"Extinguisher Seren," a stern voice came from the doorway on the left, and we all looked up to see Councilman Murdock walk down the steps. "We're relieved to see you're in good health." He paused; looking at my head strangely for a second before he blinked and went on. "Please come inside with your entourage.""My entourage?" I whispered to Abby, and we giggled as we followed Murdock inside the house."Your father has been"—Murdock glanced at Tiernan and Torquil as he shut the door behind us—"unstable since he heard the news.""Is he all right?" I instantly went serious."He's unhurt physically." Murdock sighed and gestured to a sitting room on our right. "Please, sit down, and I'll have some refreshment brought in. Extinguisher Abigail, return to your duties.""Yes, sir," Abby said immediately but kissed my cheek and whispered to me before she left, "I'm so happy you're back.""Thanks, Abby."We all sat down as Murdock went to ask someone to bring us tea, and I began to fidget
"I've planned an evening out," Tiernan announced as he walked into the suite we were sharing with Torquil.It wasn't the same suite we'd been in before—I think my father still occupied that one—but it had the same layout; open socializing area with an attached kitchen and rooms off to the sides. I'd been in the little kitchen, making me some tea, when he'd walked in."I don't want to go out," I said immediately as I turned to face him.I froze; the rest of my refusal dying on my lips. Tiernan was dressed in jeans and a cornflower blue, button down, silk shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to show off his muscular forearms; the kind of muscles warriors got from swinging swords and lifting heavy shields. His long hair was simply blond again but it streamed across his shoulders in careless luxury like an expensive accessory he'd forgotten about. His eyes were glamoured deep cerulean and although the coloring was completely normal, it was a striking look for him. The blue was nearly as br
"Monarch?" I looked from the sign above the club entrance to Tiernan as Abby and Torquil got out of the limo behind us."Where else would a princess party?" Abby asked. "Well done, Mr. Ti—""Do not." Tiernan held up a finger to her."Tiernan," she smiled sweetly as she finished the name. "I was going to say, Tiernan.""Uh-huh." Tiernan grimaced."What does XXX DVD mean?" Torquil was staring across the street at a large sign which announced the availability of DVDs and an arcade.""I rest my case." Abby shook her head. "He's a prude.""Princess?" Torquil looked to me for help."DVDs are plastic discs which are used to store information. Those, in particular, have movies on them; moving images used to entertain," I tried to explain. "Like little pictures of real life; moving pictures... movies.""Yeah, except XXX means the movies are pornographic," Abby added and then chuckled."Pornographic?" Torquil still looked confused."The boy doesn't even know what pornographic is!" Abb
We danced until I was weak with wanting and finally pleaded for mercy. I didn't want to drink and suggested that we find a restaurant for a late dinner instead. They all agreed eagerly; I guess I wasn't the only one who had worked up an appetite. In fact, Torquil looked a little flushed when we walked out of Monarch."Oh, shoot; F-U War is closed," Abby whined as we walked down the sidewalk."Abby." I shook my head and chuckled."You know they named it that on purpose. I'm only being obliging." Abby shot me a look over her shoulder since she was walking with Torquil, in front of me and Tiernan. She had her arm through Torque's, and he looked damned comfortable with it. That had me a little worried, but it wasn't any of my business. If Abby wanted to thwart convention by taking a fairy lover, who was I to tell her no?"Maybe we should just call a cab and ask the driver—" I didn't finish the sentence because someone came running out of the alley beside us and tackled Torquil."What
The next morning, I went downstairs and was told that my dad had left during the night. He'd gone back to Hawaii without me.At first, I was upset that Tiernan's outing had taken me away from the Council House right when I needed to be there, but then I realized that my father must have been waiting for an opportunity to leave without having to see me. Which meant that he would have stayed out of sight until I left; no matter when that was. So, I guess it was best that he left when he did, and I didn't have to stick around for weeks while he avoided me.We decided not to mention Brendan's little ambush to the Council. I didn't want to strain this new relationship I had with Councilman Murdock nor did I want Mini-Murdock causing any trouble for Abby. I was going back to Fairy, but Abby had to work in the same city as Brendan. Besides, I didn't think he'd try anything after his horrendous failure.There was no reason to remain in HR (the Human Realm) after my father's cowardly retreat
I woke up in a dark room; lying on a soft bed. I blinked and tried to rub the sleep from my eyes but a heavy weight held my wrists back. The clink of chains alerted me to the fact that I was bound to the bedposts; my arms stretched out to either side of me. My heart sped up as I tried to peer through the darkness. The slim wick of a candle caught fire and my gaze swung toward it. A beeswax taper set into a simple, silver holder was held by an elegant but masculine hand. The small circle of light revealed very little of the man beyond the hand; only a bit of arm and chest.The flame flickered as the candle was brought forward and placed on the bedside table. Then, with a wave of the elegant hand, the whole room was illuminated. It seemed as if hundreds of candles had been lit but there was still only the one placed beside me. I blinked against the glare until I was able to focus. King Uisdean stood beside the bed, smiling softly."Greetings, Daughter of my Brother," he purred."Greet
Here, at least, there was architecture better suited to a castle. The walls were polished onyx; glassy enough to cast reflections in and they soared up to a vaulted ceiling crisscrossed with dark wooden beams. The ground was slabs of malachite and the same green stone soared seamlessly up from the floor to form a line of flame-topped columns that ran down the longest sides of the room. At the far end there was a dais holding the high table and set before it were two lines of dining tables—one to either side of the room—placed parallel to the lines of columns. The tables were set end to end; forming two, long, continuous pieces. A very similar set up to that of the Twilight Castle but yet vastly different.The sound hit me first. Screeches, growls, roars, and chitters. Then waves of foul scent washed over me as we passed goblins, bogles, hags, and slimy kelpies who had changed from their normal waterhorse forms into something that vaguely resembled human. They had thick, seaweed-green
The entertainments of the Unseelie Court would haunt me forever. Oh, they danced, drank, and made merry like they did in the Twilight Court, but in Unseelie, the merriment consisted of several rounds of rather inventive torture; inflicted on captured seelie fairies. Since the Fey were immortal, torture could continue almost endlessly; just so long as they gave their victims time to heal, and there were fairies there who had a blank, hopeless look to them that spoke of years of such treatment.By the end of the night, I was staring into my lap, trying to drown out the sounds that seemed to echo in my ears, with the deep, tremulous breaths I was taking. My eyes were rapidly blinking back tears and my throat was constricted from holding down my screams. My skin ran hot and cold as if trying to decide whether to be terrified or furious. The smell of blood was an undertone to burnt flesh and hair, and I was a step away from throwing up all over their feast."There is no feast without crue