Chapter 21
Daisy
The corridor filled up quickly with swishing dresses, sewn-on jewels, and fierce-gazed “servants” following too closely. Bodyguards, obviously, amid actual servants who gave the powerful elite a lot more space.
As they moved, gazes found Daisy. They had barely turned a corner when the whole corridor worth of nobles eyed her.
I assume the crystal chalice magic is on full display? Daisy surmised. She still controlled that part unconsciously. The contraptions weren’t helping her figure it out.
Yes, Tarian said. You want to be noticed, and you’re letting your magic shine. As you should.
She wasn’t sure about that last part.
Careful not to look anyone in the eye or seem to notice them at all, she took in every garment. Every jewel and its possible worth, its placement. Every shoe.
Okay, well, noticing the shoes was because she was just not getting the fashion here. The footwear never seemed to match the clothing and accessories.
It was when she noticed skin that she started to feel uncomfortable.
The black lines on these fae’s skin are because of magic, right?
she asked as a male stopped along the wall of the somewhat busy corridor to watch everyone pass.
He was up to no good—his shifty eyes gave him away.
He had lines curving around his cheekbones, running under his eyes and over his forehead—he had so many black lines on his skin that they almost ran together.
Between them was the unnatural gray, obviously caused from the same affliction.
The result of twisted magic, yes. Remember when my magic was healing the poison from the Celestial weapon?
That’s what these fae’s magic is trying to do.
They are trying to heal the wrongness in their system.
But their magic is twisted, so they are making things worse.
They are pushing the magic more out of balance, and it will then seep into those around them.
It is black because it is unseelie magic.
Celestial lines would be gold. Those of the Ruby kingdom would be deep crimson, etcetera.
They don’t look in a mirror and get nervous that their magic is very clearly fucked up?
They can’t see it, he said, slowing as the way before them grew more crowded. Twisted magic doesn’t want to be rooted out. It’s a disease. It wants to infect. They see themselves as completely normal.
And no one is like, “Hey, you’ve got the twisted plague, bud. Maybe get that checked out.”
In this court? No, because the royals are worse.
To call it out is to call them out, and no one would dare.
Usually, the Celestials, on a routine visit, would see what was happening and step in, but because of the deal concerning me, there are no routine visits, at the peril of the realm and the destruction of this kingdom.
And so everyone here fights with that magic every day.
They fight the toxicity that tries to seep into their bodies. Into their very beings.
Fuck, this place was awful.
Yes, it is, Tarian murmured.
But… Daisy paused as a lesser noble female, with hardly any jewels and no arrogance at all, stepped in Tarian’s way. She was all smiles and flashing eyes, her gaze gliding over his body and sizzling at his physique.
Daisy looked away as a flash of jealous rage blindsided her. Suddenly, she was siphoning off the female’s magic without knowing she’d started, ready to bleed her dry and leave her as a pile of bones and sinew on the floor.
Hmm, I like that you are possessive of me, little dove, Tarian purred. Magic swirled across Daisy’s body pleasurably, making her gasp at the sensations.
“Stars above,” the female said in shock, looking at Tarian’s eyes. She beamed, slinking down into a sexy pose and using her fan to cool her heated face. “I would brave the curse for you, Tarianthiel. I would—”
His look of disgust could’ve wilted flowers. “I have no use for someone such as you. Be gone, despicable varmint.”
“But…but your eyes—”
“Have nothing to do with you.” He walked past her, a hardcore rejection despite his using “varmint.”
She was one of the females kneeling at my feet, forcibly trying to get me hard, he spat. She can rot in hell.
Fair enough.
Also… He sighed as the way remained crowded.
What is taking so fucking long? He angled his body away from a pair of females who also had their fans active, their lips curled in a snarl at Tarian, but their eyes appreciating his appearance.
They might hate him, but they couldn’t help admiring his beauty.
Varmint is a grave insult here. I think humans are better at insults all around. We don’t have quite the same punch.
Daisy continued to siphon magic from the varmint. The female didn’t seem to notice, and Tarian needed vengeance—the female would soon die of questionable causes.
Will they know it was you? he asked, moving himself and Daisy more toward the other side of the corridor.
The siphon started to wane, allowing her to increase the power. The result would be the same.
Only if they know what I am, and Eldric assures me that only you, the Fallen, and he have that information. Speaking of which, what are you going to do if Eldric tries to betray you?
Kill him and seek restitution with the order. I have him monitored, and he doesn’t seem to know it.
As the gods will it.
Tarian started chuckling before wiping his fingers over his mouth to hide his response.
That would never do. She was a toy—her purpose was to amuse. She was also here to mindfuck these fae. They wanted Tarian…and she had him. Time to make them squirm.
She slunk closer and ran her hands up his chest. She grabbed his lapels and angled her face up, wanting a kiss.
His eyes tightened warily. He wanted to pull away. She saw it. He wanted to follow the script he knew from years of trial and error, presenting himself as an angry, though aloof, murderous fae.
He trusted her, though. They’d made a pact, and even though she didn’t know this place, she knew how to properly interact with people to get what she or her family needed. She had an affinity for it.
He ran his hands across her hips, bending toward her and lightly pressing his lips to hers.
She opened her mouth, and he complied there, too, swiping his tongue through.
She ran her hands against his chest, the tides of desire pulling at her.
Struggling for control, she looped her arms around his neck, but jolted when he reached around her and grabbed her butt.
He pulled her in, rubbing his hardness against her.
She groaned as she thought, Are you in control?
Nope, and it feels fucking amazing.
He’d always liked the free fall. Even in the beginning, even when they were fighting for their lives, he had wanted to get lost in her. Jump into the abyss with her.
He was doing so now.
He rubbed against her as he deepened the kiss, consuming her. Pulling her with him. Fae stared, clustered in groups and starting to chatter. In a moment, it all faded away. All she knew was his body pressed against hers, his kiss, his hands.
You gotta get moving, someone said in their heads, one of the Fallen, but she was too distracted to know which one.
Tarian complied, but not in the way they’d wanted.
He ground against her harder before reaching up her dress.
“Holy fu—” She clutched him.
“Hmm, you’re so wet for me, dewdrop,” he murmured against her lips, sliding two fingers in. “Touch me.”
She pulled one arm from around his neck and reached between them, finding his length through the fabric and rubbing.
“That’s right,” he growled, his thumb touching down and sending her reeling into pleasure. “Pull out my cock and show everyone what you do to me. Prove how much I lust for you.”
She angled herself so she could get at his pants. His buttons fell away, and she reached inside, not finding underwear. He’d had the same thought as her. She freed him and, with the other hand, pushed his shirt higher to expose him.
“Good.” He worked her harder. “Stroke me slowly. I want you to come before you drop to your knees and suck my cock.”
Desire tightened her at his words. At their display.
She did as he said while he worked faster. His thumb circled, and his fingers plunged. His kiss was passionate and deep.
She rocked against his fingers. Her body wound tighter.
“Come for me, dove,” he commanded her, and she peaked, curling her toes. Her eyes fluttered shut as she groaned. Stroking him was forgotten while she reveled in bliss.
Her movements were slinky in the aftermath, and she didn’t need his next command.
She opened her eyes and captured his gaze while she dropped down.
He took over holding his shirt as she took him in hand again.
She stroked once, twice, while giving him a seductive smile.
Everyone saw his state of arousal. They all stood by, transfixed.
She’d never done something like this in front of an audience, but somehow, it heightened her pleasure.
She liked knowing so many watchers were rapt, seeing what she could do to Tarian.
Seeing how eagerly he responded to her when he wouldn’t respond to any of them.
It made her feel exposed, but sexier. Taboo but powerful.
Thoughts of love once again whispered across her mind as she licked the tip sensuously, a bit dramatically, then sucked him in deep.
Deep as she could and then a little more for good measure.
Her eyes started to water, and she let them.
Let the makeup run. She backed off and sucked in again, working her hand in tandem.
He reached down and grabbed her hair as she bobbed on his length, looking up at him the whole time.
His eyes were on fire as he watched her. As everyone watched her. His body started to tense. His breathing became ragged.
It’s really too bad you can’t come all over my face, she thought, and he shuddered in climax, throwing his head back and groaning for all to hear.
She finished up as he jerked, sensitive now. When he was done, she rose gracefully and tucked him back in.
He looked down at her, wobbly-kneed and with a grin.
“Perfection,” he cooed before straightening his clothes and tucking her under his arm.
That is what I was talking about in the fringe.
He tilted her chin up with his fingers before running his lips across hers.
The rush. It was as perfect as I’d imagined, and in the perfect place.
The princess has been watching us. Shall we go meet her?
Daisy barely stopped herself from looking around.
Sure, she replied. By the way, do you need some magic? She smiled ruefully as a body hit the floor up the way. I happen to have some from that vengeance I claimed on your behalf a moment ago. You’re welcome.
Fantastic. I’ll use it to vanish the royal black from around my irises when I meet the princess. She’ll be thrilled.
He took her hand amid cries of worry and outrage, gasps and startled looks. A bodyguard knelt beside the noble female, and the servants had scattered to the wall. The other nobles in the area pushed well away, bumping into each other.
Questions flew within the murmuring crowd.
“Who killed her?”
“How’d she die?”
“Was it an alliance gone wrong?”
“Did she wrong someone?”
“Tarianthiel,” someone whispered, near Daisy’s ear. “Tarianthiel…naughty, naughty. I know it was you.”
A female waited in the center of the open doors leading into the Court Hall.
Black lines so thick they looked like pasted-on hair covered half of her face, drifting down over an eye and ending at the top of her jaw.
It almost matched Daisy’s hairstyle, except her hazel eye peeked through with a reddish hue taking over the white.
Another smear of black crawled in from her hairline on the other side, over her cheekbone and almost to her mouth.
The gray of her skin nearly looked like paint.
Every other inch of her was covered in a billowing black dress with a shining black design woven through, easily lost amid the staggering number of jewels.
Daisy couldn’t decide if she was putting her enormous wealth on display or using it as a cover-up for what she knew was a problem. Even though Tarian said they didn’t see the effects of the twisted magic, the fae most affected were the ones with the most cover. That couldn’t be a coincidence.
The female’s bodyguards stretched to the sides amid the columns. Their eyes constantly surveyed the crowd, all stopped and waiting for the princess to get out of the way and let them through. But she was waiting for Tarian.
Tarian’s shoulders tightened, the only indication of her unwanted attention. He strolled toward her confidently, Daisy’s hand in his.
The princess’s eyes were locked on him. Her smile twisted into a disturbing, cruel thing.
Then her gaze swung to Daisy, and pain flared in Daisy’s body. She hadn’t even been introduced and she was already under attack.