31. Chapter Thirty One Baer
Chapter Thirty One: Baer
I couldn't help the shit eating grin on my face as I left Rhowyn behind in the room, the utter shock on her face at my words replayed in my mind. I laughed again as Lennox caught up to me, catching my eye, both of us fully intending to follow through on my promise. It would be the perfect ending to this dreadful evening that we were about to face.
That thought had my spirits lowering slightly, a fear I refused to acknowledge tugging at my something in my mind that I couldn’t put a finger on. Callum shoved past me, Lennox, and Arryn to lead the way to the ball, his displeasure evident in every aspect of his movements.
I wasn't sure what his problem was with Rhowyn, but I made a mental note to find out if I could. We needed every single one of us on board if we had any hope of surviving these trials, and I had no intention of losing the fascinating creature who'd been dragged into my life, upending it so completely.
As if my thoughts had summoned her, she caught up to us, her gait matching mine and her intoxicating scent of arousal wrapping around me. That smell kept me so hard that I felt like a youngling again, needing to touch myself or jack off constantly to relieve the ceaseless pressure.
The funny part about it all was that she had absolutely no idea what she did to all of us. Even Callum wasn't immune to her allure. But where he insisted on fighting his desires, I planned on throwing myself headlong into them. As if reading my thoughts again, Rhowyn asked, “So, just how long do we need to be present tonight?”
I threw my head back and laughed at her question while Lennox and Arryn also shook their heads, their shoulders rising and falling in silent mirth, not acknowledging out loud that they'd heard her question.
Once I'd gathered myself, I answered her. “Unfortunately, we'll have to stay until the Queen releases us. That's either a direct dismissal or after she's left for the evening. There's really no telling when that'll be though, since it all depends on her moods.”
She nodded as she absorbed that information. In all honesty, she had so much she needed to learn, but we hadn't had enough privacy to be able to tell her what she really needed to know, like the fact that the Queen was dangerously crazy and psycho. Because of that, a niggling fear started to eat at me, but I brushed it off. The Queen was still of sound enough mind that she tried to keep her true depravity from much of the Court. I knew because soldiers liked to gossip worse than little old ladies with nothing better to do.
Because most of the Court would be present tonight, along with the other Chosen, the Queen would keep most of her crazy behind closed doors. Meaning Rhowyn should be fine as long as we kept her out of the Queen's sights.
“Does the Queen do this often?” Rhowyn asked, looking up at me as we walked the halls. At my questioning look, she clarified, “Throw parties and dinners and balls?”
“She hosts somewhat frequently, I guess. To be honest though, I wouldn't know for sure. Why do you ask?”
“I dunno. It just all seems so silly. I never did understand the need that rich people have to flaunt their wealth or power. Especially when they could do so much more with it all,” she answered honestly.
Lennox turned back in shock at her response, and I could see him fall a little more for her, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned to face forward again, leaving me to respond.
I smiled at his discomfort. I'd already fully committed myself to this and to Rhowyn. Her answer just cemented my resolve to stand next to her even more. She was exactly the kind of queen we needed, and she was clueless to that obvious fact. “I agree. It's why I was serving on the front lines and on Earth. I never wanted my title. I would much rather earn the respect given to me than to have only inherited it.”
“That makes sense. I never did understand royal lines. Kings and queens who ruled countries but never did anything to earn the right to rule over anyone except being lucky enough to be born into the right family.”
Lennox chimed in, not surprising me in the least considering the topic. “I wouldn't necessarily call it luck. The burden of being royal means you can never be free to be yourself, and you can never be secure, never let your guard down.” His tone was somewhat accusing.
It didn't affect her in the least. “Well, maybe if you're one of the good ones who cares about the people, that's true. From what I've seen, the ones who shouldn't be in that position have none of those concerns. More times than not, those are the people who wind up in charge, which I can't understand. I mean, they only have power if the people give it to them, right? So why wouldn't they then just stand up? It's something I never understood in my history classes.”
As she continued, we all glanced at each other, but it was Callum who stepped in her way. “Be careful what you say and where you say it. You have no idea what you're talking about, and you'll end us before we even get started,” he hissed, his anger palpable.
I couldn't fault him for it, not if what I'd heard was true. Plus, he was right. She needed to understand and learn so much more about our world. I could tell she was about to snap back at him, so I cut in to avoid further tardiness. “Killer, he just means that there's always extenuating circumstances, but this is not the time or place to have such a debate.” My eyebrows were raised as I pleaded with her silently to drop the issue.
She studied us both, before sighing. “Fine. I'll drop it for now.” She ended her statement there, but I could see that she would be picking this conversation back up at a later time.
I was okay with that as long as we could keep going tonight. I placed my hand on her lower back, gently encouraging her to start walking again. The tension slowly eased as we made our way to the banquet hall, four guards who stood before the large, closed doors halting our progress. As soon as they saw Lennox though, they immediately moved to open the doors for our group.
It seemed we were some of the last to arrive, and the reason why brought a smile to my face. Rhowyn tensed slightly beside me. It was so slight that if you didn't know her, you'd have never noticed. To be honest, I didn't blame her. Large crowds of unknown people and a swarm of guards would make anyone just a little nervous.
I made sure to stick close to her side as we maneuvered through the throngs of people. I noticed some familiar faces and could pick out the other Chosen as those with a crowd hovering around them, fae who were seeking favor in hopes that their Chosen would become Queen.
I shook my head in disgust at the obvious attempt to climb the social ladder. Thankfully, we didn't have to deal with the ass-kissers. Rhowyn was not a favorite to win the trials, but that was because everyone underestimated her. All they could see was a human, not the immense power that I could feel buried deeply within her that had tried to burst free not long ago. Plus, no one had realized who I was, assuming I was a nobody soldier worth little more than cannon fodder. Add in the playboy Lennox and the traitor prisoner, and we had a motley crew.
The only one who gave people even a small urge to back us was Arryn. He was well known for his skill, magic, and discipline on and off the battlefield. Which meant he was the only one who was being stopped and greeted. That was okay with me, I had never wanted the limelight. Plus, it gave me the chance to stay close to Rhowyn.
“Are you hungry?” I asked as we drew closer to the buffet lined out along one wall.
“I could eat,” she replied with a smile.
Lennox and I led her to the buffet, Lennox snagging drinks for us as a server passed and handed them out, earning a pleased smile from Rhowyn. Callum had already split from us to lean up against a wall.
We made a couple of small plates and moved to the side so we could eat without everyone's eyes on us. Though Callum didn't join us, I could feel his gaze following Rhowyn, drawn against his will.
I listened as Lennox pointed out people and filled her in on all the juicy gossip about them and their proclivities. His antics and the alcohol caused Rhowyn to laugh frequently, showing her a different side of him than she'd seen before.
A loud knock echoed through the room in preparation for the announcement of the Queen's arrival, causing the room to draw silent. No one dared to ruin the moment, the fear palpable. We all turned to face the back of the room where the Queen would enter, and just as the door opened, the announcement of the Consorts was made. Each consort filed out stoically, dressed in their finest, and took their places, standing on either side of the throne.
Once they were in place, the Queen was announced, and the entire room bowed or curtsied as she walked through. Thankfully, Rhowyn was a fast learner, another of her facets that had me so enraptured by her, and curtsied. Granted, it wasn't well, but it was enough to qualify and prevent any unwanted scrutiny.
As the Queen took the dais that held her throne, she paused to face the crowd. “Please, rise!” She gestured with a hand that we should all stand. Once everyone was upright again and watching her, she continued. “Thank you for joining me this evening in welcoming and congratulating all our Chosen and their Consorts. Such a momentous occasion, the trials in which a new queen is selected to ensure our magic continues to flourish in Avalon. It is because of them that we know we will have a bright and prosperous future. So please, enjoy this opportunity to get to know your Chosen before they face the trials. One of them will be your new queen at the end, after all, so it would be wise to get to know them now.
“Also, I want to make the announcement that for the first time ever, thanks to the dedication of Master Jude and his team,” she paused to gesture at the man who was across the room from us. “We have found a way to broadcast to everyone the trials. Which means that we will all get to watch each Chosen as they go through the selection process.”
The room broke out into a dull roar as everyone began to murmur or whisper about what this could possibly mean. My own mind began to race as she continued to describe the specifics. I couldn't help but wonder why she wanted the trials broadcast because it wasn't out of the goodness of her own heart.
A glance at Lennox and the tension he now held in his stance only confirmed my suspicions that the Queen was up to something. I couldn't think of anything she could gain by making the whole process so public, though, and made a mental note to pick the guys' brains later to see what they thought about this change.
“Take your time tonight, get to know your Chosen, and may you back the right one because supporting the wrong one may have consequences down the road. But above all, enjoy your evening and my hospitality, because the trials will begin soon!” the Queen announced before she went to sit on her throne.
She’d probably meant to add excitement to the gathering tonight, but all she had managed to do was ratchet up the desperate tension in the room. Rhowyn seemed immune and unimpressed by what all had just happened, continuing to sip on her drink.
When the room started moving and mingling again, she turned to Lennox and me, asking, “Can we go see Master Jude?”
Never able to deny the woman anything, I answered, “Of course. I see him over there, across the room.” I tilted my head in his direction since she couldn't see him, still so much shorter than everyone else in the room outside of the human servants.
I was rewarded with a beaming smile as she tucked her hand in the crook of my arm, indicating I should lead the way. Lennox laughed and followed us. Callum's eyes tracked our movements, but he didn't move from his spot, doing his best to become a piece of art along the wall.
Arryn was still making the social rounds, but he caught my eye as we headed toward Master Jude. I tilted my head again, indicating our destination, and he nodded in confirmation, resuming his conversation .
We slowly made our way through the crowd but, unlike last time, we seemed to be garnering more interest if the whispers around us were any indication. Some seemed to be curious or kind, but most of the whispers were harsh. Discussion of her human glamor and lack of power leading to some outrageous rumors as to why. Some even speculated how she could be a Chosen and questioned if the process was broken.
Rhowyn’s grip on my arm tightened, the only indication she heard the whispers as she kept her head held high and shoulders back. Her strength of character made her even sexier to me.
Finally, we made it through the crowd to find a smiling Master Jude. Lennox handed Rhowyn another drink, which she promptly took a large sip from before smiling widely at all of us. “And here I thought high school was bad,” she said with a laugh. I joined her, being the only one here who knew what she meant.
I couldn't help but wonder if my Earth-side assignment was fate, preparing me to help Rhowyn assimilate into our world. I knew for a fact that me being the one to fetch her was absolutely fate, but I felt that there was more to it than that. Whatever the reason, I was thankful for it because it allowed us to bond quite quickly, resulting in the best kiss of my life.
And now I was getting hard again as I thought about our plans for later, the things I wanted to do to her flashing through my head. I held back a groan as I remembered we had to survive tonight first. I watched Rhowyn as she spoke and laughed with Jude, who introduced her to a couple of people as they made their way over, their curiosity getting the better of them.
I watched as, one by one, she charmed them all, her candor and honesty refreshing. Slowly, the attitude regarding what she was and what she represented started to change. I even caught a few of her competitors taking notice of her for once. Whether people liked her, hated her, or were indifferent didn't matter. She was the juiciest piece of gossip our realm had been presented with in a very long time. She seemed to be the favorite topic of the evening.
After about an hour, Master Jude made his excuses and started to mingle with others, leaving us to hold down our new spot. Rhowyn turned back to me, her cheeks flushed from the heat and the alcohol. Her eyes sparkled from humor, and I found myself wishing the Queen would leave so we could as well. I wanted to be the reason for her flushed skin and the heat in her gaze. I'd even share the credit with Lennox if it meant I could slide my dick into her warm pussy.
As if catching my thoughts, her eyes met mine and held, the hunger evident there. My nostrils flared as her jasmine and ginger scent touched the air, and I barely held back a groan. I shifted, trying to readjust myself at the same time as Lennox. Arryn finally joined us, his own nostrils flaring and gaze darkening with his desire as he smelled her arousal. I bit back a laugh at his discomfort.
“Hey, stranger,” Rhowyn greeted him, oblivious of the effect she was having on all of us. “I thought you'd never get a chance to rejoin us.”
“Well, I just had to come speak with the belle of the ball. Seems everyone can't get enough of talking about you,” he teased.
“Ugh! Don't remind me,” she said, slapping a hand against his arm and causing us all to laugh at the playfulness. “So, when can we leave, do you think? Does the Queen plan on releasing us soon?”
“Some nights, she can barely be bothered to show up, and others, she stays until early morning, so there's really no way of knowing. It all depends on her mood,” Lennox muttered, his tone darkening as he continued .
“Well, hopefully she gets tired soon. I don't think I can handle much more of this, much less putting up with it until morning.” She finished her drink with those words.
I could tell she was feeling more relaxed because of the drinks, but she wasn't drunk, only having two glasses of honey wine in the last hour and a half. Unlike some of the other competitors, who I could see hanging off their consorts and starting to embarrass themselves. Despite the casual atmosphere of tonight, we couldn't afford to forget that this was a competition. People were weighing and judging us on our suitability to be the next rulers of Avalon. And the behavior they were presenting wouldn't do them any favors.
To be honest, I hadn't seen Rhowyn drink very much her entire time here. Tonight was the most I'd seen her drink, and it still wasn't very much. I wondered briefly if it was a conscious decision on her part.
Noticing movement near the throne, I turned to see the Queen rising, obviously preparing to retire for the evening. A loud knock drew everyone's attention to the front of the room as the Queen waited for all eyes to be on her. Once she had everyone's focus, she began speaking. “Thank you everyone for joining me tonight in celebration of our Chosen and the start of the trials. Other business matters call me away, so I must leave you now, but please enjoy my hospitality. Servers and staff will be present through the night to meet any of your needs.”
Suddenly, Rhowyn stumbled forward, bumping into a human servant holding a tray of drinks. I watched in almost slow motion as Arryn caught Rhowyn from falling on her face, but the servant dropped her entire tray, shattering every glass and spraying drinks and shards all over everyone in the area. A couple of guests shrieked in response before silence settled in, along with a sense of foreboding that skittered up my spine.
Not noticing the change that had everyone holding their breath, no doubt waiting on the Queen's response, Rhowyn rushed to help the human servant up. Just as Rhowyn reached the girl, placing her hands out to help her stand up, the room echoed with a resounding “Halt!” from one of the Queen's Consorts.
Rhowyn froze, her hands still on the servant, as she turned her head to face the dais, finally noticing the tension in the room. A look of confusion crossed her face, I wanted to draw closer to them, an almost overwhelming need to protect Rhowyn rushing through me, but I didn't dare risk angering the Queen further.
“What is the meaning of this interruption?” the Queen demanded as she descended the dais and made her way over.
The servant simply whimpered and started to cry. Seeing her discomfort, Rhowyn stood to face the Queen. “It's a simple accid...”
“Silence!” the Queen snapped, causing Rhowyn to flinch back as if physically slapped. “I didn't ask you. I was addressing this human who was granted my gracious benevolence and has proceeded to disregard this fact, only to cause disruption.” The Queen glared at Rhowyn before facing the servant still on her knees, a furious glee entering her eyes. The Queen was enjoying this.
Off to my side, I caught sight of another Chosen with her Consorts, blonde and slender, holding back a smile, but the joy and satisfaction on her face were evident.
The timing was a little suspicious, but before I could identify why exactly my warning bells were going off, the Queen snapped, “I asked you a question, child. Why would you think you could take advantage of my kindness, only to destroy my property and interrupt my gathering? ”
Lennox's body was vibrating with tension next to me, but his expression remained blank. The servant blubbered out, “I...I... I'm sorry... Your M...M...Majesty.”
The Queen glided around the servant, who kept her head bowed dutifully, even if she trembled as if in an earthquake. “Sorry, doesn't put my beautiful China back together. Sorry, doesn't replace the time you've stolen from me now that I have to deal with this. Sorry, doesn't bring back the joyous atmosphere that your clumsiness has thoroughly ruined, now does it?” The Queen paused in front of the servant, her hands clasped behind her back as she spoke, her tone chastising.
“N... no... Your Majesty,” the servant whimpered brokenly, her sobs making enunciation impossible.
The Queen studied the servant for a long moment before sighing. “As much as it pains me to do so, I cannot allow this to go unpunished. If I did, chaos would ensue among all the servants. You understand what that means, don't you?” She spoke each word patiently, almost as if speaking to a toddler.
“Y...y... yes, Your M....M...Majesty,” the servant stuttered as her body almost began convulsing, shaking that hard with fear.
“Jensen,” the Queen called, holding out a hand patiently, her eyes never leaving the poor girl. Her face displayed displeasure, but her eyes betrayed her this close up. They sparkled with what I could best describe as glee at the prospect of the whipping she was about to dole out.
The crowd remained silent as Jensen scurried up and placed the coiled whip in the Queen's waiting palm. Once in her grip, the Queen slowly unfurled it. “This hurts me more than it will hurt you.”
The simple statement caused realization to dawn on Rhowyn's face. The horror and disgust were unmistakable as she realized just what the Queen meant by punishment . Just as quickly as the horror arrived, I watched as her demeanor hardened, and anger flared her nostrils. It was at this moment I knew she was going to intervene, and fear claimed me fully as I also realized I couldn't stop her in time.
The Queen raised her hand holding the whip, preparing to snap it down on the back of the servant who remained kneeling. Before the whip could fall, Rhowyn stepped between the Queen and the servant. “Your Majesty, if I may?” she said, her head bowed meekly. She rushed on, barely waiting for a response. “It's not her fault. I ran into her and caused her to break the glasses.”
The Queen's eyes flashed with anger, obviously not liking being questioned, but I could also see extreme pleasure. It was then I realized that things were about to get a whole hell of a lot worse before we got out of here tonight.