Sessily curtseyed low with the utmost respect to both the king and queen. Creshion"s uncle studied Sessily, hiding any emotion. He knew if his uncle showed even the least amount of pleasure in seeing Sessily, the queen would be furious. But Creshion thought his uncle might be a bit miffed that Creshion would bring Sessily to the castle without forewarning, and then to the ball again without telling his uncle first his plans.
But Creshion had done as he pleased since he had turned fifteen, and he would not change his ways now. If he did, the queen would have suspected something, he was certain.
King Olaf said to Creshion, “She is of the royal house of Denkar, cousin to Crown Prince Deveron?”
“Aye, my lord,” Creshion said respectfully.
“But no one knows her name. Even the lord of introductions said you did not give her name to him.”
“Countess Sessily, Duchess of Armonjas.”
The king sat back against his throne. “What are you doing here, Countess Sessily?”
Creshion spoke before she could, “She was on her way to see Lord Davenport"s wife, concerning her cousin, Ginny"s death. Lady Sessily was attacked by rogues, and I stepped in to save her.”
The king nodded, then again looked as Sessily. “Then why is she here?”
“I asked her to the ball.” Creshion grinned in his most affable manner. Everything he said was the truth, although he left out a good part of the story. But it was truth enough and from the way he and Sessily had danced, he was certain his uncle noticed how interested Creshion was in the lady. “I made her my ward on our journey to ensure her safety.”
“Your ward,” the king said, sounding incredulous.
“Aye.”
“Rumors are circulating that you"ve taken her as your lover.”
Creshion glanced at Sessily, whose chin rose a notch, her eyes blazing with fire, and her cheeks as red as the queen"s dress.
“Rumors, my lord.”
“I slept in his bed, „tis true,” Sessily said. “But Prince Creshion was good enough to sleep in—”
“The guest chambers next door,” Creshion said. Even if it helped their story to tell the truth, he wasn"t about to let on in front of the whole cobra court that he, the crown prince of the realm, slept in the trundle bed reserved for a servant who might see to the prince"s needs.
Although he normally did not have anyone sleep in his room.
Who would ever have thought he"d have an angel assassin in his bed?
“Hmm,” the king said, and Creshion got the distinct impression that the king knew just where Creshion had slept that night. “I see.”
“And your father, Countess, had nothing to say about this… arrangement?” the king asked, sounding suspicious, as though he believed her father had insisted on the arrangement to ensnare a crown prince for his daughter"s husband.
Sessily"s chin dropped noticeably. Creshion reached down and took her hand and squeezed. She said, “My dear father died four years ago.”
Creshion thought she might get a sympathy vote at the very least. At most, it would clear her of the charge that her father might have been seeking a marriage match with a prince.
“I see. Who is responsible for you then?”
She moistened her lips. “No one.” She straightened her shoulders.
“You are not a ward of anyone?” he said. “No older brother or uncle to look out for you?”
The king"s unspoken words hinted that there was no one to keep her in line either.
“No,” she said, just as defiant as before.
Whispered murmurs filled the great hall.
The king studied her, watching to see if she was speaking the truth. “You have sufficient funds to support your castle and staff?”
“Aye.”
The king studied her for some time, then steepled his hands and said, “You thought you found a prince to wed. Someone to take care of you.”
This time she sounded most indignant. “I did not! I didn"t even know that Prince Creshion was a prince, nor that he was a cobra fae.”
The king glanced at Creshion.
He shrugged. “I told her I was Lord Fairhaven, nothing more. We were well on our way here before I confided in her.”
“She took the news well, then?” the king said. He sounded as though he was certain Sessily had her hooks in his nephew for the purpose of marriage.
Creshion couldn"t allow the misconception to continue. “I had to clip her wings,” he said firmly. Creshion realized then how quiet the great hall had become. How the music had stopped.
How everyone in the hall was listening to the king"s interrogation of Sessily.
The timeline wasn"t accurate as far as when he had clipped Sessily"s wings, but his uncle didn"t need to know that.
Murmuring erupted as he made the announcement that he had taken Sessily hostage, more or less.
His brother and cousin were staring at him with a mixture of shock and amusement.
His uncle shut his gaping mouth.
Creshion continued, “We were set upon by a group of dragon fae archers, and I released Lady Sessily"s ability to fae travel, telling her to leave to prevent her from being injured. She would not, telling me instead that she wished to stay by my side and help.”
“Help,” the king mused.
“Aye. Of course she had no magical abilities, except those abilities that come naturally to any fae.”
The queen immediately bristled. Creshion loved bringing up her shortcomings.
“Nor did the duchess carry a weapon on her but still, she stood by my side.” Creshion hadn"t lied too terribly much. Sessily hadn"t carried “a” weapon, but rather had been covered in the decorative but wicked pins.
“And the two of you were involved in the confrontation with the dragon fae as well?” the king asked Tarn and Eaton, standing in front of the crowd of courtiers, but not too close to the king.
They both shook their heads.
Tarn said, “We were set upon by thieves and hadn"t caught up to Creshion and the lady.
When we arrived, we could see the dragon fae dust trail left behind—there had been five of them—but no sign of the men once we had arrived.”
Creshion noted that Tarn had deftly left out the mention that he had allowed the dragon fae to go on their way unharmed.
“Are you here by your own free will?” the king asked Sessily.
“Yes, she is,” Creshion said.
The king raised a brow at Creshion. He let out his breath.
Sessily said, “I came here of my own free will after we sent the dragon fae packing.”
Some chuckled, probably thinking it funny that Sessily had included herself as being instrumental in helping to save the day.
“Without a maid in attendance?” the king asked her. Then turning to Creshion, he said,
“You rode your horse all the way here? It took you a couple of days travel at least. Where did you stay?”
“At a tavern,” the prince said, hating where this was going. If his uncle learned they had shared a room, a loft before that, he was certain Sessily would tell the king and all of the court that she had slept on the floor. Some would admire Creshion for making her do thus. He was the crown prince of the cobra fae after all. But others would not be so impressed.
His uncle sighed. “And you had separate rooms.”
“He stayed with his brother and cousin,” Sessily blurted out. “They were there as well.”
That was the wrong thing to say. Neither Tarn nor Eaton would be able to lie about the circumstances without their facial expressions giving them away.
“Come forth, Prince Tarn, Duke Eaton,” the king commanded.
The two of them cast each glances, then strode forth. They looked like they were ready to be strung up.
“Can you verify that the lady slept alone and Prince Creshion stayed with you the night?”
“In the same tavern, aye,” Tarn said evasively.
The king was not bamboozled. “In the sam
e room with you and Duke Eaton?”
Tarn glanced at Creshion, who knew the tale had gone far enough.
“The tavern was filled with rough men. The lady was under my protection,” Creshion told his uncle.
Several men chuckled and Creshion realized how that sounded.
“I slept on the…” Sessily hesitated.
The great hall was as silent as a frozen winter scene.
The king stared at her, waiting for her to finish her statement.
Creshion silently swore at himself for not having made another choice. Either way, he was in hot water. If he slept on the floor or in the bed, it was still their word that nothing else had happened between them.
“Yes?” the king said, prompting Sessily to finish her statement.
“I am but a dark fae duchess, while Creshion…”
Several gasped to hear Sessily speak his name without including his title.
She quickly amended her words. “Prince Creshion is a cobra fae crown prince. I insisted I sleep on the floor, to which he most strenuously objected,” Sessily said, then gave the king her most brilliant smile.
Inwardly, Creshion groaned. It was true that she slept on the floor, and that he objected, though not strenuously, but the truth of the matter was that he did not insist she sleep in the bed.
While he was not in it. Then he heard several snicker, and he realized how some had taken her words. He had strenuously objected to her not sleeping in the bed when he had been in it.
They could not win this argument.
The king shook his head, his expression dark.
Not good.
“I see.” The king rose from the throne, which was a declaration that he planned to make an edict. “You, Countess, will be Prince Creshion"s mistress for as long as he agrees to it.”
“I do not agree to it,” Creshion said.
“Nor do I,” Sessily said, her voice irate.
“You will ask no concessions, no right to marriage for this indiscretion on my nephew"s part,” the king continued.
“I planned no such thing,” Sessily objected.
Creshion remained silent. The king glanced at him.
“The lady has a mind of her own.”
The king said, “You have been to the ball in thanks for the prince having saved your life, twice it seems. If there is nothing else, you will return to your kingdom, your castle using your own fae travel, if you still can use it.”
“I can,” Sessily said, her voice now very small. She sounded as if her whole world was falling apart, and he wanted to take her in his arms and prevent anyone from harming her with words or deeds.
How could everything have gone so wrong? Creshion would never be able to bring her back here to accomplish her mission, although he wasn"t certain he wanted her to attempt it, whatever she had planned, if it meant she might be injured, or worse. But he could see in her defeated posture that this was something she had to do. No matter what, she needed completion, as much as he did.
“Tomorrow,” Creshion said, hoping before the night was through, Sessily would triumph.
“Tonight,” the king countermanded. “If Queen Irenis of the Denkar learn learns of this folly, she will throw a fit.” He turned his glower on Sessily. “You will say nothing of this to anyone.”
“I have no one to confide my secrets in, my lord. The circumstances of my coming here will be no different.”
“Good.”
“She must at least be afforded a meal,” Creshion said, trying to think of way to keep her here longer.
“She can eat at her own castle,” the king said, his scowl saying he would not have it any other way.
Sessily had to go, and Creshion couldn"t think of one other way to stop that from happening. This was one scenario he hadn"t even considered. The king, not the queen, wanted Sessily gone.
Chapter 13
Sessily turned and squeezed Creshion"s hand as if in farewell, her eyes shimmering with tears. “Remember what I said.” Then she rose on her tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth. But before he could wrap her in his arms and give her a kiss back, tell her she couldn"t leave, change her mind, go with her, she was gone.
Shocked gasps were heard all across the hall as Creshion stared at where Sessily had been. For a moment, he stood dumbfounded, not believing she was really gone. Her floral fragrance still wrapped around him in a comforting invisible blanket, and he wanted to draw her into his arms and hold her tight forever. But she was gone.
“I want a word with you,” the king said, his voice angry.
Creshion stared at the king, his thoughts still centered around Sessily and where she could be. Her bedchambers? Seeing to Master Travis in the stables? The kitchen, checking on her cook and the preparations of the evening meal?
When all he wanted was for her to be here, with him, in his arms.
“Prince Creshion,” the king said, “I…want…a…word…with…you, now.”
Creshion was considering taking off after Sessily, giving up his position of crown prince, living with her at her castle. At least Master Travis and the cook seemed to appreciate him.
“Creshion!” the king snapped, his patience lost.
“Aye, my lord.” With his head held high, Creshion walked with his uncle toward his solar. He knew he would be reminded of his royal position, of taking on more responsibilities at Salamain, but he also knew he couldn"t while the queen stood in his way.
He suddenly noticed her speaking to Grieves, who quickly smiled at her, bowed his head, then vanished. He knew the fae was trying to track Sessily. Had she used her abilities to cloak her trail this time? He prayed it was so and that Grieves would not find her. Although, if he arrived at her castle, Creshion was certain she would handle him, or dispatch him, without any trouble.
Creshion let out his breath in absolute exasperation. He would have to do the job himself where the queen was concerned. Then Tarn would be free to be the crown prince while Creshion joined Sessily in the dark fae kingdom. But would she even have him?
***
Oh why, oh why did Sessily have to fall in love with one dangerously sexy dark cobra fae?
Who just happened to be the crown prince of his kind?
She had been fighting the attraction ever since he"d rescued her from the thief, no matter how much she"d told herself she"d just as soon strangle him. She waved away the distraction, the deadly distraction. She still had a mission to accomplish. And she wasn"t leaving the castle until she managed it.
She paced across Creshion"s bedchambers. She always carried the essential herbs that added to any beverage would be more than an aphrodisiac. It was the equivalent of what that devil of a god used, who was always getting mixed up in human love affairs with just one little release of his arrows. Cupid was so much like the mischievous fae, that most loved him and granted him the distinction of being an honorary fae. Although when he"d worked his magic on the fae kind, causing all kinds of calamity, some were not so forgiving.
Because of her unique assassin skills, working with potions to create sleeping draughts and the more deadly poisons, she"d also dabbled in making love potions, courtesy of befriending the cherub like god.
Assassins used different methods to eliminate their victims. Daggers, guns, hangings, suicides. A few used poisons. But that didn"t seem manly enough for most assassins. More of a woman"s weapon of choice. None made love potions.
She"d sold them to hopeful lovers who were having a devil of a time convincing the man or woman she or he loved to return their affection. The money was good when assassination contracts were short on demand. But she also researched the couple to ensure that they were truly suited. Sometimes the difficulty was fear of commitment, or believing some other might be suitable, when another match would be too flawed. Then, Sessily would help.
Like her assassin business, she kept her lovemaking potions secret. Her servants discretely spread the word and exchanged potions for gold coin. If anyone thought anyone was the potion maker, the
y probably thought it was her cook.
But how to deliver the potion at the right time to the right individuals was the real problem she now faced. If she could just give it to the queen, timing it so that she would declare her love for Grieves whenever she spied him, eventually someone would see her indiscretions and tell the king. That could take time. Especially if Creshion realized how dangerous their folly and tried to keep their meetings secret.
But if Sessily gave the potion to both Grieves and the queen, the two of them would barely be able to keep their hands off each other, and they would surely be caught much sooner than later.
Which again brought Sessily back to considering the dilemma. How would she be able to do this without making a mistake? She didn"t want the queen to fall in love with someone who was good of heart. What if she went after the wrong person, like Duke Eaton, or Prince Tarn, or Creshion even? And the king found out?
What a disaster that would be.
Servants most likely tasted everything the queen drank and ate because she"d already lived through several assassination attempts. But the servants most likely would not test what Grieves consumed. Still, if Sessily gave Grieves the potion first, he would act the fool over the queen before Sessily was ready for it, and the queen would most likely destroy him before he ruined things for her with the king.
If Sessily tried it with a new suitor after that, someone might suspect mischief.
If she put the potion in the queen"s drink before it had been tested, Sessily could see some servant staring moon-eyed at the queen, then getting on bended knee and declaring his love.
Again, this would be highly suspect.
Sessily paced some more. She had to fae travel around the castle, but she hadn"t been more than a few places. The servant"s stairs, the kitchen, the great hall… the kitchen.
She still didn"t know the queen"s schedule. Where she went and when. But Creshion had mentioned the feast following the dance.
She wished she could be invisible. But that was not a trick she could use.
***
As soon as Prince Creshion was seated in the solar with his uncle, he waited, though it nearly killed him to hear the king out.