“It’s been a pleasure.” He gave a slight bow. “Should you wish to…escape…for a little while tonight, my offer still stands.” He added in a much lower voice. “I can help you if you trust me.”
Then he released her hand and walked away. She wasn’t naïve enough to think that if they left together it wouldn’t be noticed or spoken about. She glanced at the King and Queen, now dancing with other people. But the music no longer seemed so potent. It didn’t make her want to dance the way it had when Verden had held her hand. She glanced around to try and catch sight of Verden, but he’d vanished.
Others offered their hand and tried to get her to dance, but she shook her head and moved away from the dance floor. There was no way she was going to get dragged into that pit of trouble without a guide; there would be etiquette and unspoken rules that she could only guess at. That and it wasn’t really her kind of music. She much preferred human rock music. Concerts were the best, standing right at the front with everyone, stamping and singing. She missed her life, even though she’d only been pretending to be human. Here, she was pretending to be fairy, and they were all waiting for her to fall over so they could laugh.
“Taryn.” A hand landed on her arm.
Taryn glanced up from the long nails delicately tipped with blue gems and into eyes that were almost white except for the palest tint of pink. The woman had white-blond hair elaborately pinned and braided. Here she was probably considered beautiful—to Taryn she looked freaky, like Halloween meets prom night.
“Can I help you?”
“I knew your mother when she sat at the table.” The woman smiled but didn’t ease her grip.
So did half the Court probably.
“Let us walk and talk,” said the ice blond.
Well, that would be lovely except this woman could be anyone and just being seen with her could ruin the small chance Taryn had of getting her parents home. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure we’ve met. You are?”
The woman laughed. “Did you not see me with the Queen? I am one of her Ladies.”
There were a lot of Ladies around the Queen, and a lot of men—but just because they fawned for attention didn’t mean they liked her or supported her. It could just mean that the Queen had something on them or they wanted a favor only she could grant. Where did the freaky blond fit?
“You need to be seen with me by the Queen or she might think you are interested in her husband and that will not go well for you. At least appear to be aligning yourself with anyone with power. If the King chooses to shower you with attention, then it will at least look like you weren’t seeking it.” The woman began walking, her arm looped through Taryn’s so Taryn had no choice but to follow unless she wanted to make scene. She should have left the Hall of Flowers with Verden. That gossip she could live with.
However, the woman might have a point. She couldn’t afford to piss off the Queen.
“How is your mother?”
“She is well.” As she can be given the situation.
“And your father?” The woman nodded and smiled at a few people as she walked past.
Taryn bit her lip. Her father wanted her mother to return and not risk being caught on the wrong side of the veil, but she wasn’t going to reveal anything of importance to this woman. “My father wishes the best for my mother.”
“She was always stubborn. How stubborn are you, Taryn? I know why you are here, and I know who invited you. What I don’t know is what you are going to do or how far you are willing to go to see your parents reinstated—or at least returned.” The woman stopped and faced her. “Do you have even half your mother’s courage and brains?”
Taryn met the woman’s pale stare even though it chilled her to the core. Fairies could be creepy without even trying hard. “Will half be enough?”
The woman laughed as if Taryn had shared the funniest joke. Others looked over and noticed the exchange. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
“Come find me tomorrow, and I shall help you with your wardrobe. I owe your mother a favor, and I shall consider it paid if I make you more presentable.”
“And who shall I ask for?”
“Sulia. I hope your mother mentioned me.”
Was that an invitation to pry? What choice did she have? She needed to know whose side Sulia was on and if she could trust her. So she lied. “She did. Have things changed since you last saw her?”
Sulia shook her head. “Too bold, child. It is enough to know I don’t wish you or your family ill. Others do. Be warned.” Then Sulia was moving on, leaving Taryn standing there.
That went okay—maybe.
It could have been a whole lot worse.
Sulia was going to help with dresses and such, and she owed her mother. Or Sulia was lying and just taking the opportunity to meddle. Yeah, that was far more likely. Fairies didn’t have friends. They had a web of promises, lies, and lovers. Where did Verden fit?
One of his white dogs sat in an archway, waiting for her to follow. Or at least she hoped that’s what it was doing.
She glanced at the hall filled with beautiful fairies, a rainbow of colors dancing and drinking even as flower petals drifted to the floor. Soon there would be no flowers decorating Annwyn. Her parents didn’t have forever to waste like these fairies had. She had to act, and at the moment, that meant seeing Verden, accepting his offer of help, and crossing the veil.
Chapter 5
Verden leaned against the tree, waiting for Taryn to appear. Would she see his hound and let it guide her? Only if she really trusted him. If she didn’t, he still needed to make sure that she got what she was here for.
Just beyond the rustling of the leaves he heard the lapping of waves that shouldn’t exist. He felt it in his blood that something was wrong with Annwyn. Part of him wished Felan would get his act together. The other part wished the King would find a way to reconcile with the Queen, but maybe that moment had passed. If it had, his role as Hunter had also passed. Once Felan was King, everyone with ties to Gwyn would find themselves demoted at best. Banished more likely. The idea of being cut off from the magic of Annwyn was akin to imagining life without an arm or leg. It was why he was doing his best to be friendly with Felan without betraying the King, but every day that knife-edge became sharper and finer.
What was taking Taryn so long?
Had the King coaxed her into a dance? Was she now gladly in his arms thinking of ways to get her father’s pardon while the Queen watched?
He curled his fingers, remembering the warmth of her hand against his, and the light in her eyes as she’d danced with him—she needed to learn how to hide what she was feeling. Too many people would see too much.
The white dog came strolling across the grass a moment before Verden saw Taryn emerging out of the gloom. He straightened as she approached, his heart beating faster, as if it were him being hunted.
The dog dropped at his feet, tongue lolling. Verden bent down to scratch its ears, then dismissed the animal. He wouldn’t need it in the mortal world. Where he was going, there would be no other fairies.
He gave her a half bow. “I’m so glad you were able to join me.” There was only the lightest touch of sarcasm. He wasn’t used to being kept waiting.
“It took me a while to work my way out.” She paused and he knew she was deciding what to tell him. She was learning, but in that heartbeat, he didn’t want her to learn; he wanted her to remain uncorrupted by the Court. “I had people to speak to.”
“Lots of people will want to talk to you. You are new.” And he wasn’t the only man watching her with interest. However, unlike a fairy, she wasn’t throwing herself at the King—not that many had done that in recent years. The Queen had a habit of making would-be mistresses vanish. “In the coming days, you will need to work out your alliances. You need people who will help you.”