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Ciaran was quiet for a moment, then he lightheartedly chuckled. “The only other person who knew of this was Kes, because he and I come from the same line. A few nights ago I found an entry in my great grandfather’s journal where he told of a curse placed on him. He was the last true king of the Night Court, and his entire line had also been cursed, binding half his power away in retribution for the mistreatment of witches he had tormented. This kept him and the future generations from accessing the power of the land. Perhaps because the land found our power lacking, therefore found us unworthy. I am still not sure of the exact reason, though this feels right.
“Then, the other day, you and I found that entry in your family grimoire about a curse placed upon the ruling line of the Night Court. It was your ancestor who cursed my family, but it is our bond that will break it. As soon as we complete the mating ceremony, the curse will be broken, and we should be able to ascend the throne as the first true king and queen in generations. We will also be the first mated pair, as far as I know.”
Etain was shocked and a little perturbed Ciaran had kept this from her, although she supposed everything had unfolded the way it needed to. She was already incredibly overwhelmed. If he had put the pressure of breaking his family’s curse on her shoulders from the beginning, she was not sure how she would have responded. She was too tired to continue talking about curses and future plans.
“Hecate.”
“What?” Ciaran asked, confused with the sudden shift in conversation.
“The Many Faced Goddess. Her name is Hecate. She is not from this realm, and she is the creator of the original witch. The many faces you see her wear are all the witches who have come before. Someday, she will wear my face as well.”
Ciaran growled deep in his chest, clearly taking issue with anyone besides him having any part of her.
“We all return to her for our final rest. She did think it greatly amusing you would be joining me, since you would be annoyed and content knowing your soul would rest within her, to stay with me.”
Before Ciaran could begin whatever tirade he was opening his mouth to start, Etain cut in. “She wore my mother’s face while I visited with her. She said my mother had been screaming to come to the front as soon as she had been in my presence. She was my mother, but yet, not. She was Hecate first and always, as well as my mother, too. I could see my mother in her expressions she wore so easily. It was such a gift, Ciaran. I have desperately missed my mother, and I never thought to see her again.” Etain could feel the tears starting to lazily roll down her face once more.
Ciaran must have felt them, because he squeezed her tightly and kissed the top of her head. “I do not know what it is like to love a parent. I had thought I loved mine when I was very young, but quickly realized I had mistaken their approval as love. I do not know if I knew what love was until the mate bond forced it upon me. It is terrible and wonderful all at the same time. It is a weakness, as well as a strength. I am not sure I will ever be worthy of it, because I am terrible and wicked. It is for you and you only that I can be good and kind.”
“What happened to your parents?”
“Nothing exciting or nefarious. Fae live incredibly long, and ruling fae even longer. They wait to have children till they are thousands of years old to enjoy a life without them first, but eventually they must create an heir. My parents never inherited the power of the court, and my father’s power was reduced, meaning their lives were half the expected length. One night they began to age, and a couple hundred years later they were gone.”
“Oh, Ciaran. I am so sorry you were robbed of time with them.”
“Don’t be, little witch. I knowIam not. They were not only horrible parents, but truly poor rulers. It has taken me a long time to get this court into something less bloody. Believe it or not, at one point our numbers were dwindling considerably by our own hands. The lesser fae were terrified to join in celebrations since they were often tormented and killed. I understand our nature is to be wicked, but we can not be allowed to be our own demise.”
Etain thought on Ciaran’s words for a few moments. “Perhaps something has begun to fester in the power of your court due to the curse? Perhaps an unseen side effect? Curses are volatile like that. My mother always told me to be wary if I ever had to place a curse, because there was always a price to pay. Perhaps that was the unseen price.”
“I’ve never thought about it. The court has always been this way as long as I have been alive, so I have no idea if it had ever been different. It is worth looking into, my clever little witch.”
The two continued talking for a while longer about nothing in particular – books they had read and stories from their youth. Etain felt content and full of love and affection between her time with Ciaran and her time earlier with Hecate. She knew the future was going to be difficult, though she could face anything with Ciaran by her side.
Also, knowing she would be with her mother again after the end of her very long life with her mate, left her feeling more at peace than she thought possible. Her heart was light as she drifted off to sleep in the arms of her mate.
Thirty Eight
Kesimmediatelyshedhisclothing as he walked to his bathing chamber, not embarrassed in the slightest to walk nude through his quarters in front of Anin. If anything, it made his ego swell knowing she was looking at him, even if she didn’t want to be looking at him. He turned to look over his shoulder before disappearing into his private chambers. “Like what you see, my darling nymph?”
Her only response was to scoff, roll her eyes, then cross her arms over her chest in an attempt to seem unaffected. This just made Kes laugh and raise a downy eyebrow at her. “You are welcome to join me, Anin. I’m sure I would thoroughly enjoy watching the particular way water would run down your…vines.” His grin grew positively devious as he watched her skin flush when she thought he was about to say something else entirely, only to huff in indignation when he didn’t.
Kes was feeling rather full of himself until Anin’s entire demeanor changed. She began sauntering towards him wearing a sultry expression he had yet to see on her.
Kes swallowed hard and suddenly wished he was still wearing his pants to hide how she was affecting him. She came within arms reach and slowly scanned him from head to toe before finally settling on his face. She cocked her head to the side and gave him a too sweet smile.
“Nowmy darlingfeather duster, you must understand something about me. I am not swayed by a mere body. No matter how…” she waved her hand up and down his body, “defined they are. That is not to say I am incapable of enjoying another’s body and have done so many times. That is the same to me as when my leg itches – I will scratch it or when I become hungry, I will eat.”
Kes was trying his best to not explode with rage and immediately hunt down any other being who had touched Anin. Before Kes had an opportunity to start collecting names, Anin continued.
“Bodily need is not the same as when the mind craves another. So you see Kes, if you want me and not just my…vines, you must first win my mind, and the rest will follow.”
Kes became nervous; he was not sure he had ever felt that before regarding any other female. He found he did want that – every facet of her, and not only her body.
Anin stepped into his space and lifted up on her toes, leaving her mouth a bare breath away. “When you take your shot, make sure your aim is true. There will be no second chance.” With that, she swiftly turned and walked off towards her bedchambers.
Kes could not decide if he was incredibly turned on or terrified. Perhaps he was both. He made his way to the bathing chamber with a little less swagger than he had a few moments ago. He could have cried proverbial tears of joy the moment he entered the room. There was absolutely nothing Kes despised more than being covered in filth. It was all he had been able to think of from the moment after Anin was safe. The whole time he had been flying the Borderlands, it took all his willpower to stay focused on searching for Etain. Every so often, he would find himself drifting into a daydream of being just where he was now.
Wasting no time, he strode towards the falling water that took up the entirety of one wall. It was difficult to clean feathered wings, particularly ones the size of his. He spread his wings wide and stood under the warm blast, allowing the heat and pressure from the water to remove the caked on blood and to relax his body. He would never let anyone know he was still healing from his near death; he could still feel where each individual blade had pierced his skin. It was only a dull ache now, and he knew he would be back to normal after a night of deep rest. He ruffled his feathers and slightly flapped his wings while shaking his head to make sure to get every nook and cranny clean.
