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I realized I was wrapped around her like a koala on a tree, which was obviously a little awkward for at least one of us if Nora’s expression was accurate. She struggled briefly, but she had taken the brunt of the fall. So her body probably hurt more than mine, and I was decidedly achy.
“We are not your enemies,” I explained carefully. “You attacked my family, destroying my sitting room, and we brought your moldy ancient carcass back to life.”
She stilled.
“Your husband kills, tortures, and by the way,hates women.” I stared down at her. “You don’t have to believe me, but if he’s such a great guy why did he leave you in a Neolithic tomb?”
Nora said nothing.
“I found you.Wefound you. And aside from Iggy, none of us knew you.” I paused, and when she said nothing else, I added, “He was torturing me, and I saw what he considered his greatest fear. You. That’s how I knew you existed, and we came to find you.”
“Please, release me.”
I rolled off her, wondering briefly why no one had followed me until I realized that the sensible move was to take the stairs rather than leap out a window.
“Women have more rights today, Nora. Remember that as the rest of your memories come back.” I considered holding out a hand, but while I apparently forgive a lot of things, I’m not so daft as to do so within moments of attack.
“I will speak to Chester before I make any decisions,” she said before pivoting and walking away.
I whispered a command to the gates, which opened to let her exit, just as Iggy came outside, yelling her name and a few sentences in French that I couldn’t translate at all.
“Why did you release her?” Beatrice asked from the doorway of the house. “Not only do we have no weapon.Hehas one.”
“She’s not a weapon!” Iggy. “She’s in peril!”
“Would you have me hold her prisoner? Force her to obey us as Chester would do? As the King of Elphame would do?” I looked from Iggy to Beatrice. “She has choices. All women should.”
“He’ll kill her,” Iggy whispered.
Beatrice reminded him. “He is afraid of her. That is not for nothing.”
I hoped Nora would survive. Hell, I hoped she’d take her rage to Chester and destroy him.
26
ALLIE
Allie walked through the palace with a purpose that twisted her belly, but what she needed to do wasn’t avoidable. Not now. She hated it, hated the King ofElphamea little for making this all happen. She’d simply say her piece and go home. It sucked, thinking that she met someone who respected her, saw her, cared for her—only to find out what he really was.
“Alice!” Marcus held out both hands as she approached. He had that same beautiful smile, the one that made it perfectly clear that her very presence brightened his day.
And damn him if he wasn’t every fine thing that a man could be. The fae were always beautiful. It was simply as much a truth as water being wet. He had the sort of eyes Allie thought she might fall into, and she knew from her prior visits here, that the arms that were open in invitation were as strong as steel. Muscles corded the fae king’s body, and she’d had a few damnable dreams about the body that stood before her now.
A part of her that was controlled by a more southerly set of impulses was ready to get closer. For all that he was a jerk, the king ofElphamewas easy on the eyes, and being a widow—a high profile one—meant that Allie wasn’t a huge fan of casual sex. She was still on long-term contraception because she wasn’t a fool, but her options had been to either casually break her vow to too-recently departed beloved or jump into a relationship before she felt ready.
“You weasel-dicked, lying, deceitful . . . turnip head,” Allie muttered.
“Alice?” His invitation didn’t vanish, but he scowled now.
She stepped closer, swatted his hand away before he could touch her and slapped him hard across the face. “Do.Not. Touch. Me.”
Guards seemingly materialized out of thin air. Hell, maybe they did materialize. She wasn’t exactly well-versed in the nuances of all things fae. What shewasfar too well-versed in was lying men.
“I told you I wasn’t ready to even be thinking of dating anyone.” She poked a finger into his chest. Fine,againstit. For a man several centuries older than her, Marcus was as fit as a construction worker in summer. “I said all I wanted was to be your friend. How dare you try tomarryme? And ask my boss to hide it? What sort of deceitful--”
“Now, Alice—”
“Nuh-uh. You don’t talk to me like that.” She sniffled and then continued, “And then to say my boss is fine to let that Chester person just . . .murder her? What sort of person agrees to that? Certainly not one I’d ever call a friend. And poor Eli! Do you know what it would do to him to lose her?” Allie realized, awkwardly, that she was crying. Big tears were streaking down her face.
