must discern your reasoning—is did you give some thought to what it would mean to the future if you healed him?”
“I … no, there wasn’t time.” Royce hung her head and then raised it
. “Besides, we can never be sure what is destined and what is not. Perhaps there was a reason I just happened to be there when this took place … perhaps I was meant to heal him?”
“You have this all worked out then, have you?” the queen said with a cluck of her tongue. Then with pursed lips she took Royce’s chin in her hand and made her look into her eyes once more.
“I … didn’t think about anything else. He is a child, and I care for him …” Royce pleaded.
“Of course you did, and I do believe you know that when you broke our rules, rules that were put in place after great consideration and necessity, you walked the edge of danger with regards to the workings of our beliefs. We Fae understand that tampering with the fates is a serious act.” Aaibhe clucked briefly and then added, “Your parents are concerned about your obsession with humans, and unlike Prince Breslyn, you don’t have the maturity and experience to deal with the intricacies of ‘breaking the rules’.”
“My Queen …” she started. “His fate should not have been determined by the Dark Fae.”
Aaibhe put up a hand and halted her from speaking. “I have asked you to sit in on council meetings with Aida and Ete as your guides … do you not care for them?”
“I adore them. They are like older, wiser sisters … well, Ete is. Aida is just so much fun …”
“And still you do not attend the meetings,” the queen said, clearly reproving her. “What am I going to do with you? You need to mature, Royce. You need to take your place on the council.”
“The council meetings are so boring, and I am not interested in politics.” She sighed and studied a work of art across the room.
“Duty sometimes is boring but nevertheless necessary.” The queen waved off any answer her princess might give, and it was clear that she was becoming impatient with her. “So, because the Trackers and our Royal Houses are overtaxed rounding up the stray Dark Fae in Ireland and Scotland … and even England …”
“Yes, my brother said some have escaped to England, and he went after them this morning …” she stuck in, hoping to show that she was in fact concerned about the situation.
“Indeed, and we are even working with the Milesians, one in particular, Chancemont LeBlanc …” The queen inclined her lovely head. “I know that you have heard something of that tragic story.”
“Yes, Trevor has just left me to join the Milesian in the effort of tracking and capturing Pestale.”
“Precisely, my Princess.” The queen rose from her seat and took a turn in place. Royce watched her with dread. Here it comes, she thought.
“As it happens, Princess Royce, I have decided to make you a part of their team. You have specific and extraordinary abilities that they might find useful.”
“Me … my punishment is to team with Trevor?” Now this was beyond wonderful, Royce thought, almost clasping her hands together. Is this what she calls punishment?
The queen’s iridescent eyes narrowed, and one delicate brow rose. “Do not think you have gotten away with your misbehavior. Indeed, little one, I am putting you in grave danger. It is time you stopped playing mother to these humans and began the business of being who you are—a Seelie Fae princess.” She waved off Royce’s objection and silenced her with a glare. “This is a mission that you must execute with purpose and determination. It is time you wake up and realize your duty to your own kind. I need you to open your lovely eyes and recognize what is important in the large scope of things.” The queen sighed and then added, “This will not be easy, child. Chancemont will not want you to accompany them, and he will not welcome you. If you wish to carry out your Queen’s orders, you will have to prove yourself to him, and I expect that you will find a way to do so.”
Royce was so relieved that the queen was not relegating her to the middle of a mountain without power to get out—she had heard enough stories to worry about this— that she almost jumped up and hugged Queen Aaibhe. However, she checked herself and bowed her head. “Yes, my Queen … I will do as you ask.”