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Well, that explained nothing.
“Don’t worry, little star,” he said, his deep voice trying to sound reassuring. “I’m not bringing you home with me tonight. I’ve already made that mistake once,” he lamented. “When I come for you,and I will, it will be my true face you will finally get to look upon. I have gone through a lot of painstaking details to make sure things go smoothly next time.”
“Why? Why do you want to take me with you?” I should have screamed or tried to run, but his lack of hostility toward me somehow allowed my curiosity to overtake my desire to flee.
“I knew from the moment I met you that there was something about you I wanted. And then, when I did some digging, I heard the mostamazingrumors about powerful men who became more powerful after they shared your bed. From that very moment, I knew you weremine,” he said.
Fuck. It was just like Luke and Nik had said. Someone had found out about whatever power it is that I was supposed to have, and they wanted me. The man chuckled at the realization on my face.And that made me angry. Against my better judgment, something irrational inside of me boiled to the surface, and I disregarded any concerns I had for my own safety.
“Everyone wants me for my magic. I don’t have anyfuckingmagic!” I screamed.
He smiled at me like he was amused by my outburst. Like it somehow pleased him.
“That’s simply not a true, little star. You just haven’t been able to use your magic because you need me to show you how,” he said.
He sounded like Nik. But Nik hadn’t had much luck bringing out my supposed magical abilities.
“What makes you so special, then?” I asked, continuing to ignore my instinct for survival.
“I am wholly unique,” he replied matter-of-factly. “My powers, they are of both light and darkness.”
No one’s powers were both light and darkness except… I quit breathing, paralyzed with fear. My muscles grew rigid.No. No, no, no.
“Iamthe King of Light and Darkness,” he roared with a ferocity that finally managed to break through my cavalier attitude. “And you, little star, will be my queen,” he declared with a smile.
He ran his fingertips along my arm until he reached my hand, ignoring how clearly petrified I was. He leaned into my body.
“I need to be going. But you will see me. Very soon, little star,” he promised, ever so slightly brushing his lips across my cheek. And then King Vandros just walked out of my door.
I stood there, in the middle of my room, for what felt like a very long time. At one point, I swallowed and realized how dry my mouth was. In a daze, I looked at my door, the one the King of Valencia had so casually exited from. I guess he was gone. And I was thirsty.
I trudged to the kitchen, grabbing my glass and pouring some water. I chugged the glass of water and then poured myself another. I chugged it too and then decided that the thirst I had could not be quenched by water. I walked out of my wing and made my way to Rhett’s bar. I moved without thinking, picking out a bottle and pouring three fingers into a rocks glass.
“Al?” Rhett called out to me. “Al, I’m glad I found you. I have to…” he trailed off.
He stared at the glass in my hand. “I’m not one to judge, but it’s a little early for you to be hitting the brown stuff,” he noted. A tinge of concern crept onto his too-perfect face when he noticed I was still in my nightgown and had bare feet.
I looked down blankly at the glass in my hand. And then I chugged it. The scotch burned as it went down my throat, and then its warmth began to spread into my chest. It stirred something inside of me. I poured a second glass and turned to Rhett, who was now right by my side.
“Hey,” he said, tenderly putting his hand on my shoulder. “Al, baby, what’s going on?”
You reek of his magic.
“Where’s Luke, Rhett? I need Luke,” I said.
“He’s… Well, Al, that’s what I was coming to tell you. He got an urgent message from the Silver Court. His mother is sick. He had to go home,” Rhett said.
“Oh,” I said, unable to truly register what Rhett said.
If Luke’s mom was sick, that meant fading, and if she was fading, that meant she was dying. And I just couldn’t process that right now. I took a large swig of the scotch in my hand.
“Can you tell me what’s going on with you now? Please, Al, you’re scaring me,” he pleaded.
“Whatever protections you have around here have been breached, Rhett,” I said flatly.
“How do you know that?” he asked.
“Because King Vandros just left my bedroom.”
