Easy Bake Coven (30 page)

“Did you warn her about Alanna?”

Cheney cleared his throat and I gave Sebastian a sharp look. “What do you mean ‘warn me’?” Why did they both think I was going to claw her eyes out? The old me must’ve been psychotic.

“I told you she has a soft spot for me.”

“Yeah, and I have a soft spot for tater tots, but that doesn’t require me to warn people.”

“I think I can safely say she doesn’t feel about me like you feel about tater tots,” Cheney said, unsuccessfully trying to suppress his amusement.

“I don’t know. I really like tater tots,” I mumbled.

Cheney’s laughter filled the room. “I stand corrected. Apparently your love for fried potato nuggets is much deeper than I gave it credit.”

“So what kind of warning do I need, Sebastian?” Cheney started to answer, and I cut him off. “You be quiet. I’m asking Sebastian. Is she an ex-girlfriend?” That was the last thing I needed right now.

“She wasn’t my girlfriend,” Cheney said indignantly. “We were lovers for a brief period of time. We both—”

I had no idea what my face was doing, but whatever it was must’ve been expressive because Cheney trailed off and Sebastian left the living room area without comment. “Before or after me, Cheney?”

“We should probably discuss this later.”

“So it was after me.” I looked into his worried eyes. “When exactly are we talking about?”

“You don’t even remember—”

“No, no, no. You don’t get to say that tonight. It’s relevant for me to know if the two of you were sleeping together twenty years ago or within the past year.”

“Within the past year,” he said quietly. “I had no reasonable expectation of you ever coming back. I wouldn’t have disrupted your life if it weren’t necessary. I let you go.”

A rational voice in my mind told me this was no different than any of my boyfriends, but another voice insisted it was different. I didn’t know I was married, but he had. “Sure. Why wouldn’t you have an affair?”

“Selene, you’ve had your own lovers. I imagine I’ve had far fewer by comparison. You were gone for twenty-six years.”

I wasn’t sure if I was more upset by him making me sound like a whore or by the fact that my ego had taken a severe blow. Deep down I liked the idea that he waited so long for me. “The difference is I was a normal girl, dating and coming of age. I didn’t know I was married.”

“It wasn’t like that. We’d both been in long term committed relationships and found ourselves alone. It was more about comfort.”

The first knock sounded at the door. Our conversation had no choice but to be paused. Cheney stood, offering me his hand with a meaningful look. I took it, but this was by no means over. Cheney had apparently only been telling me the pieces of our pasts he wanted to tell me. How much else had he left out? I turned to see whom Sebastian was ushering into the room.

A short, stout man with a wide face and thick neck followed Sebastian into the room. He wore his long hair in a neat ponytail, and his dark beard was cropped close to his face. His clothes were custom made, and he held himself in a manner that demanded respect. Cheney walked over to shake his hand. The comparison between the two of them was absurd. One was a tall, lean hunter and the other a tree stump. It was the cheetah and a rock.

“It is good to see you again, Beleg. You remember Selene,” Cheney said, looking back to me.

I walked up to the dwarf regent with as much grace and dignity as I could muster. Beleg took my hand in his rough, thick one, giving it a firm, no nonsense shake. “It has been a long time, Selene. You look no worse for wear.”

“Thank you.” I took it that was meant to be a compliment. “And you look well. Have you lost weight?” I made a stab in the dark, wanting to return the compliment—and who didn’t like to be told they looked thinner?

“Well—I, uh . . .” He cleared his throat, his cheeks reddened a little, and a smile tilted his mouth for a moment before he nodded and looked back at the flabbergasted Sebastian and Cheney. “When’s this meeting supposed to start?” he asked them gruffly.

“Once everyone is here. Please have a seat.” Cheney motioned to the living room.

I walked with Beleg. “Can I get you a drink?” I asked.

“A whiskey,” he said roughly. “Please,” he added in a softer voice when I smiled at him.

“You want ice with that?” He shook his head and I walked over to the bar. Cheney met me there with a look of amazement.

“You remember him of all people?”

“No,” I said, pouring a healthy glass. Beleg seemed like a man who could hold his liquor.

“How did you know he lost weight?”

“I didn’t, but that hardly seems to matter. Everyone likes to think they look like they have.”

“I can’t believe it. He even said please. A bloody dwarf said
please
to you.” Cheney kissed my forehead. “You’re amazing.”

Another knock came at the door. I took Beleg his drink and joined Cheney in greeting his guests. This time a tall, rail thin elf walked in. His snowy hair was like long silk thread that parted around his ears. He wore heavy blue robes and had piercing, glacier eyes. Cheney and Sebastian bowed stiffly.

“Cheney, it is a pleasure seeing you again,” the man said in a lyrical, resonating voice.

“And you, Adan. It is an honor to have you here.” I noticed Cheney held himself a bit straighter and the normal ease in his stance had evaporated. Adan made Cheney nervous—an emotion that looked foreign on him. “May I introduce Selene?”

Adan’s eyes met mine directly. I didn’t avert my gaze or bow to him. I understood he was a high elf, and if that meant anything at all to me, perhaps I would’ve been nervous, too, but it didn’t. “It’s a pleasure meeting you,” I said, offering him my hand.

Cheney’s eyes widened. Crap, was this some sort of faux pas? They really needed to tell me this stuff. I began to withdraw my hand when Adan took it in his long, cool fingers and kissed it, his eyes never wavering from mine.

“Yes, now I can see what has finally pushed Cheney to take this necessary step. You are lovely.”

“It isn’t very fair to Cheney to think he would do this for merely a pretty face.” I raised a gentle but challenging eyebrow.

Adan smiled and nodded. “Your loveliness isn’t just on the outside. You will challenge him and he will challenge you. The two of you are an excellent match.”

“Thank you. May I offer you a drink?”

“No, thank you, but if you would walk me to the seating area, I would like very much to see my old friend Beleg.”

“Absolutely.”

Sebastian and Cheney stared at me as I came back like I was wearing a monkey suit.

“What?” I mouthed to them, but just then there was another knock.
Ugh, when it rains it pours.

This time two people walked inside. One was a small, emaciated creature with leathery skin and no hair whatsoever. The other was a curvy goddess with long, flowing red hair that fell past her butt and the face of an angel. You can guess which one was Alanna.

“Turin, we are honored to have you here. Do you remember Selene?”

Turin gave me a once-over and said in a jovial voice, “Nice to make your acquaintance, missus. I have heard much of you. We met once long ago. I doubt you remember.”

“Of course I remember. How could I forget you?” I said, hoping I wasn’t backing myself into a corner. I felt Alanna’s sharp eyes on me, peeling my skin back layer by layer.

“And where was it the two of you met?” Her clear, pretty voice drifted into our conversation.

“The market in Mizzendrel,” I answered automatically, not allowing myself to think about it. Turin smiled widely.

“If it doesn’t work out with the elf, a little goblin goes a long way,” he said with an exaggerated wink and a bow.

My laughter came so fast I couldn’t stop it. I felt at ease even though Alanna’s eyes were on me. Turin was a cheeky little fellow. “I knew I liked you,” I told him with my own wink. “May I get you a drink?”

“Whatever everyone else is having.”

“Whiskey?”

“Don’t mind it I do.”

I poured his glass of whiskey and walked him into the living room to join Beleg and Adan. Taking a deep breath, I went back to meet Alanna. I could already see we were not going to be best of friends. I didn’t want to scratch her eyes out—I had way more decorum than that. I’d just rip out her hair and bloody that pretty face a little. I shook the weirdly possessive thoughts from my mind and forced a smile, sticking out my hand. “I’m Selene. I’ve heard much of you.”

“And I you, changeling,” she said, taking my hand in her firm grip. Her skin vibrated with energy, setting my teeth on edge.

“You’re very beautiful,” I told her because it was true. My promise to not offend her held my tongue from making any snarky comments or threatening remarks. I had already won this game. Cheney was mine. I didn’t need to mark my territory.

“Thank you,” she said sweetly while her eyes gave me a slow once-over. “And you look very human.”

I smiled brightly, lifting my chin slightly. I knew perfectly well that was meant to be an insult, but I liked being human. “I know. I’m pretty, aren’t I?” I’d dealt with people like this my whole life. One girl after another, throwing underhanded insults in my direction because a guy they liked showed interest in me. I winked at Cheney, who smiled back, wisely not saying a word. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“No, human food never had any appeal to me.”

“Cheney? Sebastian?”

“Whiskey,” they said at the same time.

 I made them both a drink and fetched myself a giant vodka tonic, which was either a very good or very bad decision—only time would tell. The four of us headed into the living room, Alanna annoyingly close to Cheney, but I didn’t give her a second glance. I took the middle seat on the couch between Beleg and Turin, letting Alanna have the armchair closest to Cheney.

“Thank you all for meeting tonight. Everyone in this room knows one another and why we are here. I want to start by saying this is in no way a slight against my father. I love and respect him, but some of his policies are bad policies. The refusal to amend his antiquated laws has put all the fae in grave peril, and I am left with little choice but to step in. I do not long for the crown, but I desire peace.”

“How does this change anything for the dwarves? One elf is no different than another elf.” Beleg waved his meaty hand in the air.

“I intend to give all the say they deserve. Each race will have a seat in the House of Nobles. The concerns of all will be considered in the laws and judgments.”

“And what of those forced into servitude?” Turin inquired.

“No one will be forced into servitude. Everyone will be equal under law and treated accordingly.”

“I think some of us are concerned about your resolve, Cheney. What happens when you lose interest in your little changeling? Will you still be a champion for non-elves?” Alanna asked with no softness in her voice.

Beleg gave a grumbling protest, Turin looked away, and Adan drummed his fingers together, but Sebastian stepped forward. “How dare you question prince Cheney’s devotion to his people?” Sebastian spat at her, his eyes flashing like silver daggers.

Cheney held up his hand and stepped in front of Sebastian. “I don’t mind her questioning my devotion, Sebastian. I’ve been ignoring the problem for a great number of years. It is no secret what has pushed me across the line.” Cheney’s posture was smooth and easy, his face relaxed, but his eyes were bright and wild. “You do have one thing wrong,
Alanna
.” He walked toward her, braced his hands on either side of her chair, and leaned in. “I will never lose interest in Selene, and no one will ever come between us. I will kill
anyone
who tries. If you have a problem with that, leave.”

Alanna glared back at him, unflinching, but said nothing.

“I take your silence to mean you’re staying,” Cheney said, standing upright. “That is your choice, but in the future if you must address
my wife,
make sure it is by her name or I will lose patience with you.”

Cheney turned back to me with a smile. Alanna jerked like she’d been slapped. The other three looked equally shocked. Sebastian just shook his head.