“Oh no. You don’t get that from me. Ask her yourself what she truly wants,” he replies to Lincoln’s annoyance.
He frowns, sure he is just shit-stirring. “Show me,” he says, bringing the matter back to the one at hand. Remiel holds his hand up and he puts his against it. He is surprised Remiel doesn’t have a barrier up. He always seems so fond of those damn things.
“Close your eyes,” he mutters.
Lincoln does and he can see her. She looks beautiful in a long sweeping gown to match her violet eyes; she is in flat shoes which makes him chuckle – she will hate that – but she looks so delicate next to the tower of a man she is standing next to. Drake, he presumes. He is placing a crown of…Lincoln squints in his mind's eye to get a better look, black roses with long stems that have been intricately woven together to form a perfect circle, the thorns visible on the stems. She tilts her head in acceptance and he picks up her hand and kisses it. She smiles serenely back, and he says words in a language Lincoln has never heard before, obviously Faerie speak, and he is fairly sure by the bored look in her eye that she has no idea what he is saying either. Another tall man standing on her other side, leans down to whisper in her ear and she smiles up at him and nods. Translator, maybe? He looks just like Drake. He wonders if that is one of her brothers. Brothers. That is a really strange thought.
And then Lincoln sees him.
He nearly drops his hand from Remiel’s in shock. But there he is, no doubt about it, dressed in old-nobility style and, with a mischievous grin, which she returns, clearly not in the least bit surprised to see him, he bows and takes her hand and gracefully leads her down the aisle, whispering something to her Lincoln doesn’t get that she laughs at. His eyes fly open as Remiel takes his hand away with a look that says he knows exactly what is going on.
“Sebastian?” Lincoln snaps at him. “What the fuck is all that about? Why is he there?”
Chapter 12
Kingdom of the Dark Fae, March 2013 - Sebastian (Kalen)
“You look absolutely ravishing,” Sebastian says to Liv.
She smiles at him. It’s a small smile that barely touches her lips but lights up her whole face.
“Thank you,” she says and flicks her dark hair over her shoulder.
“I like this look on you, but I prefer your natural blonde-ness,” he says with a sidelong glance at her and she laughs.
“Can’t have everything,” she says. “Trying to please everyone is getting to be very tiring.” She stifles a yawn.
He chuckles at her and says, “Is it siesta time?”
She snorts prettily behind her hand. “It’s always siesta time,” she replies.
They have by now reached the end of the hall and her Coronation is officially over. She relaxes visibly and he can see now how weary she is. Having little blood and her Dragon desperate to come out has her exhausted. He turns to Drake. “I will escort her back to her room. She needs a rest.”
Drake sneers at him. “A rest? She has only been up a couple of hours.”
Drake’s derision irritates him. “She is your daughter; you should at least have the courtesy of learning about her after everything she has just done for you.”
She puts her hand on his arm to pacify him, but he shakes it off and faces off with her father.
Drake glares down at him and he finds that very annoying. At his height, there are very few people who are taller than him.
“Enlighten me then, Prince Kalen. You seem to know her so well,” Drake sneers at him.
He ignores the sarcastic use of his title. He is here under invitation as the Princess’s chosen one, and he would do well to keep things amicable. “She is hungry and fighting off a Shift. Keeping her here is weakening her,” Sebastian whispers to him
.
She makes a small noise in the back of her throat, and he knows he has angered her by calling her weak. But Drake must know that she is a hungry Vampire with a Dragon alter ego that is desperate to come out and start slaying his people.
Drake narrows his eyes at him and steps closer. “Take her to her room and feed her yourself. And you keep that Shift from happening. I can assure you; you do not want that thing coming out here.”
“No, I can assure you, you don’t want Her coming out here,” Sebastian retorts and Drake’s eyes blaze briefly, but he isn’t stupid. He knows it will be a catastrophe. For everyone.
“She needs to be here for the feast tonight. She is free to leave here tomorrow.” He turns to Liv and adds, “You must return, though, for the next full moon, for your Union.” He sighs and pulls his shoulders up. “I will allow you to bring someone to keep you sustained. Any form of weakness will not be tolerated.” He says it so quietly she has to lean forward to catch it. She nods her thanks stiffly, still not happy to be called weak in any circumstances. She turns on her heel and stalks off. Sebastian glares at Drake, he nods back to him and then he follows her, grabbing her elbow. “Don’t be mad with me, Princess,” he says. “He had to know what you are feeling.”
“He does know. I wasn’t aware that he cared,” she says softly. “I didn’t get a chance to ask you earlier, how come you are here?”
“Aelfric came to get me. My presence as your future husband and prophesized baby daddy was required for your Coronation,” he says blandly.