Page 534 of Flirting with Darkness

He sat on the edge of our low nest, crossing his feet under him.

“Not out of your mind,” he corrected. “Just out of your worries.” He gave me a look over the rim of his cup. “Hmm, I think there is still some anxiety left in you. It may be good to do it again, just in case…” He leaned forward, seeking my mouth with his.

“Kyllen,” I giggled. After a quick peck on his lips, I pulled away. “I’m good, I promise.”

“Are you sure?” A teasing glimmer shone in his eyes.

“We need to get ready. The Summit—”

“The Summit is not until noon. It wouldn’t take me that long to persuade you to give me another ride.” Humor bounced in his eyes, aided by the naughty smile on his lips.

I knew it wouldn’t take him long to get me to change my mind on anything. When it came to my husband, there wasn’t much I could deny him.

It took all I had to resist him this time. I schooled my expression into something hopefully stern and serious. “Why don’t you drink your tea, Your Majesty, and just…talk to me?”

He arched a brow ridge. “Your Majesty?It sounds like you mean business.”

“Yes, I do. Tell me about the kings we’re meeting today.”

He lifted his cup to his lips, taking a drink. “Two kings and a queen.”

“Queen Relorna of Olathana Ocean.” I knew all their names, titles, and family trees. What Kyllen usually provided for me was information not commonly found in history books and scrolls.

“Yes. She’s older than you, but she took the crown only five years ago. You sent her gifts and a congratulatory note on her coronation, remember?”

“I do.”

Queen Relorna was the only child of the previous King of Olathana, who died shorty before his daughter took the throne. I remember the feeling of camaraderie with the new queen, simply because she was a woman, too. There weren’t that many female queens in the history of Nerifir.

“Queen Relorna has no reason to plot anything against me, has she?” I asked.

Kyllen shrugged, drinking his tea. “Doesn’t mean she isn’t plotting.”

True. Nothing could be taken for granted with the fae of Nerifir, be they sirens of Olathana Ocean, gorgonians of Lorsan Wetlands, or any other kind of fae populating this world. Backstabbing happened often. True loyalty was rare.

“Don’t trust anyone,” I repeated the mantra we lived by.

“Right. We’ll keep an eye on her. However, she is a new queen, still establishing her full control of Olathana. Her hands are so full with her own kingdom’s affairs, she might not have set her sights beyond that yet. Her father had a disagreement with King Aigel, long ago. But Lorsan was never involved in that. I don’t foresee trouble coming from Olathana our way today.”

His words were enough to reassure me. As far as my security was concerned, Kyllen was always on top of things.

“How about King Galan of Dakath Mountains? What have you found about the gargoyle king?”

Dakath was on the other side of the werewolves’ Plains of Sarnala. My Kingdom of Lorsan shared no border with the land of gargoyles. I’d never met their king, and had formed no opinions about him.

“King Galan comes from a noble line of rulers. Judging by the wealth and prosperity of his subjects, he’s been a worthy son of his ancestors,” Kyllen said.

I’ve read about the family line of gargoyle kings in the books kept in Lorsan’s Royal Archives in my palace in Ufaris. But I needed more.

“Anything else? Who is the king as a person?”

Kyllen finished his tea and set his empty cup aside. “So far, his actions dictate, the king is worthy of his legacy.”

“Is he an honorable man?”

“He’s kept every promise he’s given. And he has given quite a few.”

That would be as honorable as a fae could get. Since a fae couldn’t break a promise without suffering a horrible death as a result, they hardly ever made any. Just the fact that the gargoyle king had made promises meant he was braver than most. And since he managed to keep them, he must have honor. He also must be smart, as wording a promise could be very tricky, too.

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