Fey Regency (Fey Lords #3)

14. Chapter 14

Chapter fourteen

T here are an awful lot of plants in here. There seems to be at least one on every available surface. Other than that, it is a lot like Tristan’s rooms. High ceilings. Marble fireplace. Fancy furniture. And a table under the enormous window.

Jamie smiles at me and pours some tea from a china teapot. The table is set with bacon and sausages, beans, tomatoes, toast and hash browns. Mushrooms too. Everything for a Full English Breakfast. It is very human and very comforting, so I don’t understand why I am suddenly yearning for fey food.

I suspect that I’m not right in the head. Not only am I missing fey food, last night it felt so strange to sleep alone, when I’ve always slept alone. Until Tristan brought me here.

Beds never felt cold and empty before. But then again, I’ve never had a giant four-poster to myself. So maybe what I was feeling was totally normal?

Jamie slides a cup of tea over to me. It looks lovely and milky. I pick it up and take a sip. The delicious, familiar taste washes over me. Two sugars, just as I requested. Oh stars, this is good. When was the last time I had a cup of tea? A cup of normal, human tea, like Granny makes? It has been far too long.

Jamie flashes me a tentative smile and I realise that I made a contented sigh over the tea. I try smiling back at him, but my lips refuse to budge. I’m not sure I even have those muscles. It has certainly been a very long time since I smiled. It was long before my last cup of tea, that’s for sure.

“Good morning, boys!” beams a jovial voice with a strong accent.

I look up as our host strides in and joins us at the table. He starts piling his plate high with scrambled eggs. There is something about him that I just can’t put my finger on. He appears harmless enough, with easy smiles and twinkling eyes. His hair is nut brown with matching curling horns. His face is the typical fey’s, high cheekbones and pronounced jawline. He doesn’t look as arrogant as Llywelyn, or like he is half-tree or anything, so I don’t know what it is that unsettles me.

“Thank you for having us, Selwyn. I really appreciate it. I know it makes things difficult for you,” Jamie says.

“Pssh!” says Selwyn with a dismissive wave of his hand. “It is a delight. And I’m not scared of my big brother.”

Jesus effing Christ. Is everyone at the fey court related? Are they all Tristan’s brothers? Though, it might explain why Selwyn makes me uneasy. There might be a resemblance to Tristan that I can’t consciously see, but it is nagging at my subconscious. Or maybe I’m just a suspicious bastard who doubts even kind people who take me in.

Jamie slides a plate of buttery toast towards me. I try again to smile. I think I am a little more successful this time. But I pick up a piece of toast and start eating it just in case. If I can’t smile, I can show my gratitude this way.

A look of relief flows over Jamie’s face, and he takes a sip of his tea. He seems calm and at ease, but I can tell that he is a little scared of me, and boy is it making me feel like an asshole.

He has only ever been sweet to me and I yelled at him, made him cry and now he has flipping left his husband for me. A stranger. Me, a grumpy asshole.

Mabon’s pet punched Tristan for me, too. What is with the humans here? Why are they all so nice? It is bewildering.

I gulp some more tea down. Maybe they aren’t that nice? Maybe this all has nothing at all to do with me and it’s just a twisted game of politics that goes right over my head? I mean, that is far more logical and makes far more sense.

My stomach squirms pathetically and my heart does something strange. My stupid insides liked the idea of nice people who liked me. And now my guts are being all clingy about the realisation that it probably isn’t true. Oh lord, my guts are pathetic. It is embarrassing.

Suddenly, a strange-looking dude wanders in and walks up to Selwyn. This little guy would come up to my waist at the most, and I’m a short-ass. He also has leathery bark-brown skin, a huge nose and a bright red hat.

He whispers something at Selwyn, bows and then walks away. Selwyn grabs a napkin, dabs his mouth, and gets to his feet.

“Excuse me, boys,” he says, and then he follows the short guy out .

I don’t think I will ever get used to this place. But I’m not going to say anything. I’m just going to sit here eating my toast, drinking my tea and enjoying the sunlight that has broken through the clouds and is now streaming through the window.

Oh wow. I’ve just realised. Look at me. I’m having tea at Buckingham Palace.

A snort escapes me, and Jamie looks up in alarm. If I try to explain, I’ll probably just sound even crazier than he already thinks I am, so I pretend to cough instead. He turns his attention back to his breakfast, so I think it has worked.

Selwyn strolls back in. His hands are clasped behind his back, and he has a strange smile on his face.

“Rhydian has sent apology gifts. I have had them set up in the next room,” he announces.

Jamie rolls his eyes, but I catch his pleased little smile. He jumps to his feet.

“Come on!” He smiles at me when he sees I’ve made no move to get up. I guess that means I’m invited.

The next room is just as huge as the one we just left, and it is half filled with giant bouquets of flowers. Every colour imaginable. I sneeze and mutter an apology. But everyone is far too busy gawping at all the flowers to notice me, which is fair enough because I’m gawping too. I’ve never seen anything like this.

There is a small path between the blooms, and Jamie weaves his way through it. I follow him. In the midst of all the bouquets, in the middle of the room, is an enormous golden bowl. It looks like real, solid gold to me, but what the hell do I know about such things ?

I do know that it is brimming with small, sparkly crystals. Jamie makes a noise and sticks his hand in. Then he lifts it and lets the crystals fall between his fingers, catching the light as they go.

I swallow dryly. I have a horrible feeling those are actually diamonds. A huge golden bowl of diamonds. Big enough to stick my entire head in.

“Oh my god!” squeals Jamie. “Is that the Mona Lisa?”

My head whips around to where he is staring. Yep. That sure looks like the Mona Lisa.

“I mentioned it was my favourite painting once! I didn’t even think he was listening!”

Jamie steps towards it. Then he stops and places his hands on his hips. “It is Ollie he should be apologising to.”

Selwyn picks up a white envelope that was nestled amongst the flowers. “This is for Ollie.”

He hands it to me and I take it with shaking fingers. Sure enough, my name is scrawled across the front in fancy, looping handwriting. The paper is thick, like the poshest wedding invitation ever.

I open it up and try to read the words, but I can’t make head or tails of it. I look up at Selwyn in defeat.

He holds out his hand. “May I?”

I give him the letter and he quickly reads it while Jamie and I stare expectantly at him. After a short while, he clears his throat.

“His highness understands that before you joined the court, you were homeless. Therefore, he has gifted you a home.”

Selwyn lowers the letter and stares right at me. “He has given you Windsor Castle. ”

I stagger backwards a few steps. Jamie takes my elbow and guides me over to a settee and sits me down.

This is all too surreal. It can’t be real. A castle? And not just any castle, Windsor Castle. I’ve seen pictures of that. It was the old human queen’s favourite or something. And it is huge and just outside London.

It is just as bizarre as being given Big Ben, London Bridge or Stonehenge. I cannot possibly process this. It is too much and now my head is spinning.

Emotions begin to bubble up. Familiar ones. Ones that I know far too well. I am feeling ashamed and awkward. My old, constant companions.

But perhaps these feelings are actually justified this time? Because, while I was shaken and overwhelmed by what happened with Tristan…I don’t think it was that awful. Certainly not on the scale of, needing to be given a castle to make up for it, level of bad.

But then again, my calibration for bad shit, is all messed up because I don’t have many good life events to balance the shit with.

My gaze tracks around the room full of gifts and I clutch my castle letter to my chest. Everyone is acting as if what Tristan did to me is such a big deal. So maybe they are right and I’m underplaying it?

But Tristan hasn’t apologised. He hasn’t sent me flowers or priceless works of art. He hasn’t sent me a thing.

My heart clenches painfully. I’m being ridiculous. Tristan is not my husband. There is no marriage to save. It is an entirely different situation.

“Rhydian is requesting to see you,” Selwyn says to Jamie .

Jamie sucks in a breath. “No,” he says decisively. “He can’t throw his obnoxious wealth at every problem and expect it to be solved. He needs to put the emotional labour in.”

My eyebrows rise. Wow. Jamie is a tough bitch. I’m pretty sure if someone gave me all this, I’d melt. I’d completely cave and forgive him. Especially if the whole drama started because he lost his shit and demanded a jerk was punished for upsetting me.

It is all proper swoony if you ask me. So I guess that makes me easy, and maybe that’s my problem? I’m too easy and that’s why no one wants me?

I snort derisively at myself. Yeah right. As if. I know damn well it is because I’m a bad tempered, unpleasant bastard.

That’s never going to change. Mid-twenties is far too old for a personality transplant. I am who I am. My only regret is allowing myself to believe that Tristan might be able to handle me. And that he might even enjoy the challenge.

Clearly not. I was a fool to get my hopes up. I’m not worth trouble with his brother. Which is fair enough. Why would I be? It is the whole reason he punished me in the first place, so he is hardly going to run to me now with roses clenched between his teeth.

It still hurts, though. And I don’t think that is entirely unreasonable. Most people would be sad in my situation. Nobody wants to be alone forever.