Fey Regency (Fey Lords #3)

15. Chapter 15

Chapter fifteen

I can’t believe I’m wearing a fur coat. It is very warm and super comfortable, but it really isn’t anything I’d ever thought I’d be doing. It is one more example of just how utterly my life has changed. I’m dressed in furs and wandering around the grounds of Windsor Castle, that apparently, I flipping own now.

We’ve toured the inside, but evidently that is not good enough and we have to inspect the outside too. It is all rather exhausting.

Jamie is bouncing along beside me, rabbiting on about something or other. Interior design ideas, I think. As if I’m going to take on the task of decorating an entire castle. No thanks. It looks just fine the way it is.

I’m glad he is enjoying himself, though. Someone should be. I’m just going to try to forget everything and focus on the fresh air and the freeing feeling of being outside. It is another sunny day. This winter has been unusually full of them, and the sunlight is quite lovely. It is really annoying to discover that a walk is actually good for one’s mental health. Damnit.

Selwyn is striding along with us, but like me, he seems content to let Jamie do all the talking. A couple of guards are trailing a few steps behind us, making the whole thing seem like an excursion.

I’m not used to company. To being part of a crowd. Hells, I’m not used to any of this.

At least I’m not feeling as fuzzy as I was. I am a lot less dazed. It feels like my brain is functioning again. Which is great and all, but now all I can think about is how it felt to be over Tristan’s lap. And not just in a horny way, because yes, the orgasms were amazing, at least at first. But it was what happened later that was truly spectacular.

The feeling of finally being able to let everything go. Of no longer bottling it up and burying it deep inside. That really felt good. Cleansing. Even life changing. And I’m not sure if I would ever have got there sweetly and gently. Because part of what made it possible was Tristan’s dominance and the feeling that it was safe to fall because I was in the arms of someone strong enough to catch me.

Fuck me. Who knew sex could work as therapy? I certainly didn’t. And it is a lot more fun than the conventional type, that’s for sure. Not that I have ever tried therapy, so actually, maybe I am wrong. Maybe it is a whole heap of fun, with multiple orgasms thrown in. Though, somehow I doubt it.

Anyway, fat lot of good all this introspection is doing me, because now what the hell do I do? Go up to Rhydian and say, here’s your castle back because actually I’m fine and it turns out it was all rather cathartic? Because I have a distinct feeling that would not go down well.

“Oh! Hi, Dyfri!” calls out Jamie cheerfully as he stops walking.

I pause too, look up and see the black-clad fey prowling towards us. He really does pull off the all black look rather well. He doesn’t look like a sad goth teenager. He looks ominous. Like a twink shadow-lord or something.

He catches up to us and crosses his arms over his chest and glares at Jamie. “You have to stop my brother from being stupid.”

Jamie pales. “What has he done now?”

“He is planning on cutting his horns off and laying them at your feet as a symbol of his remorse.”

Jamie squeaks and covers his mouth with his hand. His eyes grow enormous.

“I’ll open a portal,” says Selwyn quietly, but I can hear the deep alarm in his voice.

He waves his hand around in intricate gestures and a swirling dark void appears in the air in front of us. Jamie jumps straight into it as if it is no big deal, whereas I stagger backwards away from the pit of doom, because, hell no!

Selwyn steps calmly into it and then the whole thing winks out of existence as if it was never there. I stare, utterly dumbfounded, at the spot where it was.

“That’s another reason to never get married,” remarks Dyfri dryly.

I startle and turn to look at him. I hadn’t realised that he was still here. And damn, it slowly dawns on me that I am very glad that he is, otherwise I’d be very abandoned. Though the guards are still here, I suppose.

Dyfri sighs. “Looks like I’m taking you back to the palace.”

“In a carriage, right?” I squeak.

“Yes,” huffs Dyfri. “I’m not wasting all that magic.”

With that, he turns sharply on his heels and heads back the way he came. I hurry after him and the guards follow me. Heaven knows what would have happened if I’d been left alone with them. I’m not even sure if they speak English, or if they would obey me. I’d have to break cover and attempt to speak Fey. Or try to make myself comfortable at Windsor Castle until someone remembered I existed and came to get me.

I shiver and quicken my pace. Dyfri is a fast walker. Probably because he has long legs and isn’t a short-ass like me.

“Shall I take you somewhere Tristan will never find you?”

My feet stumble to a stop. What the hell? I was not expecting that. What happened to taking me back to the palace?

Dyfri stops a fair few paces in front of me. He turns to face me with a very impatient expression, as if I am the most exasperating person on the planet.

“Why would you do that?” I ask.

“You know why,” he says darkly.

And now I really am spluttering in surprise. I never will understand people. They are far too confusing.

“But he is your brother.”

Dyfri shrugs. “That doesn’t absolve him.”

I bite my bottom lip as I try to gather my thoughts. This has to be a trick. Fey are known for those. There is no way Dyfri would choose a stranger over his own brother. He has to be up to something. Politics again, no doubt.

I stare at him, but he is impossible to read. All I can see is impatience. But, whatever his motives, if I say yes, there is still a high chance I could escape all of this.

I rub at my suddenly aching chest as my gaze flicks up to the castle. Yeah, that is a very important consideration.

“No thanks. I’ll keep the castle,” I say .

Because I’m not stupid enough to give up wealth like that. My descendents are set forever. If I ever have any, but whatever, that’s not the important part. What matters is that I’ve miraculously escaped poverty and there is no way I am going back.

Dyfri raises one eyebrow. “Very sensible.” The gleam of respect in his dark eyes is making me stupidly proud. “I can tell you are fey,” he adds.

And another wave of pride hits me. Along with a stupid sense of belonging.

“What would a fey do in my situation?” I blurt.

Dyfri’s eyes narrow. “Get revenge or accept defeat. Or pretend to accept defeat in order to plot a more satisfying revenge.”

The hairs on the back of my neck rise and goosebumps form on my skin. Dyfri said that with a passion that burns. Perhaps the fey truly are my people. All belligerent and nasty.

I suck in a breath. I need to pull myself together. Dyfri is in a question answering mood so I need to take advantage of it.

“So, I can just move into Windsor Castle and never see him again?”

Dyfri nods. “He will pester you and try to win you back, but take off his collar, and yes.”

My hand flies to the collar around my neck. I had forgotten it was there. I don’t think I’ve given it much thought since he distracted me with a kiss and put it on me.

Oh my stars. I assumed it was locked into place. Immovable. The click as he secured it certainly had sounded final. But Dyfri is implying I can simply take it off.

A shudder wracks my body. I don’t want to remove it. My neck would feel cold and bare, even though a moment ago I had completely forgotten it existed.

“I can take it to him now, if you’d like,” offers Dyfri sweetly as he holds out his hand.

A blush creeps across my cheeks and there is not a damn thing I can do about it.

“I…um…need to think about it!” I stammer.

Dyfri simply smiles and nods, with an all too knowing look in his eyes. Actually, scrub that. That’s not a smile. That’s a smirk. An evil, all-knowing smirk. And now I feel as if he knows all my secrets and understands exactly how much of a mess I am. I’m also convinced that he can see how I have no clue about what I want to do, and the little git finds that highly amusing.

I snatch my gaze away and stare down at my feet before he reads even more of me. I hear a faint chuckle and then he starts walking. I blindly stumble after him.

Heaven help me, because someone needs to.