Page 56 of Better in Black
Mark tugged at his shirt, looking mournful. “Julian gave this to me as a joke.”
“The problem with that shirt,” Cristina said, pushing a pillowbehind her, “is that as soon as you put it on, you’re no longer partying naked.”
“Don’t obsess over the shirt, my love,” Mark said, tugging gently at the end of one of her braids. “I’m sure at the banquet you sensed the same thing I did.”
Cristina frowned. “I did. The three heirs—”
She broke off as the door opened, and Kieran came in. She sat up quickly in the bed, her heart giving a little thump of worry. He looked as beautiful as he had before, all black and silver and icy white, but there were deep shadows beneath his eyes, and lines of pain at their corners.
He took off the crown he was wearing the moment the door shut behind him, and set it down firmly on top of a dresser. “So,” he said, “that is that. You have seen what I am like as King of the Unseelie Court.”
His tone was strained; Mark and Cristina exchanged a worried look.
Cristina held out her arms. “You need not be King now,” she said. “Come to bed, and rest yourself.”
But Kieran did not approach them. Instead he sat down in a high-backed black chair, which looked uncomfortable. Cristina slowly lowered her arms. She could not help a feeling of rejection, though she told herself Kieran was under tremendous stress.
“Kier,” Mark said. “Is anything troubling you besides this business of choosing an heir to the Knighthood?”
Kieran looked down at his hands—pale, long hands, flexible and careful. Cristina could not help but recall those hands on her, and on Mark. She blushed. “At the end of the banquet,” Kieran said, “it seemed to me you were shaken. Horrified, perhaps.”
“Yes,” Mark said. “We wished to tell you as soon as we were alone—”
“Is it because of Boreth and that fool Thurgil? Because I commanded them to duel to the death? Understand, it was not because of the fight they had tonight. It was because of their past actions, because the resentment between the two was fast becoming a poison, one likely to lead to war—”
“Kieran,” Mark interrupted. “It’s not that. It’s not you, at all. We know you must make difficult decisions as King.”
“We sensed a demonic presence at the banquet,” said Cristina. “Not a demon itself, but perhaps some sort of demonic enchantment or spell.”
Kieran looked shocked. “Here? In my Court?”
“I fear so,” said Mark. “It was strongest around the heirs, but we could not say which of the three carried the taint, or if it was all of them.”
“We were thinking,” Cristina said. “I believe they need to be spoken to separately. Away from each other.”
Kieran said, “It will do no good if I interrogate them. I cannot sense demonic magic.”
“Everyone already knows we’re here,” said Cristina. “Let us speak with them. We will report what we find.”
Kieran shook his head slightly. For a moment, Cristina thought he was rejecting the idea. Then he said, slowly, “I could send you each with an official message from me, requiring that they speak to my consort. The consorts of the King typically have a high place at Court; it is only that you are Shadowhunters that keeps you from that place. But if I insist they acknowledge you, they will.” He flashed his silver-black gaze. “Are you sure you wish to do this?”
Mark and Cristina both nodded. “Of course. We want to help you however we can.”
Kieran exhaled. “It will be tomorrow, then, for I must make my choice by sunset. In the early morning, I will meet with my advisors to discuss the matter. I will do my best to keep them occupied while you question the heirs.”
“You know,” Mark said thoughtfully, “I’ve noticed that in movies, mundane meetings last much longer than they should because everyone uses a lot of nonsense words. They are always saying things like ‘think outside the box’ and ‘circle back around’ or ‘put a pin in it.’ ”
Kieran looked baffled. “Put a pin in what?”
“It means to delay a decision, I believe,” Mark said, and yawned.
“That’s enough, you two,” Cristina interrupted. “Mark and I will speak to the heirs tomorrow. But in the meantime, Kieran, you should come to bed and rest.”
Kieran pressed his fingers against his temple. “I will—I will in a moment.”
There was nothing for Cristina and Mark to do but lie down and cuddle into each other, while leaving plenty of room for Kieran to join them. It was strange to be in such a huge bed without him, even with Mark beside her.
Cristina did her best to stay awake, but it was no use. The day had been long, and she was tired. As she drifted off to sleep, she caught a last glimpse of Kieran, still wide awake, gazing out the window at the worsening storm.
