Shadowborn

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Karina

As she always did, Karina kept her head down while she walked through the halls of the royal castle. For the most part, just that much made her invisible. She’d grown up in these halls, and she’d long learned that a subservient poise caused the guards’ eyes to pass right over her, as if she didn’t exist.

She hated it almost as much a she loved it.

She hated it because she hated feeling so unimportant. Just another nobody. Another nothing little girl who simply didn’t matter. She loved it because she knew what happened to those of her kind who were too noticeable. Seelie were descended from fae, which left them with that otherworldly allure that made life dangerous when rejecting the wrong man might mean a life of servitude.

Men like the one leaning against the wall outside the library. Serrick Davvon was several years older than her. Nearly thirty, if she had to guess. Neatly trimmed black hair slicked back and a neatly kept beard that covered only his chin always made him feel oily, and she avoided him at all costs. Unfortunately, he was disgustingly intrigued by her for reasons she couldn’t fathom.

No, that wasn’t true. She had plenty of ideas as to why he might be interested in her. Her race. Her class. Her father. None of them were good.

He smiled when he saw her, though his beady eyes seemed to darken. “Karina! Right on time.”

She suppressed a shiver. He was paying attention more than she realized if he knew her schedule so well. Nobody knew about her weekly visits to the library save one person, and Karina knew that person would never betray her.

She bowed her head, if only to avoid his gaze she knew would be sweeping over her body. “Lord Davvon. Forgive me, but I should be going.”

“I figured,” he said, smiling. “I take it you’re turning me down yet again?”

Her skin crawled at the sound of his voice. Smooth as silk, yet grating on her nerves. “Once again, I do not think the king would approve.” Nor would she, of course, but she could see in his eyes how little he’d care about that. “Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

She stepped around him, careful to keep her shoulder hunched and face turned towards the floor, and reached for the library door. No sooner had she grabbed the handle than his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Immediately she tensed, having to fight to keep her light from striking out at him. It writhed under her skin, demanding to be set free so it could deal with the threat, but she held it in.

“One of these days,” Serrick said, his face so close to hers she could feel his breath on her cheek, “I’ll learn why the old king is so fond of you. You seem a bit young for him, but…” his thumb brushed along her wrist, sending waves of revulsion through her, “well, every man has his tastes, I suppose.”

“Please let me go,” she said softly.

His grip tightened and he drew closer, though nothing other than his hand ever touched her. “He won’t know unless you tell him, of course. It could be our little secret.”

He was being more forward than usual, and that scared her. Not in the least because her light was getting harder to control by the second, and him finding out about her class was the second worst outcome she could think of.

She swallowed, every bit of willpower she possessed going towards controlling her light. “Let. Me. Go.”

He shot her a toothy grin. “There she is. The woman hiding behind the scared little girl. I wonder what else you’re hiding, Karina.” Just when she was certain she’d have no choice but to strike, he let her go. “Until next time, little Seelie.”

He turned on his heel and walked away, whistling merrily. Not wasting another second, Karina ripped the library door open and ducked inside. The two servants watching over the stacks barely paid her any notice, even as she dove for the back corner of the library. An alcove that had long been one of her only refuges in this dreary castle that had been her home for the entirety of her twenty-one years.

She was barely out of sight when her control slipped. Wisps of white-gold light lifted from her rosy pink skin, twisting and thrashing around her, trying to ward off whatever attacker had her nerves so frayed. They covered the exact patch of skin where Serrick’s hand had wrapped around her wrist, flaring as if trying to burn away any lingering essence he might have left behind.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she breathed. With a flick of her wrist, bands of light wrapped around the end of a half-empty bookshelf against the back wall. Another flick and they pulled the shelf to the side, revealing a section of stone wall covered in gouges. She briefly paused to make sure the sound dampening charms she’d slowly stolen from the library were in place before she imagined Serrick’s oily face in the center of the wall.

Like they’d just been waiting for permission, the wisps twisted and stretched into whips that carved even more deep grooves into her own personal stretch of wall. She wanted nothing more than to scream in anger until her throat was raw, but the best she could do was grit her teeth and let her frustrations out on the stone. Her light cut into the wall on its own until it began to run out of steam, then she took up the mantle until her mana was empty.

Fucking Serrick. Even at the miserable level of seven, she could still cut stone with [Light Manipulation]. She dreamed of the day she could find out just what her skill could do to a human body—namely Serrick’s—but because she was born a Seelie she was forced to hide her power. If anyone knew how strong her class was, she’d be collared before the day was out regardless of who protected her.

Once her frustrations were eased and she’d caught her breath, Karina manually shoved the bookcase back into its spot. Her light was getting stronger even though she hadn’t gained a level in almost a year, and she had no idea how or why. She couldn’t even go to anyone for help because there was only one person in this world she trusted with the knowledge of her class.

“Well, looks like someone’s had a week.”

Karina smiled in spite of her mood and turned towards her best friend in the world. Jayme was leaning against one of the shelves with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face, dirty blonde hair in a low tail, and stormy gray eyes narrowed in amusement. Karina had long since gotten over the annoyance that Jayme could sneak up on her. For whatever reason, Jayme was the only person Karina had ever met that didn’t set her light off in one way or another.

“You have no fucking idea,” Karina mumbled.

Jayme pushed off the bookcase and strode towards Karina. “So I take it you need to blow off some steam, then?”

In answer, Karina called on her light. Bands of white-gold magic wrapped around Jayme’s wrists and yanked her forward. She let out a delighted sound, allowing Karina to spin her around and push her against the bookshelf that hid the damaged walls with her wrists suspended above her head.

“Blowing off steam sounds good,” Karina admitted, reaching for the buttons on Jayme’s tunic. Thanks to the agreement Jayme had with the keeper of the library, they wouldn’t be interrupted.

Jayme, despite being the larger of the two women, squirmed under Karina’s fingers. “Shit, it’s been a while since I’ve seen that look. Tell me it wasn’t Davvon.”

“Fuck ‘lord’ Davvon.” Karina growled. She got Jayme halfway undressed before starting to work on her own buttons. “Arrogant prick. We might have to change meeting times, I think he’s figured out we come here every week.”

Jayme’s expression grew tense, but she didn’t say any of the things Karina knew were going through her head. Not yet. She might be the one to take the lead outside of their alcove, but here? Here Karina was in charge. That was their agreement. The only thing that had kept Karina sane this long.

Jayme was one of Rolar’s royal guard. One of the youngest to ever be appointed. Showing any kind of weakness, even to a prospective romantic partner, had the potential to make her life hell. That meant her preferences, which were decidedly more submissive leaning, were something she could only explore with someone she trusted. Like Karina’s, her list was painfully short.

Karina, on the other hand, was forced to live the opposite life. Acting anything other than meek and docile would only attract the wrong kind of attention. The castle was full of men who would delight in breaking her will. Men who would whisk her away in a heartbeat if they ever learned of what she was capable of. Even if there were anyone else she trusted enough to be intimate with, Jayme was the only one she was willing to throw aside her servant’s mask for.

Not for the first time, Karina found herself wishing their relationship could be more than just physical. They’d discussed it at length, though, and both agreed that while they cared for each other deeply, it wasn’t in a romantic sense. She loved Jayme, but more like a sister than a lover. They were a perfect match when it came to their proclivities, but both of them had a distinct preference for men when it came to anything long term.

If they could find a man to share between them, though… Maybe one who’d help her tie Jayme up. Or one who wouldn’t mind getting tied up himself. Or both.

She shook the thought from her head and returned her attention to Jayme. “I know it’s hard for you to get any regular time to yourself, but if I have to feel his slimy hands again—”

The restraints—along with the illusion of Karina’s dominance—shattered when Jayme surged forward and grabbed Karina by the arms. “That fucker touched you? I’ll kill him.”

Karina made an exasperated noise. “He grabbed my wrist, Jay.” Sometimes she forgot that Jayme was a trained warrior. One who’d fought in real battles. One who had more than five times the levels Karina had collected in her extremely sheltered life. “That’s all.”

Jayme growled. “I think I’d like the excuse one way or another. He’s growing bolder, and I don’t like that. Makes me worry he knows something we don’t. Something that makes him confident enough to push further than he normally would.”

“I can handle Serrick,” Karina said, rolling her eyes.

“No offense,” Jayme said, wincing, “but we both know that isn’t strictly true. If he finds a way around your dad’s protection—”

“Jayme!” Karina hissed. “Shut the fuck up!”

Now it was Jayme’s turn to roll her eyes. “Nobody’s gonna hear us back here.”

Karina bit back what she wanted to say next. Jayme was right—probably—but that still didn’t mean she wanted her second biggest secret spoken aloud. Ever. “Look, maybe you’re right and he’s up to something. If he knows we meet here, then I don’t want to discuss anything important.”

Jayme opened her mouth—likely to argue, as was her default state—but Karina held up a hand. Her light had begun to writhe in warning. Someone was coming, and they were both half dressed. “Shit.” She hastily redid Jayme’s buttons. “Pin me against the wall.”

“Come again?”

Karina spun them around again so that she was against the bookcase. “Didn’t come the first time, babe, now pin me.”

Despite her apparent confusion, Jayme did just that. One of her knees pressed into the wall between Karina’s legs and her chest pressed the Seelie into the wall. Every inch of lean muscle pushing against Karina’s considerably softer body. She leaned in, her lips a hair’s breadth from Karina’s throat, sending a wave of heat between her legs, but it was that exact moment one of the palace servants came speeding around the corner, skidding to a stop when she took in what was happening.

Karina turned her face away, hiding behind Jayme as best she could, but her blue and gold hair was much too distinctive. Rumors of her and Jayme would be running rampant by dinner, she was sure. Jayme looked over her shoulder, pinning the servant with a glare. “Something I can help you with?”

“Um, I’m here for Karina, actually, ma’am,” the servant squeaked.

Karina did her best to ignore the surge of anxiety that came with those words. Her mind went immediately to Serrick and her hands tightened on Jayme’s shirt, but she forced herself to remain calm. Jumping to conclusions wouldn’t help anyone.

Thankfully, Jayme was back in royal-guard-mode. “What do you need with Miss Vethier?” she asked, not moving an inch from where her body shielded Karina’s from view.

“I, um, I’m supposed to bring her to King Rolar, ma’am.”

Another wave of anxiety, this time for a very different reason. Karina’s hands tightened further, which didn’t escape Jayme’s notice. “I’ll get her there. You’re dismissed, thank you.”

It was probably a good thing Karina’s smile was hidden by Jayme’s shoulder. Her friend was one of the only people she’d met who actually thanked the servants rather than just ordering them around. “Um, I’m supposed to, uh—”

Jayme pulled away slightly. “I’m one of the king’s guards, I assure you I can handle it. Where is he?”

“Um, his meeting room, ma’am.” The servant gave a hasty bow then ran off.

“Well, that’s frustrating,” Jayme huffed. She then pulled back and started redressing Karina. “Good thinking, by the way. Nobody will care if another guard is feeling up a demi in the library, but seeing a demi topping a guard? Not a good look for either of us.”

“Yeah, trust me, I’m aware.”

“Any idea what your—er, what the king might want?”

The small, hopeful voice that had lived in the back of Karina’s mind couldn’t help but wonder if today might be the day Rolar officially claimed her as his daughter, but she knew better. If he was aware of that truth, he’d never once indicated it. As far as she knew, only Jayme and her knew. Karina because her mother had said as much on her deathbed and Jayme because Karina had desperately needed to entrust the secret to someone.

“No idea,” Karina said eventually, straightening her clothes. “But we probably shouldn’t keep him waiting. No telling how long it took that servant to track me down.”

“Yes, boss,” Jayme said with a grin. “After you.”

Karina scoffed, though Jayme’s words brought a smile to her face. “I appreciate the thought, but we both know my place is following you with my head down.”

Jayme’s smirk faltered, but she turned towards the exit all the same and led the way out of the library. Though they’d been interrupted before anything had happened, she did her best to make sure she didn’t appear at all disheveled.

Karina donned the mask once more as they picked their way through the castle towards where her father met with his guests. Unease settled in her gut the closer they got. He’d given her the day off, then scheduled a meeting? Why? Was he meeting with someone he didn’t want her to see? Or was he meeting with someone he didn’t want seeing her? What did it mean that he was summoning her now?

“Want me to hang around?” Jayme asked from the corner of her mouth.

“Will it get you in trouble?”

“Probably not.”

Karina wasn’t a fan of ‘probably,’ but she was even less of a fan of whatever unknown was currently happening. “Then yes, please,” she said, her voice small.

Jayme’s curt nod was her only response. Karina hated the idea of her friend getting in trouble, but she took comfort in the knowledge that her friend would stand by her no matter what. The trip to her father’s meeting room seemed to take an eternity, yet was still over far too soon. Her docile mask that normally kept her invisible was washed away by Jayme’s presence. An attractive young woman with the skill and determination to make it onto the royal guard turned heads, and many of them no doubt wondered at Karina’s presence at her back.

Karina’s anxiety spiked once more when they entered to find Rolar with three other men and a woman in the room. Two she recognized. Bennet and Sandrel had been constant fixtures in her life, visiting Rolar often. They’d always been kind to her, and in her fantasies she’d often concocted late at night she liked to think of a world where they’d been doting uncles. Still, as living legends, being in the room with both them and her father was more than a little nerve wracking. From the way Jayme’s shoulders stiffened, she no doubt felt the same.

The fourth man was unfamiliar to her. Closer to her age than theirs. As tall as Rolar, though not quite as broad. His tied back dark hair and fine clothes screamed noble, but everything else about his demeanor contradicted that. The way he stood made her think of Jayme in her royal-guard-mode, at ease yet coiled to strike at the same time. The small scars on his face spoke to a life that was far from privileged, and the weight behind his sapphire blue eyes…

They all turned towards her and Jayme in the time it took Karina to tear her gaze from the new man to the woman at his side. She was beautiful, with golden blonde hair that almost seemed to glow in the noonday light that filtered through the windows. Her outfit showed plenty of skin, revealing a similar build to Jayme’s. This was a woman who knew her way around physical labor. A fighter, according to Karina’s instincts. Yet the smile she flashed at them was warm and comforting. It unraveled some of the anxiety twisting in Karina’s stomach.

“Your majesty,” Jayme said, bowing her head. “I’ve brought Miss Vethier.”

“Thank you, Jayme,” Rolar said, bowing his head shallowly in return. “That will be all.”

Jayme clasped her hands behind her back. “If it’s all the same to you, sir, I’d like to stay.”

Karina’s mouth felt painfully dry, but to her surprise, Rolar just glanced questioningly at the new man. His eyes flicked over Jayme, though he didn’t leer at her at all. His gaze was appraising, and something about the way he cocked his head made Karina think he approved. Of what, she wasn’t sure. He glanced at Rolar and shrugged, then his piercing gaze returned to Karina.

“That’s fine. Karina, I’d like you to meet someone. This is Zaren Nocht.”

Some of that anxiety returned. She’d heard the rumors floating around the castle over the last week. The mysterious lord who’d appeared from the ether to reclaim the seat left behind by the darkest of the Seven. A complete unknown who held enough power to send the capital’s fragile balance tipping into chaos. On paper, he was one of the most powerful men in the city. That didn’t bode well for her.

“Lord Nocht, it’s an honor,” she said, giving him a curtsy. When in doubt, respect and deference were the safest routes when it came to dealing with nobility.

Only that didn’t seem to be the case in this instance, judging by his answering grimace. “Just Zaren, please. And this is Serena.”

The blonde shot her another radiant smile. “Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you Karina.”

From her tone, she actually meant it. Huh.

“King Rolar,” Karina said, clasping her hands tightly in front of her to keep them steady, “what do you need?”

Her father smiled, but it was far from the smile she wanted to see. She recognized that look. It was the one she wore when he felt the need to comfort someone just before he gave them upsetting news. That it was aimed at her very rapidly narrowed down the possible list of reasons for her presence. Not many of the remaining options were good ones.

“Karina,” Rolar said in a tone that made her want to run away and not have to hear whatever he was about to say next, “Zaren is in the process of restoring his properties and expanding his household. We’ve discussed things, and both of us agree that his household would be a better place for you than the castle.”

For a solid minute, Karina forgot how to breathe. Ice flooded her veins, and she had to fight to stay upright. Her vision swam for a second, but she clawed her way back from the verge of passing out while managing to keep her expression neutral. Once she was sure she wouldn’t scream or cry, she searched for how she could possibly answer him.

But Jayme beat her to it. “Sir, you can’t just—” she started.

“Jayme, stop,” Karina said quietly, her voice surprisingly steady. She managed to swallow past the lump of emotion in her throat. “If you think that’s what’s best, sir.”

She tore her eyes from Rolar to the man, Zaren. She wasn’t sure what she expected to see on his face. Triumph? Greed? Lust? What she found instead was a sadness similar to Rolar’s. Beyond that, there was something else. An acknowledgment of…something. Too late, she realized he’d been watching her reaction. She wondered what she’d just inadvertently told him. Her new owner.

His eyes lingered on hers for a beat longer. They felt like an anchor she could use to pull herself out of the spiral anxiety threatening to drown her. Then they flicked back to Jayme once again. “You know, Rolar, a go-between never hurt anyone.”

She filed away the easiness with which he said the king of Ameserria’s name to think about later. Rolar stroked his beard thoughtfully. “That’s not a half-bad idea. I trust Jayme. More than most of my guards, at least.”

A shock of pride flitted over Jayme’s face, but it was replaced with her own mask as quickly as she could manage. “Sir?”

Rolar turned to her. “Lieutenant Selis, until further notice I’m reassigning you to Lord Nocht. He’s an…old friend of the family, and I’d like you to watch his back until he’s properly settled. And,” he cut his eyes towards Zaren with some amusement, “if you’re in a position to watch over Karina at all, then I’d be doubly grateful.”

Some of the tension bled out of Jayme’s shoulders, but not all of it. Not by a long shot. Zaren crossed his arms, and Karina mentally kicked herself for noticing the way his chest and upper arm pushed against the fabric of his shirt. “There are bound to be times I need to get a message to Rolar or vice versa, but the less I’m seen around the castle the better. Your presence will raise fewer questions. That being said, it’s best we keep all this under wraps. Can we count on your discretion?”

Jayme shot a wide-eyed look at Karina. “Um, yeah. Discretion I can do.”

Zaren nodded. “Good.” Then he turned and hefted a massive blade that gave Karina the chills just looking at it. Then something slid from his palm. An inky blackness that swept over the blade and caused it to vanish from sight. Something about the darkness that vanished back into his sleeve set her more on edge than the sword did. It was the perfect opposite to the light that she struggled to contain nearly every day.

“Do you have anything to take care of before we leave?” he asked, stepping closer. It irked her that she had to look up at him. Even Jayme wasn’t as tall as Zaren, and she was taller than most women in the keep.

“We’re leaving now?” she asked.

He inclined his head, and Rolar cleared his throat. “I’ll have her things sent to your manor, Zaren.”

“Then no, sir,” Karina said, trying and failing to keep her eyes downcast. Something about his gaze captured hers and simply wouldn’t let her go. “I have no other business to attend to. We can leave as soon as you would like.”

He turned away from her, facing the three men on the opposite side of the table. “I’ll keep working on my end of things, you three get your shit taken care of.”

Karina’s heart skipped a beat. What man in their right mind talked to the Seven like that? But Bennet just scoffed. “Yeah, yeah, go on back to your harem. Oh, and say hi to Iliri for me, will you?”

Zaren grimaced, then promptly flipped Bennet off. To Karina’s complete surprise, Bennet just laughed. Sandrel chuckled. “I’ll be in touch. You know Lizard’s still kicking, right?”

“Oh, trust me,” Zaren said, “I’ve already reacquainted myself with the barbed-tail-bastard. The more things change…”

Bennet scoffed, then strode out with all the gravitas that the wizard always commanded. When she turned back, Sandrel was already gone. Slipped out a window or something when nobody was looking. Standard for him, he’d always been a bit of a drama queen.

But Rolar approached her, placing one of his massive hands on her shoulder. “Karina, I don’t want you to think I’m simply getting rid of you. I truly do think that his home would be a safer place for you. A better place. Zaren is a good man. I trust him the way I trust few others.”

A good man. The castle was full of ‘good men’ who did terrible things to demi-humans like her behind closed doors. She wondered how many would claim Serrick was a ‘good man.’ She felt a warmth in her chest that he cared enough to try and reassure her, but his reassurances fell flat.

All she trusted herself to do was nod, so that’s exactly what she did. His lips curved downward, but he just gave her shoulder a final squeeze and took his leave as well, leaving her alone with her new owner. “So, are you my Patron now?” she challenged.

Jayme tensed, no doubt ready to spring to her defense should the need arise, but Zaren’s mouth only twitched. “That’s up to you.”

She frowned. “We both know it’s not.”

He just shrugged. “It’s the best avenue if I’m going to protect you, but I won’t force anyone into my service.”

“Protect me?”

“You’re Seelie, for one. Your kind is rare, and there are collectors who would love to get their hands on you.” The venom in his tone was enough to reassure her that he wasn’t one. “Beyond that…” He eyed Jayme, then seemed to come to a decision. “He didn’t tell me why, but Rolar mentioned that protecting you would give him the ability to act freely. I won’t ask if you know why.”

“Then I won’t ask why the king trusts you enough to be able to protect me,” she challenged back.

She caught brief surprise in his gaze, but his expression was dangerously close to that of a smirk. “Fair enough, I suppose. So, what’ll it be? I won’t indebt you. You wearing a collar would give me a lot of leeway in what I can do to keep you safe, but I understand the freedoms you’d be giving up by wearing it.”

Anger she hadn’t even realized had been building started to boil over. “Freedoms? What freedoms? The freedom to walk around, head down, afraid to make eye contact for fear some asshole like you would take it as an invitation? Or the freedom to have to watch every word that comes out of my mouth for fear of pissing off someone I have no power to fight back against if they decided I was worth their time? Or maybe you mean the freedom to spend every day afraid some rich prick will decide I belong to him and bend whatever laws he feels like to make it so. So fuck it, go ahead and slap a collar on me. Or a piercing or brand or tattoo or whatever the fuck you do to claim your property!”

She was trembling by the time she finished, partly because of her anger and partly because her light was begging to be set free. Unleashed on whatever was making her feel so godsdamned angry. She stared Zaren in the face, taking in the slightly surprised expression he wore and wondering how satisfying it would be to smack it off his gorgeous face.

Wait, his…his what?

Then, yanking the wind right out of her sails, he chuckled. “Something tells me we’ll get along just fine.” Then he took a step back. “Serena?”

The blonde stepped forward, still wearing that damn warm expression that was like the human equivalent of a steaming cup of hot chocolate on a freezing day. “Zaren understands that, like many of the other demi-humans we’ve met in our travels, you might be hesitant to let a man in your personal space. Is it alright if I put your collar on instead? We can always remove it at any time.”

Well, that was…a shockingly reasonable offer. Far more than she would have expected from him. Or her. And Karina didn’t miss the brief exchange between the two humans as Zaren handed the collar to Serena. If they weren’t together, Karina would eat her shoe. What had Bennet said about a harem? Was Serena a member? Why did the thought of Zaren entertaining a whole host of women make her gut clench? Surely it was because she hated him and everything he stood for as a human and a Patron, right?

When Serena approached she smelled like roses and sunshine. Not that sunshine had a smell, but that’s what her soft, warm scent made Karina think of. It was like every part of this woman was designed to put her at ease. To comfort her. It was unnerving, really.

With shockingly little pomp, a thin black strip of fabric was placed around her neck. It was so light Karina hardly even felt it. She might have forgotten she wore it completely were it not for the small weight of the sigil hanging from the strip, pressing into the skin just above where her collarbones almost met. And, while the touch of just about anyone other than Rolar or Jayme made her light writhe and twist beneath her skin, Serena’s touch calmed it.

“Well,” Zaren said, tugging on his sleeves as if his shirt was uncomfortable, “not to shit on Rolar’s hospitality, but I fucking hate this place, so let’s get moving, shall we?”

Karina blinked. In a flash, his demeanor had shifted to something a little less noble and a little more…well, she wasn’t sure, but she definitely didn’t dislike it. “After you, my lord.”

Again with the grimace. “Just Zaren is fine, trust me. The less titles and honorifics thrown my way, the better.”

She had to fight her frown as he started towards the door. He even paused to hold it open for the three of them, which caused even Jayme to shoot her a confused look. She opened her mouth to speak, but Zaren chose that moment to say over his shoulder, “We can talk more about what’s expected of a member of my household when we’re surrounded by walls I trust a little more. At the very least, know that I don’t expect anything untoward of you, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Karina swallowed, but resolved only to nod. Now that she’d calmed a little, the gravity of her situation was starting to hit her hard. She was currently beholden to a complete stranger, and she didn’t fully understand why. Rolar had sent her away, but it sounded like it was more for her benefit than his. He was trying to protect her. Surely that meant he knew she was his daughter, so why had he never said anything?

If she’d thought Jayme had garnered plenty of attention walking through the keep, it was nothing compared to the heads that turned to watch Zaren walk through the halls. He walked—no, he stalked through the castle with his shoulders set and his chin tucked as if he expected to have to fight at a moment’s notice, though his body was calm and relaxed as if he were out for a stroll in the park. It was an odd way of moving that was as worrying as it was reassuring.

Then, when they were almost out of the castle, she saw the face she hated most in this world. Lord Serrick Davvon’s gaze was locked onto Zaren, his hand stroking that awful little goatee while his dark, beady eyes glittered with something that made her insides roil. Then they passed from him to his beautiful companion and she saw the unmistakable heat of lust flash across his features. When he saw Karina bringing up the rear, his eyes went wide and his nostrils flared.

“Pardon me, good sir,” he said, slinking into the hallway. Zaren didn’t so much as tense, coming to a stop with a relaxed poise that probably should have sent Serrick running for the hills.

“Something I can help you with?” Zaren asked coolly.

“Lord Serrick Davvon,” he said, wringing his hands together. There was an excitement in his eyes that made bile rise in Karina’s throat. “I can’t help but notice the Seelie you’ve got there. Might I ask where you’re taking Rolar’s prized pet?”

If his words were meant to be bait, Zaren didn’t rise to it in the slightest. Even if Serena’s shoulders tensed nearly as much as Jayme’s. “Karina here is the newest member of my household, if that’s who you’re referring to. With Rolar’s blessing, if that makes a difference.”

Serrick licked his lips. “I see. After how protective the king has been of her over the years, I can only wonder what sum you paid to get her. A sum I’d be happy to match, and then some, if you’d be interested.”

Disgust that she was being spoken about like an object to be bartered for warred with the fear of what he’d no doubt do if she ever found herself at his mercy. Zaren, however, didn’t even flinch. “No thanks. I don’t trade in flesh.”

In just those five words, Karina felt some of her dislike for Zaren dissipate. Serrick, however, seemed to have the opposite reaction. He took a step she assumed was meant to be threatening, but Zaren was hardly bothered. “I see. Even if that’s the case, I’d be more than willing to pay for some time with her. I can assure you we can reach a very lucrative agreement, even if you’re not willing to part with her permanently.”

Her disgust was promptly washed away by fear at his words. With a heartrending pang, she realized that the man in front of her held the power to do just that. No longer was she protected by Rolar. The law didn’t protect her either, even for as little as it ever had. Her only protection in this world were the whims of the man whose magic flowed through the collar at her throat, and that made her more terrified than she’d ever been in her life.

She took a step forward, far enough to be standing shoulder to shoulder with him and close enough that she could feel his body heat, then opened her mouth to…what? Beg? Plead that he not force her to entertain Serrick even for a moment? These kinds of deals were commonplace among servants, especially those owned by the nobles and lords that frequented the castle. She had nothing to offer him that he didn’t already own thanks to the collar she’d so foolishly accepted.

Then his head tilted slightly, as if he was considering it, and her light began to slither and surge under her skin. She was still desperately trying to find the words to get him to tell Serrick to fuck off when he finally spoke. “If Karina wants to spend her free time with you, that’s her choice. If she doesn’t, then I will happily back up her decision. Once again, Lord Davvon, I don’t trade in flesh.”

Serrick took another threatening step forward. In response, Zaren’s hand found the small of her back. She froze, suddenly aware of a brand new danger. When anyone touched her, especially men, her light tried to react. If she lost control of it here, in front of these two men, then who knew what would happen to her? One man who owned her and another who would stop at nothing to do the same. If they knew she was as powerful as she was, then what might they do?

But, adding to the heap of surprises she was going to have to spend the night unpacking, her light didn’t rebel at his touch. Nor did it calm and still like when Serena or Jayme touched her. No, instead her light did something it had never done before.

It sang within her, spinning in delight as if in a dance beneath her skin. She’d long interpreted her light as acting with emotion, and it took her a moment to understand the elation with which her light responded to Zaren’s touch. Her light had never been wrong before. It loved Jayme, and it despised men like Serrick, yet it flowed through her with a warmth that had her fighting off a smile at just the smallest of gestures from this strange, dark man she’d only just met.

Struggling with the alien sensation, it took her a moment to realize Serrick was speaking again. “…believe I caught your name,” he was saying.

“Lord Zaren Nocht,” Zaren responded, his tone even. Judging by the way Serrick’s eyes widened, he recognized the name. “Seems you’ve heard of me,” Zaren continued. “Though I can only wonder who from.”

Serrick straightened to his full height—which was several inches shorter than Zaren—and puffed out his chest. “You should be careful, Lord Nocht. There are many in the capital who you really wouldn’t want as an enemy.” His eyes flicked towards Karina. “A lowly Seelie surely isn’t worth all the…animosity that might follow a disagreement between lords such as you and I.”

A shiver went down Karina’s spine, and she knew Zaren felt it. Then his hand slid lower. his long, iron-like fingers curling around her hip, pulling her flush with his side. His fingers brushed against a strip of exposed skin between where her tunic had ridden up and where her pants sat, and it felt like fire was burning her where they touched. Her light coiled within her preened in delight, and she had to fight the urge to lean into him. To show this unworthy wretch in front of her that a far superior male held claim to her.

What the fuck?

Bottling up that insanely weird and powerful line of thought that barged into her mind and burying it down to be examined never, Karina fought to not be overwhelmed by the hardness of his side or the faint smell of leather and steel that she found oddly alluring. She blinked away the confusion, focusing on the interaction between the two men, trying to ignore the deep rumble of Zaren’s voice that she could feel pressed against him like this.

“I can assure you, Lord Davvon, that I’ve dealt with more than my fair share of enemies who thought much the same. And if Karina here is enough to make us enemies? Well, I’m not sure I would have wanted to be allies in the first place.” His grip on her waist tightened and a shudder passed through her, this one not born of revulsion or disgust. “So if you’re done making empty threats, I think we’re done here.”

Serrick glowered, but then Serena stepped to Karina’s other side. She placed a comforting hand on the shoulder not tucked into Zaren’s side and a faint golden glow started emanating from her skin. The unmistakable mark of divine power. Serrick’s glower darkened, and he stormed off without another word.

As soon as he was gone, Jayme spun towards Zaren with a snarl on her lips, ready to demand he unhand Karina. She came to a stop, though whether it was the intense expression on Zaren’s face as he stared after Serrick or whatever expression Karina currently wore while looking up at him, it was impossible to tell.

“Who was he?” Zaren asked. The words came out as a command, but not like the ones Karina was used to hearing. She’d spent her life around men who thought they had the power to boss others around for no other reason than the size of their coffers or the circumstances of their birth, but Zaren’s tone carried something far weightier to it. A kind of authority that felt much more earned than given.

Jayme must have felt it too, because she snapped to attention. “Lord Serrick Davvon. He owns a not so small estate in the upper quarter, left to him by his father. His family is old blood, but he’s as slimy and as useless as they come.”

Zaren’s grip tightened further. Any tighter and it might leave bruising on her waist, but she simply couldn’t find it in her to complain. Not when her head was swimming from her light demanding she hold him just as tightly in return. “And his…relationship to Karina?”

“There isn’t one,” Jayme insisted angrily. “He’s just a slimy pervert with a fetish for Seelie. He’s been after her for some time, and I’ll kill him before I let him touch her. For any reason.” The threat implied by her words was clear, but Zaren hardly seemed to notice it.

“I’m not so sure he wants her for that reason.” Then he grimaced. “Well, not solely for that reason. I don’t like him.”

While Karina agreed heartily—with the latter half, at least—she was facing another issue. If she didn’t put some distance between herself and Zaren, she might just give in to the impulse to climb him like a tree. A very worrying urge that had to belong to her light, because surely she’d never feel that way about a human, much less a stranger she hadn’t even known for an hour.

“Let me go.” Inwardly, she cursed. She’d meant the words to come out as a demand, with all the rage and anger she’d thrown at him back in the meeting room, but it came out soft and breathy. Like a moonstruck teenager. More a pleading request than anything else, and one that wasn’t the slightest bit convincing, even to her.

He looked down at her with a frown that only deepened as he realized he was still pulling her into his side. He let her go hastily and stepped away as if he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding her. Like his actions had been purely instinctual. Something that was inordinately pleasing to her light—which twisted in disappointment at their sudden separation—as well as annoyingly endearing for reasons she couldn’t even begin to fathom right now.

“My apologies,” he said, still frowning. “I was going to have Jayme take you back to my manor, but for now I think I’ll keep you with me until we’re done in the temple district.”

Karina couldn’t fight the twisting of her features. “The temple district?”

He arched an amused brow. “Something you want to say?” Not for the first time just since she’d met him, she was glad it was hard to tell when a Seelie with her coloring was blushing. When she didn’t answer, he chuckled. “Don’t worry,” he said from the corner of his mouth, “I’m not a fan of Iliri either.”

A nervous laugh bubbled out of Karina before she could stop it. She clamped a hand over her mouth and glared at him accusingly. “I didn’t say that.”

He winked. Winked. “Didn’t have to. Don’t worry, though, I can promise she’ll be so busy talking shit to me she won’t even realize you’re there.”

With one final look in the direction Serrick disappeared to, he turned towards the front doors of the castle. Serena, who still had her hand on Karina’s shoulder, gave her a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Zaren won’t let anything like that happen to you. And men like that Serrick?” She leaned in close to whisper conspiratorially. “Well, they’d better watch their back, because Zaren really likes taking them apart.”

Then she turned to follow Zaren, slipping her arm under his to wrap around it. Jayme stepped up next to Karina, both her brows raised high. “What the fuck just happened?” Karina knew Jayme was asking about her class.

Karina shook her head. “When I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”

“Right, right,” Jayme asked, nodding. “So he’s cuuuuute,” she teased.

“Jayme, don’t you even fucking start with me,” Karina hissed. That wasn’t a thought she was interested in entertaining right now.

Even if she did agree. Just a little.