Allegiance (14 page)

His reply was a tender smile containing not one hint of conceit. And for a flash I saw the man
she
saw—a powerful and loving king, protector of his subjects. I was stunned. I hated him for what he’d done to my family—
hated
him. But just then a tiny part of me wished he would look at
me
the way he was looking at her—a pathetic and unfaithful part. I watched him as I tried to reconcile my feelings. Then he turned to me, and as his dark eyes trapped mine, every trace of softness vanished. He was all ice and bitterness once more. And I knew I’d only imagined the moment because I felt nothing but revulsion towards him.

King Telophy turned and bid me follow him before leading me silently back through the maze of darkened passages. Weary, I struggled to keep up, wondering if it was because of the sun I’d given Arelle. When I emerged outside and found I was unable to open my wings, I
knew
it was because of the sun I’d given Arelle.

I looked over my shoulder. King Telophy was watching me, waiting.

‘I’m really tired,’ I told him.

He said nothing, just waited for me to put my top back on. Then he took me under one arm and flew to the castle. When we arrived, he said, ‘You know now where you will go should you defy me, Marla. I wonder… will it be counsel enough?’ He turned and started up the stairs.

‘Wait,’ I called out, suddenly infuriated. He looked back. ‘Arelle told me about the changeling. Don’t you want to even know what she said?’

He watched me a few seconds longer, before saying, ‘You can make your own way from here.’ Then he turned and carried on up the stairs.

I was in no state to climb a mountain, but that was quite literally what I needed to do to get to my room near the castle’s peak. I sat at the bottom of the stairs calling to Leif in my mind. Still, there was no answer. I considered asking one of the sentry guards for help, but I wasn’t about to give King Telophy the satisfaction. So I began the trek alone, flopping onto my bed and sinking into the pillows when I finally arrived, my eyes captured by the row of watercolour faeries dancing across the ceiling, their pale wings glittering through the gossamer above me. The room was exactly as I remembered it—a plethora of jewel colours, soft cushions and smooth dark wood. I lifted my hand and traced a finger around the curls of delicate filigree engraved into one of the bedposts as I cast my eyes around. The maids must have been busy while Leif’s father was kidnapping me because every surface was overflowing with just picked flowers and freshly filled bottles and jars. After a moment’s rest, I got up to investigate, selecting a bottle filled with shimmering pink. The moment I removed the stopper the fragrance wafted into the air. I closed my eyes and inhaled—the tiny roses that grew wild on the plains, the sweet red berries Faun liked to stroke across her wrists and some intoxicating fragrance I couldn’t identify. I splashed a little behind my ears, across my collarbones, the backs of my knees. Then I moved onto the next—a creamy lotion that turned my skin to silk and sparkles. Soon I was dipping exploring fingers into candy-sticky balms, powdery glitter and little pots of colour, smearing my eyes and lips, dusting my belly, painting my nails.
I was a garden—all colour and scent. My bedroom in King Telophy’s castle really was a divine distraction. But soon I was wondering where Leif was again, what he might be doing. So I went to the balcony and hugging myself tight as I gazed across the vast canopy of forest, I waited for the first glimpse of him.

My betrothed didn’t fly across the trees to join me. Instead he came up from behind, his breath tickling my neck and making my knees wobble. I clasped the balustrade for support, giggling when the kisses turned to nibbles as he told me how good I tasted. I turned in his arms and he scooped me up and carried me inside, tumbling us both onto the bed. He pulled back, frowning. ‘Why are you so cold?’

I climbed on top of him, tying my limbs around his big warm body, transferring sparkles and fragrance to his skin. ‘Long story, need more sun.’ He released a tidal wave of sun into me.

‘Oh,
so
nice,’ I whispered, gripping him hard, soaking it up.

He laughed and kissed me—my forehead, my temples, my ears—soft, teasing kisses that shivered across my skin and made me crave more. Impatient, I grabbed his face between my hands, felt his smile against my teeth before he kissed me. Our hearts pounded together as one. Eventually he pushed me away from him and sat up. He was breathing fast and looked overwhelmed.

‘How can I possibly bear this?’ he said when his pulse rate had returned to normal.

I laughed as I reached up to wipe sparkles from his nose.

He looked at me, narrowed his eyes and touched a finger to my lips but didn’t budge an inch. ‘You taste of berries and marshmallow.’

I sat up and hit him with a cushion.

He grinned and rid me of my weapon, tossing it across the room.

Winding my arms around his neck, I said, ‘Kiss me some more.’

He chuckled and came more quietly to my arms. ‘First tell me how you lost your sun.’

With the memory of the beating he’d received at the hands of his father still fresh in my mind, I told him a heavily edited version of my day—leaving out any mention of King Telophy’s less than friendly treatment of me and my family, instead focusing on my meeting with Arelle. I finished by saying, ‘I don’t know what’s up with your dad though, because he didn’t even seem interested in hearing what she had to say.’

‘That’s because her story is just that, Marla—a story—utterly implausible.’

‘But she sounded so convincing!’

‘It would not be the first time a prisoner has resorted to deception to hide the truth from my father. But I will raise it with him at lunch if it pleases you.’

It was hard to believe Arelle could have made up everything she’d told me—but what did I know of the Fae world? ‘Where were you today anyway? I was calling for you.’

‘My father had me working for him all morning… I realise now his ulterior motive.’

‘I wonder if he’ll ever really accept me.’

Leif ran a hand down my arm. ‘He loves his subjects, Marla—lives for them, in fact—and soon you will be one of those subjects and he will love you also. He will not be able to
stop
himself from loving you.’

I screwed up my nose. ‘I don’t want him to
love
me!’

He smiled. ‘I don’t think you will find the experience unpleasant. Now come, he has commanded we eat with him.’

I turned away so Leif wouldn’t see me scowl. What was it with the king? One minute he was telling me to keep away and the
next demanding my company at lunch. Leif climbed out of bed, bringing me with him. He looked at me and grinned, flicked the elastic on the waistband of my Tigger pyjamas. ‘What is this?’

‘It’s not like I had time to change,’ I told him.

‘If you go shower and dress, I’ll do the same and be back for you in a few minutes.’

I smiled and blinked a few times. ‘We could do it in half the time if we did it together.’

‘Mmm,’ he said softly, catching my waist and bringing me against him. ‘It would double the time, I think.’

I draped my forearm on his shoulder and wove my fingers into his hair. ‘Come shower with me, Leif.’

Leif laughed softly and bent close to my ear. ‘Later,’ he whispered. Then he dropped the sweetest of kisses on my lips before giving me a nudge in the direction of the shower.

‘What do you intend to do with the information Arelle gave to Marla?’ Leif asked his father from where he sat to the king’s left.

‘I don’t believe Arelle knows
where
the Fae child is,’ King Telophy answered. ‘In fact, I don’t believe she is thinking clearly at all.’

‘Should you not at least investigate?’ Leif asked. ‘If the child lives, she can be brought home.’

King Telophy stopped eating and placed his cutlery carefully on his plate before fixing his eyes on Leif. ‘You take a great interest in the affairs of my kingdom, my son.’

‘Perhaps I would not if you attended to them yourself.’

I just caught the strangled sound from Atara’s throat before the king shot to his feet, his fist slamming into the table. Cutlery clattered and dishes clashed. King Telophy loomed over Leif,
who, despite the fury in his father’s face, was still sitting tall. I had to stop myself from diving under the table.

‘You
dare
to question my rule!’ the king roared.

Leif apologise, quickly,
I begged. King Telophy was a cyclone about to wreak havoc.

‘Forgive me, Father, I spoke out of turn—but only because I do not understand your lack of concern.’

I couldn’t believe Leif could remain so calm. But then, to my shock, his father sighed and returned to his seat, his temper dying as quickly as it had burst to life. I watched him, open-mouthed. Who could possibly understand this wild and crazy man?

‘It is not a lack of concern, my son. I am sure your betrothed informed you I sent her to the prisoner myself. Naturally it would please me to see the Fae child recovered, but my subject spoke no sense. And you know as well as I there are many more pressing issues demanding my attention at this time.’ He held his hand up as Leif opened his mouth to respond. ‘
But
as you seem to be so interested, I give you leave to investigate.’ He picked up his fork and, keeping Leif’s gaze, asked, ‘Satisfied?’

‘Thank you,’ Leif said, inclining his head. When he looked up again, he added, ‘And Father, since the human changeling Ameyah will soon be returned to Earth, I was wondering if I might be permitted to bring my friend to Faera—to teach her of the world she will soon be part of.’

My eyes popped open as I watched my betrothed.

‘Who is this friend you speak of?’ his father asked at the same time as I silently asked Leif the question myself.

‘His name is Jack Connelly. I became acquainted with him during my time on Earth. He is a good and honourable man.’

‘A good and honourable human—does such a creature exist?’

I would have wanted to punch his royal majesty in the stomach if my emotions weren’t all crashing into each other.

‘I believe there are many,’ Leif said. ‘And Jack would be invaluable to Ameyah.’

‘You have my consent,’ King Telophy proclaimed.

When will he come, Leif?

Today if he wishes—after we investigate Arelle’s claims.

But he won’t be able to speak the language.

It is a simple thing for my father to give him our language.

Really?

Of course, he is King.

When we’d finished lunch Leif got directions to Arelle’s home from his father and we flew over the forest in search of the letter. It was a beautiful day—clear and warm. I was wondering if there was any other kind of day in Faera when I realised there had to have been a shower earlier. The treetops held raindrops still, clutching to the leaves and twinkling with sun, turning the lush canopy into a carpet of diamond-sprinkled emerald beneath us. The scent of rain hung in the air, fresh and clean, with not a hint of pollution to dilute it. I inhaled deeply. If heaven existed, Faera must be very like it.

Eventually we alighted by a narrow stream beside Arelle and Elad’s long-abandoned home—half formed from one of the huge and twisted roots of an ancient tree and half buried in the ground beneath it. I tried the door and was surprised when it opened. I peered inside and was shocked to see a little round room, neat and shining. The shutters were open to the breeze, the woven floor was swept clean and a jar of fresh flowers sat in the middle of the table. It was as though the tiny stream-side house was just waiting to welcome its faeries home.

I looked at Leif, confused. ‘Someone’s been here today.’

‘We all have people who love us, Marla.’

‘Their parents?’ I asked.

‘Most likely.’

I imagined Arelle and Elad’s parents taking turns to make sure the house was ready should their children ever decide to come clean to King Telophy—week in, week out. Not only had they lost their grandson when Ellier died, but their children too. I prayed for their sakes that Arelle had told me the truth about the letter hidden beneath the yellow stone. I closed the door and got to work.