The Torn Wing (28 page)

Tiki’s heart skipped a beat. “Me?”

“I’m afraid I’ve been caught in your web,” he said. There was something breakable in his face. “You haunt my thoughts like no other.” Dain’s gaze traced the contours of her face then dropped to the pale skin of Tiki’s chest where the swell of her breasts rose and fell above the low-cut gown with the erratic beat of her heart. His gaze burned a path as tangible as a fingertip caressing her skin. She shivered—whether in pleasure or fear, she was unsure.

His words were soft. “Maybe it’s because I’ve placed my life in your hands.” He took her hand, turning her palm up and ran his fingertips gently over her skin. “Have you kept my secret?”

Tiki stared into his eyes, powerless to look away. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Tara—there you are.” Arthur’s voice caught her by surprise and Tiki jerked around with a guilty start. The prince nodded at Dain. “Pardon me for interrupting but I need to steal Miss Dunbar away.”

“Oh, yes h…hello, Arthur,” Tiki stuttered. “William was looking for you.” She nodded at Dain. “A pleasure to see you again.” She turned and followed Arthur. She didn’t need to look over her shoulder to feel the weight of Dain’s gaze upon her back.

“Where is Wills?” Arthur craned his neck.

Tiki pointed in the direction of the dance floor. “He met an old friend and they’ve been catching up.”

“Yes, well, he does know most of the group here tonight. He’s been missed.” Arthur lowered his voice. “Leo is anxious to talk to the both of you. Why don’t I take you to him and then I’ll come back and find Wills?”

Arthur escorted Tiki from the room. As they walked through the ornate hallways the image of Dain replayed in Tiki’s mind. Why was Dain here? Behind the sarcasm had that been longing in his eyes? Tiki’s thoughts were a confusing blur as the prince led her down grand hallways lined with paintings, oversized pots of the finest porcelain and marble figurines frozen in various poses.

“Here we are.” An armed guard stood at stiff attention outside a door. At Arthur’s arrival the guard pulled open one side of a giant pair of doors. Arthur motioned for Tiki to enter the room. “After you.”

The space was very large, with grand ceilings and paired columns around the perimeter. One small sitting area had been carved out of the enormous room, with chairs circled around a hearty fire to create the illusion of an intimate setting. The back of Leo’s brown head was visible in one of the seats.

Tiki hurried across the room, wishing Rieker was with her. Arthur called to his brother.

“I’ve brought Miss Tara up to talk to you. I’m going to go round up Wills and bring him up as well.” Arthur disappeared back out the door, shutting it quietly.

“Leo?” Tiki called.

“Lovely Tara.” Leo’s voice sounded weak, but he raised a hand to signal he was aware of her approach.

Tiki rounded the corner of the chair to face Leo. He wore a purple silk dressing robe with the royal insignia of a lion and a unicorn emblazoned on one breast. A rich satin blanket of purple and gold covered his knees.

She was shocked at how thin he’d become since she’d seen him last. His brown hair lay limp on his head. Though he sat upright in the chair, his shoulders sagged and Tiki wondered if he had the strength to stand on his own. His neck was encased in a white shirt with a high neck of ruffles, but underneath Tiki could see layers of white padding wrapped around his throat.

“Forgive me for not getting up. These blasted wounds have sucked the life out of me,” Leo said. His eyes still held a hint of mischief in them, as he held his hand out to her. “It’s so good to see you again, Tara. You grow more beautiful, if that is even possible. You are indeed a sight for sore eyes.”

Tiki dropped into a curtsy that Leo waved away. “Pull up a chair so I can feast my eyes upon you before Wills arrives and gets all territorial. I’m sorry I’m not at my best at the moment.”

Tiki pulled a chair up and sat down, spreading the folds of her skirt so they wouldn’t wrinkle. “You’ve been through a terrible ordeal.”

The large door leading into the drawing room swung open and Rieker hurried into the room. His long legs crossed the room in quick strides. Tiki didn’t miss the questioning look he sent her way before he hurried to Leo’s side, clasping his hand.

“Well, Leo, you still look like something the cat drug in.”

Leo gave a weak laugh as Rieker pulled a chair close and sat down, flipping his tails out behind him. “As it turns out, I feel more like something the cat coughed up.” The smile faded from Leo’s lips as he propped his elbow on the arm of the chair and rested his head against his fingers. “I’m lucky to have survived. I know that much. He wanted to kill me—I could feel it.”

The young prince reached a shaking hand to grasp a glass of water that sat on a nearby side table. He closed his eyes for a moment, as though in pain.

“I forgot to ask before, did he speak?” Rieker asked.

“There was a hoarse sort of breathing—disturbing, really, but I don’t recall him saying any words.” Leo picked at the fabric of the blanket that covered his knees before he cast a sideways glance at Rieker. “Was he—” he hesitated— “human—do you think?”

Rieker hesitated, running his hand through his hair, creating tousled waves. “It’s hard to say.”

Leo nodded. “I thought not.”

“Everyone in the royal family needs to be guarded at all times until we catch him,” Rieker said. “But I doubt he’ll be back soon. He knows you’ll be watching for him now.”

Leo let out a heavy sigh. “They were right, weren’t they? It’s more than the bloody ring this time.”

Rieker nodded. “Much more. It’s a fight for the power to control all of the Otherworld, as well as the British throne. That’s what Donegal wants.”

Leo’s face was gray and Tiki could tell their visit was exhausting him. Rieker stood up, holding a hand out for Tiki.

“Not to worry, Leo. We’ll get this sorted. This battle has waged for centuries. We’re not about to give up what is ours.” Rieker leaned forward and patted Leo on the knee. “In the meantime, you just focus on getting well.”

Leo reached for a small bottle on the table. A cork stopper was shoved into the top of the clear glass. “I saved this for you, Wills. Been meaning to give it to you each time you’ve visited.” He held the bottle up for them to see. “I wager you’re the only one around here who might be able to make use of it.”

Rieker’s brow furrowed as he squinted to make out the contents. “What is it?”

“A handful of hair I apparently ripped from the head of my assailant. They found it clutched in my hand after the attack.” Leo held the bottle out to Rieker. “Here, you take it. Perhaps it will help you in recognizing him.” His lips wavered in a thin smile. “Look for the chap with a bald spot on one side.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

“W
hat are you going to do with that?” Tiki motioned to the bottle in Rieker’s hand. Upon closer examination they discovered the bottle held strands of jet black hair.

“I have no idea,” he said as he slipped the container into his pocket.

“It’s a bit gruesome, don’t you think?”

He shrugged. “We might find it helpful later.” Rieker slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as they walked down the secluded hallway. “Where did you go?”

“For some reason Larkin delights in antagonizing me. Tonight I didn’t feel like listening to her, so I left.” Tiki told him of running to hide in the corner, but made no mention of Dain. “Then Arthur found me and insisted that I come right then to see Leo.”

“Well, I apologize for my delay.” Rieker lowered his voice. “It turns out there are others besides Larkin here tonight. Do you remember that dark-haired faerie who was so chummy with Sean when we were in the Palace of Mirrors?”

Tiki’s reaction was guarded. “Yes.”

“She’s here tonight, as well. I noticed her in the crowd when I went looking for Arthur. She approached me and told me she was a friend of Isabelle’s and suggested we should dance. I didn’t really know how I could say no, especially as there were others watching us. I figured it was a good opportunity to see what information I could get out her.”

“Did you?”

“I asked her point-blank why there were two faeries here tonight—” he chuckled under his breath— “I wish you could have seen the look on her face when she realized that I knew what she was—and she said ‘two? I thought there were five of us.’”

Tiki put a hand on Rieker’ arm and pulled him to a stop. “
Five?
”

“Of course, when she realized that I hadn’t known, she clammed up. She told me to ask Larkin. But obviously, they must be expecting something to happen.”

“That is exactly what Larkin said too. That they expected something to happen tonight.” Tiki glanced around the deserted hallway, eyeing the shadows gathered in the corners. “The entire palace is under guard,” she said in a low voice. “I can’t imagine anyone trying to attack a royal here but it concerns me you might be a possible target.”

“I hardly think I’m going to be attacked in the middle of a party.” Rieker said. “But it does make me wonder what they know—or what they think they know.”

As they returned to the dance floor Tiki couldn’t shake the thread of worry tightening around her. The ballroom was more crowded when they returned. The wine had loosened the inhibitions of many in the group and gales of laughter rang out over the roar of conversation and music. Tiki followed Rieker through the teeming couples, scanning the crowd for any sign of Dain.

They were halfway across the dance floor when the orchestra struck up a lively polka. The area was suddenly swarmed with couples chasing and hopping in time with the music. As they kept being stopped by people dancing in front of them, Rieker finally swooped Tiki into his arms, dancing her in a polka across the room and to the opposite edge of the floor. Tiki giggled as they spun to a stop. Her skirts swirled about her ankles and she clutched Rieker’s arm until the room stopped spinning.

She looked up to find herself standing next to Dain.

“Oh, Dain,” she said, without thinking, “there you are.” For once, the vivid color of his eyes seemed shrouded.

“Who is your friend, Tiki?” Rieker asked, a strange note in his voice. “I saw you talking to him earlier.”

Tiki’s heart dropped into her silk shoes. Rieker had seen her talking to Dain? She imagined what that must have looked like from a distance, with Dain holding her hand as she stared into his mesmerizing eyes. With a start she realized Rieker had danced them next to Dain on purpose.

Dain held his hand out. “Lord Brendain Browne.”

Tiki looked at Dain in surprise. He was a lord, too?

Rieker clutched the offered hand in a firm grip. “Lord William Becker Richmond.”

Silence as heavy as a stone filled the space between the two young men as they measured each other.

Seeing the two of them standing together face to face caused an uncomfortable twisting in the pit of Tiki’s stomach. They were the same height with shoulders that filled the outline of their jackets, hinting at the strength that lay beneath. Their faces were chiseled with good looks, though Rieker’s nose leaned ever so slightly to the right and Dain had a slight hook to the bridge of his nose. The differences were subtle, however. Their hair color varied, though the texture was the same. But the similarities stopped with their eyes: Rieker’s were smoky and filled with shadows while Dain’s blue eyes were as clear as a cloudless summer sky.

“William, this is Dain,” Tiki said.

“Tiki has mentioned you.” Rieker said, releasing his hand. Tiki noticed he didn’t smile and the muscle along his jaw line flexed.

“Strange,” Dain replied with a half-smile, “she hasn’t mentioned you.”

Tiki’s mouth dropped open at his lie. A grin teased the corner of his lips as he gave her a sly wink.

“I see you two have finally met.” Larkin appeared out of nowhere. Unsmiling and tense, she stepped between the two of them and slid a hand under each of their elbows. “William, you’re looking a bit hostile. I thought you might be pleased to meet Dain.”

Larkin lifted her chin at Tiki. “You see it, don’t you?” The faerie, disguised as Isabelle, didn’t wait for Tiki’s answer. “Unfortunately, we don’t have time for reunions right now.” Her expression darkened. “We have more important matters to attend.” She reached for Tiki’s arm. “We’re about ready to make our move against Donegal, but the Macanna want to meet you. They need proof you exist.”

Tiki jerked her arm away and stepped back. “Am I to be your bait, then?”

Rieker’s voice simmered with anger. “She’s not going with you.”

Larkin’s expression turned black. She ignored Rieker and faced Tiki. “You are
needed
. Without the Macanna, what remains of the Seelie court has no hope of overcoming Donegal. He’s become too strong.” Her lips pressed together in a thin line as she tried to control her anger. Through gritted teeth she said, “They need a reason to believe.”

“She has a family here that needs her, as well.” Rieker took Tiki’s hand and held it firmly. “She went to the Otherworld once for nothing and was almost captured by Donegal. It took her days to get back—no thanks to you. You can fight your own battles now.”