Page 16 of Mated to the Mad Marquess

“She’s frightened, alone, and has no reason to trust anyone here.” Especially not Malcolm. Not after he botched her kidnapping and overwhelmed her so. At the memory of their first encounter, he touched the bridge of his nose. It still smarted. He couldn’t fail her now.

“Even you suspect her,” Night accused, and Malcolm winced because he could not argue against that point. He did suspect she or her familiar had some involvement. “But I admit I’m uncertain what magic could have caused birds to behave in such a way. The Seelie have an affinity with nature. I’ll need to converse with their mages and my wife to learn more.”

“She is certainly no Seelie mage.”

“She doesn’t have to look it to have Seelie blood.” Night propped his feet up on the desk, balancing his chair on the back legs. He peered up at the ceiling like he was searching for wisdom in the tin tiles there. “IfI gave her to you, what would you say to the warden or the villagers to keep the peace?”

Malcolm sat up straighter, and Solis began to pace side to side. “I would tell them this prison cannot hold her. She needs to be transported somewhere secure. There is more at work here that needs investigating.”

Night glared at him. “You would lie?”

“It’s not a lie,” Malcolm said soothingly. “I’ll rip her out of here myself if pushed to it. This prison truly cannot hold her because ofme.”

“Hm.” Placated, Night stroked his chin. “She cannot be set free. We haven’t yet ascertained her innocence. She must remain under guard until the culprit is found that clears her of this turbulence.”

“I know.”

“If anyone sees her free—”

“I know, Night. Truly, I understand what is at stake. That you would trust me with such a matter is—”

“Idiotic,” Night grunted.

“Decent of you,” Malcolm said.

“Riots and revolts will be the least of our worries should you soften toward your mate and fail to contain her.” The king’s words trailed off. He poked at a spot on his shoulder, and a strange stain appeared in the rich fabric that hadn’t been there earlier. The spot grew and darkened, and whatever Malcolm wanted to say next, he forgot it as the darkness sprouted into a tiny fairy no bigger than his thumb.

“You brought a fairy child here?” Malcolm blinked in awe at the rare being. Her wings were leathery and bat-like. Claws tipped her spindly fingers, and her feet were shaped like the talons of a bird of prey. She blinked big black bug-like eyes at him.

Night laughed. “No onebringsClapa. She goes where she wants. Don’t you, you little fiend?” he said, his voice full of affection.

The fairy grew until she was big enough to fit snugly in the palm of Night’s hand. She flew in closer, inspecting the marquess, wings buzzing in a flurry at her back.

“Whoot watta?” she jabbered in a tiny voice.

“Your father isn’t going to like that you were a stowaway on my shoulder again,” Night chided. “But go on and say hello to my friend, Lord Malcolm.”

Clapa flew to the king’s head to stand amongst his blue-black hair, chattering and chirping in her strange little language. From there she waved to the marquess. “Lor Mal Mal,” she called.

“Where will you keep your prisoner, Malcolm?” Night asked. His face was stern, but it lost most of its edge as the tiny fairy swung from the point of one of his antlers, bursting into bell-like giggles.

Malcolm wanted to categorize the fairy child as adorable, but something about her mouth full of very sharp teeth deterred him. “Skugborg.”

Night’s expression softened. “That fortress would make a suitable place for holding an army of prisoners. It’s sturdy and nearly deserted. No one around for miles. But . . .”

“My parents died there.” Malcolm spoke the painful thing aloud to spare his king the burden. A prickle of grief stung his chest. “It has a strong place to hold her. Something she’ll fit in properly, and it’s made for an immortal. No horrible iron.”

Night shifted his weight in his seat, and the leather groaned beneath him. “On my command, you’ll confine her there.”

“I will,” he vowed.

“Is it your intention to bond with this woman?”

Of course we will,Solis insisted.

“I’m not sure how successful that will be, given that on your command I’m now her jailer.” Suddenly Malcolm needed a drink. Something tall and cold and strong. Something that would get him thoroughly drunk as fast as possible. “But Iwillkeep her secure until I clear her. I swear it.”

“And you will use your connection to find out what she knows about all this mess. You will learn of this ‘monster’.” Night added, “Do this for her own sake as much as ours.”

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