“I am their queen,” she said.
He released her and stepped backward from the table onto the floor. For a moment, he paused and looked up at her. All around them, their court danced. Some of their furniture was breaking from faery exuberance, but music and laughter filled the room. Sunlight radiated from both the king and queen.
Then, he reached out and lifted her to the floor. When her feet touched the carpet, he released his grip on her—and she missed his touch. Without thinking, she stepped toward him.
“Being apart is unnatural, Aislinn. Tell me you don’t feel it.” He smiled at her, and she thought back to the first time he’d kissed her. Then, she was a mortal, and she didn’t understand how anyone could refuse him. Then, she’d thought it was simply faery allure, and she didn’t think it would stay so difficult when she became a faery. Now, she understood. I wanted him then because I am the Summer Queen, not because he’s a faery. As long as they were sharing the court, this feeling wouldn’t end when they were near each other. When he was gone, she was fine. She’d missed him as a friend, but that wasn’t what he deserved.
“I don’t love you the way you need to be loved,” she said.
“I know.” His smile was sad for a fleeting moment. “Summer isn’t renowned for soul-searing love, Aislinn. Passion is the domain of Summer.”
“We both feel that sort of love, though,” she reminded him.
“Because you weren’t always Summer, you are different.” He gave her a sad smile.
“And you? Why are you different?” she asked.
He said nothing, but he pulled her back into his arms.
Aislinn swayed to the music. Summer Girls and guards danced slower, tangled together in embraces, and in some cases danced and kissed. She understood. The Summer Queen and King both felt the longing for what their faeries had: touch and passion.
He followed her gaze. “We could have that too. Pretend it was the night you asked me to seduce you, start from that moment again. I can make you happy.”
At that simple statement, Aislinn’s sunlight flared brighter. She had no doubt that he could make her happy—maybe not for all of eternity, but there was little doubt that she could know passion in his arms. “In moments I shouldn’t admit to you, not here, not ever perhaps, I’ve wondered what it would’ve been like.”
“Say the word, my queen, and we can answer that question right now. We are Summer. Ours is the court of forget-your-name pleasures. I promise you that it will be good . . . and good for our court.” Keenan’s sunlight had brought her own light to the surface, and between them, the plants in the loft were growing visibly. Summer Girls laughed, and the room was filled with song. Keenan didn’t look away from her, however. He stared directly into her eyes. “Let us answer your question, Aislinn. Be my Summer Queen. Take the pleasure that is your right.”
Even though she was breathless with the things she wanted—things Seth refuses me—Aislinn had the sense to say, “Maybe some questions aren’t meant to be answered.”
Keenan leaned close enough that his words were whispers on her lips and asked, “Are you sure this is one of them?”
A rowan cleared his throat. “My Queen?” he said, and then added hurriedly, “and King?”
Aislinn stepped away from Keenan. “Yes?”
“The Winter Queen is here.”
Chapter 22
Keenan stood in the study and watched Donia walk into the room with a mixture of joy and fear. Neither was evident in his expression, but the combination of the two made him momentarily speechless.
“Donia,” Aislinn greeted the Winter Queen from the sofa where she sat.
The Winter Queen pursed her lips as she looked at the two of them. “If I had any other regent to visit, I would.”
“Has something happened to Niall?” Keenan asked.
“Yes. Maybe. . . . I’m not sure.” Donia folded her arms. “Gabriel visited me. He wasn’t able to tell me anything overt, and my requests for an audience with Niall were denied. The guards turned me away at the door.” A troubled look came over her face. “So I went to the gate to Faerie, but that was inaccessible as well. The gate to Faerie is closed. Now I am here.”
With a self-confidence that befit her position, Aislinn gestured at the sofa across from her. “Please, sit.”
“The gate is closed?” Keenan echoed.
“I couldn’t even find it.” Donia looked directly at him as she added, “And Niall is locked away in his house.”
Despite the worry writ plain on her face, Donia was regal as she walked over to the sofa. The Winter Queen sat opposite the Summer Queen. Whether it was intentional or not, the two queens had made it so that he had to sit next to the faery who shared his court or the faery who owned his heart. What I want and what I can have in life are not ever the same. Keenan took his position next to his queen. Duty first.
“Tavish has had reports that Irial was injured in the fight with Bananach,” Aislinn said.