“Georges? The weasley glasses guy? Who is he?” I ask, remembering him suddenly.
“The architect in charge of making sure this place stays standing and seeing to any renovations, and whatever else that needs doing.”
“Oh no. As much as I dislike that man, he doesn’t deserve to be blasted for something that isn’t his fault.”
“You said do damage control. I did. Just forget about that now and concentrate on getting stronger. You need to feed.”
“She already did,” Xane says smugly and Sebastian glares at him.
“I see. Perhaps a blood top-up wouldn’t go amiss?”
I nod gratefully and they both help me stand, although I am now quite capable of getting up under my own steam after Xane’s generous gift.
We turn to head back towards the castle and stop dead. Or at least Sebastian stops dead, forcing me to as he has a tight grip on my elbow.
“What?” I ask as I glare at him and then follow his gaze to where I see something that I am sure can’t be possible. I must be hallucinating or something.
Us three steps back as the “something” in question comes to a graceful landing a few feet in front of us and I gape openly at the tall, light-haired man sat astride a…unicorn. A unicorn? Fuck me. Now I think I have seen everything. Assuming this is real, of course. I am still on the fence about my brain’s functionality after it being loosened slightly in my head by an almighty drop from the sky.
“Kalen,” the man says to Sebastian, as he drops lightly from the unicorn. He has long, flowing blonde hair and is dressed completely in white from head to toe, and he is really tall.
Sebastian tenses up so tightly, I think his head is about to explode. Either that or he is going to rip my arm off. Neither are very pleasant thoughts, so I put my hand on his and he relaxes slightly.
“What do you want?” he asks through gritted teeth and I sweep my gaze from him to the man, who I can see now looks just like Sebastian. I gulp as I realize that is the other way around. Sebastian looks just like him, his father.
“You know why I am here,” Sebastian’s father says. I remember his name is Aelfric. He dismisses Sebastian in favor of me and I can see his perfect eyebrow arch slightly at the state that is me. “Aefre,” he says with a slight nod. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You have caused quite the stir among my people.”
“Aelfric,” I say, inclining my head regally as he did. I may look a mess, but I am still Queen of the Underworld and Princess of the Dark Fae, apparently. He looks surprised that I know who he is, but then moves his green-eyed gaze to Xane, who straightens up to his full six-feet-four inches but is still somewhat shorter than Sebastian’s dad. “Xane Draconis, Overlord of Hades. It is quite the honor. Your reputation precedes you. Never fought a battle and lost. It doesn’t surprise me that you have aligned yourself with the new Queen.” He casts his eyes down to my left hand and takes in my wedding rings, along with the Dragon ring that I gave to Xane, which he stubbornly wears on his own left hand. “Demons and Dragons. So powerful. Unfortunately for you, I am here to take my son and his bride-to-be back to my Kingdom so that they can join in a Fae Union.”
Xane looks at me and then at Sebastian and then back to Aelfric, figuring it all out and having none of it. “No, I don’t think that you are,” he says loftily, and I smirk inwardly at his tone. I forget who he is and how he got there. To me, he is just Xane, but to the rest of the Underworld, he is Ruler of Hell, a ferocious warrior – who apparently doesn’t ever lose a fight. Good to know.
Sebastian remains silent but I can’t blame him. As far as I know, he hasn’t seen his father since he was turned two thousand seven hundred and sixty years ago.
“Kalen,” Aelfric says, looking back at his son. “I warned you if she ever showed up, I would be back for you. It is time for you to do your duty to the Court.”
Interesting. He told me that he was banished, never to return. Little liar. I narrow my eyes at him, and he purposefully ignores me.
“Drake has not acknowledged her yet,” he says, taking our linked hands and casually moving them behind his back.
“Actually he has. She wouldn’t bear the Royal Fae markings if he hadn’t. He may be a stubborn son-of-a-bitch, but he knows he can’t deny her.”
Crap. So, he saw them then.
“Then, where is he? Making a sudden and short appearance and then disappearing again is hardly much of an acknowledgment,” Sebastian scoffs.
“He was here,” Aelfric says, looking back at me. “He was here to take you back to his Kingdom, only he arrived during a rather brutal and bloody fight between you and your sire.” He says the word “sire” as if it is distasteful to him.
“What?” I say, now confused. “He wasn’t there.”
“Oh, yes he was. Unfortunately, your sire threw you to the ground before he could take you. He bargained with your sire instead in that moment. He will be back for you. I can assure you it is in your best interests to come back with me now and have your Union be Light, before he does.”
It takes me all of a few seconds to catch up. Constantine threw me out of the windows to stop Drake from taking me? I think back to the moments before. He relaxed and smiled at me, I thought he whispered something to me, but it got lost in the wind and rain and the one-hundred-and-fifty-foot drop to the ground. I want so much for it to be true. That he did it to save me. It would also explain why he disappeared suddenly, and that Sebastian can’t find him. It doesn’t make up for all the other horrendous things he did and said, but it makes me feel a tiny bit better. It also makes me remember what he said about using his Powers on me and how he had to get someone else to do it. To me and Devon: Sebastian. I yank my hand from his and step closer to Xane, as I remember that he has been spelling me to leave Cole, and Devon to feel something more for Jess. Remiel was right all along. I guess I have some apologizing to do. Sebastian looks at me quizzically, but I ignore him. I’ll deal with him later in private.
“Drake has Constantine?” I ask.
“Yes. Locked deep underground. I suspect Drake took him as he is waiting for you to go to him now. It is his style. He does so loathe to chase when he can lure his prey to him.”
“How do you know all of this?” I ask him, thinking he is being quite forthcoming. It makes a nice change from all the subterfuge and secrets that comes with my lot. Must be a Faerie thing. Too bad Sebastian lost his honesty when he became a Vampire.