Tressa's Treasures (The King's Jewel Book 1) (26 page)

"I can't say he wouldn't come after me on his own, but a Sidhe definitely held
Dominion
over him in that moment," I said. "Roe, on that first day when I asked everyone how they knew I was here, did you sense that anyone was lying?"

Rosheen's brow crinkled. "No, not that I recall. At first there was your comment about being Handfast..." I blushed, embarrassed she knew I had lied. "...but when Xander agreed, that made it truth," she continued.

"One of the guys told us," Keelin said. "I can't remember who we spoke to first about visiting. But with all the noise on the wind recently, it wouldn't be difficult for anyone to track you, Tressa. If they were seriously looking, that is."

"So any Unseelie who managed to cross a threshold from the Otherworld could find me." My stomach turned over. I was open game. Suddenly I remembered something. "Wait, I may have seen someone. In the woods, just before Fred appeared... but it was just a blond head, really."

"I spoke to the trees yesterday after the attack," Keelin said. "They said no Unseelie were in the woods yesterday, but there was Unseelie magic. It was confusing."

"Speak to the trees?" Holly asked, incredulous.

"Keelin has an affinity for plant life. She can speak with them and they obey her command," I explained before returning to the conversation. "Brenna told me something similar after her last trip to Faery. She couldn’t make sense of it either."

"Well, the forest is on the lookout now. No one, fae or human, will get past them onto the estate," Keelin said with conviction.

"How close would they have to be to hold
Dominion
over him?" Holly asked. "Tommy said Fred was in Canada."

"Of course!" I said, understanding washing over me. "He was probably in Niagara Falls, where the flu started. An Unseelie would need to lock eyes with him to start the
Dominion
. Then the Sidhe could continue to control him until he completed the command or something broke his connection. So the Unseelie magic would be here, but not the fae himself."

The aroma of brown sugar and blueberries put an end to our conversation as Jenny arrived with a luxurious tray of food for the expectant mother. Sophia, who had come in with her, brought me a plate of her favorite pastries. I made space so that she could sit with me on the chair and share them with me.

"What about us?" Rosheen pouted. "Don't we get breakfast?"

Jenny nodded.

"It's waiting for you in the kitchen."

"Sophia, when I come back I'll take you to visit the Pixies and I'll give you another ballet lesson," Keelin said. She smiled at Sophia, who pumped her head enthusiastically, as she and Rosheen followed Jenny out of the room.

I passed the rest of the morning alone with Holly. She spent most of that time curled up in a brooding silence. When she spoke, her words were stilted. After the extraordinary amount of grief she had been through in the last couple of weeks, I feared she was slipping into a depression.

She wore a new outfit from the twins' shopping spree. She had styled her hair in her usual way and had applied her makeup perfectly. However, that day more than usual, it all seemed like window-dressing.

She only perked up when Rosheen came back that afternoon, wearing a watercolor print dress with beading around the neckline that complimented her complexion.

"Rosheen, that dress is simply wonderful!" Holly gushed. Rosheen twirled to give her the full effect.

"Thank you; it's one of my own designs." Something clicked in Holly's mind. Her eyes widened.

"Rosheen, you're not... but you must be... you're
the
Rosheen?" Rosheen curtsied theatrically.

"The one and only."

Holly turned to scold me. "I can't believe you didn't tell me your cousin is a famous fashion designer!"

I laughed.

"She's just my little cousin to me. I forget she's famous." This prompted an idea for how to cheer her up. "Roe, honey, Pix loves fashion design. Why don't you teach her a few tricks of the trade?"

Both faces lit up.

"Would you like that?" Rosheen asked.

"Oh, yes!" Holly said, eyes dancing.

Rosheen ran out of the room and returned with a drawing pad and colored pencils. I got up so she could sit next to Holly, settling myself into a chair by the window instead.

Rosheen pulled her chair closer to Holly, who sat with her legs stretched out on the sofa. Soon, absorbed in their conversation, they bent over the sketchpad—Holly's dark head with its short Pixie cut side by side with Rosheen's long, straight blue tresses.

I was on my own, gazing out the window, when Connor entered the room. I had avoided any intimate conversations with him since that strange moment in the club, still not trusting that he hadn't put a hex on me that night. I closed my eyes and sighed in resignation when he headed my way.

"I understand you had a real scare yesterday," he said, sitting uninvited on the arm of my chair.

"It was nothing," I said, not wanting to discuss it with him.

"That's not what I heard," he insisted. "But isn't that just like a human, to beat a woman. How can you stand to be around—"

"This was one man. Let's not condemn an entire race for the actions of one individual."

"Tressa, how can you be in a serious relationship with one of them?" His expression was a mixture of contempt and pain. "Especially when you know that I'm here for you."

"Connor, please. Let's not do this again. We settled this long ago." I felt physical discomfort at the idea of heading off his advances yet again. Though he was undoubtedly handsome, he was also self-centered and vain. I simply wasn't attracted to him.

He took my hand. I tried to pull it away, but he wouldn't let go.

"I was your grandfather's choice for you."

"What good is that, Connor? I am not your
Anam Cara
. We would not fulfill the prophecy together. Why can't you understand that?" My voice rose, taking on a sharper edge than I had planned.

The two girls on the other side of the room lifted their heads to look at us. I forced a smile in their direction. Reassured that I was okay, they went back to their sketching.

"The prophecy means nothing to me," Connor said.

His adamant tone might have convinced another, but I didn't need Rosheen's ability to know that this was a lie. My fame as the King's Jewel was the real attraction, not me as a person. If he didn't recognize that in himself, I couldn't help him.

"I am of your own kind: a Sidhe and a Royal, and quite simply the better choice for you."

"My choice is made, and you’d best accept it," I told him with as much finality as I could.

ALEXANDER

I rushed into the Manor House, knocking and entering without waiting for Shamus, as was our custom now that so many visitors were running in and out. I hurried to find Tressa, anxious to share with her the news of my discovery.

In the living room, Holly was on the sofa with one of the twins beside her—I couldn't tell which, since her head was down. They worked together over a large pad of paper.

I stiffened when I saw Connor sitting close to Tressa on the opposite side of the room. Connor reached out and took her hand. I waited, trying to understand what was happening, straining to hear their conversation.

"The prophecy means nothing to me," Connor said. "I am of your own kind: a Sidhe and a Royal, and quite simply the better choice for you."

I controlled my instinct to rush in and break the guy's neck. My second, more reasonable thought was to let Tressa handle her own business. I changed direction and went to find Órlaith.

As I walked to the back porch, I rolled Connor's words around in my head. He was like her. He was the better choice. I couldn't deny these truths. I was pensive and sad by the time I reached the back porch.

This room, although enclosed, always felt like the outdoors to me. The plants filled the room with a musky smell, seeming to multiply every time I returned.

Órlaith was there, as I had expected. She stood at a window, looking out toward the back of the house.

"Xander, I'm watching your daughter come up the path with Keelin. They make a good match. Sophia is very much like Keelin was as a child, and she could certainly do worse for a teacher. Keelin is a world class ballerina—in both realms."

"Can that be a good match? A human and a Sidhe?" I asked.

She turned to me, perhaps to gauge whether we spoke of the same thing. She didn't answer immediately. She walked to a chair, using her cane for support.

I took her place at the window, placing my forearm on the wooden window frame and resting my chin on my arm. I watched my baby dance her way up the path.

"What's this about?" Órlaith asked.

"Nothing."

She waited in expectant silence.

"I heard Connor tell Tressa he was better for her because I'm a human."

The old woman scoffed.

"Connor is a celebrity monger."

I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"I think I’ve found the place you sent me to look for."

"That's wonderful! And what did you find there?"

"I don't know yet. I’ll do some exploring there tomorrow."

She nodded.

"Remember, mention this to no one. Tell no one what you find there except Tressa or me."

"Yes, I remember."

"One last thing: what you will find there is meant for you, and you alone. Don't give it to anyone else."

This surprised me. I hadn't expected to come away with anything but knowledge, discovery and a few stones.

"What am I going to find there?"

"Sophia has returned. Let's go join the others so she can perform for us, as I can see she is dying to do."

It was impossible to get an answer from Órlaith once she had decided she didn’t want to give it. I knew better than to try. I escorted her to the living room.

Sophia had assembled her audience. Matt, Holly, the twins, even Jenny Jamison and Shamus had gathered in the room. Only Connor and Gilleagán were missing.

Sophia ran to hug me. "Daddy, you're here! Just in time to see my show."

"Oh good," I said. "I'm glad I didn't miss it." I winked at Tressa over her head.

Keelin gave Sophia a big, theatrical introduction then, hummed a tune to provide music. Sophia did a simple routine, combining the three or four steps she had learned thus far. When she finished, she curtsied to her audience as they gave her a strong round of applause.

"Brava! Brava!" Órlaith cheered. Sophia ran to her, throwing her arms around the elderly woman's neck.

"Well, Mamó, I see you've found a new child to favor." Gilleagán's voice startled the small crowd into silence. We all turned to look at him as he stood, arms crossed, in the doorway.

Órlaith smiled, but something in Gilleagán's voice made me wary.

"Yes, I have. Isn't she delightful?" Órlaith asked.

I could have sworn I saw him flinch when she acknowledged what had sounded to me like an accusation. No one else in the room seemed to notice.

"Where have you been, lad?" Órlaith asked. "I've hardly laid eyes on you since you got here."

There was a tension between them that I hadn't noticed previously. Órlaith scrutinized her grandson with an expression of confusion, tinged with suspicion.

"Is that so? Well, I'll make time to sit with you later," Gilleagán said, trying to lighten his tone. His words rang false. "Connor is waiting for me—we're going out. Girls, are you coming?"

The twins barely looked his way as they simultaneously shook their heads.

He attempted to keep his expression calm, but I was certain his composed surface covered a disproportionate amount of anger.

"Was there something going on there that I missed?" I asked Tressa after he left.

Tressa waved it off.

"That's just Gil. He never likes anyone to get attention but him, and he never gets enough no matter how much we give."

She seemed more than ready to dismiss her brother's behavior, and I was happy to do the same. I wanted to have her to myself. I was tired of sharing her with this gaggle of honking geese. Was it too much to ask to have a moment of alone time with her to share my good news from the day?

"How about a quiet dinner at home?" I whispered in her ear.

Her bright eyes met mine, her expression alight with enthusiasm. I took an extra second to admire her face. Her large round eyes, her bow-curved mouth: each detail perfectly suited to the others.

She was more than physical beauty. Her tenderness and her concern for the people around her, tempered with a strength that defied her slender stature, proved her spiritually beautiful as well.

How easy it would be to mistake her for an actual angel. She was an angel to me. I didn't understand how or why, but she had touched something deep within me. She had reawakened a part of me that I thought had been lost forever.