Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely 2)

Keenan caught and held Niall’s gaze. Although Aislinn could not see it, Keenan nodded at Niall; the king offered permission, consent to act. But Niall still needed Aislinn to assent. “She is your friend, but I am…grown fond of her as well. Let me keep her safe until he leaves. Remember how hard it was for you when Keenan pursued you. And she does not See him, not like you saw us.”

“I want her safe from Irial”—Aislinn looked back at Keenan then, staring at the Summer King with some trace of the old fear in her eyes—“but I don’t want her caught up in this world.”

“Do you truly think there’s a choice?” Keenan asked, his voice making clear that he did not. “You wanted to keep your ties to the mortal world. With that come risks.”

“There are always choices.” The Summer Queen straightened her shoulders. The wavering in her voice, the glint of fear in her eyes—they were gone now. “I won’t make her choices for her.”

Keenan did not disagree, although Niall knew him well enough to realize that he too thought Leslie’s choices were growing limited. The difference was that Keenan didn’t care; he simply couldn’t involve himself in the life of every mortal who was plagued by a faery. This one didn’t matter to Keenan, not really.

To Niall, however, she mattered more than any mortal ever had. He asked, “What terms, my queen?”

“You cannot tell her—about me or the fey or what you are. We need to learn more before we do that…. If there’s a way to keep her safe from our world, to keep her unaware, we will.” Aislinn watched his face, obviously looking for reactions, trying to gauge the wisdom of her terms.

Niall had centuries of experience, however. He stared unblinkingly at her. “Agreed.”

“You may distract her, spend time with her, but no sex. You may not sleep with her. If Irial’s interest is fleeting, you will be out of her life,” Aislinn said.

Keenan did intervene then. “Don’t start any wars without my accord. She might be important to you and to Aislinn, but I’ll not go to war over one mortal.”

She’s more than just a mortal. Niall wasn’t sure why that was or if it mattered. He nodded, though.

Then Keenan, half smiling, added, “Just be true to yourself, Niall. Remember who and what you are.”

Niall almost gaped at his king, but he’d spent too long practicing hiding his emotions. He merely let out his breath. Keenan’s intimations were directly in conflict with Aislinn’s expressed wishes.

He knows what I am. Addictive to mortals, leaving them willing to say or do anything to have another touch, another fix…

Oblivious to this, Aislinn peered down at Niall, shining so brightly that no mortal could’ve faced her without pain. Small oceans shimmered in her eyes; dolphins breached within them, breaking the blue surface. “Those are my terms. Our terms.”

Niall took Aislinn’s hand, turning it over to press a kiss into her palm. “You are a generous queen.”

Aislinn let him hold her hand for a moment, and then she pulled him to his feet and asked, “Why do I feel like I’ve left out something important?”

“Because you are also a wise queen, m’lady.” He bowed his head to her so she couldn’t see his expression.

Then he left the Rath, not wanting to waste precious time to list all of the other terms she could have set upon him: time limits; alliances he could make with other courts and with solitary fey; vows he could make to Leslie that wouldn’t reveal what they were yet would protect her more fully; renouncing the Summer Court to swear to another court for Leslie’s safety; bartering his own person in her stead.

Keenan should’ve spoken some of those into the negotiation. He should’ve bound Niall more tightly. Why hadn’t he? He should’ve supported Aislinn’s intent; instead he’d suggested Niall seduce Leslie. Niall could pretend he hadn’t understood the import of Keenan’s words and gesture; Keenan could pretend he hadn’t suggested such a thing. It all added up to a kind of lie, though, a deceit that made Niall uneasy.

CHAPTER 16

When Leslie woke with the nightmares still riding her, she had that awful first moment of not knowing where she was. Then she heard Seth talking, presumably on the phone since there were no answering voices.

Safe. At Seth’s, and safe.

After stopping in the tiny bathroom, she went out into the front room.

Seth closed his phone and looked at her. “Sleep okay?”

She nodded. “Thanks.”

“Niall’s coming over.”

“Here?” She raked a hand through her hair, attempting to unsnarl it. “Now?”

“Yes.” Seth wore a bemused expression, not unlike the look he’d given her when she had sought his advice at the Rath. “He’s a good…someone you can trust in the important things. He’s close to a brother to me—a good brother, not like Ren.”

“And?” She hated it, but she was embarrassed. Just thinking about the fiasco with Irial and Niall made her anxious.