Chapter 51
It was the fair-haired Kalen who’d spoken. He looked as shocked as I felt. Standing beside him, Faye looked as if a slight breeze might knock her flat on her back. And of all people to be here, Tanner was with them.
He looked like he was seconds away from vomiting.
The five of us just stared at one another in silence while my heart pounded against my ribs. I thought I might hurl. Tanner and I could go puke together.
Tink was the first to break the silence.
“I dyed my hair,” Tink announced. “Do you all like it? I think it complements my skin tone.”
For the first time in, well, forever, Tanner ignored Tink. “You’re pregnant,” the leader of the hotel said. “By…” He seemed as if he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
My throat dried. “I…”
“We heard her,” Faye said, blinking as her features settled into their typical blandness. “I don’t think we need her to repeat it.”
This couldn’t possibly be any worse.
Well, if Caden had been with them, that would have been worse.
“I knew…” Tanner paused for a rough inhale. “I knew there was something between the two of you. It was obvious even before your abduction. I thought it was a passing fancy, but the way he behaved while you were missing told me it was more.”
“Told everyone it was more,” Kalen muttered under his breath.
“Now I understand his reaction earlier, why he demanded to be with you—”
“Wait.” I shot out of the chair. “He doesn’t know.”
“What?” Faye’s brows lifted.
“I haven’t told him. I don’t plan to tell him—”
“What?” Tink echoed in a demanding tone.
Kalen pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have a feeling I’m going to regret coming out here tonight.”
“What do you mean you’re not planning to tell him?” Tanner asked.
“In other words, are you out of your freaking mind?” Tink cried.
“This is like one of those daytime talk shows,” commented Faye.
Kalen glanced at her. “You’re thinking of Maury?”
The female fae nodded.
“Love that show,” Tink chimed in.
“He behaved that way and doesn’t know you’re carrying his youngling?” Tanner asked.
“I’m going to be the godfather,” Tink announced.
“Thoughts and prayers for that child,” Kalen said.
“I know humans have their own views on these types of matters.” Tanner lifted his chin. “But we believe that the father has the same rights as a mother—”
“Okay, everyone needs to shut up for a second, stop judging me and listen,” I snapped, a fine sheen of sweat dotting my brow.
“I just found out today, and I am planning to tell him eventually. But not right now. None of you are going to say a word to him. For two reasons. Number one—it’s none of your business. ”
Tanner sucked in air, looking absolutely affronted. “He is our King.”
“And this is still not your business,” I told him. “The second reason is because I’m trying to do the right thing, and that does not involve giving him a congratulations card at the moment.”
Kalen’s brow wrinkled.
“I’m about to tell you all something that I hope shines a whole new light on this situation.
Caden chose me. Not his betrothed. Not any other fae.
He ended his engagement with Tatiana.” The stunned gasps from the three fae echoed like thunder.
“I don’t think he’s going to pick another fae, and I’m sure as hell not into a party of three.
He loves me. I love him, but I know what will happen if he doesn’t choose a Queen.
I know what’s at stake. I assume each of you understands as well. ”
Tanner was slow to nod, even though he looked a little green under his silvery skin.
“So I know that no matter what I want, what he wants, it can’t be.
” My voice warbled, and when Tink opened his mouth, I pointed my finger at him.
“I do not need to hear how love is worth everything. Do you think I don’t want to run in there and throw my arms around him and never let go?
This isn’t easy for me, but I am pregnant.
I am going to have a child. And even though I have no idea how to even raise a kid, I know I don’t want to bring him or her into a world that will go to hell in a handbasket.
I know Caden needs to marry one of his own.
I know the entire fae race and all humans depend on that.
So, no. I’m not telling him anything until he’s happily married. Then, I will tell him.”
Breathing heavily, I willed the knot of emotion swelling in my chest to fade.
It had to. “So if any of you have any hope of preventing a catastrophe from happening, then you will keep your mouths shut about this, and you will do everything in your power to make—” I tried to swallow, but the knot had crept into my throat.
“Everything in your power to make sure he marries Tatiana or another fae. That’s what you should be doing.
But if you tell him what you overheard… I don’t know what he’ll do.
” Pressing my lips together, I shook my head as I remembered him talking about his sister Scorcha.
I tried to push away the image of him brushing the knots out of a little girl’s hair.
I tried to forget how careful and gentle he was when he did it for me.
I cleared my throat. “I have no idea what he’d do, but it won’t help to make sure the right thing is done. That much I do know.”
No one spoke.
Not even Tink. Not for a long time.
It was Tanner who finally did.
“You are doing the right thing,” he said. At his sides, his hands were opening and closing.
Finally! Finally, someone realized that I was doing the right thing. There was no relief, though. No joy. Just a heaviness that threatened to drag me to the ground and then through it.
“It gives me no pleasure to hide anything from my King, nor does knowing what you must be going through. But the future of our Court and of this world is paramount and trumps our needs and desires,” he continued. I felt myself nodding slowly. “We’ll keep your confidence, Brighton.”
Sitting down in the chair, all the energy went right out of me. “Thank you.”
His mouth tightened.
“Neither Faye nor Kalen will repeat a word of what was overheard or discussed here,” Tanner announced, and for the first time, I saw his mask of civility slip a little, revealing the deadly creature underneath as he looked to the two of them. “Do you understand me?”
Faye looked uncomfortable but she nodded. “I do.”
“I was right. I regret this.” Beside her, Kalen thrust a hand through his hair. “I don’t like this. He’s our King.”
“I’m not asking if you like it.” Authority bled into Tanner’s tone.
“None of us do. But we must do things we don’t like to protect the future, no matter how distasteful we find them.
” His hands stilled as his gaze met mine.
“And I promise you that what you’re doing will not be in vain.
I will do everything in my power to ensure that. ”
I nodded again because I felt distasteful.
I felt wrung out. I felt everything and nothing as Tanner bid us goodbye.
The others followed, but Kalen stopped and whispered something in Tink’s ear.
The brownie nodded solemnly. At any other time, I would’ve been curious to know what was said, but right then, I didn’t have the brain capacity for it.
Tink sat beside me. “So…”
Wearily, I looked over at him.
“That was awkward.”
I laughed, but it didn’t feel right. “Do you think they’ll keep silent?”
“I believe so.”
“And you?” I whispered.
“Of course. I don’t want you to throw away my packages.”
I smiled at that.
He leaned in, resting his forehead against mine. “You know what I think?”
I was half afraid to ask. “What?”
“I think you’ll make a good mom. After all, I’m one hell of a test run.”
I spent the following two days with Fabian and Tink as my shadows.
If I wanted to go out into the courtyard, they went with me.
If I stayed in my room, they kept me company by either joining me on the bed to watch bad reality television or a movie in the living room area of the suite.
I didn’t think I’d ever spent that much time in bed with one man before, let alone two.
I knew they were there because Caden wasn’t, and I had a feeling they were with me at his request. Not that I believed they didn’t want to spend time with me, but it wasn’t like I was great to be around. I was the living embodiment of morose.
I hadn’t talked to Caden since I’d told him I didn’t love him, but I woke in the middle of the night, swearing that his scent was in the room.
Often, when I was in the courtyard with Fabian and Tink, a shivery wave of awareness broke out along the back of my neck and over my skin.
I’d turn, fully expecting to find Caden there, looking at me in that intense way of his.
But he was never there, just like when I woke in the night—the room was empty.
I couldn’t make sense of how I felt. I didn’t know what to think or feel. A stupid part of me had been pleased to know that Caden had possibly been the one to deliver the food or could be watching me while I was in the courtyard. The other half of me wanted to punch myself in the face.
Tanner and the others had kept their vow so far. I figured I would know if they’d told Caden about the pregnancy, but when I walked out to the courtyard with Fabian and Tink Friday evening, I saw that he was diligently working to make sure that Caden chose a Queen.