AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We are on lockdown and it was hard to get away,” she said, cloudy orbs looking in Charlie’s direction. But she wasn’t looking at him. “Hey, Alexa.”
“Hey, Daria.”
“I sense another presence.”
“That would be Edmund, a friend.”
“My sister’s boyfriend,” Charlie introduced grudgingly. “Edmund, Daria, my best friend. No more talk. Are you ready, Daria?”
“As ready as I will ever be.”
Which meant it was time to put on a show.
Alexa straightened her shoulders and squeezed Edmund’s hand one last time, then let it go. When she finally spotted the shop that Duncan indicated, the trio was no longer there, but it was Edmund’s loss that hit her the hardest. Before she could ponder over it, a figure glittered before her and enveloped her in a hug. On the verge of stiffening, she managed to make her body relax and accept the hug, then waited him out until she was let go.
Duncan was back to wearing regular civilian clothes, which didn’t diminish his appeal. Her stomach did not get butterflies once, but she gave him a pleasant, shy smile as if she had been waiting for that contact for the longest time. He sniffed around and let out an approving sound.
“You listened to my instructions. You came alone.”
“Of course I did. Since when have I not listened to you?”
“Since the time you wouldn’t let me see my son,” he returned, then waved a hand. “But moving past that…come on. Let’s sit down.”
To her relief, he ushered her to a seat outside, where they had a view of the buzzing crowd a few blocks away, but could still set themselves apart from it. She noted the quiet neighborhood and the waiter greeting them to take their order, then bit back any reaction when he ordered a beer. Alexa didn’t waste time, leaning forward.
“I’m sorry for that. It was a shock seeing you back after all these years, and let’s just say it was an instinctive reaction of a mama bear who doesn’t want to lose her son. I was elated when you contacted me and knew everything would be all right.”
“To be fair, I would never have contacted you if it weren’t for those incidents. You were very creative, Alexa, in how you tried to evade me, and I am in awe of the backbone you are showing. Although, deep down, I know you can’t help but soften up for me. Am I right?”
He leaned over, orbs swirling with hope and his voice infused with energy. It slithered through her, a faint caress that had her inwardly shuddering.
“You are right. You were always too hard to resist. And your tenacity is fascinating.”
“Thank you.” He smiled smugly, then waved the waiter off after their food was delivered. She attempted to eat when he did and tasted cardboard, which settled in her belly and gnawed. Alexa ignored it and clinked their bottles together, then took sips of her beer. The alcohol glissaded in her system smoothly, a familiar taste that fed her hope. “I always have been when it comes to what I want.”
“What do you want now, Duncan? Why are you meeting up with me?”
“I could give you flowery words, but I think you would appreciate the truth better,” He leaned forward, too, until their faces were inches close. “I need a future queen by my side. My father refuses to give me the throne until I prove myself, and none of my attempts to sow seeds produced satisfying results. All the children I had after Archie have nothing to show, but Archie…he is special. He has the powers that few could only ever dream of, courtesy of his heritage. Your bravery makes me understand that he has that in him, too, and nothing would please my father more than welcoming two new powerful forces into our fold.”
“I thought your family didn’t accept my kind.”
Duncan waved a dismissive hand. “He doesn’t, but he will. In my abode, Archie will practice his powers and keep getting better. When my father sees this, he will approve and encourage Archie to be our most powerful weapon, and won’t kick me out anymore.”
Her heart thudded in her chest as realization sank in: that not only was this Fae manipulative, he was also rife with disillusion. She held back from telling him that and let him stew in his fantasy.
“Any siblings vying for the throne?” she asked mildly.
“Two.” His face darkened. “But they don’t matter, not as long as Archie’s mine now…ours. Have you finished dinner?”
“I can’t eat,” she confessed, gesturing at her unfinished plate. “I admit the prospect of being your queen excites me. I was never anyone with my clan…and now this.”
“Cherish it. Own it. I will promise to give you the world and watch Archie grow.”
And she would rather eat acid than see her son grow that way, but she swallowed the words back. Desperately, Alexa hung on to control, ready to lose it but unable to.
“I can’t wait.”
“I know. Come on. Let’s celebrate.”
