Tainted (31 page)

Ian saw Altheon alone and explained the dilemma though he shared some of it with me later.  The rest I learned otherwise.

He didn’t laugh or make it less like it was a trivial thing, but he never had when Ian came to him.  To me, he looked to him as the only real father he’d ever had and he felt like Altheon had treated him that way too.  His mom was there when he arrived this morning.  Ian watched as she said her goodbyes to Altheon kissing her lips.  They’d been seen several times in public together and now the court buzzed with their courtship since she was no longer a queen.  A hush still fell when she neared, but the ease of seeing her just enjoy life instead of running it for everyone else was relaxing to see.  Ian said once that I had a better heart.  That I needed a little more ruthlessness, but Ian was hesitant on instilling something like this and vowed that he’d reserve it for himself to take care of.  I accepted that as a compliment for it would do nothing to cross him in it.

“Son, I think that the union, as I said before, will seal the deal.  I do believe Grace will still be able to listen in on everyone when she needs it at her own will, but I believe just like your mother, it will be sealed from everyone else.”

“Including me?”

“If that’s what she chooses I am afraid.  She has great power and substantially more than Lazyra.  Grace seems able to block, plant messages, and so much more at will without a charm to hide behind.  She is already excelling in her other magics as you watched today.  She’s just a natural at it with some kind of hidden magic we can’t fathom or see.  Lineage makes the call here.”  Altheon gave a knowing look like that meant something more.

Ian looked like he wanted to just leave.  I watched on in my hiding spot wishing him to hurry back. 

“May I give you one more bit of advice?” 

Did he have a choice?  Ian shrugged at the seer.

“Let her in the range.  Let her gain her own confidence.  She will always be a fragile flower to you, but don’t let her think that she is easy to run over.  Let her decide her own limits and lead her into those instead of holding her back.”

“Teach her to fight?” Ian sounded skeptical.

“Teach her to be sure of herself.  Feel stronger as a woman who can hold her own as a queen.  Using a weapon means nothing to one who will never have to use it but the ability to use if needed is all the outlook one needs.  If she believes she can, then she walks in confidence.”

Ian listened.  He should probably take this advice no matter how unsure he was about letting me near anything remotely dangerous that would cause me to have to defend myself.  But then again, I already had and probably would again.  Rion and Caymin had been there one time, he himself the other time, and Pike and he both any other time.  With the exception of Kin and his abduction successes that he has yet to completely understand how happened if I am guarded, I had been well protected. 

“I will let her.  You are right.”

“This I knew.  One more truth,” he paused for Ian to prepare his mind.  “She will need Pike and Kinsler in the end.  You have to let her find her own way with sharing two courts among the three of you.  She is doing just that. And I might add, she is not completely trusting of our dear Unseelie prince, so give her time. You see her as fragile, but she is conniving, cunning, aligning her own deceptions for surprisingly, the greater good of both courts. It has the potential to make us whole again. They are a part of this prophecy also.”

Ian seemed to know this, which only surprised me.  He didn’t like hearing it though. “Because the other prophecy doesn’t acknowledge me at all.”

Altheon only nodded.

***

“Do you think she knows of Kinsler’s bigger plans?”

“I’m not sure.  Asking her and telling her are huge obstacles for me right now.”  Ian stepped through the brush throwing out the machete to clear the path.

“You clam up with her.  Why can’t you just talk, man?”

If Pike was looking for a piss contest, here it was.
  “Like you talk so easily to her?”

I stood stark still blocking with everything I had.  They were arguing over me. And I could hear both in every way.  From Altheon to Pike, I’d learned so much.  And I should feel bad, but I didn’t if it helps me understand Ian a little more.  I know now he hid things to protect me.  I still didn’t agree, and would continue to argue with him on it, but I understood it.

“I do more so than you do.  You’re scared stiff, man.  Terrified she’ll reject the hell out of you.”

Ian didn’t like to be equated to Kinsler or Pike in that regard, but it seemed he had no choice with the prophecy still looming over their heads.  “And your point is?”

“My point is…she wants to tell you things.  She just wants you to start.”

“And you know her so freaking well because?”

“Man, she tells me this stuff in her head.  Even out loud.”

Ian stopped and faced off with his once called friend. “You’re an ass!”

Before Ian could react with violence Pike interjected, “She sees me as a dumb ass
brother
.  That’s all and you know it.”

“Then why does she go all glossy eyed when she’s near you.”

“Hell if I know.  Find out for me, will ya?  I’ll act on it and see what it gets me.”

Ian shoved Pike against the nearest tree.  “Touch her and you’ll regret it.”

“Got that already, man.  Chill.  I’m just keeping her sane.  Helping her out.”

“Just so you keep helping from afar.  Got it?”

“Got!” Pike inched Ian’s fist away and straightened his shirt.

“Better share this with Kinsler soon.  Might need that little talk to remind her she’s taken ‘cuz he’s probably forgotten by now!”

Ian growled as Pike moved ahead and stayed a good six feet in front of Ian.

When Ian saw Pike stop, he copied suit and looked around to assess, man versus man fight over the girl talk forgotten.  He breathed in.  Moving closer to Pike he yanked the nearest vine’s bud off and rubbed it between his fingers.  Jasmine.

“All over man.  This has to be it.”

“Let’s do this.”

I followed on with my own jasmine flowers tucked in every pocket and fold of my clothes falling out as I crouched and tripped over every twig and branch that seems to find my feet.  I told my guards I was staying right on the edge so they could reach me fast enough and that I would not stay far from either Pike or Ian, just not announce my presence.  I also tried out a little mojo forcing them to close their minds so I wouldn’t be detected, absolutely elated this skill is so easy to hold.  This was quite the tale to overhear and I had no idea where we were headed until their thoughts clued me in.

The guards were in every corner making a figure eight Ian probably assumed outlined the perimeter.  This meant that the camp itself was not that large.  What irked him more was that it was a mile from the summer court.  Way too dang close! Those were his words to Pike.

I was trying to sum up his words into my own understanding but had to rely mostly on verbal communication with Pike and his interpretations.  They were moving so fast through his mind, I couldn’t keep up and block at the same time.  With Ian, it didn’t always transfer right.  I rarely heard him.

He motioned to Pike with his hand and went forward another step to wedge between the tree and the guard to his left.  Pike rounded and flanked the unsuspecting lazy watchman.  He went down in silence with Ian’s choke hold leaving him without air.  He’d come to in a couple of minutes so time was precious by they way they hurried.  Pike signaled to the left while he went right.  Inside his head, Pike understood they only needed one guard to make the entry.

The fire pit was smoldering in front of them.  Pike told Ian to forget what I did here and focus on leashing that anger to Kin alone.  “Come on, man.  We can’t do this with you killing him slowly in freaking slo mo brain waves.”  Pike was forced to speak aloud to Ian because they’d closed their thoughts off in the element of surprise.  I was lost as a goose now on what they would do next.

Crouched down and taking mental notes, Pike checked on Ian once again before signaling Ian to follow him.  Somehow, they’d made it to just outside the building I described rather too well.  The lair. The alarm bell rang and out poured guards, cooks, hunters, and Kin.   He stepped slowly and deliberately in their direction measuring his moves carefully.

“To what do I owe this honor my old friends,” his scheming Cheshire cat smile broadcasted loud and daringly close to the evil I thought he’d lost.

Ian signaled privately and all removed their charms as needed.

We need to talk.

Let me guess.

The impact of mind jabbing 101 made me fall from my squatted position.  I fought with everything I had in me to stay and focus on hearing with detection.  Ian fisted up.  Kin eyeballed him, then paused as if wagering his next move.  Then he smiled and turned slightly holding his hand out, “Inside.  Shield’s keep it private.”  He turned to what was obviously a cook.  “Rest the ovens and return when I ask.”  The cook nodded and bowed.

Ian and Pike followed Kin inside.

I festered over what to do next.  I was cornered by my own courts guards, Kin’s men, and my less than stealthy self to hear what was being said.  I had to know.

And then I remembered.  The key hidden in my slip at the moment would get me into the back.  Not thinking of the consequences of getting caught, I darted around the needed spaces and headed to the back.  The door was right there in the open with not a single guard of any kind was near it.  I walked right up to it, slid the key in, and emerged into the royal bedroom of Kinsler, the Unseelie court prince.  The bed was unmade but otherwise the room was clean.  I closed the door and tiptoed to the next one.  I opened it remembering there was not a squeak in it since I’d practically snuck up on Kin that first night here.

They were all around the living room. 

Once seated, the three forgotten comrades settled into a strong silence.  That’s what Kin called them in his head. The revelation loomed in each of their thoughts as to why or how the three of them had never figured out that the other was able to scent me and know where I was.  Although they weren’t talking aloud all the time each listened to the other’s thoughts in the silent showdown going down between the atoms of space between them.  I was kind of freaked out by but it awed just the same.

According to Pike’s thoughts, Ian made a point not the think about how I could scent them, but Pike.... Well, he liked to stir the heat.  Once it was out there, there was no going back.

Speaking aloud Pike provoked Kin with, “Dude, you freaking stink to her.  That should tell you enough.”

Kin smoothed his shirt-sleeve, “Not sure that’s the case but think what you will.  She will see what the future needs to hold.  Whether you two have stopped to wager the bargain of losing her to my court as a political move or not, it stands to reason that you should know I would never harm her.  If she sees reason and what the future needs, she will make this move.  The courts need a combined power and we all know boys, that I am the only one who can give this to her. I don’t have to say it brothers, the prophecy says it for me and you know it.  You unite with her Ian and you weaken our people as a whole.  Pike is second hand without any consequence to the equation.  Her father leads the line, her mother the other.  I can't return to to light the fire until she has chosen and we all know, that has to be me.  It's the only way to restore the balance.  Bring the courts together.  The prophecy says it and you know it.”  This warranted a pissed off Pike out of his seat and holding Kin’s throat against the wall in mere seconds. 

Light the fire? What fire?  Winter solstice was for a Firebearer.  The Unseelie doesn't have one.  They really have no idea which way the prophecy should go and I still want to believe I make my own destiny.  Not them.  Not the seer.  Not a piece of tree bark. Me.

Through a hoarse voiced dry mouth Kin added, “And the consummation of Grace and I would create the most powerful force our people have ever faced.  You know this.  I know this.  Grace needs to know this.  Is she ready for that information yet?  Almost!”  He spread a wide grin in spite of the chokehold.

Pike let go and backed up waiting for Ian’s word.  So did I.  I was inching closer to see and getting dangerously close to getting caught.

“That’s right, not in charge here. Just like your mother. Let the big boys talk.”

“What about my damn mother you—“

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Kin said slow spitting each word out with pure venom.

Kin shouted at Ian, “There are no other options.”  I must have missed something from Ian I couldn’t read.  The seconds analyzing what it could be were wasted because I heard him right after.  Ian vowed to end the winter court’s heir before he let any of what Kin proposed no matter what the prophecy said.  Even if it meant a war. 

Hearing that from Ian’s brain…scared me.

Ian pulled back his shirtsleeve and held up his wrist.  “You keep your hands off her and you keep your hold up here.  You take her again and I burn it down.  Deal?”  Ian had inched up close enough to put Kin’s back against the wall.  Pike had joined cornering him in again.

Kin’s smooth as silk nature didn’t flinch an inch like he was born for this kind of confrontation.  “I will not ask her to do anything she doesn’t willingly want to do.  I promised her this.  Beyond that, your bargain will be upheld.  She is very convincing as the two of you know well.  She bargained with the Nyms who are a very difficult group usually.  With time, she will amaze more than just three gits feuding for her affections.”

Ian was spitting nails.  Pike was eating them.  Kin was throwing more out. 

“I think you need to rethink your battle plan boys.  We all have the same mission here and two of us are going to get hurt.  Damn female rules the damn earth we stand on.  If you so much as piss in my pond again, I’ll end the Seelie’s court pending promise for offspring starting with you.  Deal now or fold.  I’ve got things to do.”

Pike saw Ian’s signal to back off and let the barred cornered animal breathe.  He just threatened Ian’s
life or his parts one
.  That set of words sealed it.  I had proof.  Once an Unseelie, always Unseelie.  If the need be, I would gladly offer the same to him for threatening Ian.  What does that make me?

When Ian felt Pike move back enough Ian said close enough for Kin to hear, “She is mine.  You touch her and your death won’t be where I start first.”  Ian moved like water rushing downstream out the door and into the woods before he even knew Pike was on his heels.  The pressure in his head spread through his body and was building to a hard ninety miles an hour. I felt it.

I doubled back through the room and out the door before I knew what was good and holy.

Pike grabbed his arm.  Ian swung around choke holding his only ally.  “Dude.  Not the answer.  Let me go before I damn kill you.”

Ian didn’t breathe out, but he let go.  “Man, I can’t do this.  I can’t go back like this.  I want to kill him ‘effing now.”

Pike showed his worth right then.  “Then I will do this for you if that is what you ask.”

Ian froze.  He blinked several times before speaking.  “Fine. I’ll level out.  He’ll live for now.”

“As the humans say, or at least our illustrious queen, just keeping it real.”

Ian smiled at hearing something I would say myself.  Then his brain centered only on me.  He needed to see me.  He wanted to see that I was safe.  Hold me.  Touch me.  Scent me near him.  Then, he thought, he could breathe.

“Let’s go.  I’m ready.”  Ian held out his hand and motioned for Pike to lead. That was the first time I’d seen the gesture.