Her smile spread over her whole face and radiated from her in a wave of ecos I felt spreading around through the fae gathered in the room, her way of reinforcing life. I couldn’t stay mad at her when she looked like that, when she gave life force to the fae in this court.
As if reading my dilemma, my mother said, “Sometimes you’ve got to choose your battles, dear.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. Then I took the ring out of its box and slid it onto my finger. The metal warmed upon making contact with my skin, and a soft thrum vibrated through it, a constant reminder that I wore it, but it wasn’t irritating.
“How do I know if this works?” I asked, staring at the ring on my finger.
It really did look plain. A simple metal band without any recognisable markings. No design to it whatsoever. It would go unnoticed by anyone unaware of what to look for.
The king grinned. “We can test it out this once.”
He stood up from his throne and pulled me into a hearty hug. I yelped before I realised nothing else happened.
I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but it felt good to be hugged. I’d missed this kind of contact, but I squirmed out of his embrace the first chance I got.
He didn’t linger. “Welcome to the family, Isay,” he said before sitting back on his throne. “I hope that in time you’ll feel at home here.”
“Thanks,” I muttered under my breath. I doubted it.
Chapter 6
KARMUTH
A REGION IN MY GUT ITCHED AGAIN. IT WAS TOO SOON, AS I’D JUST taken care of it three nights ago, but the itch was unmistakable.
It wasn’t that I had to feed again, because god knows I didn’t. The life force I’d gotten from Sela and through the servant afterwards took care of that. The regular bursts Queen Siya sent through the whole court maintained my ecos level at a steady high even as I let most of it pass me by.
This itch was something else, and it started the moment Isay walked into the throne room.
Now it had been totally bearable, if a little inconvenient, but the same place started throbbing painfully when the king pulled Isay into a hug. I’m not talking about my dick. That was a completely different sensation, when unwanted thoughts filled my brain now that Isay wasn’t completely untouchable any longer.
The king’s warning of not using this new development for my specific entertainment rang clear, but my body refused to get with the program.
I could easily take care of the discomfort below my belt, but I had no clue how to scratch the prickle in my gut. As far as I knew, it always went away after my sessions with Sela and didn’t come back for several weeks, often together with the need to feed. I’d assumed it was another way for my body to let me know I was running low and needed replenishments. I wasn’t running low now, and my gut twisted like a motherfucker anyway.
Isay stepped away from the king and some of my tension eased, but the original itch remained. What the actual f—
“—family, Isay. I hope that in time you’ll feel at home here.”
I breathed deep through the king’s words, needing to stay calm before I reacted poorly. I saw the joy in both Grath’s and Siya’s eyes at being finally able to hug his stepdaughter, but all I felt was bitterness and that terrible itch.
“One more thing before you go,” the king said, and I knew it was the part that explained why we had to be present for this damn meeting. Any two guards could have kept the servant girl at bay; you didn’t need five fully trained warriors for that.
Isay’s footsteps stilled, and I realised she’d been walking towards the exit without being dismissed.
“I’m assigning you personal guards who will make sure you’ll be safe at all times.”
That got Hiko’s attention. “Father—”
“It’s non-negotiable.”
Isay’s eyes flicked between the king and us while mine were now fully focussed on her. A flush on her cheeks either meant she found this idea appalling but was opposed to arguing with the king again, or it thrilled her to have five males following her every move.
Hiko tried again, “But—”
King Grath raised a hand to silence him. “I want one of you with Isay at all times, starting today.”
Everyone but Hiko bowed their heads in agreement. I locked my eyes with Isay’s as I accepted the assignment, and her flush grew.
Now, that was interesting. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. That’s when she looked away and marched out of the throne room, still without being dismissed.
I tapped Sinister on the shoulder and nodded toward where Isay had escaped. “First watch?”
He gave me a curt nod. We both looked toward King Grath, but he was busy giving Hiko the look. You know, the one that expresses how disappointed a parent is over the decisions their offspring makes.
I cleared my throat, waiting for him to notice us. His eyes travelled to me, and I forced my posture to still and my feet to not tap impatiently. King Grath was quite easy-going when you ran into him out in the courtyard or in the dining room.
In the throne room he had two rule: Don’t speak unless spoken to, and do not leave until dismissed. Isay had overstepped both of them, but I didn’t dare to do more than clear my throat for attention.
“What is it Karmuth?” King Grath drawled.
“My king, may we go after her?”
He waved his hand towards the exit, and I was off before the words left his mouth. “Your presence is no longer required. Everyone but Hiko may leave.”
Sinister followed me out to the hallway where I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, then shook my head. “She never learns, does she?”
I pivoted left. You know what else was to the left? The kitchen.
