The Iron Locket (The Risen King) (17 page)

Arthur blinked rapidly, his eyes stinging with tears. He watched Aiofe's face, not daring to hope. The girl's eyelids fluttered several times until they cracked open. Perfect green irises stared straight at Arthur, boring into his blue eyes with such intensity he almost wanted to look away. Almost. A smile pulled at the luscious lips below him and he couldn't help but match them. He raised a hand to her face and brushed a thumb over her cheek.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly. The words felt tight in his throat and he feared his voice would crack.

The girl smiled and brought a shaky hand up to cover his. "I'm alright," she said.

After giving him another smile, she turned to Titania. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, then they shot wide open with recognition. She started to struggle, trying to rise. Arthur put a hand on her shoulder and other behind her back. "Here, allow me." With a gentleness few had seen, he helped her to sit up, settling onto the chaise beside her to serve as an extra support. She leaned against him heavily, resting her head weakly on his shoulder.

"Are you..." The girl's voice faded as she stared at Titania with awe.

The queen smiled as her chin rose slightly with pride. "Why don't you take a look at your locket and tell me if I am."

Aiofe reached up to her neck and fumbled with a chain there. Her fingers would not cooperate. Arthur brought his free hand up and cupped her fingers in his. Together, they removed the locket from its hiding place beneath her shirt. For the first time, he gazed upon the beautiful engraving. His lips parted in a silent gasp. Never in all his time as king had he laid eyes up anything so exquisite. Human hands could not have worked the detail he saw there. With no mistake, the woman on the locket was the same queen he now served.

Titania settled into the chair beside Aiofe and placed a hand on her thigh. "How is your grandmother, my dear?"

The young woman's mouth worked wordlessly for several seconds before she found her voice. "Um, she's alright. I--" Aiofe gasped and her eyes went wide. "Oh, no. My grandfather. He didn't follow me through, did he?" She was shaking in Arthur's arms and he pulled her closer, trying to ward off the sudden fear that ripped through the girl's body. Titania was the one who soothed her fears, though.

"No, child. He did not. Once we discovered the door had been breached, Zela put a guard there and all paths into Faery have been sealed. As far as we can tell, none but you and the sprite you were after passed through."

"Zela?" Aiofe cocked her head to one side questioningly, bringing it back in contact with Arthur's shoulder. She let it stay there.

"My daughter," the queen answered with a fond smile. "Your..." She bit her lip and paused a moment before continuing. "I will take my leave now. I am sure you have many questions, my dear, but I think you have had quite enough excitement for one day. Arthur, if I may speak to you in the hall before I go, please."

It was not a question, but a politely phrased command. He wasn't sure he could have denied the request even if he wanted to. With a quick smile to Aiofe, he laid her back on the chaise and stood, following the queen out the door. She walked all the way to the steps before pausing and turning around to wait for him.

"You must not tell her anything I told you here today," she said as he approached. "In time, it will all be revealed, but she is not ready yet. She has dealt with enough and she will need all her strength to heal. When the time is right, I will tell her the truth, but you cannot be the one to do it. Do you understand?"

Arthur was surprised when he realized the queen was actually begging him. He nodded with uncertainty. "Yes, m'lady. Of course. I will say nothing until you have had a chance to discuss it with her."

Satisfied, the queen nodded. "Good," she said. "Thank you. In the meantime, she is under your care. Guard her with your life." A sly smirk spread across her red lips. "I trust I have nothing to worry about there."

Arthur cleared his throat as color rushed to his face. "No, m'lady," he mumbled. "She will be well cared for. I swear it."

Titania's smirk grew to a smile and she rested a hand on his upper arm. She squeezed it once, gently, then turned on her heel and descended the stairs, sweeping around the corner and out of sight with such elegance that Arthur was sure she was floating instead of walking. When she was gone, he turned and walked the length of the landing to his room.

Inside, Rogan was righting furniture that had been knocked over and picking up scattered pieces of broken glass. Pools of liquid lay beside shattered decanters and the bowl he had been using to bathe Aiofe's forehead was in ruins. He looked up as Arthur approached and the man's face was paler than Arthur had ever seen.

"Are you alright, Rogan?" Arthur asked as he seated himself in the chair Titania had vacated. He picked up the wet cloth from the floor, brushed the broken pieces of clay from it, and used it to wipe some sweat from Aiofe's brow. She opened her eyes and smiled weakly at him.

"Yes, sir," the servant responded. He remained quiet a moment as he worked. "Sir, was I mistaken when I thought the lady Zela said Miss Aiofe was bitten by a banewolf?"

"No, that is exactly what Zela said it was. Why?"

Rogan frowned. "Well, sir, a banewolf would not have that effect. Its venom is poisonous, but the most that would happen if the wound was not cleaned is an infection. Maybe the limb would decay and fall off. She should not have succumbed so quickly. And that scream..." His voice trailed off and his forehead wrinkled. Then his eyes met Aiofe's terrified gaze and he straightened. "Apologies, my lady. I am certain it was nothing out of the ordinary. It has been quite a long time since I have been outside these walls. My knowledge must be incomplete." He bowed his head to Aiofe and turned his back.

Arthur wasn't ready to let it go, though. He stepped over to Rogan and gripped his arm tightly. "What about the scream, Rogan? What was that with the smoke and the wind?"

The servant kept his head low but raised his eyes to his master. "A banshee, my lord. Somehow, the dog infected Miss Aiofe with a banshee."

*~*~*

NINETEEN

*~*~*

Agonized screams echoed off the stone walls as Kane made his way through the labyrinthine dungeon. He hated this part of Leanansidhe's castle. Each door had bars in it, putting the mutilated faeries inside on display. It sent wicked shivers up his spine and he was always sure one of her vile creatures was going to try to touch him. His hand rested unconsciously on his sword, his fingers white as they clenched the hilt. He found the door he was looking for and pushed it open, not bothering to knock. The smell hit him immediately.

"Ugh." He buried his nose in the crook of his elbow as he advanced into the room. His eyes scanned around, noting the dried blood on the floor and bits of something he didn't want to think about on the walls. "What is that smell?" he asked as he walked over to Leanansidhe.

She stood beside a table. Strapped to it was a dark-haired faery with a pale complexion. The battle had been good to her. Lots of unclaimed bodies were lying around long enough for her to claim several. The ploy was successful. She would have a full army in no time.

She stabbed a serrated knife into the faery's stomach. He groaned weakly, but didn't move. "Meltholite," she said, waving the bloodied knife toward another table behind them before plunging it back into the faery.

Kane turned his head just enough to see the table from the corner of his eye. He quickly turned back. Gray and black body parts littered the area and the brief glimpse curdled his stomach. Instead, he studied the living faery's face. He was clearly one of Mab's, but not anyone he knew personally, just an underling. The man's pale skin was paler than normal, almost transparent in the eery light cast off from the captured fire faeries darting around the glass lanterns overhead.

"What did you want?" Kane was eager to move the meeting someplace less gruesome.

"Ah, yes." Leanansidhe straightened, pulling the knife from the gaping stomach with a sickening slurp. "Borton!"

A faery about half of Kane's height scampered in through the doorway, bowing obsequiously. "Yes, my queen?"

She held out the knife to him. "Finish here. I have work to do."

He lowered himself even further as he took the tool from her hand. "Yes, my queen. As you wish, my queen." He was still bowing as she wiped her hands and led the way from the room.

"Queen?" Kane raised an eyebrow and tossed a sideways glance at the dark beauty walking beside him.

Her blood red lips curled into a smirk. "I figure I better get used to the title, since it's going to be mine soon anyway."

He was silent. The battle had committed him to this war. There was no way around it. His own sister had seen him aiding Leanansidhe. But his heart still tightened in his chest with each betrayal he wrought and he wasn't thrilled about sharing the throne with someone like Lea. She reached the stairs before he did and he let her lead the way, watching her supple curves slither in front of him. Another part of him shrugged. Maybe sharing more than a throne with her wouldn't be so bad.

"So who was the girl?" she asked as they entered her study.

Blood rushed to his ears and his chest throbbed. "What girl?" He raised his chin, willing his voice to remain steady.

"The human girl, the red head. She's a pretty little thing," Lea continued as she settled into her chair, crossing her long shapely legs. "And she has quite the aim." The woman shrugged a shoulder and winced with the motion as annoyance flitted across her face. "I bet she was one of your mother's little toys. She would make a wonderful addition to our army. Your mommy would love that, wouldn't she?"

Kane's eyes narrowed and his fingers twitched toward his hilt, but he pressed his lips together and bit his tongue.

Leanansidhe's pouty red lips curled seductively as she stood and prowled across the floor. “Anyway, enough about your evil mother.”

Kane leaned up against her desk, feeling his pants grow tight. As she reached him, she traced her lips with her tongue, the sharp point at the end of it flicking out across her teeth as her eyes locked with his. She reached out to him, tracing a fingernail over the fabric. A moan escaped his lips as he arched toward her slightly. His chest felt constricted and he fought desperately to control his breathing. Despite his attempts, he found himself panting like a dog and groaning as all four of her clawed fingers raked across his package.

"You're are wound so tight, Kane. It's been too long since you've relaxed. Let me help you," Lea cooed as she pressed against him, her ample breasts tight against his chest.

He closed his eyes, his only response an indecipherable grunt. She gripped his cheeks with her other hand, forcing him to face her. He opened his eyes and saw the hunger he felt echoed there. With his mind shrieking in protest, he leaned forward and savagely pressed his lips to hers. He forced her mouth open and sent his tongue delving into the deeps within. She gave easily and returned his kiss with ferocious passion.

Her fingers went deftly toward the clasp holding his pants up. “Do you know what won me over, when I knew you were going to be my general,” Leanansidhe murmured into his ear as she tugged at the fabric. “It was when you took the fall for killing that girl, Titania's hunter. No one but Titania knew it was me. Why she let you take the blame I will never understand.”

Kane froze. For two decades he had searched for Caena's killer, longed for his revenge, and here she was the whole time, right beneath his nose. And he was about to give himself to her fully and completely. His stomach churned as images of his murdered lover flashed in front of him. With shaking hands, he yanked his pants up and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

*~*~*

TWENTY

*~*~*

A warmth spread across Aiofe's face, pulling her from the strange and fitful dreams that interrupted her sleep. She cracked a bleary eye open and surveyed a small portion of her surroundings. A slim ray of sunshine shone past the thick curtain, falling across her as she lay on Arthur's wide bed. While the young woman yawned and stretched, she gazed wistfully at the empty spot beside her. She had tried so hard to get him to join her, but the soft snores coming from the other side of the thick curtain dividing the room made her smile nonetheless.

Aiofe rolled to the edge of the bed and swung her feet to the floor, curling her toes into the thick carpet. With a bit of effort, she pushed herself up, using the night stand to steady herself before she walked the short distance to the window. As she left the carpet, the bare stone felt cool on her feet and helped to energize her a bit. When she reached the window, she leaned against the sill and pulled back the curtain a crack. The training yard was below. Two dark-haired men sparred in a dirt circle in the middle while another polished his armor near a shed. One with chin-length greasy hair was on a horse, shooting arrows from its back at targets that were swinging wildly on a string. The day before was a jumble of scattered images, but she recognized him after a moment. He was the one who had offered her a ride. Travis? Or was it Tristan?

"How are you feeling?"