Eight

Darby sat down on the couch in Kellen’s flat. He took her back to his place when she almost fell asleep while he was talking to her. 

“Oh no,” he shook his head, “I get the couch. You have the bed.”

“I couldn’t, I’m a guest. It’s your bed.”

“Darby, as king I’m ordering you to take the bed.”

“Fine,” she gave in, but she was still uncertain. She didn’t want to put him out, after the kindness he showed her the last thing she wanted to do was take advantage.

Kellen’s room was in the back of the and half of the room was covered by the huge bed. She sat down carefully, it was comfortable, but she was still ill at ease.

“You don’t have to be so delicate with it, it’s just a bed,” Kellen said from the doorway.

“Sorry,” she blushed, wrapping the sheets around her.

He chuckled, “You don’t have to apologize.”

“Sor-okay.” 

“Do you want anything?”

“No thanks, I’m good.”

“Well, night.”

“Good night,” she smiled.

Alone in the dark Darby breathed easier. Even if she wasn’t yet used to the whispery feather wings that folded around her.

In the next room over she could hear Kellen settle on the couch. She still felt guilty about taking his bed, but she knew that if he had any idea she was still dwelling on that he’d laugh at her.

She thought about all that he told her about the faerie empires and she wondered wryly which one she belonged to. The Light Empire seemed nice, but she had a guilty suspicion that she was mainly thinking about the Light King.

It’s not my Seth. He’s human.

She didn’t mind Kellen either. 

But the dark fey are what we’re afraid of. They kill humans, he allows it. 

But that still didn’t scare her away from the possibility. 

“Kellen?” Philip questioned when he saw Kellen on the couch.

Kellen lifted his head up, “Oh, hey.”

“Why are you on the couch?”

“Darby’s in the bed.”

“Darby?” Philip raised an eyebrow, “Special Darby?”

“Yeah,” he sat up.

“So, she’s yours then.”

“We don’t know, we’re finding out tomorrow.”

“Why aren’t you in bed with her?”

“She didn’t ask.”

“Since when do you care if they ask?”

Kellen shrugged.

“Do you have any idea whose she is?”

“I fed her earlier,” he laughed, “can you believe she didn’t know how to eat? It’s a good thing I found her.”

“Couldn’t you tell then?”

“I fed her anger, the one emotion both empires share. I didn’t want to know whose she was right away.”

I didn’t want to lose her right away. 

Philip looked at him a moment, “I have no idea what you’re planning. You have one night that you could make her yours and you’re sleeping on the couch, where I sleep. Where the hell am I supposed to sleep now?”

Kellen moved over, “Right here. But I’m not into cuddling, you get cold in the night pull on a blanket.”

Philip rolled his eyes, “No offense, but I’m sure I could do better than you if I swung that way.”

Kellen grunted and turned off the light. Ignoring the small part of him that was questioning why he wasn’t in bed with Darby.

“So, how are we going to do this?” Darby asked, the next morning.

“We’ll go to your funeral.”

“My what?”

“Your funeral for your “mortal soul” that we took away.”

“Why would they hold a funeral? I’m alive.”

“Well, seeing as you’re here, they probably didn’t believe you.”

She looked down, “Not at all. They tried to kill me.”

He gave her a sad smile, “It takes a lot to get away from the family once you transform. You were one of the lucky ones, some don’t even make it for a minute.”

She was quiet.

“What are you thinking about?”

She was going to lie, but that was when she remembered that he could taste lies, “I wouldn’t have gotten out if it wasn’t for my older brother, Christopher. I miss him.”

“And not your parents?” He seemed surprised, “by now most faeries make up excuses for them and forgive them.”

She shook her head, the recollection of them calling her a demon was still fresh in her mind.

“What’s he like?”

She paused, “He’s very protective of me. We share a bond, when I transformed, he knew it was me despite what my parents said. He got me out of there, he didn’t care that I was a faerie,” her tone went sour on the last word.

Kellen just nodded.

She sighed and let her memory take control, “Once, when I was fifteen, this boy kept saying. . . horrible things about me. It got to the point where I lost it and punched him, right when a teacher got into view. The principal called home and Christopher was there, he took me back to the house. I got suspended for a day, but I was more worried about how Christopher would react, he has no tolerance for violence. But in the car he just calmly asked, “Did you get a good punch in?” And I told him yes, then he took me out for ice cream and spent the afternoon talking to me about it,” she smiled.

Kellen looked lost in thought.

“I miss him,” she whispered, feeling her wings wilt. Suddenly she glared at him, “are you feeding off of me?”

He glanced up at her, “Oh, no. I could smell it, but I thought you might be insulted if I was eating instead of listening.”

“Oh.”

He laughed, “Don’t seem so shocked, I can be a perfect gentleman. Anyway, what do you think about going to your funeral? That could help decide your empire,” at the end he became solemn.

“I think it’s a good idea. I want to know my empire.”

He nodded and got up, “Hey, just so you know, the Dark Empire really isn’t that bad. Most of us are misunderstood.”

She smiled, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

He started to walk out, “Let’s go.”

She followed him out.

The moment of truth.  

Kellen helped Darby up the tree before the service began. He already worked with her on using her glamour, but just in case she forgot and started to show he took the precaution of having them in a tree.

He was sure he was more nervous than she was but he made sure he covered it well enough that she wouldn’t get a taste.

She probably wouldn’t anyway, she’s to young.

He gazed at her as she watched her family and friends form together. He didn’t have to smell the longing to be with them, it was written on her face.

Such a beautiful face. 

But he’s seen plenty of beautiful girls, what drew him to her was different.

“That’s Christopher,” she pointed him out.

“Who’s that?” He looked closer at the girl who joined the group.

“That’s Mackenzie,” she glowered at him, “quit staring at her. She wouldn’t be interested in you anyway.”

“What makes you think that?”

“She’s not into faeries,” then seeing he was still eyeing her, “or pigs.”

Now he looked back at her, “I’m not a pig.”

She raised an eyebrow at him.

She’s smart. 

He turned back to the funeral, “It’s starting, now focus, what can you taste?”

“Umm, something like cinnamon.”

“That’s anger. Anything else.”

Say sadness. Sadness, pain, or hate. 

“One more thing, something hard to describe,” she looked frustrated.

Love. 

Right there he knew he had lost her. The Dark Empire doesn’t love, can’t feel it. When he asked light faeries that he was with what love felt like they told him it was hard to describe, you just know what it is. It wasn’t something that you could explain.

“Maybe you just don’t know enough to decide,” he said numbly.

“No, there’s nothing else at all.”

D****t. 

“Kellen?” Darby watched him, “What does that mean?”

Seth doesn’t have to know. She could still be mine. 

“You’re a dark faerie.”

She smiled, “So, you’re my king?”

He nodded soberly.

I’m not going to lose her. Seth won’t know, not if we don’t see him. She could still stay with me.