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He has eyes only for her.
Any man who looks at a woman like that has to be a good man.
One dryad snatched the ear of the Seelie man beside her and yanked him close as she growled something under her breath. He had the grace to look ashamed of himself. Once she released him, he straightened and gave her a nod.
“Damn right,” I heard her say.
“All of you have your sights set on the wrong problem,” Hilda said, suddenly between me and the court. “You’d fear your own damn shadows if they weren’t sewn to your feet.”
I shot upright. “Who letyouin?”
Hilda threw a devious grin over her shoulder. While I couldn’t help but yell because of the surprise, I liked knowing that she could enter the Seelie castle now. She was a damn good ally to have on my side, even if she did talk way too much.
This time, a redcap burst out of the crowd. He had weapons brandished in both hands, but they lowered the closer he came to her. The man seemed astonished, taken aback even.
“Oh, seven hells.” Hilda audibly rolled her eyes, if that was even possible. “I thought I killed you!”
Rhoan and I shared a glance. We were center stage for a fae soap opera, and I was loving it. I quietly sipped my drink now that all eyes were off me and on Hilda.
The redcap pointed an axe in Hilda’s direction. “Aye, you tried. I damn near left this world, too.”
Hilda spread her feet and put her hands on her hips. “I should have stuck around to make sure you were well and dead, you old sack of greasy air!”
The redcap stomped forward. “I wish you would have! At least then I wouldn’t be staring at your ugly mug sullying a pretty place like this.”
“Just kiss already,” I whispered under my breath.
Both spun on me. I threw up one hand in surrender—the other was full of drink.
I didn’t need a brownie and a redcap haunting me for the rest of my life. It was bad enough that Beryl was trying to kill me, and Alvin still found his way into my nightmares. I was confident that these two, together, could make my life even more miserable than Beryl. At least, Beryl couldn’t invade my bedroom in the dark of night while Rhoan was plowing my metaphorical fields.
I shuddered to think of what Hilda and her estranged husband could get up to if they were on the same side. However, the two of them did turn back to one another, and I could see the beginnings of bridges being rebuilt right before my eyes. I really hoped that her estranged husband was a changed man, or else I might actually end up with a murder right under my very own roof.
Standing, I looked out into the crowd. “Are we good?”
Perhaps my wording was a bit too mortal, because everyone stared blankly at me. I sighed and tried again, asking them if they held any more resentment towards Rhoan. It seemed that everyone had changed their minds, or at least forgotten about Rhoan while watching Hilda and her estranged husband argue in the middle of the court.
I was fine with that. It gave me time to head up to my tower laboratory where the original Cerridwen’s cauldron awaited me. I ran my hand over its rim and greeted it like a pet I’d missed while I’d been away. It felt hungry for a potion.
“We have work to do. Don’t you worry,” I told the cauldron.
Rhoan
I watchedmy queen slip out of the foyer. A veil of leaves and flowers fell back into place and hid her from view as she retreated. I wanted to catch up to her and apologize for letting Hilda back into the Seelie castle, but I think she understood.
Hilda’s presence distracted everyone. The brownie woman started shouting orders. She had everyone polishing surfaces and sweeping up imaginary cobwebs out of the shadowed corners. No one had any time to even look in my direction so long as she was here…no one save Ostara.
The older fae woman approached me with the folders of her dress wrung between her hands. Her eyes were fearful as they darted along the Sluagh soldiers and beasts around me. I gave them the nod and sent them back home to do whatever it was they did when I wasn’t around.
Ostara cleared her throat and straightened. “W-w-welcome home, your lord.”
The words seemed to pain her as her lips twisted with the taste of something seemingly sour on her tongue.
“Oh my gods, you aren’t afraid of me.” I rolled my eyes. “You just don’t want to have to address me as a lord.”
Ostara’s nose wrinkled ever so slightly, but the rest of her face remained steady and her chin refused to dip even a fraction of an inch. I was, in part, proud of the amount of effort she put into this farce. However, I was disappointed that it even had to come to this.
Sighing, I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You don’t have to address me as a lord. I’m no different than I used to be. But…could you at least pretend to respect me?”
