Page 52 of Heart of Dawn
No. The universe.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ORION
Two royal guards followed His Majesty into the hive, deadly swords and white-gold armor glinting in the golden light.
King Damien wore one of his famous burgundy suits, his blond hair sleek and loose. He always looked so chic, his copper skin boasting a healthy glow. Nothing was ever out of place, every single aspect of him exuding elegance.
But his smile was cruel.
Wendy buzzed loudly, landing on my shoulder. “I didn’t hear your carriage land.”
Instead of planes, air travel in Faery came from flying horses pulling carriages. The horses moved at the same pace as Earthly jets, the royal steed the fastest of all.
The king folded his arms behind his back. “And?”
“What do you want?” Wendy flew off, getting back to her work.
I backed away from the log, standing by the edge of the moat. My heart droned like angry wasps trapped in a jar.
“I want you, Your Majesty,” he answered, eyes roaming the honeycomb. “You and your miraculous honey. May I sit?” He gestured to the log.
Wendy didn’t answer.
He sat anyway, gazing up at the busy bee, not so much as glancing my way. “Honestly, in all my years, I’d never really given you a second thought. You were nothing more than a lost wonder, one of the many memories of this great realm. Until I went swimming in an ocean cove close to my palace.”
I stuffed my hands in my pockets, scared out of my mind. However, I knew I’d defend Wendy, prepared to backhand his smug face if need be.
Assbug. He’d ordered me killed, tried taking Wendy from me. Even knew who she was before I did.
“I’m not sure if you’re aware of the gifts some water-folk possess,” he said, smoothing the lapels of his jacket.
Like Malorie Gilmore, the weredolphin who put Miko and Trev on their mind walk.
King Damien’s eyes found me. “A starfish whispered of the return of a great queen. At first, she spoke in riddles, not making much sense. I was surprised to be approached by a starfish, let alone hear its voice in my head.” He chuckled.
Yes. Super hilarious. Now could he please piddle off and darken someone else’s beehive?
“Anyway, after some mild confusion, she began to make sense. She told me of you…” He hesitated, a brief look of distaste on his face. “I hate to call you Wendy.”
“That’s my name,” Wendy countered, filling a second chamber with honey.
“Quite. Well, she spoke of your new life as a pet on Earth with a trapped fae. Said you would come home to become yourself again to share your wonderful gift. Immediately, I knew what to do.” He paused, staring at me for half a minute.
I stared right back, my hands balled into fists.
His guards flanked him, silent and always watching.
“I witnessed your pleas these past two years, Orion.” He finally broke his silence. “Every day my staff showed me footage from the watching orbs at the gates. Just like I watched you here in this forest when I discovered there are orbs in the trees. How convenient.”
Judging by him not bringing it up, he’d missed the Dawn stuff go down.
Interesting.
“As I said before, I am ashamed of my actions. But what choice did I have in those days? Open the gates and doom all fae? Or leave you there and pray to the stars for your safety?”
He was so full of crap. He prayed for my safety right up to the point of ordering my execution.
