I led the way to our smaller dining hall. The table only seated eight and I figured it’d be easier to speak with Avery in a cozier setting.
The main dining hall had several long tables that could incorporate hundreds of guests, with the high table having the queen’s chair and her three consorts as well.
Avery muttered under her breath as she followed me with Darrius trailing after her. No doubt he watched to ensure she didn’t clout me over the head.
“Have a seat.” I waved a hand to the table and chairs.
She took one at the head of the table and I forced my face neutral. It was the spot a queen would take. Or someone used to not having their back to an entrance.
A fire crackled in the hearth directly opposite her, bringing shadows and light flickering across her features. Her eyes looked a golden hue rather than their brownish-color.
“Do either of you cook?” She arched an eyebrow almost in a challenge.
“Simeon does, and I’ve dabbled.” I sat on her right, Darrius on her left. It was hard to remain calm when her pheromones spiked every other moment.
How she was not writhing on the table demanding we satisfy her was beyond me.
Shit! Now I had the vision of her doing that in my head. My dick hardening in reply.
Had to change the subject and fast. “Our cousin is also excellent with the sword. Better than Darrius and I combined. With your skills, he could teach you to wield in no time.”
She grinned so fast I’d have missed it if I hadn’t been watching her. “Not that I’ve time for anything. Oh, fuck! I’m supposed to be at work right now. My boss is going to fire me.”
“We will take care of anyone who dares bother you.” I placed my hand over hers and she stared down at where we connected as though unsure of what to do or my meaning.
“It’s not that simple.” She eased her hand from mine, but a glimmer of regret showed in her eyes. “I have bills.”
“You’re the queen of the Fae of four realms,” I said, “There are storehouses of gold and jewels… and whatever you need, we will provide.”
“No,” she shook her head vigorously, “I’m not a queen or Fae —” Her voice broke on the last word.
So, she wasn’t sure. My gut screamed of her as our queen and our mate.
“Why do you think I am?” she asked, picking at the cloth napkin.
“First, let’s get the meal started.” I clapped my hands and two Brownies rushed forward, bowing.
“Aye, Lord?” they said in unison.
“What would you like?” I asked her.
She stared at the Brownie couple: a husband and wife who had been with us for years. “Um…I don’t know. Never had Fae food before.”
“They can make anything Fae or human. Real or imagined. Say you wanted a cotton candy casserole, done. Or a fancy French meal to rival any in the US.” I leaned back in my chair, enjoying the look of wonder and disbelief marching across her features.
“In that case, I’d love me some Italian pasta. Can you also remove the calories so I can eat as much as I want?”
Darrius slapped his thigh, letting out a chuckle. “Ye women always concerned with yer figures. Look at ye, lass, you’re barely skin an’ bones. I love all shapes of women: thin or plump. It doesn’t matter ta me what ye look like. Eat an’ enjoy.”
Mrs. Browning dipped her head. “Aye, I can make several kinds of pasta that won’t add to your figure but will be filling and satisfying.”
Her husband bowed to me. “Will my lords be having the same?”
At Darrius’ nod, I answered with a smile, “Yes. Thank you.”
The two rushed off to the kitchens.
Another servant, a young laddie brought forth wine and filled our cups before exiting again.
“So,” Avery swirled the wine in her golden goblet. “If you two are cousins, why do you speak so differently from each other?”
“I was raised in Balnacraux nearer ta the Morar lands.” Darrius gulped down his wine and the laddie returned to fill it up again.
“Tell me about it.” She leaned forward, genuine interest in her gaze.
When he scoffed, she continued, “I’ve never been in your lands before. Call me curious.”
“I’d call ye an exploiter.” He frowned. “The only reason ye want the information is ta be able ta use it ta yer advantage.”
“Can you blame me?” She sat back and crossed her arms. “I’m a prisoner in my enemy’s castle without any weapons or knowing where in the hell I am in a foreign land. What would you do?”
“She has a point.” I picked up my goblet and saluted her in a toast.
“Ye want ta know aboot me lands? It’s where goblins eat children who venture too close ta the woods. Where witches wear the pinkie finger bones of their prey as necklaces three rows thick. Where a Chim soaks his cap an’ cloak in its victims’ blood every night. I was taught ta fight an’ defend our lands an’ later when I came of age, the future queen. We had no time for learning an’ chivalry an’ such nonsense.”
She placed her hand on his. “You never learned to read or write?”
Darrius didn't move, his gaze on her touch. I envied him. Lust and jealousy swirled in my gut along with the little bit of wine I’d had. Still, it was amusing to watch my cousin at a loss for what to do.
As if realizing what she’d done, Avery jerked her hand back, then rubbed it on her thigh.
“And what about you?” She turned to me. “You had learning, unlike Darrius?”
“Yes.” I set my goblet down. “A mix, if you will, of both fighting and education. While Simeon had the most learning of all three of us. His lands border the human ones, and the threat of attack is much less.”
She shook her head. “Fae fighting each other. I never knew.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know.” I raked a hand through my hair, wishing the food would hurry so I could think of something other than tasting her lips again or delving into her sweetness.
“And you both think I’m this missing queen of yours?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation at the same time Darrius said, “Nay.”
“Okay.” She let out a sigh, leaning back and crossing her arms. “Let’s start out simple. Your queen has to have Fae blood, correct?”
“Aye,” Darrius answered. “At least one-ninth of a percent.”
“Does that show up on DNA tests?” She shook her head. “Sorry. I mean, how would I know if I had Fae blood or not?”
“We’ve testers.” I motioned for the laddie to come forward. “Bring some bread while we wait for our meal.”
He bowed up and down twice before running off.
I rose, adding a few logs to the fire burning in the hearth, then turned my attention back to Avery. “They can taste small percentages in the blood.”
“So, you’re going to have a Fae drink my blood? No way. I’m not letting anyone cut or bite me.”
“Ye might like a bit o’ biting, lass.” Darrius waggled his eyebrows.
Avery’s blush colored her entire face, but she narrowed her eyes at him. “I bite back harder.”
The air thickened with lust, and I sat back down, grateful when the laddie brought baked bread, so I had something to do with my hands besides running them along Avery’s body.
“Ye’re stronger than most humans I’ve ever encountered.” Darrius scratched his beard. “So, I’d say that’s a good indicator.”
She huffed. “Lots of humans have mixed blood since your kind have been hopping over the barrier since medieval times.”
“Right.”
Darrius reached across the table and snatched the rest of the bread for himself.
With a glare at him for his manners, I tore off a piece of mine and offered it to her. “Darrius, you might want to be more hospitable to our guest, especially if she is our new queen.”
“Just because she has Fae blood, donnae make ‘er our queen,” Darrius grumbled.
“Exactly.” Avery looked relieved. “A queen has to be born in line to the throne and I’d know if my dad was a king. My mom would’ve told me.”
Everything inside me turned to ice. She couldn’t know the queen. The murders had killed her when she was weakest, hours after she’d given birth.
“Nay,” Darrius dunked the edge of his bread into his wine, then ate it. “Doesn’t matter if your father was a king or not, it’s the mother’s line as the queen that counts.”
If Avery knew her mother, then she couldn’t be the queen we had hunted for so long for. I’d made a horrible mistake.
My cousin gave me a smug look across the table. “Well, guess after we get Simeon back, ye are free ta go aboot yer Fae-slaying business.”