Page 18 of Dance with the Dragon Duke

The queen stroked the bushy black coat of her demon familiar, her expression patient. “Sora wears a mask at times, I think. It’s heavy and hard and plated like armor because it hashad to be, but her heart is very giving. Much more so than she’d like others to see.”

Her words surprised the duke. It fascinated him that this warrior witch who had survived many battles, bloodied her hands countless times, went face to face with darkest evil and lived to tell the tale, could still have such an optimistic view of others.

He wanted Rain’s opinion of Sora to be true. Certainly, his sister was not the tyrant their father had been. She’d cared for Dark as a hatchling after his Lunar mother had died, had made efforts to shield him from their father’s worst, but ‘giving’ was not the word he would ever use to describe her. There may have been glimpses of decency there, but only glimpses.

“You need not parade me in front of your friends,” Dark said, pushing the snarl from his words out of respect for Rain. “Tell my sister I attended your fae feast this morning with a lovely Seelie duchess on my arm.”

“A lovelySeelieduchess?” Rain’s white brows lifted toward her hairline. “I could tell her that?”

“You could. And you would not be lying, though technically the inheritance of the Duke of Easton still remains in trust. Tomorrow is the daughter of the duke, and she is lovely.”

“How delightful,” Rain cooed.

The Seelie Tree Court and the Unseelie Mountain Court had such a tumultuous history, news of his relationship with Tomorrow—though a secret farce—would draw much attention.

“Well,” Rain said thoughtfully, shifting in closer to her cat, “it’s a shame I won’t be able to take credit for the match, but I do look forward to sharing the news all the same.”

“Technically the credit is yours, Rain,” he said, practicing the use of her informal name and finding he liked it. “The friends you introduced me to, Susan and Margot, were responsible for our meeting.”

“Ah, did you hear that, Bernard? We had a role after all,” she said to her demon, toying with the end of his tail. “We’d never been asked to play matchmaker before. It was a nice change, being a part of something lovely instead of something bloody.” She glanced at Dark, amber eyes glittering. “I’m usually called on to hurt people.”

“You’re very good at hurting people,” he said fondly.

The queen’s attention returned to the bookshelf, scanning the spines. “There’s one last matter I hoped to discuss with you before I release you to your Seelie escort. Sora mentioned you would know best.”

“By all means. My time is yours,” he said politely, longing to be back at Tomorrow’s side. He didn’t like leaving her waiting.

“Bernard and I took in a ward a while ago. A very special little girl,” she said, selecting a thick volume with a gilded title on the cover. It too was written in elven, but the silhouette of a fairy was cut into the leather. “Clapa, our ward, won’t be a fairy child much longer, I fear. She’s been going off on her own for greater periods of time. She always comes back, but it’s clear she’s maturing. She’s explained to Bernard that she’ll need the help of other fairies to . . . I’m not quite sure how to explain it . . . nest?”

Dark was familiar with the process. “Fairies cocoon like a butterfly during the final stages of their development from child to adult.”

“Yes! Sora mentioned that you know where there’s a sanctuary for them. It’s a great relief that you’re knowledgeable about all of this. We love her dearly, but there’s much we don’t understand, and the beings are so rare it’s difficult to find credible information.”

“I’d be more than happy to introduce her to my friends. They’re always ready to help a fellow fairy, especially a child.”

Rain swallowed, and her next words were tight. “Bernard and I have been a bit nervous that once she’s completed this process,she’ll want to remain with her kind. We’ll understand that, of course. She has our support always, but . . . stars, we will miss her so.” The queen’s shoulders drooped, and Bernard yowled forlornly. She scratched under his chin to soothe him.

“Fairy values are a lot like the Seelie,” Dark said gently. “Family is quite sacred to them. Only, the Seelie focus on blood ties and fairies do not.”

“You mean their kin doesn’t have to be related?” Rain clarified, pointing to herself and Bernard. “Like we aren’t?”

“Bibka is the silly word my girls have invented in their tongue of broken Common. Not all fairies are bibka, and not all bibka are fairies,” he explained.

“They choose their families,” Rain said hopefully.

“I’m certain they do. I bring all sorts of things to the sanctuary for them to play with. Things to hunt and eat and trade and fashion into new items. Reptiles and amphibians seem to be a favorite, especially frogs and lizards. I brought them a giant tortoise once, but to my surprise, they never ate him. They care for him, cleaning his shell and feeding him the flowers they pick. They ride on his back and have declared him bibka. No one may hurt him.”

“Fascinating.”

“I am Pap bibka, but I’m still not certain what the designation entails. Whatever it is, it seems to have no impact on how well they listen to me,” he said, chuckling. “They are fond of me, I think, but my words more often than not fall on tiny deaf ears.”

Rain shared a knowing look with her demon cat. “That’s an experience we can relate to.”

“I don’t think you or your familiar have anything to worry about. The other fairies will help Clapa ready her cocoon when the time is right. That seems to be a sacred thing they participate in all together as needed, but I doubt she’ll want to remainanywhere other than here during the change. Maturing is a lengthy process, and although she’ll be asleep inside for most of it, she’ll still want you close. While she’s so vulnerable, she’ll want to be surrounded and protected by her chosen people.”

“There you have it, Bernard,” Rain said. Her amber gaze swam with unshed tears. “We were worried for nothing. We’re her bibka.”

The demon pawed at his mistress affectionately.

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