The Ruby Kiss (11 page)

Nightshade tensed. “What did he do to you?” he demanded.

She covered his hand with hers and shook her head. “Later,” she whispered.

“I ordered the Whips to protect you!” Twister snapped.

“You set the bloody Whips on Nightshade.” Ruby ran gentle fingers over Nightshade’s chest, indicating his injuries. “What the hell was that all about?”

“You don’t understand,” Twister growled in frustration. “I need you. You’re my queen.”

“You’re
the one who doesn’t understand.” Ruby sat up and leaned forward. “I. Said. No.”

“Troy didn’t think Ruby was the Unseelie queen,” Nightshade chipped in.

Twister chucked the leather dress on the floor. “Don’t mention that man’s name to me.”

“Who’s Troy?” Ruby glanced at Nightshade. Twister was having a mini tantrum, kicking bags and boxes out of his way.

“Devin’s father. He’s ancient and knows everything. I called for his help when Twister’s guards wouldn’t let me reach you.”

“Oh.” She imagined a wise old guy in robes with a long gray beard.

“Don’t you realize that becoming Unseelie queen is a good thing?” Twister asked. “No one in the Seelie Court would dare try to claim my queen, so you’d be protected without needing the blood bond.”

A few beats of silence passed while Ruby absorbed this detail. It was a good point. Maybe she should
pretend
to be Twister’s queen so none of the Seelie tried to claim her.

She gripped Nightshade’s hand and glanced up at him, hoping he’d see the sense in that. “What if I pretend to be the Unseelie queen when I go to see Aila?”

Twister dropped his head and became impossibly still. For long moments he remained frozen in thought. “Very well. But you must pledge that you’ll use your power to aid anyone in the Unseelie Court I ask you to aid.”

Ruby nodded. “
If
I keep my power, and that’s a big if, I’ll do what I can for your people before I go home.”

Nightshade’s brows snapped down. “You don’t need to pose as his queen. I’ll fight anyone who tries to claim you.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt.” She rubbed a soothing hand over his arm. “This seems easier and less risky.”

His nostrils flared and his chin hitched up. “So you’ll play at being another man’s woman?”

She should have expected his reaction, given his possessive attitude. “It’s only for the Seelie Court’s benefit. You know I’m not attracted to him.”

Twister swore. “I assure you the feeling’s mutual, you irritating woman.”

Ruby ignored him, far more concerned about Nightshade.

“Very well,” Nightshade said. “But in my experience, lies like this always return to bite you on the arse.”

* * *

As Nightshade emerged from Ruby’s room and headed off along the corridor with the two dogs trotting at his heels, Devin peered out of his bedchamber door. After Ruby woke that morning, he’d been waiting all day to catch her alone, but since the episode the previous night with the Blackthorn Throne, Nightshade had hardly let her out of his sight.

As soon as his friend disappeared, Devin slipped into the corridor and knocked on Ruby’s door. She answered and he went in, closing the door softly behind him.

“Devin?” Ruby squinted at him in the firelight. “You’ve just missed Nightshade.”

“I’ve been waiting for him to leave.”

“Oh.” Ruby was holding bedcovers to her chest. “That sounds ominous.”

“It’s nothing for you to worry about,” he reassured her. “I just need to speak with you about your visit to the Seelie Court.”

“Fine. Give me a moment to get decent.”

Devin wandered across to the fireplace on the far side of the room and stared at the dancing flames. Twister had tried to persuade him not to accompany them to the Seelie Court in case his presence provoked trouble. The last thing he wanted to do was cause Ruby problems, but he had to take this chance to catch a glimpse of Aila.

Ruby stepped up beside him, tying the cord on her dressing gown. “Okay, what did you need to tell me?”

“Twister doesn’t want me to come with you. He thinks my past disagreement with the Seelie king and queen will muddy the waters.”

“You have a thing for Aila and her parents disapprove?” Ruby asked, her eyebrows raised.

Devin winced. “Am I that obvious?”

“Every time her name’s mentioned, you zone out.”

He dropped into one of the wing chairs by the fire and dragged his hands through his hair. Gods, he was pathetic.

Ruby wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick hug. She was soft, warm, and smelled wonderful. He envied Nightshade his happiness.

“I need to ask you a favor,” he said. He wanted to give himself to Aila in every way, but at least if he entrusted her with the stones containing the essence of his mind, body, and spirit she would realize how much he loved her. He pulled a tiny leather bag containing the three linked stones of his Magic Knot out of his coat pocket. “Would you give this to her? Tell her . . . I still think about her.”

Tell her I still love her.

Ruby weighed the tiny bag in her palm. “If I’m going to be responsible for this, do you mind telling me what’s inside?”

Devin dragged in a breath. It wasn’t fair placing such a burden on Ruby’s shoulders when she had so much else to contend with. And yet . . .“My Magic Knot.”

“Blimey.” Ruby pushed it back into his hand. “I’m not bonded with you now I’ve touched that, am I?”

Despite his melancholy, Devin laughed. Ruby was so charmingly naive about the ways of his world. “You’re safe from the hideous prospect of bonding with me as long as you don’t open the bag.”

She flushed. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I’m teasing,” he said as she fidgeted.

“Okay, then.” She held out her hand for the bag.

“I really appreciate this, Ruby. I won’t cause trouble when we get to the Seelie Emerald Palace . . .” He glanced up at her understanding hazel eyes. “I just want a chance to see Aila again.”

She gave him an appraising look. “I’m not worried. You might even distract their attention from my fake marriage to Twister.” She rolled her eyes. “That man is seriously disturbed.”

Devin squeezed her hand. “Troy told me what happened in the Assembly Room. Twister isn’t normally so obnoxious. For some reason he’s desperate to control your power, Ruby.”

“Well, please thank your father for his help when you next see him.”

“Of course.”

But unease trickled through him. Troy had only helped her because Nightshade asked. His father normally only helped family. For some reason, Troy had formed an attachment to Nightshade. And if Troy grew possessive of his latest fancy, Ruby would be the loser.

* * *

Three days later, Ruby left her dogs in the care of the house brownies and met Nightshade, Devin, and Twister outside the back door of the Bunker. The Seelie king and queen had finally replied to Twister’s request for Ruby’s audience with Aila, and she wanted to visit as soon as possible so she could get rid of her power and get back home.

Before she stepped out of the Bunker’s magical protection, she paused to smooth down the skirt of a long leather dress they’d found her. “As soon as I step outside and my affliction kicks in, this dress will go crazy. It’ll probably grow ears and udders or something.”

“No problem.” Nightshade swept her into his arms.

“I
should carry her, as she’s meant to be my queen,” Twister grumbled. “There might be Seelie specters watching.”

“No,” Ruby and Nightshade chorused. The last time he picked her up, he’d thrown her over his shoulder. No doubt Twister had conveniently forgotten that.

“Are you sure about coming with us?” Twister asked Devin, as if continuing a conversation they’d started before Ruby arrived.

“Will you stop going on about this?” Devin sucked in an angry breath. “I’m Master of the Darkling Road. Eavan and Nairne cannot deny me entry to the Seelie Court, much though they might wish it.”

He sounded determined, but he also flapped his long purple coat around his legs and nervously fiddled with the thong holding back his hair. When he glanced at Ruby, she pointed to the tiny leather bag attached to her belt to show she had remembered his gift for Aila.

“I want the djinn with us in case we have to fight,” Nightshade said.

“Anyway,” Devin added, as they started along a mossy path between stunted trees, “taking my route will save you hours of travel.”

When they’d gone about fifty feet, he glanced behind them and halted. “This is far enough from the Bunker not to mess with its magic.” He raised a hand and sketched an intricate symbol in the air, smoke trailing behind his fingers. Devin slapped his thigh while they all stared expectantly.

“What’re we waiting for?” Ruby asked.

“Devin’s opening the Darkling Road that leads directly to the Seelie’s Emerald Palace,” Twister explained.

A shimmering staircase unfolded out of the sky, the bottom step coming to rest at Devin’s feet. He released a satisfied breath. “Every time I want to use this route, I wonder if it will open. Eavan has his mystics working to deny me entry. It sticks in his craw that I hold dominion over the Darkling Road through his realm.”

Ruby urged Nightshade forward a step before peering down from where she rested in his arms. The glistening crystal lattice of the steps didn’t appear strong enough to take their weight.

“I vote for the long way round,” she said.

Twister’s breath hissed out. “Don’t be ridiculous. It would take us hours to reach the proper entrance to the Crystal City.
Then we’d have to gain access. This way we walk right into the Emerald Palace itself.”

“I’ll carry you up,” Nightshade said.

Ruby gave him an incredulous look. “You’re missing the point. This staircase is a glorified spider’s web.”

“The crystal’s sturdier than it looks,” Devin promised. “Try it.”

He ran up the first few steps and extended his hand. Ruby hesitated. What was her fear? Was she just putting off the awkward confrontation that was sure to ensue when they reached the Seelie Court?

She grabbed a breath, steeling herself. “Okay, Nightshade. Put me down. My affliction isn’t affecting my dress.”

He deposited her on the bottom step and she gripped Devin’s offered hand. Now she stood on the steps, they appeared as solid as white marble. She hitched up her leather skirt so she could see the low-heeled pumps Twister had found for her.

From behind, Nightshade lightly rested his hands on either side of her waist and leaned close, his head level with hers as she was on a higher step. “I won’t let you fall,” he whispered into her ear.

Ruby’s eyelids drifted down as she relished the warm brush of his lips and the silky sweep of his hair tickling her neck. She placed her hands over his and linked their fingers. She hoped he would come home with her, even if only for a little while, once she rid herself of the Mistress’s power. He’d told her he lived in the human world, so he might. The thought of never seeing him again left her hollow.

“You can’t do that when we reach the Emerald Tower,” Twister complained. “Ruby must stay with me.”

Ruby rolled her eyes. “Perhaps we should forget the fake engagement if you’re going to be a pain about it.”

Twister huffed and ran on up the stairs ahead.

Nightshade urged her forward, so Ruby took a step up and
then another. With Nightshade’s steadying touch she climbed higher. Ignoring the misty blue nothingness on either side, she tried to forget they were climbing into the sky.

“How far up is the city?” she asked.

“You can’t really measure the height in earthly terms, because the Seelie Court exists in an alternate realm, but it’s about a thousand steps.”

“One thousand! Damn.” Ruby sucked in a breath. Her legs were already aching. When she got home, she would seriously have to start using the treadmill hidden in the corner of her studio behind a heap of canvases. “I need a rest.”

She stopped and leaned back against Nightshade while she caught her breath. Perhaps she should reconsider his offer to carry her. None of the men looked even slightly out of breath.

They tramped on for what felt like hours, and Ruby’s leg muscles were trembling with fatigue by the time Devin finally signaled them to stop. She was sweaty and probably had a face the color of beetroot.

Devin pushed open an invisible door, and they filed out onto a green marble terrace. The gleaming walls of the Emerald Palace towered above, framed by the perfect blue of a cerulean sky. Silver pennants fluttered atop an assortment of spires. Below the palace spread a metropolis of iridescent crystal buildings sparkling in the sun like a city of jewels.

“Strewth,” Ruby blurted in an awed whisper.

“Don’t be too impressed,” Devin replied. “Eighty percent is created by glamour, and the twenty percent that’s real is enhanced by it. The Seelie are all about appearances and bloodlines, surface crap like that. Seelie beauty is only skin-deep. They’re bigoted, narrow-minded . . .” His breath hissed out between his clenched teeth and he visibly reined back his anger.

“We get the point,” Nightshade said, putting a supportive hand on Devin’s arm. “Just remember we’re here for Ruby.”

Twister stepped up beside her. “We have company,” he said, pointing up at the diaphanous white form of a specter floating high above their heads. “Back off, stalker,” he whispered to Nightshade. “For Ruby’s safety, they must believe she’s the Unseelie queen.”

Nightshade and Twister exchanged antagonistic glares before Nightshade stepped back. Twister held out his arm. Ruby didn’t like being passed around like a package, but this had been her own choice so she couldn’t complain. With a regretful smile at Nightshade, she placed her hand on Twister’s forearm.

Seeing the Unseelie king’s face change, she felt her mouth drop open in surprise. She hardly recognized him. His scars were gone, his skin a smooth bronze, his eyes a pale golden brown. Her first assessment of him had been right: without the scars, he was incredibly easy on the eyes.

“He’s using glamour,” Nightshade accused.

Devin’s appearance had assumed a gloss as well. Ruby took a moment to identify the difference, because he normally looked gorgeous, but now his hair gleamed brighter, while the rich velvety brown of his eyes had a more compelling depth. She could lose herself in them. Ruby wished she had the ability to glam up; she needed it a lot more than Devin.