King of Always: A Fae Romance (Black Blood Fae Book 2)

Raff

“You have been gone far too long,” I tell the scowling fae pacing across my chamber—Everend Fionbharr, my older brother who, not long ago, was the Crown of Five’s thirteenth Black Blood heir. Presently, I am the fourteenth.

Lucky me.

“Much has changed since you left. And do stop prowling back and forth or you’ll wear a channel in my floor.”

He halts and indicates the massive carved chair I sit upon with a furious wave of his hand. “Indeed. And it seems that you are what has changed the most since I have been gone. By the Elements, Brother, at what point did you decide it was a good idea to have a throne moved in here so you could sit upon it like an ancient dryad and sulk your days away in private?”

Silently, I stare him down, but far from being dissuaded, he continues his boring tirade.

“You are a creature of the sun, yet you mope here in the dark. I cannot believe my eyes.”

I tip my head toward the bay windows where burnt-orange drapes hang wide open, revealing a glowing sun sinking behind the Dún Mountains. “It is hardly dark in here. Clearly, you have forgotten the way the poison corrupted your soul. Look at me closely and you will see a past version of yourself. Ponder the sight, and then be kinder in your judgment.”

Ever rakes a hand through his long hair—gold tangled with silver. So different than mine, threaded with fire and coal. “But look at Spark!” he declares. “Even she looks depressed.”

I gaze at the mire fox sleeping in my lap and stroke her white ears and her matted, soft red pelt. Not long ago, she spent her days wreaking havoc throughout the castle. Now she hardly bothers to squeak. I look at Balor, Ever’s monster wolfhound, his tongue lolling in adoration as he watches my brother’s every move, most likely terrified he’s going to disappear back to the human realm and desert him once again.

“And let us consider your hound. Don’t forget you left him and your órga falcons to pine for you whilst you cavorted in the human cities. And what of Jinn? Kian rode your horse into a dripping lather whenever he managed to trick his way onto his saddle. Don’t dare speak to me of cruelty. Your heart was once the coldest in the kingdom. At least mine brings eternal summer to our lands. Your time as heir brought only dark clouds and storms.”

Ever sighs. “What you say is true, Raff. Let us not argue. Lara and I are here to introduce our daughter to the court, to decide if we can keep her here in Faery safely. And now that my mind is clear of the poison, I have a renewed desire to help you find a cure for the curse, and I believe—”

I interrupt his meddling rant with a harsh laugh. “A cure? You are too amusing.”

“Aer is hiding the most important part of this riddle. I am sure of it. And perhaps her sisters do the same. All we need do is—”

“Ridiculous. If Ether knew the cure, she would tell us. As the High Mage, she always has the kingdom’s best interests in mind.”

Shoulders slumping in defeat, Ever says, “Fine. Do not trouble yourself with these ideas then. Leave them to others to riddle. At least come to the feast tonight. You could do with a happy distraction.”

“I prefer to remain here and indulge in other entertainments.”

Ever’s silver eyes bore through me, and I feel his anger, no, his disappointment like a barbed arrow through my flesh.

“Do not look at me thusly,” I say. “You were once as I am now—bored and heartless, facing a long and painful death by poison. Can you really fault my actions?”

“Before I left Talamh Cúig, you told me you wanted to be king. You welcomed the idea! I had hoped when I returned, that I would find you content, but you look far from happy, Brother.”

“How can I be content without a queen? My mage prophesied no Crystalline Oak for me to wait by every month. I have had to search the land high and low and still I have no mate to show for it.”

“Lara wasn’t found beneath the tree. The foretold symbol was tattooed on her back, the oak’s branches worked into the design engraved on her skin, along with the dragonfly. But you already know all this.”

“Yes, yes. But I thought I would have found my mate by now, and I have no clear direction on how to do so, and therefore no hope.”

“Raff.” He gives me a wide smile replete with dimples. It casts me back to our boyhood, my mind awash with carefree memories—fishing with our eldest brother, Rain, long before his death. Rambling through forests, hunting and chasing nymphs together.

Ever leans close, his hand resting on my shoulder. “Relax, Brother. You’ll meet your queen when it is time. The prophecy always unfolds.”

“It is you who has changed, Ever. You’ve become more like the boy I remember. Calm and certain you can fix all the wrongs in the seven realms. Life as a husband and father suit you well, that much is clear to me.”

Impossibly, his smile grows wider.

“Oh, I see you are besotted still.” I shake my head at the sight of him—a prince of Faery, a warrior encased in leather and gold armor beneath a cloak of darkest silver, grinning like a court jester. Deciding to indulge him, I say, “So tell me of your plans. Will you be performing a second wedding ceremony now that you are back?”

“Yes, of course. You know I must. If we are not wedded under the Laws of Five, she will be fair game for the Merits and they will try to steal her. You know they value nothing higher than a human pet to toy with.”

I take my circlet from my brow and rest it in my lap over the snoring Spark. Sighing, my thumbs rub over the metal sunflower petals. “And you want to hold this ceremony at Merrin Creek?”

“Yes. You will come?”

I would prefer not to.

“I will attend the marriage, but I refuse to travel almost three tediously long days in your wedding procession just to see you reenact the first days of your relationship. I hope you realize that by doing this, you are glorifying the time Lara spent as your captive. That is hardly very romantic, Brother.”

He grins as if I have said something amusing. It is shocking to see him smile so frequently. Jarring and unnatural. I can only conclude he must be blissfully happy with his human bride and dimpled halfling baby. I recall that once upon a time, I liked Lara very much, enjoyed laughing with the cheeky red-haired mortal. But I was a different person, then. Before the curse took hold.

Stretched on the marble floor, Balor groans and Ever squats down to pat him. “So, you plan to shift and fly to meet us at the creek in time for the ceremony?”

“Yes. And, of course, our mother will not lower herself to ride in a carriage or sit upon a horse, so she will use her water magic to travel through the rivers.”

Ever takes a breath to speak just as the doors burst open. Kian enters taking great strides, his hair streaming behind him like a river of blood.

“Last night I caught a human trespasser,” he announces in a breathless jumble of words, coming to a halt beside Ever.

“What?” Ever and I say, both jolting upright.

“And by the law of finders keepers, I claim her as my property to torment according to my whims. Just like you did, Ever, when you found the one you called the wasp.”

Fury flares in Ever’s silver eyes. “Do you mean the wasp who is now my wife, Lara? I warn you to take care how you speak of her. After my time living in the mortal world, my nature may seem tempered, but I assure you, I have not lost my taste for spilling blood. And I did not torment Lara when I found her.”

“Perhaps not physically,” I remind him. “But you must admit you were far from kind.”

Ever’s cheeks darken.

Kian sneers down at Balor—he has always been jealous of the hound’s bond with Ever. “Wait until you see this girl,” he tells us proudly. “She’s a fearless, brainless fool if ever I saw one, but pretty enough for a human.”

“What is her name?” Ever asks.

Kian struts about the chamber, flapping his cape like a peacock in heat. “She says it is Isla and that she is connected by blood to Lara, but I do not believe her. And, Ever, you of all fae know how easily humans can lie.”

“Isla?” In two steps Ever has Kian in his grip, shaking him hard. “Tell me what this girl looks like.”

“Yellow hair. Eyes bluer than a summer sky. A nature as fierce and bold as a little lioness. A mouth as rude and coarse as a mountain troll. In fact, that’s exactly how she smelled, like a—”

“That’s definitely Isla, and it’s her sweat you scented, you imbecile. Humans they have…” Ever’s words trail away, his fists clenching, skin paling as the truth sinks in. “You are telling me you took Isla captive?” he thunders.

A bank of gray clouds race past the window, and the sky rumbles, rattling the window glass so hard I fear it may break. Interesting. Since I have become the Black Blood heir, Ever’s magic no longer controls the weather. For it to be affected by him now means his emotions are running wild.

“If you’ve hurt her, I shall crush your lungs, wring them dry, and feed them to the draygonets. Where is she?”

“In the dungeons,” Kian crows, not sensible enough to be afraid. But he should be. Very afraid.

“You moron,” Ever hisses. “Is she alive?”

“Yes. At least she was when I left her.”

The room darkens, and I lean forward, elbows on my knees, to watch Ever shake with fury.

“You should have brought her to me immediately!” In a rush of wind, Kian’s hair flies out and wraps around his throat, strangling him. When he begins to turn blue, Ever flicks his hand, and Kian crumples to the floor.

Balor stalks to loom over him, red eyes glowing as he snarls like an enraged troll. I smirk when I notice his long tail, thumping steadily. The hound despises Kian and is always pleased to see him punished.

“Go now, Kian,” I say. “You have harmed a member of my family. That was badly done. To ensure your safety, I suggest you stay out of Ever’s sight for some time.”

“She’s a human!” Kian croaks. “And only family by marriage.”

Knuckles cracking, I stretch my fingers and sparks dance around our tiresome friend’s body. “If you are wise, Kian,” which I am well aware that he isn’t, “you will leave now. While you are still able to walk.”

“This is far from over,” growls Ever. “In fact, I’m working on a fitting punishment as I speak. One that is sure to make you miserable.” Frowning, my brother watches Kian scramble through the door, then smiles so widely those dimples slash his cheeks again. “I must also take my leave and see to Isla. She has taken a great risk in coming here.” When he reaches the doors, he turns to flash the charming smile again.

“Stop smiling at me,” I command, biting on my own grin. “It is unpleasant and discomforting.”

“I advise you to attend the feast tonight, Brother. And dress in all the finery befitting our land’s future Sun King. I promise you will want to meet this human intruder, for I predict that if you like her, every single one of your troubles may soon be over. And please…don’t be as idiotic as I was when I met Lara. Come, Balor, we have a human to find, which should please you no end. I know how much you like them.”

“Wait…before you go… What do you mean when you say my troubles may soon be over?”

“Tonight, you shall see.” He gives me the foolish smile again and then disappears, the doors groaning shut behind Balor.

“Ever! Get back here!”

As his footsteps fade away, I sink back against russet cushions and rub the ache from my chest, willing the constant drip drip drip of the poison though my blood to still its progress.

Flaming fires. A feast.

It seems, tonight, I must endure hours of my mother’s nagging at the queen’s table in the Great Hall. Are all mothers as irritating as she, or is it only royal ones who sink their barbs with such deadly precision?

I hardly feel like fae company, let alone having to meet a mortal brat, but curiosity has long been my downfall. It’s the one trait that the curse has not yet destroyed.

For better or worse.