Page 72 of Kings and Monsters

"Make sure that creature doesn't harm Rosa. In a month's time she might realize it is hopeless and join me," Gwyn replied. He had looked at Balthasar with a gleam of satisfaction in his silver eyes before riding away. Merlin had waited until he was gone before cursing the empty sky loudly in Welsh.

Saul had taken Arthur under his wing, eager to get acquainted with the legendary king and show him the wonders of the new age. Rosa had arrived with Bleddyn and had been sleeping off the residual magical hangover that came with being the queen of the Seelie for the day.

Merlin had taken Nimue's hand, and they had secluded themselves in the cottage. He was eager to lie in bed and forget everything else existed for a long time.

"Rosa thinks this is her price for accepting magic," he said to the ceiling. Nimue rolled over and flung an arm across his chest, her hot naked body curving against his.

"Maybe it is," she yawned, "but I doubt it. If you want to think really hard about it, the magic of the Aos Si could've influenced it happening so that Rosa could kill the queen and restore the balance."

"I don't even want to contemplate it."

"Well, you are certainly contemplating something. I swear even your thoughts have thoughts right now."

Merlin kissed the top of her head, inhaling the warm apple blossom smell of her gold and red hair. "I'll be okay, just processing."

Nimue's weeks spent in the pit had left her leaner than usual even if the queen had ignored her. Fintan had done his best to keep her fed without others noticing, but Merlin was determined to enforce food and rest on her. She had been viciously angry when she had realized how much weight he had lost too. He hadn't even noticed.

"Then there is no cure for either of us but to eat cream in bed for a week," he had replied.

The house had been sending meals down, and Merlin had won the argument about staying in bed. His only priorities had been to sleep and make love.

"We are going to have to check on Rosa soon," Nimue murmured, bringing him out of his doze.

"I'm sure she's still sleeping. She's either going to wake up and try to approach Balthasar's affliction with a clear head, or she'll be raging with frustration."

"I don't blame her," Nimue said. "It's not right. All the queen's magic should've died when she did. It goes against everything we've been taught."

Merlin's eyes snapped open. "Then the only logical answer is that it's not her magic."

"The queen stole a lot of magic over the years, Merlin. That could be a separate mission all of its own." She rolled onto her stomach so she could look at him.

"True, but it's a much, much smaller group when you take out the ones she killed after she was done with them," he said before pushing his hands through his tangled raven curls. "Sorry, my love. I'm going to have to go and talk to Bleddyn."

"That's what happens when you start having ideas." She smiled, dropping a light kiss on his lips. Heat ran down his spine, and he pulled her tighter against him.

"You have just given me another one," he said.

"Oh?" Nimue bit her lip and he was done for. His father would have to wait.

It was past midday by the time Merlin had gathered himself together and had gone up to the mansion. Nimue had gone to the kitchens to make them coffee, and he had sought out his father.

Bleddyn was in the library, arguing with Zalan while sitting in a comfortable chair playing Vincenzo at chess. Bleddyn hadn't quite managed to shake the look of the Aos Si about him. His long black hair had shortened to his shoulders; the tips of his ears were still pointed, and he was wearing an all-black suit, a silver tiepin of a wolf's head the only adornment. He looked exactly what he was—a faerie trying to be inconspicuous amongst humans and failing.

"I see your glamour hasn't reappeared," Merlin said, affectionately dropping a kiss on top of his father's head. "I'm glad. The banker Eli made me uncomfortable."

"Merlin! You're just in time to watch your father lose his queen twice in as many days," Vincenzo said with a wink.

"Should I punch him in the throat for you, Father?" Merlin asked. He still had trouble believing Bleddyn had left Eirianwenbehind. He wanted to knock some sense into his dumb faerie head and send him back to get her. He had let Eirianwen slip through his fingers again. It was enough to make Merlin scream.

Bleddyn smirked, his emerald eyes glancing up from the board. "There will be no need. I'm already about to give him a thrashing. What brings you out of the cottage? I didn't expect to see you for a week at least."

"Got anything to drink?" Merlin asked, sitting down next to Zalan.

"Coffee. Right here," Nimue's voice said across the other side of the library. "Bleddyn, how could you let him drink so much and eat so little?"

"Don't chide me, beautiful girl. You know it's impossible to get Merlin to do anything that he is told," Bleddyn said before taking one of Vincenzo's knights.

"What's on your mind, nephew?" Zalan asked.

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