Lord of the Hunt (31 page)

“Mom, it will be okay.” She glanced at the King desperate to say something.

Gwyn beckoned Chalmer forward and he obeyed. “You agreed to become a shadow, that was all I asked. Your actual service is not required. You have your pardon and are free to cross the veil, although I suggest staying away from Court until after the coronation.”

Her mother drew in a sharp breath. “Thank you, sire.” She lowered her gaze and tried to compose herself.

“Thank your daughter. She played well, right to the end.” The King smiled and Taryn let herself relax just a little. “At your earliest convenience.” Gwyn turned away from her parents.

“What of our duties here, sire?” Chalmer said.

Gwyn glanced over his shoulder. “I’m sure my son will have made alternative arrangements.”

Her mother turned to her and looked at the white hound. “I hope you know what you are doing.”

“I do.” And that was the truth. While she didn’t want to be a Court fairy scheming for the next advancement, she knew what she did want and how to go about getting it. If that meant playing by the Court’s rules, then so be it. Then she hugged her father and mother again, grateful that she had been raised in the mortal world and could choose how she wanted to live. Even though they may not agree. It was her choice, her life, and her deal.

“Thank you. I am grateful,” he whispered in her ear. “I don’t think your mother could have handled me being a shadow.”

Her mother’s one weakness was Chalmer. No doubt someone at Court had exploited that knowledge, the same way the Queen had used Verden’s attraction. “I have to go. The King is waiting.”

The King was standing by the gate of the cemetery, ready to cross the veil back to Annwyn. She’d done as asked. Secured the pardon. Her parents could return and they would be safe from the power shift.

As would Verden, but that didn’t stop her heart from aching.

***

Verden opened his eyes as someone crossed the veil from Annwyn. His heart stopped for a moment, then beat again as disappointment filled him. Felan walked toward him, his expression giving away nothing.

“Is she alive?” Verden got to his feet.

Felan nodded. “And the temporary Hunter. I’ve been given two weeks to get my act together and prevent war.”

Verden let himself breathe easily. She was alive. A smile formed. And she had his old job. No doubt that would upset a few plans.

“How can you smile?”

“Taryn is alive.” Verden shrugged. He couldn’t explain it, but it gave him hope that everything would be okay. He just had to last the next two weeks until Felan became King.

“You are still banished.”

He was, but now that he knew how long he had to wait it was manageable. “In two weeks you can change that.”

“You would swear to me?”

“If Gwyn were no longer King, I would.”

Felan nodded and he knew the Prince was plotting out a deal. “My son, Caspian, is going to need a guardian, someone I can trust to keep the Greys away while I take Annwyn.”

“I am a Grey.”

“Temporary. Keep him safe for the next two weeks and I will lift the banishment.”

Temporary.
That hadn’t worked out very well for him last time when he and Taryn had tried a temporary breakup. Still he had no other options. “And after, I can return to Taryn?”

“She will not be remaining at Court. You will remain his guardian for the rest of his
natural
life.”

“Will he accept me?” The last time he’d seen Felan’s changeling son, he’d been hauling him to Court to face charges of making deals with banished fairies.

“I will ensure he does, but he is used to having a guardian.”

Verden looked at the Prince. “You haven’t offered me a chance to see Taryn.”

“That is not my choice to make. It is hers. You are a Grey and she is the Hunter.”

The two men looked at each other. Verden spoke first. “Are her parents returned to Annwyn?”

“I don’t know. This is about you. Do you accept my offer?”

Verden closed his eyes for a moment. He could be binding himself in ways he couldn’t see. What deals had Taryn made while he wasn’t around? He was blind. And yet, if he made this deal, it would be that last one he made. Mortals didn’t live forever, but being around the changeling would give him a chance to learn the ways of the world. All things Taryn took for granted. Things he’d never bothered with.

He opened his eyes. Felan was watching. “I accept.”

Chapter 23

Two hounds bounded through the gate. They ran toward him and leaped against his chest. Verden grinned and scratched them as they jumped over his legs and licked his hands. Then they began to whine. Their tails slowed as if they were confused. They sniffed him again, unable to work out what was wrong with their old master.

He was going to miss them. He tried to ignore the pain that lodged in his rib cage and made it hard to breathe. A flicker of movement caught his eye and he looked up. Taryn stood, watching him, her face unreadable.

The hounds ran back to her, sniffed around her legs, then sat at her feet. It was all he needed to see to confirm she was the new Hunter of Annwyn.

He stood and bowed, even though he wanted to sweep her into his arms and kiss her. Was she here on official business or had she come to see him? “Congratulations, Lady of the Hunt.”

“It’s temporary.”

“Isn’t everything at the moment?” Nothing was fixed and everyone was on edge.

She took a step toward him. “I thought some things would last longer.”

“So did I.” He looked her in the eye even though a Grey should show more respect to the Hunter. Did she no longer love him? “It wasn’t me who shot you. I want you to know that.”

Taryn nodded. “I know. I need to know why.”

“I couldn’t hurt you. I didn’t want to lose you, but I knew that if I’d won, we’d both end up in trouble. At least this way, only I suffer.” He glanced at the ground. “I’m sorry we’re even having this conversation.”

“I’m glad we are. I nearly died, and you could’ve ended up in the river. But I wouldn’t change a thing.” She smiled and took a step closer. His heart gave an extra beat.

“Neither would I.” He took a couple steps, then gently put his arms around her. She was warm and alive and in his arms again. “I thought I’d lost you. I wanted to die when Felan took you away.” His words were interspersed with kisses that landed on her cheeks and hair and finally her lips.

She tasted sweet and heady, like he was drinking whiskey again. Her tongue traced his lips and darted against his, making his blood heat and his flesh harden. His hand slid beneath his cloak and down her back to cup her butt. She moved against him, tempting him, but broke the kiss.

“We don’t have long. I’m here to collect you and relocate you.” She whispered against his lips.

“Relocate me?” Greys sometimes got rounded up and relocated if they were causing problems. He’d done it a few times; usually they got to live out their days in an isolated part of Greenland or Africa depending on his mood or his orders.

“To Charleston.”

“You know about the deal.” One of the hounds looked at him as if blaming Verden for the current situation. He was to blame. If he’d behaved himself during the dance, he wouldn’t be getting relocated halfway across the globe to serve out his two-week sentence, before working for Felan. He hadn’t expected Felan to act so quickly, or for him to send Taryn to do the job…but then maybe it was Felan’s way of saying that they could be together and he was giving them some time.

“I know you are the changeling’s new guardian. You’ll like him.”

A better question was would the changeling like him after their first inauspicious meeting? Would he rub it in Verden’s face that he was now a Grey? But he kept his doubts to himself. He’d made the deal and now he had to live with it.

“Did you know that’s where my parents used to be Brownies?”

He blinked and looked down at her.
Used
to
be.
“You got the pardon? Well done.” He tried not to think about what she’d given up to get them home, even though the question was on the tip of his tongue.

She must have seen something in his eyes because she grinned. “It’s all okay. I won the King’s bet. My father got the pardon, but…Felan asked that I take their place after the power shift.”

Her words settled around him as he worked out what she was saying. They would be in the same house. Taryn was going to be released from Court. He picked her up and swung her around as if they were dancing again at Court. When her toes touched the ground, he kissed her again. “I hope that means what I think it means.”

She nodded. “We will be together.”

Was this some kind of trap he was failing to see the whole of? His mind raced with possibilities, but he found nothing.

“And the King? The fallout from the hunt?” By rights, the King should own her after winning the hunt. Verden shouldn’t be touching her and yet he couldn’t let her go.

She didn’t answer; she just looked at him with a faint smile on her lips.

What was he missing? “What is it? Just say it.”

“I am the Hunter. That is all that he asked.”

“But you are stuck at Court.” He covered her hand with his and rested his cheek against her hair. She smelled like flowers, sweet and tempting. “While I will be stuck in Charleston.” And a Grey.

She turned her head and brushed her lips against his. “But I can come and see you whenever I want. In fact, there is no rule that the Hunter must live at Court…” Her suggestion hung in the air like a tempting promise. It was almost too good. Too easy.

He drew in a breath. “You plan to live in the mortal world while being Hunter?”

She nodded. “Since my main job will be monitoring fairies in the mortal world, I can see no better place to be based.”

He kissed her again. His tongue tasted her lips before she opened her mouth to him. Her body melted against him, and for a moment he felt like the luckiest fairy on either side of the veil. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She rested her head on his chest.

In just two weeks, he would be free from Court and obligated to stay in the mortal world. And Taryn would be there with him.

That was all that mattered. Not status or deals. The one thing he could never have at Court was the only thing he wanted. Love.

She stepped back and pulled a set of silver handcuffs from her belt. “Ready?”

He eyed the enchanted silver cuffs, well aware of what they were. She was actually going to transport him like a common prisoner. Like a Grey. “That isn’t necessary.”

“You have transported Greys before.”

“Yes, but…” But nothing. Without the silver cuffs, he wouldn’t be allowed into Annwyn. He wouldn’t be able cross the veil. Once there, they would start burning him. He’d had one Grey run away only to come back screaming for them to be removed. And the only person who could remove them was the Hunter.

Verden held his hands out as Taryn placed the silver cuffs around his wrists. A thread of heat raced through his body as he remembered the last time she’d pinned his hands in the grass. She ran her finger around the edge of the cuff and then up his arm. A faint smile curved her lips. Was she thinking the same thing?

He lifted his hands and touched her cheek. “You know we could kill some time.” He smiled and gave the cuffs a rattle.

That made her laugh. It was the way he remembered, like bells ringing through the still night air. She didn’t care that he was a Grey and had no status at Court. She was here because of him. He looped his arms over her head and pulled her into an embrace that was more than a little awkward because of the cuffs. He pulled her close, so she could feel him hard against her belly.

Her lips brushed against his. “Not here. We’ll celebrate at the changeling’s house.”

He grinned and released her. “Lead the way, Hunter. I am yours to command.”

Chapter 24

The cabin on the edge of the Charleston property was only habitable because she’d used some magic on it. Verden couldn’t go into the house because it was protected from Greys by a magical silver tea set. Not that it mattered. Living out here was fine for now. It was theirs, even if was just some blankets on the floor at the moment.

She moved closer to Verden, not wanting to get up yet but knowing she needed to run some errands for Felan and make an appearance at Court. Verden looped his arm over her, his wrist still marked from the enchanted cuff.

“What are you thinking about?” His fingers trailed over her stomach.

“Nothing.”

“Liar. I knew you were smiling.” He gave her belly a tickle.

Taryn rolled over to face him. “I’m smiling because we are here, together.” Something which had almost seemed impossible only days ago.

He traced her cheek with the back of his hand. “Whatever happens, we’ll survive.”

She nodded, then leaned over and kissed him. “I have to get moving.”

“I’m sure a few more minutes won’t matter.” He rolled onto his back and drew her to him, the length of his shaft pressing against her, tempting her to delay doing her job.

“Yeah?” She sat up so she straddled him, heat already simmering in her blood.

“I need you more than Annwyn does.” He placed his hands on her hips, positioning her directly over his shaft.

She laughed. “That may be true, but I still have a job to do, and so do you.”

“By the time you get back, this place will have a bed and curtains.”

“Is that right?” Having an actual bed would be nice.

Verden had taken on the job of fixing up all three cabins to give him something to do. She knew that not using magic was bugging him. While he wasn’t complaining, he was being very strict with himself and conserving all power that he had—few Greys did that. He and the changeling, Caspian, were getting on. Caspian had been wary at first but had come around fast when Taryn had explained the situation and Verden’s new status as Grey and guardian. Her parents had returned to Annwyn in preparation…and she’d let Caspian know that he’d get a new Brownie after the power shift. She was sure he understood what she wasn’t saying but was smart enough to say nothing.