Page 74 of His Dark Delights
Two glasses of fae wine went down my throat. It wasn’t nearly as potent as before, and I wished it was. I’d returned to my original room in the palace, seeking solace away from my mother and brother. They were the last two magical beings I wanted to see in my wretched state.
Even the plant life in the room reacted to my mood, more than ever before, thanks to my heightened power. The flowers on the wall wilted and bloomed repeatedly, as did the wisteria chandelier overhead. Brown papery petals dropped, crinkling, to the floor. They shattered under my feet as I paced the room. New petals bloomed, casting fresh light until those flowers wilted. And the cycle repeated.
I paused, caught in a trance under the darkened sky. Stars winked at me from above, sending me hidden messages—or ideas.
If the fae regarded me as a princess, then they couldn’t stop me if I wandered through the castle. They never had in the past two weeks, but what if I went somewhere deeper? What if I went into a damp dungeon nestled in the roots of the forest palace?
It wasn’t like I’d never snuck into a dungeon to visit a prisoner before. In fact, I was quite adept at it.
Last time I snuck through a castle, I hid myself, scurrying in the shadows like a rat in search of cheese. In the forest palace, I wore a gown adorned with armor and marched with confidence. Other fae lowered their heads respectfully as I passed, and no one said a word to stop me.
It was dangerous to defy a queen, but it was exciting, too. She was my mother and after leaving mebehind with my father, I had faith she’d forgive my transgressions. She owed me that much.
And I craved to see Soren again, more than words could describe.
The dungeons under the forest palace were cells formed from thick, gnarled roots. I passed through the yawning portal to the dungeon. Little white buds flowered randomly on the earthen walls as I progressed, adding a floral perfume to the cool, underground air.
“Who’s there? Is it my executioner? Or a torturer come for me at last?” Soren called out.
I stepped under the light of dimly glowing mushrooms. My hands curled on wooden bars as strong as iron. Soren narrowed his eyes at my form wreathed in a hazy blue.
“Would you like me to torture you, Your Grace?” I demurred.
“Lilly,” he gasped. Unburdened of his armor upon his capture, he sprung to his feet with ease. His head shook, and his lips trembled. “What—what happened to you?”
“What happened to me?” A thin laugh followed. “I told you already. I am what I was always meant to be.”
His lips thinned, and his expression hardened. “And what are you, hm? Aside from the bane of my existence, the thorn in my heart—”
“A thorn I could be. I was born half-fae. A flower nymph, as you heard when Lunaric swept me away.”
“Swept you away?” he scoffed. His eyes cast to the floor as the silence stretched. I didn’t think he’d speak again until he said, “You seemed cordial enough with him. Do you love the Prince of Fairy?”
I knew what Soren meant, and I sensed the pressureof his agony and jealousy. It rolled off him in searing waves. But I wanted to torture him a little.
“I suppose, in a way, I do. He’s a bit younger than me, though. But yes, there is love there.”
Soren cursed under his breath. His fists curled tight at his sides, and a storm raged inside him. Then he struck out, and his fist connected with the sturdy wooden wall of his cell.
A roar erupted from his chest.
“Your Grace,” I breathed thinly, gripping the bars.
He tugged his hands through his hair, pulling at the ends. “I came all this way for you. Even when I knew what you were, I couldn’t lose you… I couldn’t fathom the thought of you not being at my side.”
“Soren!”
His head jerked up. The shadows stressed the red rim around his eyes and the dark circles beneath. He was a vision of a despairing man.
“Alright. If it’s him that you love… I’ll understand. But, please, Lilly, please, tell me just once that you loved me for a time—”
“Ren,” I said firmly enough to shut him up. An ounce of clarity returned to his stormy blue eyes. “It’s not like that.”
“You love the fae prince. You’ve been here with him for a fortnight. How else could it be?”
“You fool,” I giggled. The sound slipped out before I could bite it down. And another came out when I said, “He’s my brother.”
“What?” he hissed.
