“If my wife weren’t you,” he replies quietly. He pulls hard on the corset laces and I gasp. “It isn’t just about Sebastian,” he says and continues his brutal tugging. “The last time you were there you were raped, and I wasn’t there to protect you. If I can’t be there with you now, then this will have to do.”
And just like that, all is forgiven. He cinches the waist and ties it off and I turn and kiss him, making the most out of it as he may be the last man in the Realms that I get to kiss.
“Okay,” I whisper, and he strides into the bathroom, taking my trust with him. If he doesn’t undo this spell when I get home, I will kill him, so help me god. It is going to be torture to not be able to go near Sebastian. He is a mean, mean man.
“No, he isn’t,” I whisper to my reflection in the mirror as I Shift to Aeval. He is being my sire and my husband, and he is protecting me. I can live with that.
I Astral off to Earth and the Faerie ring. I should ask if there is one in the Underworld. I doubt it, somehow, as there isn’t any grass. Or at least not grass that is actually grass. It is a soft gray color and it grows on the ground, but it isn’t grass. I step inside and I am transported to my father’s land. It irks me slightly that my Powers don’t work here, although I can understand the Dragon side. It’s kind of sketchy with the basics, but nothing more than Shifting seems to work here. I would, however, expect my Fae Powers to work. I close my eyes and attempt to do the puff-of-smoke thing, but it doesn’t work. Must solely be a King thing. I quickly open my eyes after my failed attempt to move myself. I feel like I am being watched and it is really creepy because it is really quiet and very deserted. These lands are still at war with one another and it only just occurs to me that I am putting myself in danger by being out here all alone with no Powers to speak of. I rapidly head west and see my father’s palace on the horizon under a dark, gray cloud. I turn around and look east where the Light Fae live, and it is all sun and blue skies and birds and bees. Light where the sun rises and Dark where the sun sets. I find that quite ironic, as I happen to find the Light far more ominous than the Dark. Sebastian being the exception, of course. I turn back around and walk quickly, still getting the feeling I am being watched and followed, but soon I am on the black, brick path leading into the palace grounds. There is still hardly anyone outside, but as soon as the Dark Guard sees me, they usher me quickly inside and straight into my father’s waiting arms.
“Princess!” he booms. “We weren’t expecting you for another day.”
“I know,” I say, returning his fierce hug. “I hope that it isn’t an inconvenience to do this a day early.”
“Not at all,” Drake exclaims in delight and snaps his fingers. A dozen servants appear to do his bidding and in the language of the Faerie, he orders them around. I watch, not knowing what he is saying, and then find myself being escorted upstairs by a Faerie named Tabetha.
She leads me to a room that isn’t the one that I resided in before and I am grateful. I never want to see that room again. She pushes the door open and it is a beautifully decorated room, just for me. My heart swells that Drake has made this a home for me and I know that I am making the right choice. All I got in the Dragon Realms was a room overlooking the place where they execute the sinners. Not exactly homey.
“This dress has been waiting for you, Your Highness,” Tabetha says to me as she opens the closet and pulls out a beautiful cream silk gown, etched in black lace, holding it up for my approval. “We are so excited to see this union.”
I take the gown from her and twirl it around. It’s intricate, with thin straps and a tight bodice with a full skirt, as is the norm around here, but the hand stitching is exquisite. Black roses sewn so finely you can barely see the stitches. Instead of the usual laces, there are dozens of tiny pearl buttons all the way down the back. It must have taken someone an age to create this masterpiece.
“Perfect,” I tell her and her eyes light up, letting me know it was she who created it. She indicates that I turn around so she can undo the laces on my gown, and I do so dutifully, wondering where Sebastian is. The green gown drops to the floor and I turn around as Tabetha gasps, backing away from me. I look down and remember the damn bloody spell. I must look like a Halloween nightmare. I smile apologetically and say, “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.”
“A curse,” she says fearfully. “I can feel the magick from here.”
A curse? He cursed me? The sneaky bastard. A spell is one thing, a curse is a whole different bag.
“It’s nothing, really,” I try to reassure her.
She hesitates, but then moves closer to me warily. “Who protects you?” she asks as she fusses with the dress.
“My hus, err, my sire,” I say. I’m not sure why I didn’t say my husband. Perhaps because neither CK nor Cole are classified as my husband’s down here.
She doesn’t look pleased that I am harboring a Vampire curse on my person and she frowns. “How will you consummate your union?” she asks me.
How did she know that is what this was for? I narrow my eyes at her and she pales.
“I won’t say a word,” she says quickly. “You can trust me, Your Highness.”
Fan-bloody-tastic. If she does blab about this, who knows what will happen to Sebastian and, more importantly, to me? I think quickly on my feet and lower my eyes and say, “After what happened with Aelfric, my sire wanted me protected. Sebastian – Kalen – and I will be fine. He is not affected.” I feel bad about the lie, but she relaxes and thankfully believes me. Who wouldn’t after my casual reminder of my assault? I am a horrible person who deserves to be pushed into a moat of Dragon Fire.
Tabetha helps me on with my gown and starts to do up the buttons on the back.
“Where is Kalen?” I ask her.
“He will be here soon. Your father wants to keep this as quiet as possible from the Light, due to the unusual circumstances,” she says.
I suppose that makes sense. I feel quite bad for the Light in that moment as this is the second King they have lost in a matter of months. “Will Thrace not rejoice in being made King?” I say with a twist to my mouth that she snickers at.
“You know it isn’t about the Crown,” she says with a mock reprimand. “You are the prize, my Lady. The chance to help bring the blessed baby to our Kingdoms is highly sought after. If Thrace hears word of this union, he will stop it by any means necessary.”
“Oh, right,” I gulp, not happy to be reminded of my role in all of this.
Tabetha finishes off my gown and turns me around. Sh
e is staring at me in awe and if I weren’t so vain, I would blush. “Beautiful,” she says, and I preen at her compliment. There is a knock at the door, and she crosses to answer it.
“My girl, you look beautiful,” Drake says with a proud smile and now I blush. Compliments like that from a father of mine don’t come around every day. He pops my Princess crown, of black thorny roses, on my head.