Fourteen

Darby was conscious enough to feel the wet towel patted down on her skin. Her eyelids fluttered open and she saw Kellen sitting beside her on the bed. She tried to sit up but her head throbbed in pain.

He gently forced her back down, “Don’t move, it’s only going to hurt.”

“Where did everybody go?”

“We went home,” he explained, rubbing her flushed face.

“I don’t remember. . .”

“You shouldn’t, you were drunk.”

“How did that happen?” Then she recalled the faerie with the steel blue tattoo. “David.”

“Was that the faerie who was with you?”

“Yeah, he gave me wine. Well, at least, I think it was. It didn’t really taste like normal wine.”

“It wasn’t. It was dark wine.”

“So, what difference would that make?”

“Obviously, a big one,” he chuckled, “for mortals, light faeries, and even young dark faeries, the wine is highly addictive and strong. It only takes a glass and you’ll be drunk out of your mind, you had at least half a bottle. But, personally, I like it.”

She was quiet, her thoughts slowly coming back to her. But through the haze she wasn’t sure if they were real.

“I’m mad at you?” She remembered that she was, that was how she met David, but she didn’t feel the rage and it came out more as a question.

“You should be,” he admitted.

“Because you lied to me,” the memory was coming back full force.

“I did,” he agreed.

“But, I’m not. . .” it hurt her head worse to think about it.

“Why is that?” He pushed softly.

“I don’t know,” she looked at him, a smile creeping onto her features, “I can taste that you’re confused too.”

“I am, you always baffle me,” he laughed lowly, deep in his throat.

She made herself sit up, “Umm, will I have to leave? Since Seth is my king,” the words felt strange coming out of her mouth.

“Seth’s going to check in on you tomorrow, but you’re going to be staying right here. That is,” he eyed her, “if you want to.”

“I do,” she nodded forcefully, ignoring that it exceedingly hurt to do so.

“Then he’s going to have an interesting talk with you,” he snickered at some untold joke.

“He lied to me too.”

“Yeah, he did. Are you mad at him at all?” She almost thought she saw a flicker of hope in his dead eyes.

“I don’t think so. . . you might want to ask again later when I’m feeling better. The answer might change.”

He nodded, pushing a strand of loose hair out of her face, “I expect the same goes for me too.”

“We’ll see,” she leaned against him, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with fatigue, “am I still yours?”

He kissed her, “You’ll always be mine.”

“What does Seth think about that?”

“He’s not particularly fond of the idea.”

“He has no room to talk,” she reminded him.

He laughed quietly, “I know.”

“So, why aren’t you mad?”

“Why would I be angry?”

“I got drunk with David.”

“That wasn’t your fault,” he told her, “you needed some time to cool off, it was the luck of the draw that he would be the one you ran into.”

“I went with him. If I really didn’t want to I could’ve walked away, I was just so furious. . .” she glowered, “why aren’t I now?”

“Do you want to be?”

“I don’t know, maybe. I just want to feel something, I can’t feel anything right now.”

He rubbed her arm soothingly, “It’ll pass, I promise.”

“Kellen,” she mumbled.

“Yes, darling?”

“Why did you hide the fact I was a light faerie in the first place?”

He paused, “I didn’t want to lose you.”

“Well,” she closed her eyes, “you didn’t have to resort to that. You wouldn’t have lost me anyway.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said unemotionally, the look in his eyes unbelieving. 

She was about to comment on that when he cut her off, “You should get some sleep. That will be the easiest way to get over it.”

“But I want you to stay.”

He faltered a moment, “Alright,” and slid into the bed beside her.

“I told you that I was coming,” Seth reminded as an exhausted Kellen opened the door.

Kellen nodded and let him in, “I remembered, it’s just early.”

Seth looked over at the clock that read eleven-thirty, “Hmm.”

“She’s in the back room,” Kellen told him, lounging on the couch.

“Umm, thanks,” Seth said, knocking on the bedroom door.

“It’s open,” she called out.

He let himself in and smiled when he saw her. She was sitting up and the dazed look from her eyes was gone and the color had returned to her cheeks. He sat next to her on the bed, “How are you doing?”

“Much better,” she smiled, strength returning to her voice, “I recall that I’m angry with you though.”

“I’m so sorry,” he apologized.

“I forgive you.”

“So, how have you been since we first met?”

“Well, turns out that I was wrong, I ended up transforming. Apparently so did you,” she motioned at his wings.

“But being a faerie isn’t so bad now, is it?”

“It fell flat from the hell I had envisioned in my head, but the faerie alcohol sure is surprising.”

He laughed, “Took me awhile to get used to it. I can only have one glass of dark wine and I’ll still get tipsy.” 

“Yeah, well, I think I’m going to stick with sobriety for awhile.”

Seth glanced around the dimly lit room and let out some light to brighten it up, “Are you planning on staying here?”

“Yes,” she told him, and from her tone he could tell she wasn’t willing to budge on the subject.

I’d much rather have her closer to me. Too much darkness could be bad for her.

“Will you still see me?”

“Of course, your my king.”

“Good,” he beamed in relief.

“How was the celebration of life after we left?”

“It was fine.”

“Did you kick David out?”

He must’ve been the faerie she was with. 

“Actually, Kellen had other plans for him.”

“Like what?”

“Maybe he should be the one to tell you.”

“I’m not a baby. You can tell me things.”

“Kellen ordered the guards to have him killed.”

“Killed?! That’s. . .” she was in shock, “it was my fault too,” she argued.

Apparently Kellen didn’t tell her any of the details of what happened. 

“It wasn’t your fault at all, he was a bad guy, it’s better this way,” he persuaded.

“Let’s change the subject,” she muttered.

“Are you hungry? You seem kind of weak.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“I’m feeding you anyway.”

“That doesn’t mean I’ll take it in,” she told him stubbornly.

He laughed, “Then I’ll just have to feed you something you can’t resist.” 

Love.

After a minute of intense glaring Darby gave in and inhaled the emotion. Afterwords looking a little breathless.

“What was that?” She gasped.

“Remind me next visit,” he winked.

“Thanks.”

“Is Kellen taking care of you?”

“Of course he is,” she watched him, “I don’t see why you don’t like him, he’s helped me a lot, especially when I couldn’t find my king.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I was going to come and check on you to see if you had transformed, but I was a little late.”

“A little,” she scoffed.

He smiled, “Sorry, what can I do to make it up to you?”

She thought a moment before saying, “Well, you can’t ever forget that I’m your friend. I don’t care if you’re the Light King, when you’re with me, you’re my Seth, not the busy king.”

He grinned, “I promise.”