Page 36 of Till Kingdom Come

Bracca started backing us toward the door, and then King Hendris was there with his own guards, wedging in ahead of us and clearing the way. Where had all these people come from? There had been perhaps twenty Elves in the chamber when all this had started, but now a huge throng clogged the doorway and others were trying desperately to fight their way inside and get closer to me. We spilled out into the corridor, and I could hear even more shouting and cheering beyond the palace doors. King Hendris turned before we got to them and spoke urgently to Bracca in their language, and I saw him nod in agreement. We changed courses then and began heading down a side passageway and up a broad, curving staircase. Some of Hendris’s soldiers stayed behind to guard the stairs and not allow anyone else up them.

Upstairs, the hallway was clear and empty, not to mention extremely luxurious and well appointed. He led us to a set of doors and into a huge bedchamber before turning to face us.

“This room is not far from my own quarters, and you’ll be undisturbed here. Put your men outside the door if it makes you feel more secure, but I promise you no one wishes you any harm. The people are simply grateful and excited about what’s happening. We had almost given up hope of saving our city. Apparently, those bolts of light are happening all around the city.”

“I understand, but Killian’s safety must come first,” Bracca replied.

“I’ll go speak to them. Try to calm things down. Rumors are probably running rampant now and some of the people are afraid and don’t understand what’s happening. There are factions in my kingdom that never wanted the true-blood found. I need to go speak to my advisors before panic sets in.”

Bracca nodded, looking uneasy, and King Hendris hesitated. He then bowed stiffly to me and left the room. I’d hardly said a word since the crystal under the throne had started shooting off those strange little sparks and lightning bolts. I think I was too shocked by everything that had happened. One second, King Hendris and his council had been looking at me like I was some cheap conjurer, who had tried to trick them and the next, they’d been falling at my feet.

Bracca sat on the delicate furniture in the room and pulled me down beside him. “Are you all right? No one hurt you, did they?”

“No, I think I’m fine. It was just so unexpected. Not that I had any idea what to expect.”

“Neither did I—and I somehow need to go check on my men. Will you be all right here with just the guards until I get back? I’m going to have them come inside to be in the same room with you—I think I’d feel better about that, because I don’t know anything about this palace. Too many secret passages to suit me. But I need to find out what’s happening out in the city. Why there’s this extreme reaction…and why Hendris seems to be all right with the fact that you’re the new king. I don’t know that I’d be as composed about things if I were in the same situation, and I don’t think I trust him. ”

“Yes, I’m all right. I can go too, though. I want to stay with you.”

“No, you’d better not. It won’t be safe.”

“I can protect myself, Bracca. I’m very good with a sword.”

“Yes, yes, I’ve heard all about that. But those are professional Fae soldiers out there and besides that, there could even be a disturbance if the Elven people catch sight of you. Not everyone will be thrilled that you’re the true-blood, you know. You heard Hendris—there are factions here that want to keep the status quo or install their own king if the kingdom were to fall. You stay here and rest. We’ve had a long journey in the freezing cold and a great deal of excitement once we arrived. My men will stay with you here—Captain Merrit speaks some English.

He called the older of the two men over, though “older” wasn’t truly an appropriate term for these Fae. It was more accurate to say he seemed to have a bit more maturity and some faint lines crinkled around his handsome eyes.

“At your service, Your Highness,” he said with a heavy accent, bowing to me. “We’ll guard our prince’s consort with our lives.”

“Good man,” Bracca said and turned back to me. “There, that’s settled. I need to get the others in an inn somewhere so they can rest and get some food. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

I nodded, because I knew there was no use continuing to argue with any of these Fairies, including my own husband, or maybe I should have said, “especially.”

Bracca smiled. Having gotten his way, he was most cordial in my defeat. And he leaned over to kiss my forehead. He nodded toward a large, cushioned divan near the fireplace. “Rest by the fire until I return. I won’t be long.”

And with that, he was gone. I did as he’d asked and went to sit there, though not with the best humor, I admit. It was a little cold, as the chaise was right by the window, though facing the fire. I pulled a fur over my legs and put my head back. The fire crackled and popped merrily to itself, putting out a fair amount of heat. More magic, I assumed. If I’d had some of that magic growing up, it certainly would have saved me many a trip to the woodshed in my younger days to help haul firewood to the house. My father had servants, but why pay them when they could be busy serving him elsewhere, and he had so many sons who worked for free? All he had to do was snap his fingers to get us to do whatever he wanted.

I snapped my fingers to illustrate, and the curtains beside me caught on fire. They blazed up all the way to the ceiling in seconds with a loud roar, scaring me half to death.

I called out frantically for help and in seconds, the guards came bursting in. One of them snapped his fingers at the fire again to stop it, and the other one raced to get some servants, who yanked the blackened curtains down and opened the windows to clear out the smoke.

What the hell had just happened? I told myself a spark must have flown from the fireplace, but I couldn’t quite make myself believe it. That fire had started only after I had snapped my fingers, like I’d seen the other Fairies and Elves do.

The next few minutes were chaotic with everyone dashing around and asking if I were hurt over and over. I assured them I was fine, but was I? Had it been me who set those curtains on fire? I was afraid to move in case I did something like that again.

I closed my eyes, just to rest them a few minutes, and the next thing I knew, someone was kissing me awake. It was a very nice thing to wake up to, if a little alarming, until I realized I was wrapped in Bracca’s arms, and he was lying beside me. He’d brought the smoky smell of the caves inside with him—or was that the remains of the curtains? I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in his shoulder, as he nuzzled me.

“You looked so peaceful lying here I hated to wake you.”

“I set the curtains on fire.”

“You did? Whatever for?”

“I-I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“I see. Why did you do it then?”

“I was thinking about how I could have used that trick Fairies and Elves have for starting fires when I was a boy and had to keep going out for firewood. And I snapped my fingers and the curtains burst into flames.”

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