Page 46 of Threads of Fate

“Yeah, well, it’s time to dust myself off and move on.” Dana sits up and swings her body over the arm of the chair jumping to her feet. “I hate being sad, I have been crying and moping for a week.” She walks towards the front door. “Where do you train? Show me around this place while we wait for word from the king and queen?” She asks but sounds more like a demand.

I remove myself from the couch and show her around her new home.

Chapter 18

Dana

I stand by the bar waiting for Kreed to take the lead. He really is stiff. Like he’s never had fun or a day of just relaxing. I should change that.

“Where would you like to start?” He asks while walking toward me. “Maybe I should show you where my room and office is? We can start down that hall and then the kitchens?”

“Kitchens? Seems like a bit much for one guy.” I say but immediately regret it when his face falls a fraction. “What’s wrong? Did I say something?”

Kreed shakes his head and shuffles from foot to foot. A strange thing for a man like him to be doing. “No. You didn’t S’rella, it’s fine. It’s just a really big kitchen. We always just called it ‘the kitchens’.” Shaking my head I step closer to him.

“If there’s a reason you get that look on your face then obviously it is something. I would like to know so I can stop putting my foot in my mouth when it comes to you. I seem to be doing that a lot.”

“Let’s walk and talk.” I nod and grab his hand linking our fingers together. He gives mine a small squeeze. “So this is the parlor but it’s more of the living room these days. This is where I conduct all my meetings that have to be here.” He walks us to the hallway and we walk to a room farther down from mine on the left. “This is my room, if you need me, anytime. Just walk in.” He opens the door and pushes it open. Black silk sheets cover the massive bed. The head board is extremely tall, with intricate carvings of swirls and shapes. It’s taller than Kreed. Large windows on the far wall. There’s a desk and armoire. I see a couple doors and assume those go to the bathroom and closet.

“This is amazing, Kreed.” I walk closer to the bed and take in the details of the headboard. I run my hand along it admiring the beauty of it. When I touch it small glittery sparks spark around my hand. I snatch my hand back and I look back at Kreed. His shoulders shaking from his quiet laughter.

“It’s spelled. I bet you could see it.”

I nod. “Yeah, when I touched it, it was like fireworks.” I look between Kreed and the bed, baffled.

“It’s spelled so no one can sleep in it but a Gallen and his or her Tether.” I nod. That’s actually pretty cool.

“I like that.” I drag my hand down the head board one more time. Watching the tiny fireworks explode in my wake. “What else is there?”

Kreed takes my hand and we head back down the hall to a door on the right. We walk in and I take in the book shelves and desk. It’s a fairly large room with minimal furniture. Shelves line the walls and are packed with rolled papers and books. There are hand drawn pictures and weapons littering the shelves as well. The chair behind the desk looks ancient and so does the rug under the desk. The desk itself is enormous, solid and dark. Not much lies on the top except a small metal container, a fountain pen and a small stack of papers.

“This is my office.” I turn to him and he’s leaning against the door frame.

“Why is your office so close to your rooms? Thought you didn’t mix business and pleasure?”

“I would never but…” He stalks toward me and I gulp. I back up a couple steps and he has me trapped between the desk and his body. “I could mix business and pleasure if it's you…” he looks me over, sending shivers cascading down my body, “and on this desk.” I let out a harsh breath and my need skyrockets. I can feel the blush crawling up my neck and my core starts to ache. Kreed leans in closely, running his nose up my neck making me shiver. “I think you like that idea.”

“Maybe.” I breathe out.

“Don’t lie, Dana. I can smell it.” He whispers along the shell of my ear. I choke on my next breath.

“Smell it?” I look up at him, feeling a bit awkward.

“Pheromones and us fae have excellent senses.” He says tapping his nose and laughs. I scoff and choke out a laugh. Stepping out of his space. Wow, I was definitely wrong about the clinical and unfun part of him.

“Well,” I clear my throat, gathering all the confidence I can, “at least I won't have to play coy when I want sex.” Kreed nods with a wicked grin and leans his hip against his desk. “What’s next?” I ask flustered.

“You seem flustered.” He states as he holds his hand out for me to take. I can’t tell if he’s concerned or enjoying making me squirm.

He shows me down the hall to the other guest rooms and bathrooms. I was right. This house is all one level and spread out lengthwise. We make it back to the parlor and we head straight across and go through a door. This room is more like a living room. Couches and throw pillows, coffee tables with games and stacks of cards. Then there is a huge dining room and a wide open space behind it.

“This is where the family would gather. My great grandfather always had guests but they weren’t family. He wanted to have his home life and work life separate. So, when he redesigned this house he made sure that the parlor was the first thing people saw from the main front door. He also wanted the guest rooms easily accessible to guests. He moved the main bedroom and the kids rooms to this side of the house. The design is to keep the unavoidable court gatherings to one side of the house. Keeping courtiers out of his family’s life.”

“How come your room is on the other side then?”

“I don’t have a family. All I have is a mother who can’t stand to be in this house anymore and some family members that live around but they have their own lives to lead. We do get together and have dinners every once in a while. Their kids play over there,” he points to the empty space behind the dining table, “that space was made for kids. There used to be toys everywhere but now they are grown and don’t really play with toys anymore. It is mostly for them to fight and beat each other up now.”

“You want kids. A family.” I state. That’s why he was upset. He shoves his hands in his pockets. He continues on like he didn’t hear me.

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