The Seven Year King (The Faerie Ring #3) (24 page)

“Guard the prop—” Rieker started. “By whose orders?”

“Princes Arthur and Leopold, sir. Hughes is out front.”

“There are two of you?” Disbelief was thick in Rieker’s voice. “What is the threat?” By now, Tiki and Fiona had joined Rieker and stood listening to their conversation.

The guard’s eyes shifted briefly to the two girls, before he answered. “An unsavory bloke was seen in the area a few days back. We were ordered to make sure he didn’t enter these premises.”

Fiona clutched Tiki’s arm. “It’s him, isn’t it? That man. The one who took Johnny.”

Tiki grabbed Fiona’s hand and raced for the back door. “We’ve got to check on the children.”

Clara, Toots and Shamus were eating dinner in the kitchen with Mr. and Mrs. Bosworth, Juliette, the housemaid, Charles and Geoffrey. They all looked up in surprise when Tiki and Fiona dashed into the kitchen shouting their names. Tiki clutched the children in her arms. “You’re safe,” she whispered. “Thank God.”

THE PALACE GUARDS remained outside, front and back. Callan had followed Tiki to London, along with Toran and Bith, and several other Macanna. For the first time Tiki was relieved to have the Otherworldly guards watching over them.

“You won’t even know we’re here, Majesty,” Callan had said eagerly, so obviously relieved that Tiki was still alive. “We won’t be botherin’ you—just protectin’ you—so no need to hide from us.” He’d bobbed his head in a bow and vanished from sight before Tiki could reply.

FIONA SEQUESTERED HERSELF in bed, barely communicative. Tiki tended to her every day, Mrs. Bosworth made sure she got enough to eat, Clara pretended to read her stories, and Toots chattered on about the street children he’d seen, but none of it seemed the cure for her broken heart.

IT WAS SEVERAL days after their return when Rieker asked Tiki to join him in his study.

A sense of dread pricked along Tiki’s skin as she followed Rieker into the study, knowing he was anxious to return to the Otherworld and find Dain. Every day she’d been struggling with guilt—she was desperate to find Dain, too—but Fiona’s health concerned her and it was comforting to be home—familiar. Tiki hadn’t realized how much Grosvenor Square had come to mean to her. But she could never push her worry for Dain far from her mind or the images frozen there—of him stroking her hand, asking if she’d kept his secret, or holding out his hand to pull her onto the back of Aeveen. The need to help him—to care for him—was ever-present, like a sliver under her skin. And to make matters worse, she battled with a newfound sense of responsibility for those homeless faeries on the Tor. If she didn’t go back and make sure they got access to food—who would? But she was needed here, as well. There were times when she felt like she was being ripped in half.

Rieker pulled out a soft leather chair for Tiki and she sank into its depths, pulling her legs up beneath her. For the first time, she noticed the lines of exhaustion under his eyes. She’d been busy caring for Fiona, as well as Clara and Toots, and he’d been tending to the business of his estates, so they’d spent little time together. No doubt, Dain’s imprisonment weighed even more heavily upon his shoulders.

“How’s Fiona doing?” he asked, sitting in a chair next to hers.

“It’s going to take some time,” Tiki said. “I don’t think she believes he’s really gone. Even I’m having a hard time adjusting to the idea. I just can’t imagine how someone as vibrant and full of life as Johnny, can really be…” She couldn’t bring herself to say the word ‘dead’, heaving a long sigh instead. “You were right to insist we come home.” She savored the word ‘home’. Would Grosvenor Square truly be her home one day? “How is everything here?”

“The estate and all the associated businesses are fine. I have managers who do a splendid job of assisting me.” Rieker leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “However, there are other matters that aren’t going as well. I’ve heard from Larkin. When we didn’t come find her—she found me.”

Tiki crossed her arms. Of course Larkin had found Rieker when Tiki wasn’t around—now that the Stone of Tara had been located and the court returned to the Seelies, Larkin didn’t need her as much. It was as if she wanted to divide Tiki and Rieker again.

“Did she have news of Dain?”

“We only spoke for a moment, but yes—there’s been another development.”

Tiki tensed. “What’s that?”

Rieker’s expression was grim, the muscles along his jaw clenched. “Donegal has declared that Dain will participate in the Wild Hunt this year.”

“The Wild Hunt?”

Rieker toyed with the pieces of a chess set on a nearby table, not meeting Tiki’s eyes. “An annual faerie celebration—if you can call it that—where the UnSeelies ride in pursuit of prey. It’s usually around Samhain, the end of October, when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest.”

“Is it because of the army he is amassing? How does Dain fit into this?”

Rieker exhaled. “I’ve not heard any further on Donegal gathering troops. But what I have heard is this: Dain is going to be hunted this year.”

Tiki froze, her brows pulled down in a frown. Surely, she couldn’t have heard him correctly.
“
What did you say?”

“The Winter King is going to have his depraved and demented court hunt Dain like he was an animal.”

“No.” Tiki pushed herself out of the chair. “There’s got to be a way to stop him.”

Rieker tipped his head back against the chair and stared at the ceiling. “There’s only one way: I’ve got to return to the Otherworld and find a way to free Dain before the hunt. Otherwise, he doesn’t have a chance of surviving.”

“You can’t possibly be thinking of going alone,” Tiki said, a new fear taking root.

Rieker leaned his elbows on his knees and gazed down at his hands. “I haven’t really put together a plan yet. I’m still trying to absorb the shock of the idea.”

“William Becker Richmond.” Tiki’s voice was adamant. “Look me in the eye and tell me you’re not going to go alone.”

Rieker raised his hands in surrender. “I won’t go alone. But I have to go
now
.”

THEY TALKED LONG into the night, discussing the best way to find and free Dain but the conversation always came back to Larkin.

“She’s been in the White Tower—as a prisoner—” Rieker was pacing, one hand on his hip, the other on the back of his neck— “and escaped and lived to tell about it. She understands how Donegal thinks—the cat and mouse games he likes to play.” He came to a stop in front of Tiki. “I don’t think I can do it without her help.”

As much as Tiki didn’t want Larkin involved, she had to agree. Unbearably arrogant and hard to trust, the faerie was brilliant at the art of manipulation and as cunning as they came. Plus, she despised Donegal—a powerful motivator to find a way to successfully sneak Dain out from under the Winter King’s nose.

“Do you think she’ll help us?” Tiki asked. “She seems to enjoy her new role of being in charge… of everything.”

Rieker gave a soft snort. “
Seems
to like it? She revels in it. I think Larkin’s been plotting to be in charge for a very long time. But I do believe she’ll help us. She has a special connection to Dain—”

“She has a connection to
both
of you,” Tiki said. “Or maybe ‘obsession’ is a better word…”

“It’s different with Dain, though. They’ve lived in the same world. He knows her for exactly what she is—there are no illusions between them. They’ve worked together as spies in the UnSeelie court for many years.”

“He did mention once that he’d known her all his life,” Tiki admitted, remembering the conversation she’d had with Dain while they’d traveled through the Wychwood. “To be honest, it sounded like he respected her.”

“She is extremely clever,” Rieker said, “and brave.”

Tiki curled her nose and pressed her lips together in distaste. Being clever and brave still didn’t make her like or trust the faerie. Even if Larkin was her aunt.

Rieker sank back into the chair opposite Tiki. “As much as we both hate the idea, I think I better talk to Larkin and see if she can help me.”

Tiki ground her teeth together, already knowing her decision but reluctant to say it out loud. As much as she didn’t want to leave Clara and the others, at least they were guarded by both mortal and faerie guards. She couldn’t possibly let Rieker go alone and risk his life in the Otherworld when she could help him. When she spoke, it sounded more like a growl.

“Us.”

“Pardon?”

“She’s going to have to help
us
. You’re not going without me.”

IT WAS THROUGH a lump in her throat that Tiki informed Mrs. Bosworth, Shamus and the children that she and Rieker had to leave again.

“We’ll only be gone a few days. We’ve got some out-of-town business to take care of.”

“Why do you have to go?” Clara asked with a pout. “Why can’t Rieker go alone?”

Tiki squatted down next to the little girl and put her hand on Clara’s waist. “He needs my help with some matters. I don’t want to go, but I have to go. Do you understand?” She lifted Clara’s chin so she could gaze into her eyes. “It’s the least I can do after everything he has done for us.” She smoothed her fingers along the side of Clara’s cheek. “Wouldn’t you agree?” she asked softly.

Clara jutted her chin out in a stubborn way and traced a pattern in the carpet with the toe of her boot without answering.

“It’s all right with me, Teek,” Toots exclaimed from where he was laying on the floor in front of the fire, playing with one of Shamus’ carvings. “We’ll be just fine, won’t we, Shamus? Mrs. B. will cook us good food every day and we’ll get
fat
while you’re gone, just like ol’ man Binder.” Toots laughed out loud at the idea. Across the room, Shamus shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded, though there was a worried frown on his face.

Clara lifted her head and looked Tiki straight in the eyes. “This is because of Dain, isn’t it?”

Tiki’s jaw sagged. “W..what?” she stuttered. “Why would you say such a thing?”

“Because he hasn’t been around in a long time and Rieker is frowny all the time, like he’s worried.” She crossed her little arms, scrunched her eyebrows in a mad expression. “Besides, Larkin told me Dain can’t go home. That a bad man won’t let him.” Her chin wobbled and she sucked in a deep breath as if she was trying not to cry.

“Clara—” Tiki started to slide her arms around the little girl’s shoulders but Clara pushed her back. “I don’t want Dain to be locked up.” A big tear slid down her cheek. “An’ I don’t want you or Rieker to be locked up, either.”

“We are
not
going to be locked up,” Tiki said forcefully. “And Larkin should never have told you such a thing. Dain is very clever and can take care of himself—”

Clara interrupted. “But he needs you to help him.” Another tear slid down her soft cheek.

Tiki hesitated. Should she lie to the little girl? Finally, she nodded. “Yes, he needs our help,” she said softly.

“When you see him, you tell him I said to be clever like a lep’reecon and he’ll be able to find his way home.” Then she threw her arms around Tiki’s neck and sobbed.

Chapter Thirty-Three

O
utside Number Six a man dressed in a black top hat and a long black cloak stopped among the dense shadows beneath an elm tree, some distance from the townhome. Lit by the glow of a porch lamp, he watched the red-coated guard who stood at the front steps, his bayonet gripped in both hands. The man had already seen a similar guard at the back of the home leading into the coach house.

So the mortals were guarding the occupants of Grosvenor Square. But from whom?

Another movement caught his eye and he shifted his attention to the square. Though his ability to see otherworldly creatures who had not revealed themselves to the mortal eye was limited, centuries of living in both worlds allowed him to recognize the familiar shifting shadows that marked the presence of the fey. As he studied their indistinct silhouettes he counted two who appeared to be Macanna and two who looked like UnSeelie fey.

The man turned a contemplative eye toward the lighted windows of Number Six. Both mortal and otherworldly guards? Confirmation there was a prize greater than the delectable heart of a sixteen year-old being protected at these premises.