The Dark Fae (The World of Fae #1)(12)

The curved brass handle on the door began to twist down. Alicia grappled with the bed curtains, trying to find the entrance into the bed as her heart sped up its pace and a trickle of perspiration dribbled between her breasts.

Work legs, work, she scolded them silently as her whole body seemed to be moving in perpetually slow motion.

“Because, Princess Ritasia, you are like two dark kernels on an ear of corn, clinging side by side. The queen knows you often help your brother out of predicaments he gets himself into. Only this time it’s much too serious. Either your brother weds the Venician princess Lorelei, or you wed her brother. That’s what your mother just announced one of you would do. Strife in the kingdoms and such. The Denkar royalty wish an alliance with the Venicians, too.”

“I won’t. Deveron will have to marry Lorelei.”

Ritasia peeked through Deveron’s bed curtains as if afraid of what she’d find.

Alicia bolted out the other side. And fell on the floor. What was wrong with her fool legs? Her bones had turned to rubber.

“What was that thump?” the woman asked.

Footsteps hurried toward the other side of the bed. The side where Alicia sat on the floor, totally shaken. She crawled under the bed.

“Nothing,” Ritasia said, quickly, worry evident in her voice. “See? Nothing. Must have been something that fell in the bedchambers next to Deveron’s.”

Alicia watched as their golden sandaled feet walked away from the bed.

“Why don’t you continue your search, Lady Manantos? I’ll wait here a while, just in case my dear brother returns anytime soon.”

“You will not attempt to aid him?”

“Hmpf. Why should I? What does he ever do for me, but give me grief?”

“True enough. However, you have done so before.”

The door closed and then footsteps hurried back to the bed. Before Alicia could scurry out from under the bed in the opposite direction, Ritasia peered underneath the bed skirt. She grinned. “This is too funny. Whatever are you doing in here?”

“Hiding.” Though Alicia assumed it was obvious what she was doing sprawled out under Deveron’s bed.

Ritasia reached her hand out to her. “Come. If anyone else searches for you here, I can take you safely to my own bedchambers. For now, I can freely move about the castle. Though I don’t know how long before my mother sets the guard on me.” Ritasia helped pull Alicia out from under the bed. “Get back in his bed. Where has he gone to anyway?”

“To get some clothes for me to wear, he said.”

“To get some of my clothes.” Ritasia frowned, then her face brightened. “Can’t be helped. Whatever does he hope to pass you off as?”

“A fae.”

Ritasia giggled and touched a lock of Alicia’s blond hair. “Well, yes I suppose so.”

“I’ve seen blond-haired fae with Deveron. Micala is one even.” Alicia tried to stand, but closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over her.

“Oh,” Ritasia said. “You’re not used to fae travel.” She helped Alicia onto the massive mattress that spanned the width of two king-sized beds shoved together. Why would Deveron need one that large?

Ritasia climbed onto the mattress and shut the curtains.

“Thanks for telling the other lady I was not here.”

Ritasia smiled. “I couldn’t. What fun would there be in that? But as to your remark about the blond-haired fae, well, except for Micala and a few others, I should amend. Most are not of the royal house of Denkar. They serve us and have for many millennia. If any of the Denkar fae found you to be in Deveron’s company, you would be suspect at once. Everyone knows who the royals are. He doesn’t associate with the female blond-haired fae. So he must be planning something else. Though nothing comes to mind.” Ritasia patted Alicia’s hand. “Lie down. Get your strength back. I’m sure Deveron plans to transport you again. Repeated transportation the fae way for one who is not accustomed to it, can be incapacitating at the very least.”

“How would you know?” Alicia asked as she took Ritasia’s advice and laid her head against the soft down pillow.

“When we haven’t jumped from place to place for a while, even the Denkar can become disoriented. Deveron does it so often, he never does. But I don’t transport as frequently as he does.”

“Why don’t you marry the Venician prince?”

Ritasia’s eyes widened. “How would you know...oh, you overheard my lady-in-waiting’s conversation with me. Not only do I not love the conceited Prince Phillinois, I can’t stand him.”

Before Alicia could speak further to Ritasia about the prince, Deveron appeared in front of her on the mattress.

He turned and scowled at Ritasia.

She smiled back at him and raised her brows.

“What in curses are you doing here?”

Ritasia ignored his words. Her gaze shifted to the garments Deveron had taken from her room. “You could have asked my permission.”

“How could I when you were not in your chambers but in mine? Whoever gave you permission to enter mine anyway?”

“Me, after I was grilled thoroughly about your vanishing with Alicia. Where do you intend to take her next?”

“Change,” he said to Alicia. Then he climbed off the bed and Ritasia joined him, pulling the curtains closed again.