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Authors: Renee Michaels
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very least, ‘Fuck you’.” Tiri laughed as Naeme slipped her feet into flat leather slippers.
“That’s a start. I’ll have much more to say before the night is over.” She caught Tiri’s hand, and together they ran from Tiri’s quaint cottage and joined the throng making their way to the great hall. Knowing what to expect if the event followed the norm, Naeme was keen to see how the evening would unfold now that Titania had added an element of danger to the proceedings.
* * * *
She slipped into Titania’s privy chamber. Titania’s auburn brow arched as she caught sight of Naeme. “It seems to me, Naeme, you’re garbed for a war rather than a night of loving.”
“There are battles.” Naeme met Baylor’s irate stare with bland indifference. “And then there are battles, your majesty.” The Queen’s attendants watched with avid interest.
The Queen’s lips twitched. Her gaze shifted between Naeme and Baylor.
“If I may have a word in private with Naeme, milady, before your august guests arrive.” The request made between Baylor’s clenched teeth drew snorts and chuckles disguised as coughs from the other people in the room.
“By her attitude, you may have left it too late, my captain.” Titania chose to be entertained. Mirth danced in her eyes as she tilted her head to an alcove at the far end of the privy chamber.
Baylor gripped Naeme by the elbow and led her away. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
She gave him an overly sweet smile. “Whatever do you mean?”
“You eliminated all that was you from my rooms.”
“Oh, wonderful, I did a good job then. Well, if there is nothing else, I will take my place in the Queen’s retinue.”
“Just wait a damned second. What are you in a boil about?”
She folded her arms under her breasts and stared at him.
“You’re pouting about something, but I don’t know what.”
“Let me say this slowly so you’ll understand. Valen returned—with Puck, I am assuming by his perkiness. I do have some interest in the matter since it was my recollection that is blurred.”
“Shite, I spent the day marshalling our forces, shoring up the protection spells. After that I scouted the perimeter.” Impatience tightened his face and he reached for her, but she stepped back, not wanting him to touch her. Her resolve would weaken.
“ One of you scouted the perimeter…” She let the last word hang in the air. Baylor looked around him to see if anyone was in hearing distance. He dragged his hand over his hair and down his nape to work the tendons there. Now that she looked past her hurt feelings she noticed the weariness on his face.
Shamefaced, she mumbled, “Sorry.”
“That’ll do for now.” A brief grin flitted across his face before it fell into sober lines. “Something is coming at us, something that should not be possible. Everything appears as it should be, but I can feel it, taste it. I hear the worried murmurs from the earth, the forest creatures. It comes to me like a sigh on the wind, but I can’t catch the words. The Fae have grown complacent, Naeme, arrogant in our belief we are invulnerable. It may prove to be our downfall.”
Now she understood—the thought of failing his Queen, his race, her, weighed heavily on him.
She framed his face with her hands, surprised to find his skin chilled. She exuded heat to banish the coolness.
“What can I do to help?”
“We won’t know until we are confronted with our enemies, but follow your instincts. They’ve saved us before.”
“It’s time,” Titania called out then. She placed her hand on Oberon’s proffered arm, regal in her blood-red ceremonial gown, a diadem of rubies on her head. Her gown was transparent and it clung to her lush curves. Her scent exuded earthiness, adding to her allure.
Naeme thought of Titania as an arrogant, wilful bitch, but she felt pride in her Queen as Titania walked out undaunted to meet her adversaries, and a prick of something akin to
“That’s a start. I’ll have much more to say before the night is over.” She caught Tiri’s hand, and together they ran from Tiri’s quaint cottage and joined the throng making their way to the great hall. Knowing what to expect if the event followed the norm, Naeme was keen to see how the evening would unfold now that Titania had added an element of danger to the proceedings.
* * * *
She slipped into Titania’s privy chamber. Titania’s auburn brow arched as she caught sight of Naeme. “It seems to me, Naeme, you’re garbed for a war rather than a night of loving.”
“There are battles.” Naeme met Baylor’s irate stare with bland indifference. “And then there are battles, your majesty.” The Queen’s attendants watched with avid interest.
The Queen’s lips twitched. Her gaze shifted between Naeme and Baylor.
“If I may have a word in private with Naeme, milady, before your august guests arrive.” The request made between Baylor’s clenched teeth drew snorts and chuckles disguised as coughs from the other people in the room.
“By her attitude, you may have left it too late, my captain.” Titania chose to be entertained. Mirth danced in her eyes as she tilted her head to an alcove at the far end of the privy chamber.
Baylor gripped Naeme by the elbow and led her away. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
She gave him an overly sweet smile. “Whatever do you mean?”
“You eliminated all that was you from my rooms.”
“Oh, wonderful, I did a good job then. Well, if there is nothing else, I will take my place in the Queen’s retinue.”
“Just wait a damned second. What are you in a boil about?”
She folded her arms under her breasts and stared at him.
“You’re pouting about something, but I don’t know what.”
“Let me say this slowly so you’ll understand. Valen returned—with Puck, I am assuming by his perkiness. I do have some interest in the matter since it was my recollection that is blurred.”
“Shite, I spent the day marshalling our forces, shoring up the protection spells. After that I scouted the perimeter.” Impatience tightened his face and he reached for her, but she stepped back, not wanting him to touch her. Her resolve would weaken.
“ One of you scouted the perimeter…” She let the last word hang in the air. Baylor looked around him to see if anyone was in hearing distance. He dragged his hand over his hair and down his nape to work the tendons there. Now that she looked past her hurt feelings she noticed the weariness on his face.
Shamefaced, she mumbled, “Sorry.”
“That’ll do for now.” A brief grin flitted across his face before it fell into sober lines. “Something is coming at us, something that should not be possible. Everything appears as it should be, but I can feel it, taste it. I hear the worried murmurs from the earth, the forest creatures. It comes to me like a sigh on the wind, but I can’t catch the words. The Fae have grown complacent, Naeme, arrogant in our belief we are invulnerable. It may prove to be our downfall.”
Now she understood—the thought of failing his Queen, his race, her, weighed heavily on him.
She framed his face with her hands, surprised to find his skin chilled. She exuded heat to banish the coolness.
“What can I do to help?”
“We won’t know until we are confronted with our enemies, but follow your instincts. They’ve saved us before.”
“It’s time,” Titania called out then. She placed her hand on Oberon’s proffered arm, regal in her blood-red ceremonial gown, a diadem of rubies on her head. Her gown was transparent and it clung to her lush curves. Her scent exuded earthiness, adding to her allure.
Naeme thought of Titania as an arrogant, wilful bitch, but she felt pride in her Queen as Titania walked out undaunted to meet her adversaries, and a prick of something akin to
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