Chap 14
Nothing felt the same.
Penny knew it before the attendants arrived.
Before the servants entered.
Something had changed the moment she kissed him.
She could still feel it.
Like the lingering echo of a bell long after it stopped ringing.
The king looked absurdly pleased by whatever had happened.
For the first time, attendants came to prepare them both for the evening.
Servants carried steaming bath oils scented with roses and honey into the chambers while attendants moved quietly around them.
Yet the king never strayed far.
The moment attendants began removing clothing, Penny's face turned so hot she was certain everyone could see it.
She studied the wall.
Then the ceiling.
Then her stained fingertips.
Anywhere but him.
His hand slipped into hers.
Penny looked up automatically.
A mistake.
She immediately looked away again.
Her mind chose that moment to remember Alyrina.
The lonely mermaid beneath the lake.
The one who still loved him after a hundred years.
Penny squeezed her eyes shut.
She was supposed to be helping Alyrina.
Not noticing that kings apparently had shoulders carved by gods.
The hand holding hers squeezed gently.
Patient.
Amused.
When he started walking, Penny followed while staring determinedly at the ceiling.
It worked surprisingly well.
Until she walked directly into a doorframe.
The king stopped.
Turned her slightly.
Then continued.
A few steps later she nearly collided with a chair.
Again he redirected her.
Never once forcing her to look at him.
By the time they reached the bathing room, Penny felt like a particularly stubborn blind puppy being escorted through a market.
The worst part was that he seemed to find the whole thing charming.
When she refused to look down long enough to step into the bath, he simply picked her up.
Penny made a sound of protest.
The king laughed.
Then carried her into the water.
As though this solved everything.
Perhaps for him it did.
The moment she settled into the warmth, Penny shut her eyes again.
Firmly.
Absolutely.
She would not look.
She would not admire anything.
She would not betray her friend.
Water rippled softly across the bath.
Attendants poured warm water through her hair.
Somewhere nearby, the king settled into the opposite side.
Penny waited.
Counted slowly.
Then, finally, opened one eye.
The bubbles covered him from the chest down.
Relief flooded through her.
She smiled.
Unfortunately, that seemed to make him happier.
His hand immediately found hers beneath the water.
And threaded their fingers together.
Breathing slowly.
Trying to calm herself.
Trying not to think about old magic.
Or vows.
Or accidentally binding herself to ancient vampires while dreaming about sea princes.
Across the room, she felt him.
Not his gaze.
Not quite.
Something deeper.
A strange awareness she couldn't escape.
She knew where he sat without looking.
Knew when he smiled.
Knew when his attention settled on her.
The sensation made her skin prickle.
The king said nothing to her.
Only to the attendants.
Giving instructions.
Asking questions.
Discussing matters of the household.
Yet beneath every word, she felt it.
His happiness.
Steady.
Warm.
Helpless.
The happiness of a man who had spent centuries searching for something he thought he would never find.
And somehow believed he finally had.
No lingering today.
The moment her hair was washed, Penny climbed from the bath and marched toward the adjoining room.
One attendant hurried after her immediately.
Apparently Songbird fleeing in random directions had become a recognized threat.
The gown waiting for her was no longer the simple white silk worn by the flowers in the garden.
This one was heavier.
Richer.
A dress made to last.
The bodice laced like those worn by the vampire women.
No quick-release ties.
No ribbons designed to fall apart at a lover's touch.
Along the hem, crimson roses wound through embroidered vines and thorns.
It remained mostly white.
But only mostly.
The attendant settled Penny into a chair and began attacking the newest generation of tangles.
Penny was behaving beautifully.
Right up until the king walked into the room.
Her eyes immediately shot toward the ceiling.
The attendant gasped as Penny's sudden movement trapped the comb between her head and the chair.
"Ow."
The attendant tugged the comb free.
Penny kept staring upward.
The attendant pushed her head back down.
Penny looked up again.
The attendant made a sound that suggested she was reconsidering several life choices.
Across the room, the king laughed softly.
Penny refused to look.
She felt him moving.
Felt the spark of excitement through the strange connection between them.
Not anticipation.
A surprise.
One meant for her.
A familiar fragrance drifted through the room.
Penny froze.
Sea roses.
The scent struck her instantly.
Salt wind.
Warm stones.
Sea glass hidden in her skirts.
Home.
Her eyes snapped open.
The attendant immediately groaned and pushed her head back into position.
A tiny crystal perfume bottle sat on the table beside her.
The king watched her reaction carefully.
Hopeful.
Almost boyish.
Thankfully, two attendants had already managed to get enough clothing onto him that Penny could safely look in his direction.
She smiled.
The king's face lit up.
And Penny realized, with growing horror, that she liked the gift.
Worse.
She was starting to like him.
Penny immediately shook her head.
As though she could physically fling the thought away.
The king paused.
The attendant behind her paused.
Even the comb paused.
His attention settled completely on her.
He stepped forward, lifted her chin, and looked into her eyes.
Smiling.
"I like you too."
The words were whispered.
Soft.
Private.
Yet they echoed through the strange thread of old magic between them.
Penny's heart stumbled.
The king leaned closer.
Her eyes immediately squeezed shut.
Her lips puckered.
A soft kiss landed on her nose.
Penny's eyes flew open.
The king looked entirely too pleased with himself.
Then he turned and said something to the attendants before leaving the room.
The door clicked shut behind him.
The attendant immediately grabbed Penny's chin and pointed it back in the correct direction.
The comb resumed its battle.
Penny stared at the wall.
Trying very hard not to think about how disappointed she was.
The realization only made the guilt worse.
Alyrina's face flashed through her mind.
Penny groaned softly.
The comb snagged.
Again.
She flinched.
The attendant froze.
Slowly lowered the comb.
Then hurled it across the room.
"Clotted BLOOD!"
Penny bit her lip.
Hard.
The vampire stomped across the room to retrieve the comb.
"I have combed the hair of queens."
She pointed dramatically with the comb.
"QUEENS."
The comb jabbed toward Penny.
"They did not move this much."
Penny immediately knocked over the perfume bottle.
The crystal container tipped.
Sea rose oil spilled across the rug.
The attendant stared.
Penny stared.
The attendant closed her eyes.
Penny snatched the bottle from the floor.
For one brief moment, Penny thought she might throw the comb again.
Instead she sat back down.
Silently.
Fuming.
The comb resumed its work.
Penny folded her hands neatly in her lap.
Carefully hiding the now-empty perfume bottle there.
The old magic still lingered beneath her skin.
A quiet thread connecting her to the king.
She could feel his curiosity through it.
Feel him wondering what she was doing.
Penny smiled innocently.
And immediately felt his suspicion grow.
As she sat still, she noticed something else.
The chambers felt strangely empty without him nearby.
The realization made her frown.
She sincerely hoped that was the magic.
Not herself growing accustomed to his presence.
That thought was far more alarming.
Fortunately, servants arrived before she could think about it any longer.
Silver trays were carried into the room and arranged beneath the tall windows overlooking the garden.
A feast.
Roasted meats dripping with herbs and butter.
Dark sausages glazed with wine.
Rich gravies.
Delicate pastries filled with fragrant minced meat.
Everything prepared with the same care the gardeners devoted to their flowers.
The attendant looked up.
Then slowly lowered the comb.
Like a soldier preparing for battle.
"Take those out of here."
The kitchen servants froze.
The comb pointed toward the trays.
"Didn't you hear? The king's Songbird doesn't eat the kitchen's meat."
The servants immediately bowed.
Apologies flew from every direction.
The trays vanished almost as quickly as they had appeared.
Penny smiled.
The attendant noticed.
"Don't encourage them."
Her fingers resumed weaving ribbons through Penny's hair.
"Holy water and damnation."
She clicked her tongue.
"No one reads the daily notes anymore."
Penny had to squish her face into a very serious expression.
The attendant's constant stream of complaints was rapidly becoming her favorite thing in the palace.
Unfortunately the attendant noticed that too.
"Lucky for me you don't understand a word I say."
The comb pointed accusingly at Penny.
"You are enough trouble by yourself, without you repeating things."
Then the comb returned to work.
The ribbons tightened.
The braid grew.
And for the first time all day, Penny felt herself relax.
The attendant hummed under her breath as she worked.
Then she sighed.
"Poor thing."
Penny blinked.
The attendant continued braiding.
"The king finally looks happy."
Her fingers moved through Penny's hair.
"But if she knew what the Queen was planning, she'd run."
Penny froze.
The attendant clicked her tongue.
"As if anyone tells flowers anything."
Then she laughed to herself and kept braiding.
Completely unaware that every word had been understood.