Siren's Song: The Gray Court, Book 5 (16 page)

“I’ll swear. I’ll swear whatever you want.” Dayton was shaking so hard Osmond had difficulty holding him.

“Just swear you’ll be mine, and I’ll be the happiest man on earth.”

Cassie, her face full of affection for her brother, leaned against him. “And that’s why I really ran away.”

Oberon tugged her close. “Then why were you so worried about going into the Pacific?”

“I didn’t know how King Osric and Queen Jetta had reacted to my leaving. I was afraid they would be hunting me, the same as my parents.” She nodded apologetically toward the royals. “I’m sorry for that.”

Queen Jetta, tears in her eyes, waved away Cassie’s words. “No problem, my dear.”

“We understood, especially after we spoke to Ozzie.” King Osric watched his son kiss his future bondmate with a fond smile. “Thank you for giving us this gift.”

Cassie snuggled close, beaming at the pair of lovers. “You’re welcome.”

“Okay. Tell me everything.” Dayton leaned his chin on his hand and grinned at her. “C’mon. Give, give!”

Cassie laughed. Dayton was so happy he glowed. She was grateful both Oberon and Ozzie had seen fit to give them some privacy. But both men had insisted on guards for their bondmates, causing Dayton to blush and sigh and Cassie to roll her eyes. She had the feeling Ozzie and Oberon were going to get along like peanut butter and chocolate.

So Raven stood at the windows, and one of the Pacifica guardsmen stood by the doors, watching over them while they gossiped. If the Pacifica guard had an opinion on Dayton’s bonding with Ozzie he kept it to himself.

“Fine.” Cassie blew out a breath. “It all started when I met Shane Joloun Dunne.”

“The artist? His glass work is exquisite.” Dayton’s expression became dreamy.

She’d have to talk to Shane, see if she could commission a piece by him for Ozzie and Dayton’s bonding present. “Yup. He has visions.”

“Oh. Poor guy. In the records it states it’s not an easy gift to carry.” Dayton held up his hand. “Wait. He had a vision about you? And the High King?”

“Uh-huh. And he sent me after Oberon to keep him safe and help him heal.”

Dayton whistled. “Whoa.” He frowned, his expression becoming absent. “So. You saved Oberon, but…” His gaze went to her face and he paled. “You bonded with him by accident, didn’t you?”

“How…?” Cassie shook her head. Her brother had some scary insights sometimes. “Yeah, that’s exactly what happened.”

“Are you all right? You’re not hurt or anything?”

“Nope. Lady Goodfellow helped me heal. Once I woke up Oberon helped me to the tub, and that finished the job.”

Dayton shivered. “His memories must have been overwhelming.”

“And if I had been prepared for it, it might not have hurt so much.” She grimaced, praying Oberon never found out how profoundly his memories had pained her. He’d led such a cold, lonely existence for so long, the scar of his broken truebond coloring everything he did. No wonder he was so drawn to the color gray, for it had filled his vision for so long he could see little else. If it hadn’t been for his affection for Robin Goodfellow she was certain he would have become cold and hard, but the Hob had prevented that just by being himself. The rogue had kept Oberon on his toes, forced him to look beyond himself and see the world around him in more than shades of gray. For that he would have Cassie’s loyalty for the rest of her life. Without him, her truebond with Oberon would have been impossible. “He’s been fighting for so long, keeping the peace between the Black and the White, I’m not sure he knows how not to battle.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Dayton put his hand on her knee. “I’d be more than happy to.”

“I know.” She hugged her brother, her heart overflowing. Dayton had turned out so much better than she’d hoped. He was a strong, loving person who desired nothing more than to help others. She couldn’t be prouder of him. “Have you given any further thought to that other stuff we discussed, by the way?”

He blushed. “I’m not sure Osmond will allow it, but I can talk it over with him.”

“That’s true. You’re going to be king-consort of Pacifica someday. He might not want you working with Robin.” Dayton’s dream had been to join the Blades but their parents had flatly refused, citing the fact that he would one day take the Atlantean throne. They weren’t thrilled with their heir, though. Both Cassie and Dayton had assumed they would alter the laws of succession in order to put Demetria on the throne rather than have the “weak” Dayton as the king.

Their parents were blind. Dayton would have rocked as a ruler. As it was, he was going to make an excellent co-ruler for Ozzie. He had courage and a caring heart, both of which would serve him well as a king-consort.

“I think Demetria will take the throne once it’s known I’m renouncing the throne of Atlantis.”

“Oh, please.” Cassie waved her hand in dismissal. “Once they hear you’re mating Osmond and renouncing the White for the Gray they’ll kick you out on your fins. And Demetria will be declared the heir before you’re done bouncing down the coral steps.”

Dayton stuck his tongue out. “She’s going to suck at it.”

“She’s so stuffy and rigid. Like a sofa, but not nearly as comfy.”

Dayton’s grin was evil. “I don’t think Demi has ever let anyone sit on her.”

“Maybe it would loosen her up some if she did.” Cassie giggled. “Of course, the person who did might get frostbite in important places.”

Dayton shuddered. “It would take a braver man than me to try and yank the royal scepter from up her ass.”

“That explains a lot. The gems on that thing must chafe like a bitch.”

“And I doubt she’d stoop to anything so plebian as lube.” Dayton waved his hand languidly, his expression one of snobbish boredom. “After all, darling, it takes a
true
royal to shove a gem-encrusted stick up their ass without flinching. Never let the plebs see you sweat, after all.”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the Pacifica guard trying not to smile at Dayton’s antics. “I wonder whose stick the parents will try and shove up our sister’s ass?”

“Oh, that one’s easy.” Dayton dropped the bored aristocrat pose. “They were arranging for her to marry one of Gloriana’s nephews, but then the whole Prince Evan thing happened and that fell through.”

“They wanted to…wow. That’s reaching a little high, isn’t it?”

Dayton’s expression became cynical. “If Gloriana told them to kiss her ass they’d pucker so fast the fish would get jealous.”

“But the family wound up in the Gray, and Gloriana could no longer negotiate alliance marriages for them.”

Dayton leaned forward. “A little fishie told me that she’d called a hunt on them, that they were forced to flee to the Gray because of Prince Evan’s kidnapping. She feared the taint of the Black had struck the entire family. Besides, I think she never got over her brother marrying that
common
pooka
and producing half-fairy, half-pooka children. She’s been looking for a reason to get rid of the embarrassment for some time, and seized the opportunity to do so.”

Cassie shook her head. She’d learned long ago not to question Dayton’s access to insider information. It was one of the reasons he’d dreamt of being a Blade. He was good at finding out things and had gathered a wide network of informants, a necessity in a court such as Atlantis. It was a skill Cassie herself had never acquired. “She’s so unreasonable when it comes to the Black Court. I mean, most of them are everything she fears, but a lot of them are not. Just look at Ozzie.”

“Every chance I get.” Dayton blushed and smiled. “I can’t believe he wants me.”

“I can.” Cassie hugged her brother tight and let him go. “You’re perfect for him.”

“You’ll stand up with me, right? At our bonding ceremony?”

“Of course.” Cassie grinned. “And you’ll give me away at mine, right?” Because there was no way in hell she was going to allow her father that honor.

“The two musketeers, taking on the Gray with wit and flare.” Dayton posed as dramatically as he could while still sitting down. “We’ll slay them with our good looks and charm.”

“Good looks?”

Dayton sneered at her, but she could tell he was trying not to laugh. “Well, that’s true. I’m much prettier than you.”

“Bitch.” But Cassie was grinning. They’d played this way before she ran away.

“Oh! Speaking of bitches, Mom and Dad want to bond Leah to the Ducettes and Iona to the Sergeyevas.”

“What are they thinking? They’re both land-based families.”

“And high up in the White, with a lot of influence on Gloriana.”

More political maneuvering. “In that case I’m surprised they aren’t thrilled over my bonding with Oberon.” She’d expected some kind of reaction, not to be totally ignored.

“I don’t honestly know what’s going on with them. They’re stubborn, so maybe the fact that you thwarted their plans to mate into Pacifica is what’s causing them to react this way.”

“I was the only one they wanted to bond into the Black.” Cassie sighed. She should be used to the way her parents treated her by now, but she didn’t think she’d ever truly get over the ache their callousness caused her.

“No. I think they planned on having me bond with an India Court princess.”

The Indian Ocean court had been Black since the courts split, just as Pacifica had been. “What are they up to?”

“I don’t know, but I’d keep an eye on them. They’re expanding their power base, that much is clear.”

“But to split us between White and Black?”

“With the favored children going to White courts and the children in disfavor going Black.” Dayton shrugged. “Perhaps they thought to influence those two into switching sides without risking their perfect daughters. If things fell apart they wouldn’t be losing much.”

If they could have gotten away with it, the marriages might have thrown off the balance of power in the waters of the world. Two major oceans were Black, two were White. Arctic and Atlantis gave allegiance to Gloriana while Pacifica and India bowed before the Black. “Now that Pacifica is Gray, or soon will be, things will change in the oceans anyway.”

“And not the way our parents had hoped.” Dayton propped his chin on his hand again. “I know you’re going to smack me for saying this, but something about all of this smells fishy.”

“I agree. And I think I should inform Oberon and Robin of it.”

“There might not be much they can do, but they can keep an eye on them. If they are making some kind of power play it bears watching.”

And this was why Dayton was going to serve Pacifica much better than Cassie ever could. “Tell Ozzie too.”

“I will. I wouldn’t hold anything this big back from my truebond.”

“He is? You’re sure?” Cassie was delighted when Dayton nodded. “That’s wonderful!”

“Thanks. I’m glad we both got our dream men.”

Cassie hummed happily. “They are cute, aren’t they?”

“As newborn tiger sharks.”

Raven was looking at them oddly, but the Pacifica guard was chuckling silently, his shoulders shaking as he tried to keep his stoic demeanor.

Cassie blinked at the two guards innocently. “What? They are cute.”

Dayton nodded. “Adorable, even. So cuddly and soft, like fae plushies.”

“Exactly. You want to hug them and love them and call them George.”

Raven shook his head and returned his attention to the windows. “You two are wrong in the head.” But he sounded more amused than anything else.

Dayton and Cassie stared at one another before bursting into laughter. “Oh, you have no idea.”

Both guards smiled indulgently, and Cassie and Dayton got back to the important stuff: gossip. She spent a pleasant hour with her brother before Oberon came to take her to the meeting with his Blades. “I’ll see you at dinner, Dayton.”

“You too, sis.” Dayton smiled sweetly at Oberon before following his guard from the room.

“Ready, my sweet?”

“Ready.” Cassie took her bondmate’s arm and headed for the meeting with a much lighter heart.

Chapter Fifteen

“So.” Oberon leaned back in his chair and swirled the whiskey around in his glass. It had been a long day, meeting with Pacifica and Atlantis and preparing for the bonding ceremony and coronation of Cassie as his queen. At least he’d been able to give her some time alone with her brother while he chatted with the Pacifica prince. Osmond was beyond thrilled with finding his parents were happy about his truebond with Dayton and had already given his oath to the Gray. His parents would do the same in the morning, once they’d rested.

The sun had already set by the time he called his Blades to him. “What have you discovered so far?”

Robin leaned against the mantel of his fireplace, looking like the dashing rogue he was. “So far, precious little.”

Before Robin could continue, Cassie piped in. “Lucy, Javier and Harold all have clean songs.”

Raven stared at her for a moment, then shook his head. “Right. Siren. So you think they should be cleared as suspects?”

She nodded. “I haven’t delved all that deeply. I’d have to sing in order to do that, and they’d feel it. But from what I can hear without singing to them, none of them are disloyal.”

“That makes things far more interesting, indeed.” Robin winced as he stared at Oberon. “It seems more and more likely your poisoning was done by a Blade, then.”

Oberon agreed. “We need to begin looking for the culprit among the Knights.”

“The first one to be suspect will be me.” Raven pushed his hair back in a swift, aggravated movement. “Even if we find the real culprit there will be those who think I had something to do with it because of who I was.”

“I know you didn’t do it.” Oberon had seen enough of the young fae to realize Raven was loyal to his father, if no one else.

“No, I didn’t.” Raven looked surprised at Oberon’s faith in him. “But how do you know that?”

Oberon’s brows rose slowly, and Raven flushed.

“Do you care what others think of you?” Robin interjected before the silence could become uncomfortable.

“I only care insofar as it affects you and Michaela.” Raven stood and began to pace. “Michaela deserves none of this, and your loyalty to the High King should never be questioned. If you haven’t proven yourself by now…” Raven shrugged. “Other than that, I don’t give a fuck what others think.”

“Good.” Robin watched his son pace. “Then we allow them to think what they wish, whilst we know better.”

“Drawing attention away from our real investigation?” Jaden tilted back in his chair, balancing on two legs. “I like it.”

Cassie bit her lip. “Are you sure? I’d hate to have something like this stick to you even after we find out who really poisoned Oberon.”

Raven’s gaze softened as he looked at Cassie. “Thank you, but I can handle the bad opinion of some sycophantic courtiers, so long as you, Michaela, Oberon and Robin still believe in me.”

“Us too. The Blackthorn clan will stand behind you one hundred percent.”

Robin beamed at Jaden, but Raven looked surprised. “I thought you hated me, fang boy.”

“I don’t, birdbrain. I just thought you played for the wrong team.” Jaden grinned. “And now you don’t.”

“Hmm.” Raven looked dubious, but turned away from Jaden to continue the conversation. “If people believe I’m willing to be corrupted once more, or that I’m actually here as an agent of Titannia, the real culprit might be more willing to approach me. It’s possible I could find out who did this simply by refusing to refute the rumors.”

Oberon exchanged a glance with the Hob. It was his son who was putting himself on the line, therefore he would leave the decision in Robin’s hands.

“No.” Robin stood up straight, shaking his head and staring at his son with a determined expression Oberon knew all too well. Robin was not about to put his son on the line. Oberon had expected he would make that choice, should Raven offer to take the heat. “I will not allow anyone to question your loyalty.”

“Father—”

“No.” Robin held up his hand, stalling any further protest from Raven. “You have given too much, come too far to allow your position to be tainted.” He narrowed his eyes at his son, green flaring across the blue. “How was the funeral?”

Raven stilled. “Lonely.”

Robin sighed, the green fading. “You should have told me.”

Told him what? “My Hob?”

“Sire?” But Robin continued to stare at his son.

“What’s happened?”

It was Raven who answered. “The Black Queen sent my mother’s remains.”

Oberon leaned back in his chair. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Raven nodded once, turning away from all of them for a moment. “Thank you.”

“You should have told me.” Robin went to his child, put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “I would have been there for you.”

“She arrived the day you left for your honeymoon. What was I to do? I couldn’t put that on you.”

Oberon watched as Robin silently comforted Raven. It was amazing how quickly the two had grown close.

Jaden cleared his throat, obviously reluctant to change the mood. “I hate to say it, but we still need to discuss what’s going on with their majesties.” He righted his chair with a clack. “Duncan says the courtiers are already whispering about Raven being linked to Oberon’s disappearance, and wants to know if he should start spreading the rumor that you were out fetching your bondmate.”

Oberon thought that one over. It had potential. “It would take the pressure off of Raven.”

Robin shook his head. “It won’t work, not with how I took the crown.”

He could picture how furious his Hob would have been. “I gather you were not very polite.”

Robin grinned, that Cheshire cat smile that sent shudders of disquiet down Oberon’s spine every time he saw it. “What leads you to think that?”

Cassie choked on a laugh. “Oh, nothing.”

Robin bowed. “There you are, then.”

Oberon drank some of his whiskey. “Then we allow the rumor mill to run as it will.”

Cassie sighed. “Before we go too much further, Dayton told me that my parents have been acting oddly.”

“How so?”

“Just…you disappeared and he says they seemed smug. You reappeared and they’re less than pleased. Also, they’ve been arranging alliance marriages with some of the most powerful White Court families.”

“All except you, who they threw to the Black.” Which served to piss Oberon off even more.

“They were planning on sending Dayton to the Black as well.” Cassie grimaced. “And to a female.”

“But he’s the heir.” Raven scowled. “Oh. They had someone else in mind for the throne.” He shook his head. “That sounds like a stunt Tita—” He darted a glance toward Oberon—“the Black Queen would pull.”

“Do you think they had anything to do with my poisoning?” Oberon was beginning to wish he had the authority to end the Nerice line, but unless he had proof they’d been involved in treason against him he was not allowed to act.

“Dayton thinks not. He believes it’s a play for more power, nothing more.” Cassie shot him an apologetic look. “And I’m sorry, but my parents are of that faction of fae that believes war between the White and the Black would settle things once and for all.”

“Settle what?” Oberon wanted to throw his hands up in the air out of frustration. If he’d been alone with Cassie, he might have. “I’ve never understood why some fae don’t accept the dictates of the gods. We are not to go to war with one another. It was why the Gray Court was created, to keep a buffer between the Seelie and Unseelie and prevent war. If they did fight, the two sides would not only expose us to the humans but could potentially destroy the world.”

Oddly enough, Cassie and Raven exchanged a glance before Robin’s son piped up. “Some wish for a return to the time when we were revered as gods.”

Cassie nodded. “Some haven’t forgotten the wounds inflicted by the other side.”

“Brother against brother, father against son, mother against daughter.” Raven’s scowl lightened. “Luckily those people are few and far between.”

“But some have considerable power, like my parents, and long for more. A war would enhance their standing if they play their cards right.”

“And creating alliance marriages on both sides would do that?” He just couldn’t understand it.

“No. They probably hoped that if war broke out Dayton and I would be killed in an act of vengeance.” Cassie seemed oddly calm about the prospect.

“If only Pacifica were bastards like your parents thought they were, eh?” Jaden shook his head. He looked toward Robin with a pleading expression. “Can I kill them?”

“No.”

“Please?” Jaden batted his lashes at the Hob, giving Robin his best puppy eyes. “I promise not to get blood on the carpet.”

“In the mood for sushi, my Blade?” Robin was grinning that vicious grin again.

Jaden nodded. “Yes, please, thank you.”

“No.” Oberon had to put his foot down before the entire Atlantean court got eaten by a pissed off vampire. As much as he’d like to get rid of the annoying royal family, he had no jurisdiction over them. They were under Gloriana’s crown, not his. Why she wasn’t monitoring her people better, he didn’t know, but he’d be having a chat with her later. She needed to know that one of the major water fae families was playing games with the balance of power.

Robin looked less than pleased by that, but his Hob bowed. “Then we keep a close watch on the Atlantean court. We already have an agent in place, but I’ll see what I can do about upping the surveillance.” Oberon nodded his approval, and Robin continued. “In the meantime, we need to start looking into the Blades that had access to the palace that day.”

“I’ve also begun looking for any that have gone missing since you disappeared.” Robin shot one more concerned look toward his son before returning his attention to Oberon. “Besides Etienne, Donald Summerville, Jennifer Douglas and Janice Lawhorne are all gone without a trace.”

Four Blades missing?

“How unusual is that, for four of you to disappear like that all in the same period of time?” Cassie sounded dubious.

“Not very. Most Blade jobs are surveillance or guard work, nothing more dangerous than that. And these four had been on routine assignments.” Robin glanced over at Jaden. “Think Shane will talk to Akane about looking for them?”

Jaden pondered that for a moment. “He might object if he thinks it would harm the babies. Akane would risk her own health to help us, but Shane is more protective of her.”

Shane had good reason to be worried. Akane was an excellent Blade, but that very quality might lead her to doing something rash. The daughter of the Seer would use her unique gift of sight to help them if asked, but her pregnancy made her more volatile. She’d passed out the first time she’d used her powers to look at Robin, and done the same when she tried to look at Michaela. “Then we do this the old fashioned way.”

“We put on our fedoras and grab our magnifying glasses?” Robin was grinning again. His Hob loved a good puzzle almost as much as a dragon did.

“Only if I get to break out my meerschaum pipe.” Jaden was grinning right back at Robin, who laughed.

“Smoking is bad for you, fang boy.”

Jaden shot Raven a droll look. “What’s it going to do? Kill me?”

“Gentlemen.” Oberon tapped his finger on his desk. “Remember, Cassie’s safety comes before anything else, even finding the traitor.”

Raven and Jaden both nodded solemnly.

“Then I’d best bring in Red to look for the missing Blades.” Robin drummed his nails on the small side table next to him. “If there’s a trace of them out there, he’ll find it.”

“Do it.” Given enough time, Robin’s pet gremlin could find a single grain of sand on a beach. And the man was scary loyal to Robin above all others.

Robin bowed, and disappeared.

“Raven, Jaden, you two will remain on guard duty. Remember, do not allow the queen to be alone with any of the sirens for any reason, no matter their court.” For all Oberon knew the mermen in Shane’s sculpture might not be from either Pacifica or Atlantis, but some other oceanic court. He was taking no chances, not with Cassie’s life on the line.

The two men bowed.

“Cassie?” Oberon stood and held out his hand, smiling when she came to him and accepted it. “Good evening, gentlemen.”

“Sire.” Raven disappeared in a swirl of black feathers.

“Show-off.” Jaden left far more conventionally, through the door.

“Bed, my dear?” Oberon was already walking toward the door, tucking Cassie close to his side. He’d long since discovered he liked having her there. The hum of their shared song seemed to vibrate between them when he held her close, soothing him.

“And eventually to sleep?” Cassie looked up at him, her cheeks pink.

“I do like the way you think.”

Cassie snuggled even closer as he led the way to their bedroom, her hand tracing patterns over his shirt. She was going to drive him slowly mad with her soft, sensual touches and quiet sighs. “Oberon?”

“Hmm?” He was utterly enchanted by the way her skin shimmered as she dropped her Seeming.

“Walk faster.”

Oberon picked up his bondmate, ignoring her surprised gasp, and shimmered to his bedroom. “Fast enough for you?”

She blinked up at him. “It will do.”

He chuckled as he lay her down on the bed. “Minx.”

“Nope. Yours.”

He shuddered at her words. “Mine, indeed.” He couldn’t get her clothing off fast enough.

The urge to take her again, mark her in some way, rode him so hard he was sure he’d come before he ever got inside her.

She really was going to be the death of him, but what a way to go.

Oh, gods and goddesses. The man was going to be the death of her.

Cassie shivered as Oberon dropped his Seeming, his skin glittering like stars in a pale sky. She stroked her hands up his arms, clutching his biceps, amazed as always that the man wanted her.

Whatever she’d done to deserve this, she’d do again and again. She couldn’t imagine a time when she wouldn’t want his hands on her, his lips moving on her skin, sucking one of her nipples into his mouth.

She hummed in pleasure, the pull of his mouth on her sending tingles straight down to her clit. She wrapped her legs around him, the feel of his slacks against her skin maddening. He’d taken off her clothes but left his own on. She wanted him naked, skin to skin, to feel his desire without the barrier of cloth in the way. She tugged on his shirt, forgetting for a moment that it was a button-down instead of a pull-over.