A Kiss of Shadows (35 page)

“What do you think we should do with our disobedient Frost?” she asked.

“Have him go to his room and change into the clothes,” I said.

She pulled his head back until his spine bowed and I knew she could snap his neck with just a little more pressure. “That is hardly punishment enough, niece. He disobeyed a direct order of mine. That is not allowed.”

I tried to think of something Andais would find amusing, but wouldn't actually be painful for Frost. My mind went blank. I'd never been good at this particular game. Then I had an idea.

“You said we wouldn't be playing any more games tonight, Aunt Andais. The night is short.”

She released Frost so abruptly that he fell to the floor on all fours. He stayed kneeling, head bowed, silver hair hiding his face like a convenient curtain.

“So I did,” Andais said. “Doyle.”

Doyle came to her side, bowing his head. “M'lady?”

She looked at him, and the look was enough. He dropped to the floor onto one knee. The cloak spilled out around him like black water. He stayed kneeling beside Frost, so close their bodies nearly touched.

She put a hand on both their heads, a light touch this time. “Such a pretty pair, don't you think?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Yes, what?” she said.

“Yes, they are a pretty pair, Aunt Andais,” I said.

She nodded as if pleased. “I charge you, Doyle, to take Frost to his room and see that he puts on the clothes I had made for him. Bring him to the banquet in those clothes or deliver him over to Ezekial for torture.”

“As m'lady wishes, so shall it be done,” Doyle said. He stood, drawing Frost to his feet, a hand on the taller man's arm.

They both began to back toward the door, heads bowed. Doyle flashed me a look as they moved away. He might have been apologizing for leaving me with her, without him, or warning against something. I couldn't decipher the look. But he left the room with my gun still in his waistband. I'd have liked to have had the gun.

Rhys moved so he'd be by the door like a good guard. Andais watched him move the way cats watch birds, but what she said was mild enough, “Wait outside the door, Rhys. I wish to speak with my niece in private.”

The surprise showed on his face. He glanced at me, the look on his face almost asking my permission.

“Do as you are told—or do you wish to join the others in Ezekial's workplace?”

Rhys bowed his head. “No, my lady. I will do as I am told.”

“Get out,” she said.

He left with one more quick glance for me, but he closed the door behind him. The room was suddenly very, very quiet. The sound of my aunt's dress moving along the floor was loud in the stillness, like the dry rustling scales of some great serpent. She walked to the far end of the room where steps led to a heavy black curtain. She flicked the curtain aside to reveal a heavy wooden table with a carved chair at one side and a backless stool at the other. There was a chess game laid out on the round table, the heavy pieces worn smooth from centuries of hands shifting them across the marble surface. There were literally grooves worn in the marble board like paths worn by tramping feet.

Against the rounded wall of the large alcove was a wooden gun case full of rifles and handguns. There were two crossbows on the wall above the gun case. I knew the arrows were underneath in the closed doors of the bottom of the case, along with the ammunition. There was a morning star like a heavy spiked ball on a chain and a mace mounted to one side of the gun case. They were crossed like the crossed swords on the other side of the case. A huge shield with Andais's livery of raven, owl, and red rose on its surface was underneath the mace and morning star. Eamon's shield was underneath the crossed swords. There were chains in the wall set for wrist and ankle on either side. There were hooks above the chains where a whip lay coiled like a waiting snake. A smaller whip hung above the right-hand side's chains. I would have called it a cat-o'-nine-tails, but it had many more tails than that, each one weighted with a small iron ball or a steel hook.

“I see your hobbies haven't changed,” I said. I tried for neutral, but my voice betrayed me. Sometimes when she swept back that curtain, you played chess. Sometimes, you didn't.

“Come, Meredith, sit. Let us talk.” She sat in the high-backed chair, spilling the train of her dress over one arm so it wouldn't wrinkle. She motioned me to the stool. “Sit down, Niece. I won't bite.” She smiled, then gave an abrupt laugh. “Not yet, anyway.”

It was as close as I was going to get to a promise that she wouldn't hurt me—yet. I perched on the high, backless stool, the heels of my shoes through one of the spindles to help keep my balance. Sometimes, I think Andais won chess matches simply because the other person's back gave out.

I touched the edge of the heavy marble board. “My father taught me to play chess on the twin of this board,” I said.

“You do not have to remind me, yet again, that you are my brother's daughter. I mean you no harm tonight.”

I caressed the board and glanced up at her, meeting those pleasant unreliable eyes. “Perhaps I would be less cautious if you didn't say things like ‘I mean you no harm tonight.' Perhaps, if you simply said you meant me no harm.” I made it half question, half statement.

“Oh, no, Meredith. To say that would be too close to lying, and we do not lie, not outright. We may talk until you think that black is white and the moon is made of green cheese, but we do not lie.”

I said, as evenly as I could, “So you do mean me harm, just not tonight.”

“I will not harm you if you don't force it upon me.”

I looked at her then, frowning. “I don't understand, Aunt Andais.”

“Have you ever wondered why I made my beautiful men celibate?”

The question was so unexpected that I simply stared at her for a second or two. I finally closed my mouth and found my voice. “Yes, Aunt, I have wondered.” Actually it had been the great debate for centuries: why had she done it?

“For centuries the men of our court spread their seed far and wide. There were many half-breeds but fewer and fewer full-blooded fey. So I forced them to conserve their energies.”

I looked at her. “Then why not allow them access to the women of the high court?”

She settled back against her chair, leather-clad hands caressing the carved arms. “Because I wanted my bloodline to continue, not theirs. There was a time when I would have preferred you dead than risk you inheriting my throne.”

I met her pale eyes. “Yes, Aunt Andais.”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, I knew.”

“I saw the mongrels taking over the entire court. The humans had chased us underground and now their very blood was corrupting our court. We were being outbred by them.”

“It is my understanding, Aunt, that humans have always outbred us. Something to do with the fact that they're mortal.”

“Essus told me that you were his daughter. That he loved you. He also told me that you would make a fine queen someday. I laughed at him.” She watched my face. “I am not laughing now, Niece.”

I blinked at her. “I don't understand, Aunt.”

“You have Essus's blood in your veins. The blood of my family. I would rather have some of my blood continue than none of it. I want our bloodline to continue, Meredith.”

“I'm not sure what you mean by ‘ours', Aunt?” Though I had a frightening feeling that I did.

“Ours, ours, Meredith, yours, mine, Cel's.”

The addition of my cousin in the mix made my stomach clench tight. It was not unknown among the fey to marry close relatives. If that was what she had in mind, I was in very deep trouble. Sex was not a fate worse than death. Sex with my cousin Cel just might be.

I looked down at the chess pieces because I didn't trust myself to guard my expression. I would
not
sleep with Cel.

“I want our bloodline to continue, Meredith, at any cost.”

I finally looked up, face blank. “What would that cost be, Aunt Andais?”

“Nothing so unpleasant as you seem to be thinking. Really, Meredith, I am not your enemy.”

“If I may be so bold, my aunt, neither are you my friend.”

She nodded. “That is very true. You mean nothing to me but a vessel to continue our line with.”

I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

“Was that funny?” she asked.

“No, Aunt Andais, it was most certainly not funny.”

“Fine, let me speak plainly. I gave you the ring on your finger from my own hand.”

I stared at her. Her face seemed innocent of evil intent. She really didn't seem to know anything about the assassination attempt in the car. “The gift is most appreciated,” I said, but even to me the words sounded less than sincere.

Either she didn't hear it or she ignored it. “Galen and Barinthus told me the ring lives once more upon your hand. I am more pleased by that than you can know, Meredith.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because if the ring had remained quiet on your hand it would mean you were barren. That the ring lives is a sign that you are fruitful.”

“Why does it react to everyone that I touch?”

“Who else has it reacted to besides Galen and Barinthus?” she asked.

“Doyle, Frost.”

“Not Rhys?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No.”

“Did you touch the silver to his bare skin?”

I started to say yes, then thought about it. “I don't think so. I think I touched only his clothing.”

“It must be bare skin,” Andais said. “Even a small piece of cloth may stop it.” She leaned forward, placing her hands on the tabletop, picking up a captured rook, turning it in her gloved hands. If it had been anyone else, I'd have said she was nervous.

“I am going to rescind my geas of celibacy for my Guard.”

“My lady,” I said, voice soft with the breath I'd taken. “That is wonderful news.” I had better adjectives, but I stopped with wonderful. It was never good to appear too pleased in front of the queen. Though in my head, I wondered why she was telling me first.

“The geas will be lifted for you and you alone, Meredith.” She concentrated on the chess piece, not meeting my eyes.

“Excuse me, my lady?” I didn't even try to keep the shock off my face.

She looked up. “I want our bloodline to continue, Meredith. The ring reacts to the guards that are still able to father children. If the ring remains quiet, then do not bother with them. But if the ring reacts, then you may sleep with them. I want you to pick several of the Guard to sleep with. I don't really care who, but within three years I want a child from you, a child of the blood.” She set the chess piece down with a thick scraping sound and met my eyes.

I licked my lips and tried to think of a polite way to ask questions. “This is a most generous offer, my queen, but when you say several, what exactly do you mean?”

“I mean that you should pick more than two; three or more at a time.”

I stayed quiet for a few seconds, because again I was left with needing information and not wanting to be rude. “Three at a time in what way, my lady?”

She frowned at me. “Oh, Danu's titties, just ask your questions, Meredith!”

“Fine,” I said, “when you say three or more at one time, do you mean literally in the bed with me at one time, or just like dating three of them at the same time.”

“Any way you wish to interpret it,” she said. “Take them into your bed one at a time, or all together, as long as you take them.”

“Why must it be three or more at once?”

“Is it such an awful prospect to choose among some of the most beautiful men in the world? To bear a child to one of them and continue our line? How is this so terrible?”

I looked at her, trying to read that beautiful face, and failing. “I approve of letting the men out of their celibacy, but Auntie dearest, do not make me their only avenue. I beg you. They will fall upon each other like starving wolves, not because I am such a prize but because anyone is better than no one.”

“That is why I am insisting that you sleep with more than one at a time. You must sleep with most of them before making your choice. That way they'll all feel they've had a chance. Otherwise, you are right. There will be duels until no one is left standing. Make them work at seducing you instead of killing each other.”

“I like sex, my queen, and I have no designs upon monogamy, but there are some among your Guard that I can't even speak a civil word to, and sex is a step up from polite small talk.”

“I will make you my heir,” she said, voice very quiet.

I stared at her so careful, unreadable face. I didn't trust what I'd heard. “Could you repeat that, please, my queen?”

“I will make you my heir,” she said.

I stared at her. “And what does my cousin Cel think of that?”

“Whichever one of you gives me a child first, that one shall inherit my throne. Does that not sweeten the pot?”

I stood up, too abruptly, and the stool clanged to the floor. I stared at her for a space of heartbeats. I wasn't sure what to say, because it didn't seem real. “May I humbly point out, Aunt Andais, that I am mortal and you are not. You will surely outlive me by centuries. Even if I bore a child, I would never see the throne.”

“I will step down,” she said.

Now I knew she was toying with me. It was all some game. It had to be. “You once told my father that being queen was your entire existence. That you loved being queen more than you loved anyone or anything.”

“My, you do have a long memory for eavesdropped conversations.”

“You always spoke freely in front of me, Aunt, as if I were one of your dogs. You nearly drowned me when I was six. Now you're telling me that you would abdicate the throne for me. What in the land of the blessed could have changed your mind so completely?”