28. Chapter Twenty Eight Arryn
Chapter Twenty Eight: Arryn
The door to Rhowyn's room swung wide open as she stormed from the room, Lennox following behind her with a smug look on his face. The reason for his smug look made itself known as she approached me, a breeze from her movements rushing toward me and sending her scent spiraling at me. Inhaling, I detected her arousal, almost immediately going hard. Fuck. I adjusted myself as discreetly as I could, hoping she didn't notice.
“What the fuck does Lennox mean when he says you guys are supposed to meet my needs? And that you guys can smell me?” she demanded, anger flashing in her eyes.
I saw Baer enter the living area from where he'd just come from his room, pouting that she wouldn't come eat earlier. I saw the moment when he decided he didn't want to be a part of this particular discussion and tried to leave.
“Baer, get in here,” she snapped. “You are just as much a part of this conversation.”
He slunk in, going to sit on the couch guiltily, blushing as he realized she now knew what we had decided not to tell her yet. I glared at Lennox as he started to fix himself a plate, not concerned in the slightest. The asshole knew we hadn't wanted to tell her that on top of everything else she learned today. She'd already had enough bombshells dropped in one day.
“Can someone please explain what this asshole was talking about!” she shrieked, all but stomping her foot to get an answer from us.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers, knowing I'd have to be the one to explain everything to her. Neither of the guys looked like they would be all that helpful, and Callum still hadn't made his presence known since storming out earlier.
Rhowyn continued to stare us down, arms crossed over her chest and hip cocked out, waiting for one of us to answer her. Despite wearing her comfy clothes, as she called them, she still looked completely irresistible. Her black pants, made from some kind of stretchy material, clung to her every curve, hugging her legs and ass in a way I could only ever hope to do.
Her smell reached me even from this distance, and the sated desire tugged at me, keeping my dick in a semi-hard state. Though I could smell Lennox on her, I could tell he was just as frustrated as the rest of us, despite his smug appearance. All I wanted to do right now was punch him for throwing this at her on top of everything else. And, if I was being honest with myself, for getting her body before me.
“Seriously! No one has anything to say?” she complained, her patience completely gone.
“Sorry, Rhowyn. I'm just trying to figure out where to start,” I explained, trying to calm her down while also trying to buy myself some time.
“How about starting with the truth, Arryn! For once!” she snapped angrily, glaring at me.
“You're right. It's just that we didn't want to tell you this just yet since you were already struggling with all the other revelations from today. I can see now that may not have been the best decision, but it was only kept from you because we were worried about you.” I pleaded with her to understand, holding her gaze steadily.
“You think!?!” she retorted before deflating some when I flinched at her anger. She sighed out, her hands gesturing out in front of her. “Can you see now how difficult it is to get only breadcrumbs? That I'm unable to find my footing when you guys keep dropping bombs on me?”
Baer had the decency to look chagrined, blushing slightly and ducking his head, still not speaking up. Lennox just leaned against the table, his legs crossed in front of him as he continued to eat like the total dick he was.
“I guess I didn't look at it from that vantage point. I can see how this whole thing only makes it more difficult for you,” I apologized.
“I don't need you to say you're sorry. I need some answers. I need to know that I can trust y'all to have my back, being completely honest with me no matter what. Otherwise, this whole thing will never work,” she said resignedly, almost completely deflated by the end.
“I understand, Rhowyn. You're absolutely right. You deserve to know everything we know, and we aren't doing you any favors by protecting you in this way,” I admitted to her, meaning every word. “This is all very new to us as well, but we do have the benefit of knowing what to expect.”
She just raised an eyebrow at me, somewhat amused as if to say, you think? I held back a small chuckle at her expression, knowing she wouldn't appreciate it right now, but gave her a small, hesitant smile instead.
“Wait!” Baer finally chimed in. “Does this mean you'll be accepting the bonds?” he asked her hopefully, gazing up at her with barely restrained energy .
At his question, Lennox and I both watched her closely, holding our breath while waiting for her answer. She turned to look at him almost dejectedly. “It's not like I really have much of a choice, but yes, I've decided to accept the bonds.”
When he jumped up to give her a big hug, arms outstretched, she held her hands up, halting him. “At least based on what I know. Lennox has me concerned again after what he's just told me, but he refused to explain what he meant when he told me you guys can smell me? And that part of y'all's jobs as consorts is to please me? In any way?”
Now she just looked really confused and slightly uncomfortable, waiting for us to confirm or deny Lennox's statements. If I wasn’t mistaken, she seemed to be hoping more for denial.
“Unfortunately, he's correct,” I finally admitted to her, watching closely for her response.
“Which part?” she asked almost hopefully.
“Well, fae are not like humans. Many of the things we can do are different, not just magically. Our eyesight, hearing, and smell are far superior to that of humans. We also have different customs and values. It doesn't make them wrong, just different,” Baer explained, waiting for her to absorb the information.
“So, if that's true, why have I not noticed those things? I'm not hearing or smelling things that I couldn't before,” she questioned, her gaze locked on me.
“If I had to guess, most likely because of your glamor. Somehow it must also be keeping your senses dulled like a human's. It wouldn't do to have you able to hear or smell things other humans couldn't.”
“Okay.” She nodded to herself, thinking about it all. “And because of y'all's enhanced senses, you can all smell me? Even knowing when I've been with one of you physically?” She asked no one in particular but continued to maintain eye contact with me since I had been the only one to give her answers so far. The other two were too big of cowards to do anything but throw me in her path.
“Ah...yes. We can,” I confirmed, hesitantly, needing to clear my throat during my confirmation. The look that immediately crossed her face had me slightly concerned.
“So, the other night...?” Her voice trailed off in a question, but I knew what she was asking me.
I nodded. “I could smell Baer on you. I knew you had kissed him.”
“And you didn't have a problem with that?” she asked incredulously.
“No. Not since I knew he was one of your consorts. Things here are very different from Earth, especially in this. It’s not uncommon for fae to be with more than one fae at a time,” I tried my damndest to explain it to her, but talking about all this just made me picture sharing her with Baer. I resisted the urge to adjust myself.
“You mean during sex? Or in a relationship?” The panic at the thought was growing, but I couldn't say which one made her more nervous. However, underneath the panic, I caught a glimpse of the heat in her eyes. A part of her was seriously turned on at the thought.
“Both,” I answered pointedly, watching her response closely.
She inhaled sharply at the admission, and just before she realized she should be shocked, I saw hunger. Right then, I promised myself I would find a way to see that hunger again with me as the cause.
The silence hung in the air as she stood there in shock. I could see the wheels turning in her mind but had no clue as to her thoughts. Finally, she turned away from me, some of the tension in my shoulders easing as she started to pace, her heavy gaze no longer pinning me in place .
Instead, I watched her hips as she walked away from me, my eyes snapping up as she turned back toward me. In my periphery, I could see both Baer and Lennox admiring her shapely backside as well. It seemed we all enjoyed her thicker human shape. So much more to grab hold of than the other female High Fae, who were leaner and willowier.
“Okay...” she started hesitantly. “I remember my mom mentioning some of this to me, but it wasn’t the thing that caught my attention, what with her telling me I could be a queen. So, what does that mean for all of us?” she asked, her eyes wide and slightly worried.
“That would all depend on what you wanted,” I answered her simply, letting her know that she was the one in complete control here.
My words did their job, and the fear started to recede. At least until Lennox spoke up. The dick.
“Although I'm hoping to convince you to finish what we started,” he threatened as he sauntered to stand in her personal space, bending down to run his nose along her neck to her ear, inhaling her scent deeply. Rhowyn's body tensed as he drew closer, her eyes fluttering shut at the caress of his nose on her skin. She inhaled sharply as he did the same, getting a lungful of her intoxicating scent.
When her eyes popped open after Lennox had withdrawn from her slightly, the heat in her eyes, which met mine, threatened to send us all up in flames. And for once, I wanted to tempt the fates to see what that heat would feel like.
Involuntarily, I took a step toward her, barely catching myself, afraid that if I got any closer, she would panic. My muscles trembled at the effort it took to hold myself back. She wasn't ready for one of us yet, much less three at once. Her nostrils flared; her chest heaved as she seemed to be fighting the same pull as me .
It must be the bond wanting us to complete it, I thought to myself, thankful for her acceptance of it finally. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if she ran from here screaming, especially after everything she had already experienced today.
“What do you mean it must be the bond?” she asked me, her pupils dilating as her eyes continued to hold mine, Lennox still close enough to kiss her.
I must have said my thoughts out loud, a part of me surprised that she had me that rattled. “While it's your choice, the bond will continue to pull us together until you make a decision. Once you do, it should ease up,” I told her.
“Should?!” she asked, blinking and finally breaking the spell between us all.
“It should. However, since you got here, nothing has gone the way I thought it would, so I can't say for certain.” She nodded, accepting my explanation, running her hands over her face. Glancing back up at me, she looked so tired. I held back the instinct that shot through me, screaming at me to pick her up and cradle her until she fell asleep.
Today had been hard on her in so many ways. I wished I could keep her out of all this, but it seemed we were both at the mercy of the land.
She sighed out, her shoulders slumping at the weight on them. If I could bear the burden, I would have gladly done so. “So, is there anything else I need to know?” she asked me firmly.
“Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow,” I told her. When she went to push for more, I cut her off, speaking firmly. “No. Anything else can wait. You've been through enough today. Now, you need to get some rest.”
I could see the battle on her face, wanting to find out more but also realizing I was right. She was completely spent. “You know I'm right. Argue if you want, but we need you at your best if we’ re to have any hope. And right now, you're not at your best,” I said matter-of-factly.
“Gee. Thanks,” she muttered, rolling her eyes at me, but a small smile crossed her face as she gave in.
“Come on, Killer, let's get some sleep,” Baer said, jumping up now that the hard part was done. I tried to glare at him, not pleased, but he deftly avoided my gaze.
I sighed at his antics, deciding not to press him after seeing Rhowyn's eyes light up with a smile as he flitted about her on their way to bed. I watched them the whole way, aware of Lennox drawing up to stand next to me, doing the same.
“I thought it was my turn to stay with her tonight?” he grumbled with an honest-to-fates pout on his face.
I sighed, aggravated. Deciding not to say anything, I turned to him, my fist slamming into his stomach in answer and causing him to double over with an oomph as the air rushed from his lungs. “What the fuck was that for?” he demanded as he stood back up to square up against me.
“That was for being an unmitigated ass. For harassing her for days on end before revealing to her more than she was ready for tonight after having lowered her defenses sexually. She could have found out this information tomorrow, but you just had to mess with her head, like you have the whole time since you met her. Thankfully, she's reasonable and didn't get too upset,” I laid into him, tired of his bullshit.
He had the decency to look guilty, conflicting emotions running across his face as he thought of a way to respond. I didn't give him a chance. “I don't care what your issues are, but you are about to be bonded to her. Take care of your shit so it doesn't come back to hurt her in any way. You may be the prince for now, but while with her, we are equals, and I won't have you causing her any more pain.”
We both knew what I was referring to. We both could see the haunted look that crossed her face from time to time, the guarded nature that could only come from someone who had lived a hard life. She wasn’t ready to discuss it with us yet, but I hoped she would trust us enough at some point to let down those walls.
He regarded me, not bothering to make any excuses, standing up with his arm wrapped around his stomach where I’d punched him. “You're right. I can't promise that I won't still be an ass, years of practice and all that, but I can admit when I mess up. I shouldn't have flaunted that at her tonight. I'm working on getting my shit together, but certain circumstances don't make that easy for me.”
“What do you mean certain circumstances ?” I questioned him, my eyes narrowing as I crowded his personal space threateningly.
He didn't back down, but his shoulders slumped as he avoided my glare. I could see the wheels turning in his mind, and when his eyes met mine again, the resolution and anger I saw was not what I expected.
“My mother is not what she presents to the courts. Everyone knows she can be ruthless, but they don't really know the depths of her depravity. She enjoys her power too much to ever let it go. I don't know what she has planned. I'm not privy to any of that information, but I know her well enough that I wouldn't put it past her to find a way to hold onto the throne.”
He continued, “I was really hoping there was some way out of this for Rhowyn, for both of us, but it doesn't appear that's an option available to us anymore. I haven't yet come to terms with that, and I'm not happy about it. I'll do my duty, but I don't have to like it.”
I nodded, taken aback by this new information from him. I wasn't sure how to respond. “Thank you for telling me this. You may be surprised to know that everyone really does know the depths she's willing to go to. They’ve all just given up hope. Unlike you, I haven't given up hope that I can change things somehow. I believe Rhowyn is our best shot at changing our futures, making sure the people and the land stay safe.” I stopped, considering how much to tell him, not quite sure he could be trusted.
He looked a little taken aback at the information that others knew about the madness of the Queen, her thirst for blood, and the desire for unlimited power. His confusion increased as he tried to read me. He wouldn't get anything from me that I didn't intend for him to see. I had practiced for too long at maintaining my demeanor. It wouldn't do for my true thoughts to slip out in the presence of the Queen or one of her lackeys.
“I'm sure you have questions. However, I'm not sure how much I can reveal to you yet. I have no guarantees on how close the two of you are. It's probably why you’re also unaware of the Court's knowledge. No one could risk revealing their true thoughts to the prince for fear it would be leaked to her. It would have ended in death if they were wrong to trust you,” I tried to explain to him.
“No one could hate her more than I do. I was hoping that these new trials would allow me the chance to escape her grasp, that I could finally be free from all the expectations and masks. Apparently, I should have known better,” he spat out vehemently, each word dripping with disgust at his mother.
I believed him, but I still didn't know if I could trust him. Would he run back to her if things didn't look to be going our way? Did she have her ways of gaining information from him? She had magic that we could never know, access to resources that we didn't. It wouldn't be beyond her reach to have a spell or way of making him talk.
I nodded at him. Deciding against revealing more to him tonight, I instead gave him an ultimatum. “If you really think that way, you'll be on board with helping us ensure Rhowyn is prepared for the trials. You’ll make sure that we’re all ready to face what will undoubtedly be the riskiest trials in fae history. If she plans to hold onto power, she'll have something in store to ensure that no one can win. As Consorts, we must ensure that Rhowyn survives them. In fact, I have every belief that she can win the trials, but we will still need to be ready for anything the Queen can throw at us. We can't do any of it unless you’re on the same page as us. Think you can set aside your own desires so that the people no longer have to suffer under her tyranny?”
He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it even more than it had been after his interlude with Rhowyn. I could see the moment he recognized that I was right. That our only hope from here on out was Rhowyn.
He sighed, “Yeah.”
I nodded sharply. “Then get some sleep. We've got another busy day of trying to prepare her for the shit storm that's about to hit us all. And we'll need to accept the bonds.”
He didn't respond to me, just sighed at those truths before he turned on his heel to head to his room. “Oh, Lennox?” I stopped him as he reached the door to our hall.
“What now?” he huffed, apparently still acting the spoiled brat.
“Do you know where Callum headed off to? Or why he's remained so scarce?”
He shrugged. “Not a clue. We haven't been close in years. Not since...” he trailed off. He didn't finish his thought, but instead left me to stand there by myself to wonder what the Autumn consort was up to.
I knew all of his history, and I had hoped at one point to get him on board with my plans but was never able to get close to him. He was elusive and more shut down than I was, which was saying something.
I walked over and poured myself a glass of whiskey, plopped myself down in the chair across from the fireplace, and proceeded to watch the flames dance as I waited for Callum to return. He and I needed to have a serious talk.