Page 19 of The Fae Menagerie
Parker reached for the other scone. I grabbed it out of his hand and tossed it into the kitchen waste basket instead.
"Hey!"
My stomach cramped so hard my vision faded to gray around the edges. I made it to the sink before the bit of breakfast I'd eaten rushed back up.
"Don't eat the scones." My voice was barely a whisper. My throat burned with the fire of a thousand wasp stings.
"Yeah." He handed me a towel. "I think that would be a bad idea."
I made it to the bathroom for the next wave of nausea, and I stayed there for two more bouts. Finally, I felt drained and tired, but alive.
We finished getting ready for viewing hours at the same time. I combed my hair while Parker brushed his teeth, and vice versa. We were both so hungry, our stomachs growled intermittently. They almost sounded like they were talking to each other.
I took the empty scone box with me into the viewing room and held it up to my mother, who clapped. That eased my mind a little. She'd sent us the gift.
Then, I mimed puking.
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. I honestly wouldn't have put it past her to poison me, or at least try to makeme sick in the name of love, but to gift Parker with something that might kill him was a step too far.
I sniffed the interior of the box, and I recognized it. Nightshade. Someone wanted me to think it was my mother, but I believed her. She would have admitted it if she'd poisoned the scones. She wouldn't have been able to contain her laughter.
She rose from her bench and disappeared into the lush greenery.
"Someone poisoned the scones," I said once Parker and I were seated on the uncomfortable viewing couch.
"I gathered," Parker said. "From your mother's reaction, it wasn't her?"
"No." That left only two people with motive and access to my chambers. Prince Drummond, who I hadn't known could come and go as he pleased until he started haunting Parker's nightmares, and Aidan.
Chapter
Seven
PARKER
I didn't knowwhat was in the scones Doyle's mother sent us, but it must have been bad. I'd never seen anyone react so violently to pastry. Before he puked in the sink, Doyle had sent the first of my scones flying over my head to land in the sink. The other, he tossed to the trash like he was a professional basketball player.
"Fae nightshade," he said. "Deadly to humans." The human realm's version was poisonous enough. I trusted him when he said this was even worse.
If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was developing feelings for him. I wasn't, but I wanted to do something nice for him. I was grateful to be alive, and I wanted to show my appreciation.
With my stomach still empty, I fidgeted through viewing hours. Once the bell rang, and Doyle could move about the enclosure again, I still had no ideas on how to repay him. I chewed it over while I ate my sandwiches.
Once the magic took away our empty plates and cups, I grabbed Doyle's hand and dragged him to his bedroom. His eyes lit up when I grabbed his salve and instantly dimmed when I asked, "How are your wings feeling?"
"They're fine, Parker."
I touched the base of one wing, the skin raised and red from chafing, and he hissed.
"Please," I insisted. "Let me help you. It's the least I can do."
He spread out on the bed and lifted his robe to give me room to kneel between his thighs.
"Take it off, so I won't get anything on it."
He rose on his knees and pulled it over his head. I was glad he didn't look at me. If he had, I probably would have chickened out and run screaming from the room.
Once he was back in place with the sheet over his lower body, I smeared the salve on his wings. His shoulders visibly relaxed. He moaned when I rubbed the sensitive edges and their delicate feelers.
