Reign Fall (22 page)

“Incredibly, amazingly impressed.” I only put a little sarcasm into it, since with Rhys I honestly couldn’t help myself. But then I got very sincere and reached across the table to squeeze his hand. “Thank you. I mean that.”

He shrugged. “My advisors are newly invested in my reign. They acquired the book for me. I really didn’t do much except wait for it.”

“So your advisors like you again because of the prophecy about us.” I swallowed hard and tried to ignore the extra tension that raised inside me. It was just another reminder of something problematic I’d pushed to the sidelines of my life, hoping it might eventually disappear all by itself.

He nodded. “Wait until you see the wedding invitations. The calligraphy is done with unicorn-hair brushes to give it a little extra shimmer.” At my look of horror, he laughed. “Just kidding. Things haven’t progressed nearly that far.”

He was a comedian. Fantastic. Just what I needed tonight.

“I did meet another demon princess on my trip to the Underworld,” I told him. “Kassandra.

She’s full demon, not half, though. Very pretty in her human form. You might like her. I can set up a blind date if you’re interested.”

“Sounds excruciatingly horrific. So...no thank you.” He picked up his menu and scanned it.

“Have you had dinner yet? Feel free to order anything you like.” I was definitely
not
hungry. But there was something in the way he said it...

I frowned at him. “This isn’t a date, you know.”

Rhys lowered his menu. “Pardon me?”

“This. Me meeting you here. It’s not a date.” I blinked. “You don’t think this is a date, do you?”

“Of course not. It’s a business meeting between two royals from different kingdoms. This is all very political, Nikki.”

“Now you’re making fun of me.”

“Me make fun of you? I wouldn’t dream of it.” He put the menu down and swept his gaze through the restaurant. “Fine. We can go. In fact, yes, we
should
go. There’s no reason to waste more time here.”

I couldn’t agree more.

I followed him out of the restaurant much to the dismay of our waiter. Ice water didn’t have a price tag, after all, although I noticed that Rhys still left a hefty tip. But I really wasn’t hungry and the very idea of being on a date with Rhys, especially after what happened with Michael, just didn’t sit well with me.

What was happening in the Shadowlands? Had my father and Michael spoken about the problem? Had they argued? Was everything okay?

Even if I did get the book, how was I supposed to get back there if my bracelet wasn’t working properly? How long would I have to wait? A day? More than that?

“It’s snowing.” Rhys looked up at the light flakes that had started to drift down.

“Yes, it is.” I grimaced as I got smacked in the eyeball with a large wet flake when I looked up.

“It’s beautiful.”

I glanced at him as I rubbed my eye. “Welcome to Erin Heights in January. It’ll be like this for February, March and most of April, too, from what I’ve heard.” I crossed my arms as we walked and glanced at him. He wore a black wool jacket that fit snugly to his lean frame, a scarf I’d bet cost more than my entire outfit, but he wasn’t carrying a bag. “So, where’s the book?”

“Patience, Nikki.”

“I’m fresh out of that today.”

“Are you just cranky because of what happened with Melinda, or is this something else?” he asked. “I’m sensing...
else
.”

“It’s nothing.” That was a major understatement.

“You’re not having difficulties with your Shadow, are you?” The very thought seemed to amuse him. “It is so hard to find good help these days.” I wiped the melting snowflakes off my face with the sleeve of my sweater. I hoped very hard that we were headed toward the book. I’d figure everything else out once I had it. Still, it was difficult to remain even tempered at the moment. Rhys pushed my buttons, but he was also my only way of getting that book that could help Michael.

A thought occurred to me. Maybe he could help in another way, too. “Hey, are you going back to the Faery Realm tonight? And when you do, can you just open up a gateway by yourself or is one already open for you somewhere here in town?” That could be my answer. I could take the long way through the Faery Realm to get back to the Shadowlands.

“Evading my question,” he mused. “That tells me that you’re definitely having problems with your one true love.”

He said it so sarcastically that it set my teeth on edge.

“You don’t know anything about Michael.”

“I know that he has a short fuse—although not as short as yours. I know that he oversteps his bounds. I know that he’s a lousy dresser. So I think I know lots about him. More than you might think.” He kept his gaze on the street. “I did peek into the book. So I also know that Shadows have some very acute issues.”

I felt cold and I didn’t think it had much to do with the temperature. “Like what?”

“I heard what Michael did in the Underworld. To the other Shadow.” My breath caught. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t really want to pursue this topic of conversation if I could find a way to avoid it.

But I seemed to be having some serious trouble avoiding any kind of unpleasantness today.

“Do you know who that Shadow was?” he asked me. The humor was gone from his voice.

“Do you?” I returned carefully.

“His name was Jonas. He was in the Underworld dungeon for murder.” I swallowed hard. “Yes, he was.”

Rhys’s expression was tense. “He was the one who murdered my parents.”
Chapter 16

I stared at Rhys, shocked. I didn’t think he knew that. I hadn’t wanted to tell him the truth—it wasn’t my place. We had our difficulties, but I knew losing his parents had destroyed him. I felt his grief even now, emanating off him in waves. It brought tears to my eyes at the thought of losing my own parents in such a horrible and tragic way.

Rhys continued to speak, his voice low but steady. “It happened when they were at the Underworld castle to meet with Queen Sephina. They were there because they wanted to develop new friendships between our worlds. And Jonas murdered them—he drained their energy and that killed them.”

He said this all matter-of-factly, almost chillingly so.

“How long have you known?” I asked.

“Not all that long. Over the school break, I’d heard some rumors. Funny thing I’ve recently learned, no matter how ornery my advisors get, they must still take a direct order from their king.

When I demanded the truth, they had to tell me.”

I fought not to let myself cry. I hated that he’d found out like this, that he’d needed to demand the truth when it should have been told to him before this, out of respect. “I’m so sorry, Rhys.”

“I thought it was a demon who’d done it. I knew they were in the Underworld when it happened so...I just assumed. I had no idea it was a Shadow.” He glanced at me and I saw the pain in his eyes. “I hated demons to start with, but I despised them as a whole for what happened to my parents. That’s why I hated you when we first met.”

“I know. But you can’t blame all Shadows now for what happened. You can’t. Michael isn’t

—”

“Michael destroyed that Shadow. He killed the thing that murdered my parents. I still don’t like him, but I owe him my gratitude for that. And I know he killed Jonas to protect you.”

“That’s right.” Michael did protect me. He’d done that many times. He’d told my father before I left that he’d rather die than hurt me. I believed him.

I’d do anything to help him. I’d fight for him till the bitter end. I didn’t care what everyone else said about Shadows, he wouldn’t hurt me. He could control this. And he would fix what was wrong with him. With my help.

We’d wandered into the Erin Heights community park. Not the most popular place in the dead of winter, but it was very active in the summer. Lots of trees, a river, picnic areas, soccer field, and a kid’s playground. And plenty of benches.

Rhys ran his hand absently through his short hair. It was dark outside, but thanks to the floodlight we stood under, I could see his brown eyes clearly. He had these gold flecks in them that seemed to swirl when he was feeling emotional, which I didn’t think humans could see since no one else ever mentioned how strange it was. Tonight they spun like twin tornados.

“In the book,” he said, “there’s some solid information, but there’s also a bunch of blank pages. Maybe whoever composed it was going to keep writing, but had to stop for some reason.” I felt the first swell of hope in hours. “But there
is
information in it?”

“Yes. And some of that information...” He looked at me. “I know what happens to a Shadow who’s absorbed another’s energy to the point Michael did with Jonas. It changes them deep down. It makes them crave more, just like a drug. Most Shadows that this has happened to have been killed by demons because they become too dangerous to control. This is one of the reasons information has been kept from them. Most Shadows have no idea they’re even able to do such a horrible thing...and when and if they find out, it’s too late. They’re addicted to it.” I felt the color drain from my face. I had known this already, of course. I’d seen Michael’s struggle with my own eyes only a short time ago. But to have it confirmed—to know it was something that had been documented...

I exhaled shakily. “I need you to get the book for me from wherever it is.” Rhys absently brushed some snow off his sleeve, his hands encased in fashionable wool gloves. The guy looked like an ad for
G
Q right in the middle of Erin Heights. “So you can try to find out how to help your boyfriend?”

“Yes.” I held his challenging stare before I faltered. “Well, he’s not really my boyfriend. Not officially. But yes, I want to help him.”

His brows went up. “I’m getting confused. Is he or isn’t he your boyfriend?”

“He hates me right now. I told my father that Michael’s got a serious problem. That he’s very dangerous.”

He studied me. “Did he try to hurt you?”

I turned away and crossed my arms, focusing on a twenty foot evergreen to my left. The snow came down heavier, and large flakes landed on its branches. “I’m not talking about this with you.”

“But you want the book.”

“Of course I do!” I spun around to face him. “Rhys, I swear—”

“I’m not trying to renege, Nikki. I have the book. Not on me, but I can get it in a matter of minutes.”

I let out a long sigh of relief. “Well, good. So let’s go get it.” He waited.

I looked at him. “What? Why aren’t we going right now?” He spread his hands. “Well, there’s just the matter of our deal.”

“Our deal,” I repeated.

“Yes, you do remember what you agreed to, right?”

My heart pounded. After everything I’d already dealt with that day, I wasn’t sure if I could deal with my deal. “I’ll owe it to you.”

“It doesn’t work that way.”

I sighed. “So you’re saying you want me to kiss you, right here and right now? And if I don’t, I don’t get the book?”

He frowned. “I’m not sure why you’re making it sound so terrible. You did agree to this. I’m only asking you to hold true to our bargain.”

I felt utterly exasperated and exhausted. “God, Rhys. Are you really that much in love with me that you’re that desperate for me to kiss you again?” His expression froze and his eyes narrowed. The swirling gold flecks in his eyes caught the floodlight’s glare. “You dare speak to me in such an insolent manner?”

“Stop talking like you’re two hundred years old. You’re sixteen, just like me.” He hissed out a breath that condensed in the chilly air. “I don’t understand you, Nikki. At all.” I turned my attention to the ground, digging the toe of my shoe into the muddy ground under the snow. “What’s to understand? You have something I really need. I don’t know why you can’t just give it to me...just to be nice.”

“Maybe I’m not that nice. Why are you making this into such a big deal?”

“Because it is a big deal. If I kiss you...”

“If you kiss me,
what
?” he demanded after I trailed off. “You’re afraid you’re going to like it too much? That it’ll make you forget Michael for once and for all?” I groaned. This was all too much. I was already conflicted about my feelings toward Rhys, confused about this “kiss” I’d agreed to and how it might feel after the one we’d shared under the mistletoe. But this was not the right time for it. I wasn’t sure when it would be, but this was not it. Period.

“You don’t know how my day has been,” I finally said. “This isn’t something I want to do or even talk about right now. And even if I do kiss you, it’s not going to mean what you might think.”

He glared at me. “Excuse me?”

I felt a cool resolve fill me as I faced him, angry that he continued to press me on this. I refused to lead him on, not when I was dealing with my already incredibly confusing feelings toward Michael. The last thing I needed was to have confusing feelings about two boys. At the same time. Bad idea. “I don’t like you that way. And, just for the record, I’m not marrying you.

Ever!”

“You, Princess Nikki,” Rhys said darkly, “are a self-involved child.” My mouth dropped open. “What?”

“You
agreed
,” he growled. “I asked for this one small thing and you agreed. Now you’re refusing me. This isn’t about a stupid kiss anymore. This is about you lying to get what you wanted, and you actually thought you could get away with it. That I’d just hand over the book anyway like some fool. But I won’t be used.”

“You’re totally overreacting!”

“Kiss me right now or I’m leaving,” he said firmly.

“You are such a jerk!” I glared at him. “I’m not kissing you now. I’m not kissing you ever again!”

“Fine, have it your way. Goodnight.” He turned from me and started walking away. I just stared after him, dumbfounded.

Oh, God. What had I just done?

Things just went from bad to worse. He took a hissy fit because I wasn’t in the mood to lock lips with him. But because I’d chosen to take a stand and not give in to his demands, I may have just condemned Michael to a one-way trip to the Underworld dungeons and Queen Sephina’s dubious mercy.