Page 36 of The Dark Fae Princess
“Vito,” Mother says with a small smile in his direction. She lets go of me and rises to her tiptoes to give him a light kiss on his cheek.
This is the most contact I’ve seen her have with him and it changes his face completely. Instead of looking tormented and somewhat haggard, he looks relaxed and happy. Of course, as soon as she steps away, he looks sad again.
“Jerrick,” Mother says with a beam in his direction.
He bobs his head and calls her by her Fae name as he greets her. “Princess Aeval. It’s good to see you again.”
“And you,” she says, then she turns back to me. “Care to share what the urgency was?”
“Apart from you leaving and as a result leaving me here to twiddle my thumbs? Oh, plenty!” I snap at her, suddenly furious now that she is standing right in front of me.
She looks contrite. “I’m sorry, sweet girl. It’s been a trying time. But, I’m here now.” She loops her arm through mine and ignoring the two men, turns us to walk down the corridor, out to the Grand Entrance Hall and across to the library.
I love this room and I know she does too, so I’m glad that we ended up in here.
She lets go of me as Daddy sidles into the room, knowing I’m going to need him to keep Mother calm. Her vicious Faerie temper is renowned and comes with ice and thunderstorms. It’s not pleasant,especiallyindoors.
“I have questions about you and that Trey asshole,” Mother says, fixing her steely green eyes on me. “Do you know how much trouble he has caused Delinda and her husbands?”
“I don’t really care,” I drawl, getting a bit tired of Delinda coming before me. So, she’s the fucking Dragon Empress, who gives a crap? I’m going to be the Queen of the Dark Fae, which we all know also means Queen ofallthe Fae at some point, so I deserve some hero worship as well. I’ll be my sister’s equal as the Dragons and Fae were the two original creatures. All the other supernaturals were created afterwards.
At Mother’s shocked look, I continue. “He is a good man that has been nothing but kind and chivalrous to me. He helped me out of a situation, thatyouhave put me in with Anders!”
“Anders?” she asks quietly, licking her lips. “He’s bothering you?”
“Oh, you could say that,” I snarl sarcastically. “Do you think I want a war with the Light Fae King? Do you? Because I’ve got one. I’m on his radar and he hates me because you won’t finish what you started. I’ve been protecting you!”
Daddy is growling loudly at me now, pissed off that I’ve kept the extent of this largely to myself.
Mother gulps. “You know?” she squeaks.
“I know,” I reply derisively, but then sigh. “I wouldn’t wish him on Ambrosia, never mind my own mother. I’ll keep you safe, but it’s costing me, and I just want you to realize that.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” she snaps at me, her temper zinging into the Faerie zone. “You do not protect me.Iprotectyou. Tell him next time to pick on someone his own damn size and face me himself. If he dares! And what about you?” she hisses at Daddy. “And Drake? Why is Savvie being hassled by that arsehole?”
I hide my snicker at her British accent. It cracks me up when she uses words like “arse”. I mean, I don’t have a distinct accent, that I know of, but I don’t say “arse”, or “loo” or “knickers” for that matter.
“She has downplayed her involvement with him,” Daddy hisses back. “We’re aware that he has been sniffing around, that is why Jerrick and the guards are on her twenty-four seven. Unfortunately, even they have their limits, it seems.” He pins my eyes with a hard look.
I shrug and wish that I hadn’t started this.
“All irrelevant to this conversation. Whatever Trey did in the Dragon Realms, I’m sure we’ll get around to discussing it. In the meantime, I trust him.”
“Oh, do you?” Daddy says, his arms folded across his huge chest.
“Yes,” I state, copying his stance. “However, the matter at hand isn’t about Trey. He was my way to get to you, seeing as Remiel refused to acknowledge our pleas.”
“Humph,” she mutters, but doesn’t look shocked by this news. Then she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before she opens them again. “Drake’s named his heir, hasn’t he,” she states.
“Yes,” I reply. “It’s me.IfI can convince you to agree to it,” I add, so pissed off with this proviso, she must be able to see it.
She gives me a surprised look, which then goes shrewd. “Me?” she asks, “What do I have to do with this?”
“Gramps won’t go against you if you don’t want me to fulfil my destiny,” I give it to her straight where it hurts. “His guilt over whatever he did to you years ago, still eats at him.” I add this in the hope that she’ll feel bad and tell me I’m in the clear.
“Oh, really?” she drawls. “He feels guilty, does he?” She clenches her fists and Daddy moves over to her to take one of her hands in his.
He shakes his head and she relaxes slightly. “Not the time,” he murmurs to her.
