Bound to the Elvin King (24 page)

Goofball. “I’m not a piece of meat.” Really, could she not get away from that connotation even here?

Kenhel’s faux leer said that wouldn’t be happening. “You’re quite the dish.”

Talion smacked his hand on one of the bedside tables. “It’s time for you to go, Kenhel,” he said tightly. “You have matters calling for your attention.”

Talion needed to chill. Couldn’t he see the looks he was getting?

Even Kenhel wore a perplexed expression. But he soon replaced it with a silly grin and bowed to Talion. “I have other places to be and other people to bother.” He then gazed at Maggie. “Sleep well, my lady. During that time, the medicine should blunt the pain.”

“I’ll be fine after Avrin has his way with me.” Ooh, her choice of words may not have been wise.

Talion’s face darkened like thunderous clouds before a tornado. “Everybody out except Avrin, Cal, and Vana.”

The bark in his tone galvanized the others to head toward the door. Talion made no such effort. No surprise there. But Relian seemed to think better of it, and paused. He waited until the others vacated the room. “Are you not coming, father?”

“A guest in my palace was injured. I’m staying to see she is properly attended to.”

Relian’s brows snapped together. “Since when have you personally stayed by the bedside of someone, guest or not, injured in the palace?”

Yeah, how are you going to answer that one, Talion?
She couldn’t force herself to look at Relian and Cal, sure the truth would show on her face if she did. And if he hadn’t known before, Avrin surely knew of their bonding now.

“You stayed by Cal’s when she was hurt.”

She cringed. Nearly any answer would’ve been better.

Apparently, Relian thought so, too, if his disbelieving expression was anything to go by. “I was to be bonded to her.”

Talion’s compose remained untouched. “Maggie has no such person to look after her, so as king, I will fulfill the role.”

Skepticism etched Relian’s face, and worry bit at her. If she could tell Relian believed it a bunch of bullcrap, then Talion surely saw the same thing.

Relian sighed. “What’s going on? Every time I attempt to talk with you, there’s always a reason why you have to leave. And even before you escape, you’re very closed-mouthed.”

“I’ve had the same problem with your father,” Avrin said.

Talion growled. “Avrin, leave it be.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Don’t call me that.” Talion scowled. “We’re among friends.”

“As you wish…Talion.”

“Just proceed with your examination of Maggie and leave. Relian, please go. Now.” He didn’t spare his son a look.

Maggie fought to keep her mouth from dropping open. Talion was losing his cool—with someone other than her. This didn’t happen too often. His temper was foul. Could worry over the incident in the great hall be responsible?

Avrin cleared his throat. “I think it would be best if everyone left but Talion and I. Once I tend to her, she should rest. If you wish, you can come back in a few hours.”

Damn, the guy knew. And here came a lecture. She just knew it.

Vana left without any protest. Cal and Relian took a little longer because they—well, Cal—wanted to say goodbye to her. As Cal gingerly hugged her with one arm, her friend searched her face as though she’d find the answers as to what was going on written there.

Maggie forced herself to shoo Cal away. “Go, I’ll be fine.”

After the door closed on Relian and Cal, Avrin whirled around and speared both her and Talion with a steely glare. “Now, you two have some explaining to do.”

Talion stood straighter. “You are forgetting who is king here.”

“I know very well who is king. It’s the one with the human bond mate, and I’m not talking about Relian.”

Chapter 12

Maggie groaned. Avrin
knew
about the bond. Was that why he’d been acting weird—more curt and remote—around her? He no longer hung out with her like he used to.

She chanced a look in Talion’s direction, and could already see the storm clouds swirling. Great, Talion’s shitty mood was taking a further nosedive. All she needed was for Talion and Avrin to get into a pissing contest as both sought to control the situation. Normally, that would be an amusing sight, but she wasn’t up for it at the moment. How could she spin it so she could get out of this conversation? She’d only gotten used to the idea of her and Talion. She wasn’t ready to discuss their bond in detail with someone else—even Avrin.

“How long do you think you two can fool everyone?” Avrin asked.

She couldn’t let that one pass. “Not everyone. We didn’t fool you.”

Avrin’s mouth firmed. “You know what I mean.”

“For as long as possible.” Forever if she had her choice.

Talion shook his head and sent her a glower. “She is the one who wanted to keep it secret—permanently. Against my better judgment, I had to impose a time limit.”

“I’ve been your friend and advisor for too many millennia to believe that. If you went along with her wishes, it was because you saw some benefit to it yourself.”

You tell him, Avrin.
But one of his words stuck in her mind, and her smugness evaporated.
Millennia
? These guys dealt in decades and centuries as if they were nothing but days and months. To her, living to one hundred seemed old.

“Not all in the court will be happy to have a human queen,” Talion said with a sigh. “I’ve needed time to consider…my options.”

“What options? You’re soul-bonded to her.”

“And I intend to stay that way. I want no other, though as you’ll remember, some of the council members believe I should find an elvin lady, bond to her, and produce another heir.”

“What?” Maggie’s question came out as a shout, and she attempted to spring from the bed. Talion restrained her.

They wanted her elf to take another female and have a family? Over her dead human body. Avrin wanted to talk about the bond? She’d give him an earful. No other chick was getting near Talion.

Talion laid a soothing hand on her arm. “Some of the councilors worry about Relian being my only heir.”

“So? He has Cal. They’ll probably be popping out babies left and right the way they go at it.” An image struck her, and even as mad as she was, she cooed. “They’ll have the cutest little red or black-haired kids.”

Talion’s mouth curved into a slight smile. “I think the pain medication has taken effect. We have Maggie back in full force.”

Yeah, even to her, it seemed her mouth was more run-away than usual. All of a sudden, she noticed pain no longer pelted her. Wow, Avrin’s magic drink had powered right through her. Truthfully, her head felt like it was floating away from her shoulders. Kind of like a balloon. That would make her a balloon head, wouldn’t it? What had she been so worked up about a moment ago? Her mind drew a blank.

“Guys, I feel a little loopy.” A giggle worked its way up her throat. “What did you give me, Avrin? Whatever it is, I love it! Can I have some more?”

A sneeze tickled her nose. She pressed one side of her nostril shut, but the sneeze still came roaring out. “Whoa, that almost blew me away. Did you guys hold on tight?”

Talion withdrew a handkerchief from a pocket inside his robe and pressed it into her hands. “The sneeze wasn’t that powerful.”

She pouted at the material. “I wanted it to be a long clown one. You know, the kind that’s knotted together?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He fixed Avrin with a glare. “What did you do to her?”

Avrin watched her with lifted brows. “I gave her the standard formulation. All the herbs in it used to grow on Earth. It’s possible their potencies have adapted and changed according to their different environments. Mayhap, the drink is too strong for a human?”

Maggie waved to them. “Hey, it’s great for this human. What were we talking about? Something about Cal and babies?”

Talion remained silent until Avrin jabbed him in the ribs. “You might as well tell her. She’ll weasel it out of somebody.”

“The problem is, Relian has Cal.”

“How’s that a problem?” As she asked, she slurred the words. Her tongue weighed a ton and didn’t want to move properly.

“She’s human.”

She stared owlishly at him. Did he think she was stupid? “What’s your point?”

“Some people don’t want my potential heirs to carry human blood.” A dark scowl darkened his face. “A few of my council members had the audacity to suggest Relian should no longer be my heir and that I should produce another one.” He gave an ironic smile. “What they don’t know is I have a human bond mate and queen.”

This was hilarious. “They’ll love me for sure! I’m probably the first human queen of the elves in existence.” Laughter bubbled up at this oxymoron.

Talion sighed. “You’re incapable of seeing the seriousness of the situation right now.”

“Come on, I’m seeing the funny in it. That’s what’s important.” Her mouth felt like cotton, and she stuck out her tongue. “Water. I need water.”

Avrin poured some into a cup and handed it to her. Bad idea. It sloshed all over her and the bed. Tears sprung up in her eyes. “I spilled water all over my gown and the bed.” She burst into tears. “I…I’m still thirsty.”

Talion put his hands around hers and raised the cup to her lips again. “Take another sip. Slowly.”

Once she had her fill, she turned her head away. “The bed and the gown….”

Talion placed a finger to her lips. “Will dry. The gown is ripped, so it being wet is of no importance.”

She sniffed. “Okay.”

“Come, let’s get you undressed.”

Uh-ha. She’s heard that from him before. “I don’t think I’m up for some sex, thank you.”

Talion closed his eyes as if searching for patience while Avrin laughed in the background. “I want Avrin to check you out for any injuries your gown may be concealing.”

“Aaah, why didn’t you say so?”

“I just did.”

“So, which one of you lucky guys will undress me?”

“Maggie,” Talion said in warning, a flush of red tinting his high cheekbones.

She giggled. He was so funny. “You know you’re the only guy I want to strip me naked.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

The dry tone in his voice sent her into another fit of laughter. Talion pulled her forward into a fully sitting position and tried to undo the laces of her gown. But just like the cat he always called her, she rubbed her face against his hands and arms. He smelled so good. She felt like a loony kitten high on catnip.

“Maggie.” He set her back with a stern look, but his voice was strained with desire. “Behave.”

Pouting, she complied. He gave an approving nod. After tugging the dress off her, he covered her up with a blanket.

Avrin lifted up portions of the cloth as he inspected her for deep cuts. After coating the cuts he found with salve, he turned to Talion. “Just the cut on her cheek needs stitching.”

Her bond mate released a deep breath. “Thank the Mystics.”

Avrin strode to his medical bag. “Since she’s still feeling disconnected, now might be a good time for me to sew her up.”

“Sew me up? You make it sound like I’ve been gutted, you silly elf.”

He didn’t acknowledge her observation. “Let’s get you fixed up.”

The needle slid through the flesh of her cheek. She winced. Guess her pain wasn’t so numb after all.

“I’ll be done soon.”

Luckily, Avrin finished soon after he said that. Sleepiness was taking over, and she couldn’t keep her eyelids open.

“I will come back in a few hours. It is best to let her sleep now.” Apparently, Avrin was speaking to Talion, and not her. She’d like to protest it wasn’t polite to exclude her from the conversation, but tiredness prevented her from forming the words.

“In the meantime, I’d start thinking about how to tell Relian he now has a young, human stepmother. I’m sure he’ll accept her, but even he might not love the idea of such a bond between you two.”

Avrin’s words penetrated the fog surrounding her brain, and the truth teased at her humor with a deft hand. Relian
was
her stepson—one that happened to be an elvin prince and a million times older than her. What wasn’t there to love? They’d be best buds. She shook with silent mirth.

“And how do you feel about the bond?” Talion’s icy voice asked.

“It doesn’t matter what I think.”

“Then I have my answer.”

Some part of Maggie registered Avrin’s response might not be a good thing. As she tried to figure out why, though, the reason slipped away into the tired laughter consuming her body.

A hand rested briefly on her forehead. “Rest now.”

The skin underneath that touch flamed. Her laughter died. She opened her eyes and gazed at Talion. “You’ll stay with me.” She didn’t know whether she asked or commanded this of him. Only one thing mattered—that he said yes.

For a moment, he looked like he was going to protest, then his gaze softened. “Yes.”