The Dark Fae (The World of Fae #1)(14)

“Yes, Lord Carsonet. But my cousin, Princess Alicia, needs my attention as well.”

The man frowned. “Surely you do not mean to escort Princess Lorelei while you…” He glanced at Alicia. “Why does Queen Irenis not have someone else look after Princess Alicia? A physician perhaps? She looks unwell.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. This man said it in such a hateful manner, her temperature elevated a whole ten degrees. Her cheeks must have flushed red as hot as they felt.

“I will be fine after a bit,” she said.

“A week,” Deveron amended.

She glared at him. How was she to look sickly for a whole week?

“The whole week you will be here with Princess Lorelei?” Lord Carsonet said, his voice raised in disbelief.

“Do you have some trouble with this?” Deveron folded his arms and pinned him with a glare. He didn’t appear to be a man to be trifled with.

“No, Prince Deveron. I will inform the princess you are here. I’m sure she would delight in your walking her in the gardens. They are a great pleasure to her.” The man bowed, then turned and hastened back to the courtyard.

Alicia took a deep breath, not liking the role she had to play now. How could she pull off being a fae? “He sounded displeased, Deveron.”

“He is the castle steward. But he has no business telling me how I am to handle my affairs.”

“If the princess walks in the garden with you, I can sit here and enjoy the fragrance of the flowers.”

“No. If you cannot walk, we’ll find something you can do. I won’t leave you behind.”

She rubbed her temple, the dizziness fading from there. “Do you think someone here will realize I’m not who I say I am?”

“I wouldn’t dare let my guard down.”

She took a deep breath, not understanding their fae logic. “Why didn’t you just return me home?”

“They would have found you.”

“Who?”

He crouched at her knees and took her hands in his. “The Denkar royal guard.”

“But won’t they find me here sooner? I mean, what if someone discovers I can’t move like you do. That I can’t become invisible to humans.”

“Not all fae transport themselves like that. Some hate the side effects too much. And if you are among fae, you would have no need to become invisible. The fae could see you anyway. It’s only among the humans that we become invisible.”

“And on occasion, visible.”

He smiled.

“Why do you care what happens to me?” The notion had plagued her ever since he kissed her the first time. Had he unduly influenced her with dark fae magic? Bound her under his spell?

Deveron stared at her for a moment, then his lips turned up slowly. “Truthfully?”

Could she handle the truth in her delicate condition? She nearly laughed out loud at herself. She nodded.

“No one has ever doused me with ice cold drinks before. There has to be an appropriate payback. You’re mine until I think of an adequate revenge.” His dark brown eyes sparkled with delight.

“You’re kidding right?”

His smile broadened. “Ask Ritasia. I don’t get angry, Alicia. I get even. Another dark fae quality.”

“You already got your revenge when you took me prisoner.”

“You’re my guest, my faery princess. Until I say otherwise.”

“Amuse yourself with the human a while longer?”

“Precisely. As long as you continue to intrigue me, you’re mine. Another dark fae quality—extreme possessiveness. Cannot be helped.”

Before she could tell him just what she thought of his dark fae qualities, royal blue gowns, sparkling in the sunlight, caught her eye. And then she saw the thin-faced girl, whose red hair was pulled so severely back, it made Alicia’s temple throb…or maybe it was the fae travel that had unsettled her so.

Deveron released Alicia’s hands and stood.

The girl’s catlike green eyes glared at Alicia. The girl obviously didn’t care for the intrusion. She crossed the courtyard with two ladies in tow. Her medieval chaperones? Maybe they thought Deveron would kiss Lorelei the way he’d kissed Alicia and that was forbidden. She swallowed hard. Yeah, the way the prince had kissed her should be forbidden. She looked at his lips that had thinned into a straight line as he watched Lorelei approach.

The thought he’d even want to kiss the girl—

“I’m so pleased you have returned, Deveron.” The girl took his hands in hers and kissed each of his cheeks.

If her blood could turn green with envy, Alicia’s just did. She wondered, though, why she was jealous. She couldn’t be resentful of a dark fae who had the hots for another fae.

Deveron greeted Lorelei in the same manner, then grinned at Alicia, who had to be wearing a Texas-sized scowl.

Deveron motioned to Alicia. “Princess Lorelei, meet my cousin, Princess Alicia.”

“From Neferon?” Lorelei asked, avoiding looking at Alicia.

“Yes.”

“I thought so.” She ran her hand over Deveron’s hair. “I didn’t think anyone in your direct line had light hair.”

“A very few.” He raised his brows at the tenderness the Venician princess showed him, and Alicia assumed this was a new side to Lorelei he’d never seen before.