Page 73 of Kings and Monsters

"The magic on Bal isn't the queen's, so we need to figure out who it belongs to," Merlin said, sipping his coffee.

"It shouldn't matter who it belongs to. We still should be able to find a way to unravel it," Vincenzo argued.

"You won't do it by playing chess," Merlin pointed out.

"It helps us think," Bleddyn replied. "I've been with Bal for the last two days, and I've only just figured out how to calm him down enough so I can examine him."

"There is something familiar about it like I have seen it before, but I can't think of where," Merlin muttered. It had been annoying him since the raid on the Seelie Court, and every time he felt the thread of the answer, it slipped away.

"It feels dark," Zalan said thoughtfully. "Not necessarily evil, though the queen's purpose was, but the magic itself doesn't feel evil."

"How is Rosa?" Nimue asked.

"I keep checking on her, and her body is recovering, but her mind and heart are something else entirely," Bleddyn replied with a sad smile. Merlin caught his eye, and he knew that Rosa wasn't the only one that was heartbroken.

"I'm bored. I'm going to wake her up," Merlin declared and got to his feet. "Maybe she can reach Balthasar in a way we can't."

Rosa had usedthe servant's passageways to sneak downstairs to the kitchen, make herself tea before heading to the dungeon under the wine cellar. She didn't know how many secret rooms were buried under the mansion that she never knew existed.

The dungeon was one long large cell where Balthasar could prowl up and down like a great frustrated lion. One of the doors in the cell connected to Bleddyn's workrooms where she had stayed during her transformation, but it was always locked. She sat quietly on the cold stone floor opposite the cell and watched Balthasar snooze.

"Whatever Bleddyn gave you has sure knocked you out, love," Rosa whispered. A small hopeful part of her had dared to dream that he would be himself by the time she woke up. The larger, more cynical part knew it had been wishful thinking. A brown eye opened and studied her, sniffing the air for her scent.

"Easy, it's just me. I'm not going to hurt you," Rosa said with a smile. "I thought you might be lonely. God knows I am." His ears twitched, but he didn't seem worried or threatened by her presence, so she stayed. She told him about her adventures since they had been forced apart, how they had another cousin in the Night Court, and what it felt like being the queen for a day.

"He seems to like your voice," Saul whispered from the doorway.

"Saul." Rosa smiled up at him. "Hug me, big brother." Saul sat down beside her, taking her in his arms.

"I missed you, Rosey," he said warmly. "I was worried about you."

"I was with Bleddyn and Merlin."

"That's exactly right. I didn't want you to come back all bitter and sharp edges like they are," Saul said, kissing her cheek. "You've changed, but it's not as bad as all that."

"Not as much as Bal has." Rosa's eyes filled, and she rubbed them away angrily. "I tried so hard, Saul, and nothing I did seemed to have been worth it. I'm just not as good at saving people as Bal was."

"Oh, honey, you couldn't count on something like this happening. You got him back in one piece, and everything else will be sorted out," Saul promised. "Bal has always come back no matter what state he's been in. You have to believe that. If he doesn't, we'll get him a lovely pink collar with diamonds on it, and he can prance about with Caruthers."

Rosa laughed and gave him a hard pinch. "Tell me about what happened in the past month."

"It was only about a fortnight here. I've set the Unseelie knights up in the old village that's been abandoned for the last century. Bleddyn has always maintained it, but no one has lived there for ages."

"They don't want to go home? What about their families? I'm sure Daesyn would look after them."

"It's not that. There's nothing for them to go back to. Zalan, Vincenzo, and I, have had a lot of conversations with them, and none of them have families," Saul explained. "Some were taken as children and don't remember their real names. The queen killed whatever family they had to ensure they would only beloyal to her. The Aos Si is nothing but murder and bad memories for them."

"God, that's awful. I'll take care of them if no one else will," Rosa said stubbornly. "Bleddyn won't fight me about it."

"Of course he won't. He'll appreciate the company. Wolves are pack animals after all," Saul replied. "They are a bit unsure about the Gwaed Gam. They all seem to be playing nicely with each other for now."

"Good! I've had enough of wars to last me a lifetime. As soon as Bal is back, I intend on running away with him for at least a month," Rosa said. "I killed the Autumn Queen, and I deserve a freaking holiday."

"You do, even without Bal." Saul tightened his arm around her. "Maybe you should go to France and see your mom. Let Merlin and Bleddyn sort this spell out…"

"No. How can you even ask me that? I won't just leave him."

"And what if it takes months? Years? Bal would understand. Christ, he probably has no idea what's going on right now. I won't let you sit here in despair for months on end. Spell breaking can be a long process, and you've been through Hell. You need your mom, not a bunch of Unseelie assholes fussing over you. Consider what I'm saying at least."

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