“Because I’m working,” she mumbles.
“You’re in training,” Jace pipes up. “We can do just as good of a job without you.”
Fabia glares at him. “I can’ttrainif I’m distracted.”
“That’s exactly what you need to learn,” he says. “Having your focus tested is all part of the job.”
Her eyes turning into daggers, she grabs Aleka’s arm and practically drags her away from us. The lady tries to bow at me and Richard, but Fabia doesn’t stop to let her.
Lifting my chin, I call out, “Don’t forget to tell her about the carrot sex scene! That was the best bit!”
Catching the eyes of all the ladies and lords staring at me, I smile. “You allhaveto read her books.” I gasp as I turn to grab Richard’s arm. “Oh my gods! I totally forgot. She has a whole series about you and your love of pe–”
He cuts me off with a deep kiss. I try to pull back to finish telling him about the pegging, but his tongue pulls nothing but moans from my lips. By the time he lifts his head, I’m clutching both his biceps, unable to remember what I was talking about.
“So…” Jace says cheerfully. “Do you happen to have any of Fabia’s books about Richard?”
Oh yeah!Grinning wide, I spin to face him. “I have every one! You’re free to read them if you want. She’d love that.” That’s the goal of an author, after all – to get their books read by everyone.
“You wanted to see the wall,” Richard reminds me, looking pointedly at his friend.
“Oh, yes!” Pivoting towards the painting, I crane my neck back to take it all in.
My king steps up behind me, his chest so close I can feel his heat. I curl my toes, struggling not to lean back against him.With how much I teased him in the Council Room earlier, I do not want to push my luck further.
Twenty-one spankings.
I shiver.
“So what is this painting of?” I ask.
The tree is heavily scarred. The fairy city within it is small and in ruins. There are no homes on its outer branches. Twelve fairy women are flying under the canopy of the trees. They’re all spread out – some above me, some at face height. Their bows are all drawn back and pointing directly into my eyes. Blood drips from numerous wounds on their bodies, but their wings are all stunningly bright – brighter than I’ve ever seen.
I press my palm against the side of one of them, as if I can hold in the blood pouring down her shirt. Her eyes, a fierce silver and green mix, show no pain, only the desire for vengeance.
“These are the twelve original members of the Court. Over two thousand years ago, they defended our new home from vampire explorers.”
“Why were the vampires attacking?” For all my life, the fairies have only ever been at war with people roughly our size, but vampires are ten times taller than us.
I see his head turn to me in my peripheral. When the silence stretches, I turn to face him, my hand still on the wall. He’s eyes search mine, making me a bit uneasy.
“You do not know about the vampires?” he asks.
“I know they exist.” Thinking about the other stuff Fabia’s researched for her books, I add, “And there are two types: born and turned. Turned ones can only be made by biting Earthers as all other species combat the change.” Though even Earthers often suffer from the Craving, a mindless state of bloodlust they rarely return from.
His silence eats at my stomach.
“And when they give head, they bite –”
“About our history,” he cuts in. “Yourhistory.”
Closing my mouth, I shake my head. My hand falls away from the wall. The only things we get taught in Brownston are the rules.
“I know you don’t have schools for magic, but do you not have normal schools?”
“The only schools I know about are from Fabia’s books.” His lips tighten, and I shuffle my feet. “What do you mean by ‘my history’ though?”
Reaching for my hand, he leads me down the wall. Whenever someone tries to talk to us, they take one look at him, then scurry away. The crowd parts for us like magic. My eyes on the wall, I watch as the large painting of the twelve women merges seamlessly with the next.
