Chapter 11
VALANCE
I couldn’t stop thinking about Kormac as I sipped wine on my balcony with Maeve.
Patrols of the forest, Summer City and Titheden City intensified, along with hunts to locate the rest of Lasair’s followers out there somewhere. So far, no evidence of her presence had been found.
“I’m seeing her again tomorrow night,” Maeve finished her story of mermaid sex, sitting in a chair across from mine.
“Good,” I answered. “Pleased to hear it. She sounds like a lot of fun.”
“Oh, she was.”
Maeve had fucked a few mermaids and mermen over the course of the evening, but there was one, Karlette, who’d really captured her attention. They’d spent most of the night together within a grove, enjoying one another, talking when their bodies were done, and the sun was rising.
It sounded like a happy moment.
Seeing as we didn’t have the chance to talk much this morning, we were making up for it as the sun went down in a display of magnificent orange and gold. It left the ocean a liquid fire that took my breath away.
Officially, Maeve was on duty as my personal guard again after her respite. With Boyd still out of action, Garret was still stationed outside.
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
She wiggled her eyebrows. “What do you think?”
“Silly of me,” I sipped more wine. “A potential mer girlfriend.”
Maeve cocked her head. “What’s wrong, Your Highness?”
“Nothing,” I answered too quickly.
“I know you too well. Something is bothering you. Is it Boyd? Of course, it’s Boyd. But something else?”
If I told her my mind wouldn’t move on from Kormac, she’d chide me. Prince or not. I couldn’t be obsessed with humans. Fuck them, yes. But nothing else. Especially those who came from Autumn to kill me under unseelie banners.
Obsessed? I wasn’t obsessed. Far from it. I just…
…I just couldn’t stop thinking of him. The horror on his face as the orchids devoured his fellow prisoner in the garden, then the swift return of his menacing aura.
His projection of strength, the steely determination in his azure eyes.
He hated me so much. His loathing was on full display, only grew to new heights after Preston’s death.
Given the chance, Kormac wouldn’t hesitate to end my life. And he’d make it count.
Revenge always had to count.
So why did the notion of his hands turn me on? Why did my cock twinge when I pictured his hands at my throat? Rough hands, much like the landscaper. Much rougher. Hateful hands on a bigger man, a dirty man. Goodness, he needed to bathe, to cut that beard.
But…
But…
But… His strength, his size. Not a hulking monster of man but built well. A body sculpted by battle, not scholarly endeavors. Hidden beneath his leather armor.
I wanted to know more. I wasn’t ready for him to be executed yet. Well, possibly. It would depend on if he survived the fighting pit. There he could display that body, that strength. Fight for his life, fight for me. If I decided to follow that course of action.
Daire loved the fighting pit. I never paid much attention to them, only attending the occasional fight, betting the odd bit of coin.
They were more of a punishment than a sport to me.
But Kormac piquing my interest made me consider things.
Keeping him in the dark of the dungeons, stinking to the deepest hells, wouldn’t help with my curiosity.
I had to see what he could do. If he would die quickly or become a champion. Uncover that body.
Did I want that for him, though? If he died quickly, he’d be gone.
There were other avenues to explore. My personal slave, put to work somewhere else in the palace, tending to some important work.
Like the gardens. Landscaping. Joining the man I’d followed home.
Maybe they could both have me, take me two at a time in whatever they wanted.
I’m walking strange ground. In this moment, I do not understand myself…
“Your Highness?”
I blinked at Maeve. “Yes?”
“You drifted away.”
“Apologies,” I said. “My mind is busy tonight.”
She nodded and released a heavy sigh. “I wish we could see Boyd.”
As much as we’d wanted to catch up with all the mer festival details, we also needed to be together to alleviate our fears.
Poor Boyd had taken another nasty turn overnight.
Vomiting, running a high fever, shaking constantly.
His fever broke an hour ago, but he was too weak to see anyone.
His doctor didn’t want any visitors until the morning.
Boyd required more rest. However, and reassuringly, the doctor was positive our friend was now through the worst of it.
The shadow magic had really torn through his system. And my father wanted a creature like that to stay alive?
I leaned forward in my chair and patted her knee. “Tomorrow. We’ll see him as early as we can.”
“That would be nice.” Her eyes narrowed. “And so would hanging the sorcerer.”
I agreed with her, keeping the conversation with my father to myself. For now.
She continued to speak about her sexual adventure. I listened for a while, my mind drifting away again.
Ren couldn’t be allowed to live, king’s orders or not.
I’d have to request another audience with His Majesty.
Make him see reason. If there were more unseelie coming to charge the palace and the cities, this could spark some unwanted complications.
Ren was the heart of their operation, the key to their success.
With the sorcerer dead, there could be no glory.
And you are seeing reason with the human, are you?
Different. Kormac doesn’t have magical skills. He doesn’t have to die yet.
I wondered what he was thinking there in his cage. About me? Confused at being alive? Planning his escape? Plotting my death?
I had to see him.
“Maeve?” I cut her off.
“What’s wrong?” Her eyes were wide with concern.
“Nothing. I just… I just need to be alone for a while.”
“Oh. I see.”
I reached for her hand. “There is much on my mind that I need to work through.”
She nodded. “You don’t look invested in this conversation.”
“I’m sorry. I’m being a terrible friend.”
“It’s a prince’s prerogative to listen or not.”
“I really am sorry. Can we start again later?”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
I stood, she stood. I beckoned her to me, and we embraced. “I’m happy for you and the fun you had. I shall have to meet this mermaid.”
Her palms rested on my spine. “I’d like that.”
Boyd was the heavy cloud over everything, but now the desire to see the human prisoner overwhelmed me, too. Guilt nipped at me for ending my Maeve time prematurely, for not listening as a loyal friend should.
I’d make it up to her.
Our embrace ended, and I placed a hand on her lovely elven cheek.
I didn’t say anything because there was nothing left to say.
Potent sadness sat between us the more we stood there.
No amount of mer fucking had truly taken our minds off of our friend’s affliction.
We should stay here longer in one another’s company.
Comfort each other, no me thinking about the human.
“Later,” I said. “I promise you’ll have my full attention. Until then, I want you to go to your room and rest some more. Have Garret and another guard cover for you.”
“I can work—”
I lifted a hand to silence her. “Don’t argue. I command you to rest some more.”
“As you wish.”
“I do wish it.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“Now go.”
We hugged again, and she left, pausing at the door for a moment.
“He’ll really be okay?” she asked without turning around.
“He has to be, Maeve.”
The air cooled within half an hour, a steady breeze in my room. I watched the golden drapes ripple as I paced, considering my next move.
Rain? A metallic scent on the air certainly pointed toward rainfall. It’d been three months since the last showers.
How did I see Kormac? Not down in the dungeons. I was too clean and comfortable to traipse down there. My nose didn’t want the stink.
Then he’d have to come here.