The dress that Katherine had picked out for the reception was almost worse than the wedding gown. Thankfully it was a little more comfortable. It was a vibrant sage green, made of lighter material than the wedding dress. It also didn’t have sleeves that she would catch on every doorknob on her way out of here. If she ever got out of here.

Her best course of action at the moment was to play along and hope the Queen wouldn’t make her do anything horrible. Fear settled sickeningly in her stomach as she realized the odds of that happening were downright hallucinatory.

When her hair had been let down from the veil, Katherine clucked disapprovingly at the red streaks that had been a failed highlighting mission a few weeks back. Turned out Trina was bad at hair dye and Benji was worse. Sian had salvaged it enough to make the streaks look like they were on purpose, but the overall highlight effect she’d been going for had been ruined.

Her hair had faded since then and only looked mildly trashy now. Katherine managed to work it into braids that twisted into an impressive bun. She felt like a little girl again. She hadn’t realized she’d missed this, sitting here at her vanity while Katherine artfully did her hair.

“Tell me about Delphine,” she murmured, catching Katherine’s eyes pleadingly in the mirror.

The servant sighed. “About a year ago she was assigned to a messenger position for the Queen. I suspect to the Seelie Court. Half a year after that she gathered her things, kissed my cheek, and left. I’m not sure how she escaped the Queen’s service. I assumed she had gone to be with you and Benjamin, but apparently not. Perhaps she managed to find haven with the Summer Court.”

Beth bit her lip. “Was she okay? Until she left?” Intertwined with the guilt she felt for taking Benji away was the anguish of having left Delphine behind. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t told her they were leaving, but she had wanted to stay, was too afraid of trying to survive outside the palace.

“Yes, Elizabeth. She did her job well and kept her head down.”

Beth was filled with sadness and gratefulness simultaneously. She was sad that Delphine’s life had been that of submissiveness and that she hadn’t searched them out when she’d managed to leave, but she was hopeful that her friend had found a better place, a better life. However, from what she’d heard of the Summer Court, it wasn’t exactly a relaxing paradise.

There wasn’t much time to dwell on this before Beth was being herded toward the ballroom. This room held, if possible, even more people than the throne room had. It was darker in here except for the center above which hung a giant wrought-iron chandelier that boasted at least five hundred candles. This left the edges of the room in shadow except for the occasional torch to mark an exit. It gave the room a hazy feel that reminded Beth painfully of Benji’s room at home.

Katherine released her arm and then was gone, leaving Beth alone to survey the party-goers. Her lips still tingled from the kiss that had sealed her fate a half an hour since.

She saw hardly anybody she knew. Most of the nobles here were Dark Fae that only came in for special occasions like weddings. Those particular faces she recognized from the bar the night before. Once in awhile she passed some face she vaguely recognized from her formative years but nobody stopped her or tried to make conversation.

Her eyes habitually searched for Benji and Delphine because the last time she had been in this stone and marble prison they had been her world. She had to keep reminding herself that they weren’t here, and with any luck never would be again.

Beth made her way to the drinks table, wishing like hell that she would find Sebastian’s wine waiting among the wide selection. No such luck, of course. His was for personal use only. He rarely sold it, and when he did it was only to close friends. She picked up a bottle that smelled sweet and poured herself a glass, hoping to calm the riotous nerves that frolicked unrestrained inside her.

Beth should find a wall to lean against and wait this out. The Fae had started dancing and that was never good. They would go all night long. It was the type of dance that would have a mortal dancing forever, were they to join in. The problem was finding a spot along the wall that wasn’t occupied by would-be lovers. She moved toward a couple that looked as though they were about to devour one another whole.

“Get a room?” Beth suggested hopefully, ready to jump back if either of them growled or lunged at her. To her surprise they laughed and moved away, perhaps actually going to find a room or maybe to get in on that dangerous dance. She took their spot against the wall with relief and sipped her wine, finding with delight that it was honeysuckle.

Beth kept a keen eye out for her mother, prepared to hide if need be. She didn’t trust herself to hold a civil conversation with the woman right now. Anger bubbled up at just the thought of her and Beth was not known for her self-restraint.

She did not, however, see her mother. Nor the Dark Lady for that matter. Perhaps they were off in a royal-family-only conference room. Her mother was distantly related to the Queen. They were second cousins or something. Enough of a blood tie to grant Fianna sanctuary at the palace.

So Beth waited, feeling somewhat as though she were in shock.

Questions swirled lazily around her head regarding her hurried marriage. Not to mention that she was now somebody’s wife. Today had been a lot to take in. She forced herself to calm by making a game of trying to remember the Fae that she’d served at the Glen last night and what they had ordered.

Beth took another sip of the wine, careful not to drink too much at once. Falling asleep or acting like a fool would not be appropriate here. While Dark Fae parties tended to get crazy, in a fucked up, S&M dungeon kind of way, she figured the new bride dancing naked on a table top would not be welcomed. Although the idea of seeing if Ronan - oh god, her husband - had any other expressions than that scowl gave her a glimmer of amusement.

“My lady,” said a Fae gentleman who suddenly stood before her, interrupting her thoughts. He bowed. Actually bowed. To her. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Aengus Bierne.” He took her hand kissed the back of it. “And you are simply stunning.”

“Two pints Dark Bulgarian Ale,” Beth replied, remembering how he had shoved a twenty at her for the twelve dollar check and told her to keep the change. He’d won a slight bit of favor with her that way.

“Pardon me?” he asked. Though physically he looked no more than forty he seemed old. He had light brown hair that curled around his pointed ears.

“It’s what you ordered last night at the Glen Rós. I’m the bartender there.” She liked that title, and the sudden realization that she might not be able to keep it made her frown.

He looked baffled for a moment then grinned, revealing straight white teeth. “That’s right, you were. And now you’re a blushing bride intent on getting into my pants.”

Hearing the phrase ‘getting into my pants’ from someone who had just kissed her hand like a bona-fide sir struck Beth as hilarious and she choked on the sip of wine she’d been attempting. He took it as a laugh and chuckled along with her for a moment, but then his eyes darkened and he leaned in a little closer. The warmth from his body caused her to shiver in an unpleasant way.

“Dance with me,” he said, letting his breath cascade over her cheek and neck.

She looked over his shoulder at the people spinning blindly on the floor, lost to the sway of the seductive music. “No, thanks.”

“Dance with me, please,” he said, wrapping an alarmingly strong hand around her upper arm.

Beth swallowed as she realized that short of kneeing him in the balls there might not be a way out of his request. Unfortunately kneeing him in the balls most likely wouldn’t win her the Queen’s favor, and she really needed the Queen’s favor if she was going to survive as her, what, Knight-in-law? Her heart rate started to pick up as he tugged her easily away from the wall.

“Sir, step away from my wife,” said a deep voice from behind them.

The sound of it made Beth tingle all over as she spun and looked up at Ronan, who had also changed into a dark green outfit. She wondered idly if their clothes were designed to match.

Of course they are, she reminded herself. Nothing is ever coincidence in Faerie.

Aengus removed his hand from her arm like she was suddenly on fire. “My apologies, Sir Mac Nevin. The lady wished to dance. I was simply escorting her.”

Ronan raised an eyebrow, thankfully not seeming to believe the lie Aengus had so easily touted. “Run along.” He spoke with unquestionable authority.

Aengus nodded, bowed slightly to both Ronan and Beth before disappearing quickly into the crowd.

She let herself deflate as her heart rate slowed. She felt Ronan’s eyes on her and took another sip of wine before meeting them with her own. She should have been demanding answers from him about the nature of their union but the words got stuck in her throat and all she could manage to articulate was, “Hey,” which sounded lame, even to her ears.

“Good evening,” he replied. Those breathtaking midnight blues searched her face. “Maeve wishes to see us.”

Her heart kicked into overdrive again and she took a slightly larger gulp of wine. “Sure thing.”

Beth tried to discern any hint of what waited for them from his face but all she caught was a tightening around his mouth that could have been either worry or disapproval at her wine consumption..

He placed a hand lightly on the small of her back and lead her through the room, skirting the dancers with practiced skill.

“You are wise to avoid the dance,” he murmured, glancing over at the surging sea of twirling Fae.

“I’m not an idiot,” Beth responded. “I spent my childhood here.”

He shot her a surprised look. Had the Queen told him nothing about her? Perhaps the Dark Lady knew nothing about her. That was a comforting thought. Successfully falling off the Queen’s radar had been her goal in running away. To know that she had achieved it felt good. Or perhaps he simply hadn’t expected her to be so blunt with him.

Too soon they were at a door hidden behind a towering chair obviously meant for the Queen. It took up more space than it had any right to. Ronan pulled a key from some hidden pocket and pushed it into a hole that must have been glamoured, because Beth could swear it hadn’t been there a moment ago.

She was caught off guard when they stepped into the throne room, which she had thought was in the opposite direction. She really should stop being surprised by odd occurrences in Faerie though. Inside waited both the Dark Lady and Fianna, each dressed in stunning finery and sporting glasses of wine much darker than the one in Beth’s hand.

Maeve sat on the throne like before, but her black dress had been changed to an icy blue one and her raven hair had been let down to settle over her pale shoulders. All evidence of Beth and Ronan’s wedding had already been erased, leaving the room empty and bare.

“Elizabeth, darling,” Fianna said, setting her wine down and starting toward her daughter.

The thought of being touched by the woman who had first disowned her and then betrayed her so nastily made Beth sick to her stomach. But for the second time tonight she had no choice but to take whatever was dealt her if she didn’t want to piss off the Queen.

Fianna came to a stop before her and put a hand under her chin, lifting her head and tilting it first right and then left. “You have aged well, daughter. Though it has been too long.”

Beth wanted to gape. The woman was insane, acting as though Beth had simply popped off for a vacation instead of completely leaving the court behind. She didn’t respond, instead she just watched the woman warily.

“Indeed,” the Queen said. “Perhaps you will visit us more now that you are wed to my prized possession.”

Her full, blood-red lips smiled fondly over Beth’s shoulder at Ronan, who didn’t make a sound. The fact that the Queen treated him like a champion stallion made Beth a little sick to her stomach.

She wondered where Ronan lived and if she would have to live there with him. The way the Dark Lady had said ‘visit’ had Beth’s hopes soaring that he might live somewhere away from here, even though it didn’t make any sense that he would. If he was her sex slave then he should be close by for any booty calls, right? Maybe they were going to let Beth go home and only call upon her whenever she was wanted to perform some horrible task.

She’d decided sometime between that soul-shaking kiss and the secret throne room passage that the Queen using Beth for her power was the only reasoning behind all of this that made sense. For some reason the Queen wanted complete control over her, and the only way to ensure that was to practically enslave her. Enslave her like Ronan had been enslaved for years.

Beth felt numb, which was worlds better than the slicing panic she should be experiencing.

Belatedly she noticed that she was expected to respond to the Queen’s ridiculous remark about visiting, so she nodded. Which was all she could trust herself to be capable of.

Maeve clapped her hands together and grinned a dangerous grin. “We will be the best of friends,” she said.

So long as she did as she was told, Beth surmised.

Her mother looked a little pale at the Queen’s announcement and picked her wine back up, nearly draining the glass.

Beth took a sip of her own as well, noting that her fingers trembled slightly.

“Now, down to business. Since I have been so kind as to let you wed my Ronan it only makes sense that you owe me something in return.”

Ah, here was the rub. Beth swallowed.

“Your mother has been kind enough to share with me a story from your youth.” The Queen’s eyes were so dark they were almost black and they looked downright devilish.

Beth felt herself stop breathing. She had been turned in! Her mother who had told her to keep her mouth shut all those years ago had snitched on her!

“You killed a courtier, my little murderer, with one touch,” continued the Queen, “which is a very valuable skill to have. Tell me, when you had stolen his life from him, could you see his memories?”

The Dark Lady may as well have vivisected her right then and there. The incident had terrorized Beth for years and now it was being put on display. The courtier had been a giant asshole, which only slightly dulled the horror of accidentally sucking the life out of him. He had had a predilection for young boys and accessing his memories had been like swallowing acid. The whole situation had left a mark on her soul as dark as the Bitch Queen’s eyes, but she would do it again in a heartbeat to protect Benji.

Focusing on that thought, she found her voice again. “Yes, my lady.”

Delight widened the Dark Lady’s already too-wide grin. She turned to Fianna. “You are so very lucky, dear cousin, that your daughter’s story matches your own. You will be even luckier when she proves it.”

Fianna nodded desperately, smiling up at the Queen like a puppy hoping for a treat. In this case the treat was probably not losing her head. Whatever her mother had done had been bad enough for a death sentence, which Beth was apparently to make up for. She felt sick all over again, the Fae wine turning sour in her stomach.

Maeve gestured to one of the guards and a man was brought forth. The same man that had read out Ronan’s oath at the wedding. He was pushed to his knees in front of Beth.

“Kill him,” said the Dark Lady mildly, as if requesting that someone pass the salt at dinner.

Beth’s goblet slipped through her fingers and clattered against the floor. What little was left of the amber liquid splattered against the stone. She swayed.

This was not happening. This was just a fucked up dream and she needed to wake up. Right now. The room danced as she stared down at the man.

His expression was flat, no emotion showing in his light blue eyes. It was as if he were sleepwalking. Perhaps the Queen had drugged him.

“Why?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

“Because I will it,” said Maeve, her eyes sparkling like flames.

“No.”

Losing her head would be better than being a weapon. She wasn’t sure what she had expected because she had suspected this was the plan all along. But she figured the Queen would have her killing criminals! Not servants. Granted, she didn’t know this guy’s history. Maybe he was the next Ted Bundy. But doing it just because the Queen wanted it, without any other explanation, was complete bullshit.

The Dark Lady just laughed in response. “You act as if you have a choice, sweetheart. Remember that oath you took? It ensures that you do my bidding.”

Beth knew she was right. She could feel her hand already twitching to reach out to the servant.

“I promise he won’t shy away,” said the Queen, her lips curved in a triumphant smile. Her tone was so sweet, like she was offering a piece of candy.

With some effort, Beth stumbled back from the servant before her, bringing a hand to cover her mouth as she gagged. She hit a hard, warm wall and Ronan placed a steadying hand on her shoulder.

He smelled good, like lemongrass and evergreen. She focused on that scent, taking a few shallow breaths.

“Kill him,” repeated the Queen.

Beth looked down again at the servant. He had scuttled toward her when she moved away, his expression still painfully blank.

She brought her shaking hand away from her mouth and placed it on his head. She hated how taking a step toward fulfilling the oath made her feel more complete. Tears gathered and fell, sluicing down her cheeks as she sensed the life force within him and started to pull.

He cried out in agony and she cried out too, because this was something she had hoped to never, ever do again. It didn’t take long, a few more seconds and he slumped to the ground, motionless, eyes rolled back into his head.

Ronan’s hand remained on her shoulder, which was good because as soon as the finality of what she’d done caught up with her, Beth’s knees buckled. He caught her with an arm around her middle, pulling her back against his chest. She pushed her palms into her eyes and tried not to openly sob.

The Queen was clapping like a child at a birthday party. “Perfect! Give me a detail from his memories. Prove to me that you took him inside you, my little soul eater.”

Beth didn’t want to look. The box that hovered in her mind’s eye represented all that this servant had been, all that he would ever be, and she shied away. She shook her head, still racked with silent osbs.

“Give her a moment,” Ronan said softly, his voice rumbling against the back of her neck.

He spoke informally to the Queen. He was the the only person she had ever heard of who was able to do that and continue breathing.

Beth tried to collect her courage. The box lid lifted slightly, invitingly, and the oath tugged at her insistently. She peeked inside. Images flooded her consciousness. This man had led a quiet life of servitude, interrupted from time to time by Court drama. She gasped as a particular scene came to the forefront and she was thrown back in time momentarily, bearing witness to an interaction between Maeve and Fianna.

“You filthy little whore,” spat the Dark Lady, her eyes narrowed on the cousin who cowered at her feet.

“Please, my Queen, I didn’t think it would --”

“Didn’t think it would what? Matter? You fucked Riordan Flynn. Do you know what you risk? Etain will rip you limb from limb and I will let her.” Her words dripped with venom. “Take her away.”

The guards moved into action with a sweep of Maeve’s hand.

“Please! Please, spare me,” Fianna sobbed as the men closed in.

“It is not my decision to make, nor one I would make if it was. Can you imagine what I would do to anyone who laid a finger on my Ronan?”

Fianna shivered and a tear streaked down her dirty cheek. “I-I may have something to trade for my life. Something you need.”

“Oh please.” Maeve rolled her eyes. “Unless you have a direct line to the Hedge King, I am through with you.”

The image faded but Beth was flying, higher than she’d ever been.

The memory had blazed through her, lighting up every atom of her body. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. Spine-tingling and exhilarating, but it didn’t last long. She came down quickly, panting and aching immediately for more. As she fought to catch her breath she realized with the blackest shame imaginable that that was what devouring part of a soul felt like.

Beth looked up and realized everyone was waiting for her to speak.

The Queen was perched forward, resting her chin on her palm and watching closely. A secretive smile curved her dark red lips.

Beth found her voice, barely. “Who’s Riordan Flynn?” she asked. She’d heard the name before in conversations at the Glen, but those conversations had never been with her.

Fianna gasped and dropped in an overdramatic faint onto the dais.

The Queen sat back, amusement flickering in her devious eyes. “He is the Summer Queen’s Knight,” she said.

Oh hell no. Beth’s eyes fell to her mother and loathing simmered in her veins. This whole situation - the marriage, the murder, the magic - was because this wretched woman couldn’t keep it in her pants? Beth started forward on unsteady legs, wanting to rip the harlot’s throat out. Or at the very least her eyeballs.

She was tugged back against Ronan’s chest by the arm she’d forgotten was still around her.

“Glorious. You’ve passed. Everybody gets to live.” The Dark Lady brought her hands together in her lap. Her eyes came to rest on Ronan’s arm and his hold on Beth. “For now. Release her, Ronan.”

Ronan’s clutch didn’t loosen. “I took an oath to protect her.” His tone was actually slightly challenging, surprising Beth.

Maeve sat up straighter on her throne, her lips tightening. “There is nothing that she needs protecting from at the moment. Release her.”

“Pardon me, my lady, but it seems that perhaps my poor wife needs protection from the floor. You have demanded much from her this eve.” His tone was definitely mocking.

Beth was impressed. Obviously these two had some issues to work through, but the point for this match was definitely going to Ronan.

Maeve’s nostrils flared. “Fine,” she snapped. “Go enjoy your reception. After your honeymoon we will have work to do, Mrs. Elizabeth Mac Nevin, mark my words.”

They turned to go but the Queen cleared her throat in that annoyingly dainty way of hers. “Oh, and Ronan? Come and see me tonight after the festivities have died down.” She winked.

Really, she winked? Sleeping with another woman’s husband on their wedding night didn’t seem to faze her at all. But how could it when she’d just ordered a life to be taken without a second thought? Obviously the woman cared little for morals.

After all that she had been through tonight, Beth was surprised she had enough room left to be angry about it. But there was nothing that Beth could or would ever be able to do about it, so she wisely kept her mouth closed.

Ronan nodded and let her go, and then they were back through that nonsensical door and into the hazy hubbub of the ballroom. Beth found herself shaking.

“Let’s get you something to eat,” Ronan said. He clasped her around the shoulders and steered her toward a table laden with various assortments of cheese, meat and fruit. She’d skipped over it earlier, her stomach too knotted up with nervousness.

Now Beth couldn’t even feel her stomach. That unsettling numbness had taken over again and she blinked dumbly at the food. She couldn’t wrap her head around anything that had just taken place and more than anything else she just wanted to go home. She’d smoke some of Benji’s herb, drink some of Sebastian’s wine and curl up. Glancing at her husband, she wasn’t so sure if that would ever happen again.

“So what’s this going to be like?” she asked him, in an effort to distract herself from the newfound emptiness threatening to swallow her.

The box was still there, the rest of that poor man’s soul. She could look, wanted to look, almost needed to. But at the same time she knew that it would neither assuage this aching nor make her feel any better about herself. If she let it be it would fade, hopefully to some sort of afterlife. She didn’t have to devour it.

“Mostly fruit,” he replied.

She blinked for a moment, startled, before she realized that he was assembling her a small plate. “Not that. Us. Our marriage.”

He scowled. “That will be discussed after you have food in your stomach.”

“And wine.”

“Wine?” He sounded a little disapproving.

Suck it. “The honeysuckle wine,” she said, trying to sound stern.

He sighed and handed her the plate, then went to fetch her a drink from the beverage table.

She popped a grape in her mouth and almost moaned at the unexpected burst of flavor. She hadn’t eaten since before her shift at the Glen yesterday, and it must be well into the evening now. Suddenly she was ravenous. She tried to be dainty about stuffing the contents of the plate into her face, but wasn’t sure it really came off that way.

Suddenly Ronan was beside her, two goblets of wine in one hand. He took her arm with his other and lead her toward the hallway. As soon as they stepped out, everyone cheered, obviously congratulating the newlywed couple on their imminent consummation of marriage. Beth was too tired to even blush.

Ronan took her to a large bedroom that was only down the hall. Unlike her old room it had plush carpeting and was dust-free. Against the back wall was a large, four poster bed with a green bedspread that was the same color as each of their outfits. Closer to the door was a small sitting area. A couch, ottoman and armchair all in that same damned green.

“What, did they run out of every other color of fabric?” she muttered.

“Green is the color of newlyweds,” Ronan explained.

Was that supposed to be ironic? Like they were green behind the ears or something?

“So this is the newlywed suite then?” she asked, sitting down on the edge of the couch and placing a slice of swiss into her mouth.

He nodded, taking the armchair across from her and handing her one of the goblets of wine.

She drank gratefully. She was startled to see him drink from his own goblet as well. For some reason she hadn’t expected him to.

“I’m not going to have sex with you, if that’s why you’ve brought me here,” Beth said while setting her empty plate down on the ottoman.

Surprise flickered across his features quickly before he settled back into that slight scowl she was learning was customary for him.

“It’s not,” he said. “I thought you might need some time to rest, away from all the gossiping courtiers.”

“You said we would discuss our marriage.” She studied the liquid in her cup. Anything to not look straight at him. It was like looking at the Sun, the brilliance of which hurt her eyes.

“And so we shall.”

“Are you in love with her?” Beth couldn’t help but ask. She’d seen the way he looked at the Queen as Beth had come down the aisle, as if Maeve were the only woman in the world. And she hadn’t missed their little back and forth in the throne room.

When he didn’t give an answer right away she chanced a peek at him. His scowl had deepened, giving him a look reminiscent of a raven. Which she hated to admit she found completely sexy.

His dark eyes settled on her and he seemed to be searching her face for something, she wasn’t sure what. “I was, once upon a time,” he finally said, his voice even. “Now we bicker and play. She orchestrated the wedding because she wanted access to your abilities. But attempting to piss me off with it was a bonus. She wants me to think that she doesn’t care about me. She wants me to mourn for her lost affections.”

Beth snorted. “That’s such obvious bullshit. She’s booty calling you on your wedding night.”

A small smile formed on his lips and Beth lost her breath at the sheer beauty of it. “Are you in love with someone?” He took another pull from his goblet.

Remembering that she was also holding a goblet, she did the same, tearing her eyes away from him in an effort to spare her sanity.

“No.” She didn’t feel like elaborating. It didn’t matter what she told him anyway, because somewhere between that first grape and the last piece of cheese she’d decided to make a run for it when he went to have his milk-man time with the Queen tonight. Sure he was being kind now but she was stupid if she thought she could trust him. The Dark Lady worked in terrible and tragic ways, and he was often the conduit.

“That is fortunate,” Ronan said.

“Do you live here in the palace?”

“Yes. But we could live outside of it, if you wanted. Either in Faerie or in the mortal realm.”

She gaped at him. That had not been what she was expecting to hear and the sweetness of it after the day she’d had brought sudden tears to her eyes. She blinked them back and took another long sip of wine.

“I don’t know,” she replied. If she wasn’t going to get the hell out of dodge as soon as possible then she’d insist that they get away from the palace, but that seemed pointless given her plan. “Why are you treating this like a real marriage?”

He frowned at her. “It is a real marriage, Elizabeth. You took my oath. My burdens are shared now with you. For that, by the way, I am truly sorry.”

Oh goodness, that’s what you wanted to hear on your wedding night. Beth groaned inwardly. “It’s a marriage neither of us agreed to,” she pointed out.

“Regardless, it is done. I have sworn to protect you.”

Well then he’d already failed, she couldn’t help but think bitterly. He should have protected her from having to take an innocent life tonight, the remembrance of which had her tipping the rest of her wine into her mouth. She set the goblet aside, feeling light headed and a little nauseated.

“Are you well?” Ronan asked, concern etched into his stunningly attractive face. She must have turned pale or something.

“I’ve never done that before,” she admitted, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them, thankful for the excessive amount of black tulle covering her legs. “The soul-eating thing. Not on purpose.”

“Yes you have. When you were thirteen. Your mother said --”

“I know, and I did, but it wasn’t like that. That man had been trying to . . . to do things to Benji and I couldn’t let him. Killing him was an accident, once the pull started I didn’t know how to stop it. But that man was a complete monster and I really don’t regret it. The servant tonight . . .” she faltered, swallowing. “He was innocent. And taking his memory, just that one, was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. For a moment it was pure ecstasy.”

“You didn’t experience that when you were younger?” he asked, leaning forward and resting a hand on the ottoman between them.

“No. It just hurt like hell. I must have been too young or something to process a soul. Or part of a soul. Whatever.” She buried her face in the fabric of her dress for a moment and when she looked up he was offering her the rest of his goblet. He’d only drunk about half.

She took it gratefully, chugging it down.

“Who’s Benji?” he asked after another silent moment.

“My best friend,” she said, unable to help the smile that tugged at her lips when she thought about him. “The son of one of the servants here. He ran away with me when I took off. After Fianna threatened to disown me for putting her through the pain of having to hide a murder from the Queen.”

“She didn’t have to hide anything, if I recall,” Ronan said, sitting back. “Redmond was up and walking around but his pupils and irises were gone, as if his eyes were backwards. He also had no speech abilities and it seemed no thought process. It looks as though you don’t really kill with your touch, you just take the soul. At least when it comes to Fae. Humans might be a different story.”

“That’s no better,” said Beth feebly. It was almost worse. She was leaving empty shells to aimlessly wander.

He snorted almost indignantly. “Your mother thought she could hide a murder from me? Foolish woman.”

Beth glanced up at him, frowning. “I don’t remember you at all. I grew up here. I would not have forgotten your face.”

“I was hardly ever here, and when I was I used a glamour,” he said, “just as I am hardly ever here now. I have a bedroom here, but I rarely use it.”

“Where do you go? What do you do?”

“That which is asked of me by my Queen. I am the law for the Dark. You’ll find out for yourself soon enough.” He was elusive, shrugging his broad shoulders and picking something on the wall to his right to study. Obviously that was the end of that discussion.

“I can’t believe any of this. Today doesn’t seem real. None of it.” She brought her fingers up to nibble thoughtlessly on her nails. Nervous habits die hard, especially when you’re nervous. Something occurred to her and she groaned, burying her face again in her knees.

“What is it?”

“I’m missing my shift at the Glen! Poor Rose. If tonight is anything like it was last night she’ll be up to her ears in douchebag customers. I bet she hates me right now.”

“It won’t be like it was last night. Most of those customers are caught in a dance down the hall, remember?” His tone was soft, reassuring. “And actually, I did call her.”

She looked up at him, shocked. “You called Rose?”

“Yes.”

“My aunt Rose?”

He snorted. “Yes. She’s the Steward of the Gate. Our paths cross quite frequently, I have her number.”

“. . .What did you say to her?”

“That you needed some time off work because her nymphomaniac older sister had given away your hand in marriage,” he said, his lips twitching in amusement.

“And what did she say?”

“She screamed unintelligibly at me until I hung up.”

Beth almost laughed. “I can’t believe you called her,” she said, dropping her knees down.

Ronan shrugged. “We’re old allies, her and I. Are you going to keep your job there?”

She gaped at him, astounded that he was taking into account what she wanted. “Am I allowed to?”

“Of course. So long as you take our Sheriff responsibilities into account. Think of that as an extra, part-time job.”

“Oh,” she thought that over, and then reminded herself that it didn’t matter because she was getting out of here at the first opportunity. “Um, okay.”

“Just be careful. I am sworn to protect you, but the Hedge is a place of nightmares. Glen Rós is a secure way station but stepping beyond its borders is not a good idea.”

She nodded absently, suddenly caught up in the memory of having travelled through the Hedge with Benji when they were thirteen. It had been a trek through a giant hedge maze filled with beasts and zombie-like brain dead creatures called revenants. The two of them had barely exited with their lives and most of her current nightmares featured her wandering in just such a maze forever, lost and alone. She shuddered. It was a journey she would have to make again tonight. Escaping Faerie undetected certainly had its price.

Beth realized he was watching her closely, anger evident on his beautiful face. “It’s like I can see the wheels turning in your head, Elizabeth. Don’t try and escape through the Hedge. Even if you could find a tear in the wall of Faerie, that way is certain death. Literally no one survives the wrath of the Hedge King. Even Maeve doesn’t go in too deeply.

She wondered how he thought she’d escaped before, but didn’t ask. Instead she nodded and yawned. Unfortunately she didn’t need to feign the exhaustion she felt.

“You should rest,” he said, standing. “Unless you want to return to our party.”

Beth pictured the crowd all turning to her with that smug look. The you-just-had-sex-and-we-know-it look. Not to mention returning after only an hour away would probably not speak much for Ronan’s reputation as a lover. She wasn’t sure why that mattered to her.

“No. Rest sounds good. Whatever they drugged me with the to bring me in must have been very strong. I’ve been sluggish since I woke up.”

“Are you sure it’s not the wine?” he asked.

“No, the wine has kept me from a mental breakdown,” she said, squinting at him. “Don’t go getting all disapproving at my lushy habits, husband. I like my wine.”

“I’ve noticed,” he said, running a hand over his mouth to cover a small smile that had her heart pitter-pattering pathetically.

“Now go see to your Queen’s needs,” she ordered, anxious for him to leave so she could get going.

“Are you sure you don’t want help out of your dress first?”

“Are you hitting on me?”

“On my wife? Never.”

Damn. Why was it so easy to fall into a delightful rapport with him? She was caught off guard by his sarcasm, even more so because his expression didn’t change one bit. He was just as serious looking as ever. Too bad he was the Queen’s guard dog and she probably shouldn’t trust him at all.

Beth felt herself scowl this time, pissed that he’d gotten her to the verge of laughter after everything that had happened today. She stood and walked to the bed, kicking off her slippers. “I’ll just sleep in my dress.”

He raised his eyebrows. “That can’t be comfortable.”

“Woke up in my wedding dress earlier, so apparently it’s a habit of mine.” She climbed on top of the covers, not bothering to pull them down and needlessly dishevel the pristinely made bed.

“You slept in a t-shirt last night, obviously you like to sleep comfortably,” he said, and then froze, instantly seeming to realize his error.

She swiftly sat up and locked onto his gaze. “You were the one who Fae-napped me?”

“I told you. I am the one who carries out Maeve’s will. I do her dirty work.” He had the decency to look mildly unhappy about his words.

“Then why did you look surprised when it was me walking down the aisle?” She thought back to that startled expression on his face when he’d first turned to her.

“Because I wasn’t expecting you to be so . . . “ He searched for the right word. “Ornate.”

He’d found it. She had been ready to be offended if he picked a word like ‘beautiful’ or ‘elegant’ or any other word describing the amount of makeup she’d been made up with, but ornate was exactly how she’d felt.

“It was a far cry from how you must have found me last night,” she admitted. “How did you get in? Assuming you didn’t just knock.”

He looked slightly amused and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. Beth noticed he kept a good distance from her, at least four feet, which was nice. Closer meant she felt his heat and remembered that kiss and she was just too tired for that right now. Besides, if she felt a kiss like that again she might just decide to stay. And that was no longer on the list of viable options, not with what the Queen could and would force her to do.

“Your window has an easily manipulatable latch,” he said.

“And you didn’t harm anyone in the house, right? Everyone is okay?” She felt ashamed that hadn’t been her first question upon waking up this afternoon. Instead she’d been too busy reassuring Katherine that Benji was fine. A fact which she now realized she hadn’t known for sure.

“They’re unharmed. They never knew I was there. It will probably be awhile before they even discover your absence.”

He underestimated how close-knit she and her friends were. They were most likely freaking out by now, just as she would be if any of them disappeared from their bed.

When she didn’t respond Ronan said, “We’ll go see them before we depart. To let them know that you’re alright.”

“Depart?” She looked up at him again.

“For our honeymoon. Maeve wants me to show you what it is that I do.” He spat out the words like they burned his tongue.

He seemed grim about this, and with good reason. Beth had no desire to know what he did. As she’d just experienced, the Queen’s will was a twisted, blackened thing. Carrying it out must be horrifying. Her plan for escape, which had wavered slightly with the Knight’s kindness, resolidified in her mind, and expanded. She would stop by home and let them know she was alright, then take off again, start over somewhere else.

It wouldn’t be the life she had worked for but at least it was a life without senseless murder. If the Queen couldn’t find her then she couldn’t make her do things. You can’t obey an order you can’t hear.

Where she would go, Beth had no idea. Hiding from the Queen, specifically the Queen’s Sheriff, was unheard of. She’d been able to live in peace for the past six years because the Dark Lady simply hadn’t given a shit. This time would be different. An idea niggled at the back of her mind, but she pushed it away.

“I’ll be expected to stay with you tonight,” Ronan informed her, pushing off from the wall.

Her eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

“Except for my time with Maeve,” he amended. “I would not be upholding my newlywed duties in the eyes of the court if I’m not seen emerging from here in the morning.”

She nodded, once again confused as to why him looking good in the eyes of the Court mattered to her at all, but it did.

“We’ll discuss our honeymoon more tomorrow. For now, get some rest. I’ll be back later.”

“Shower first,” Beth grumbled.

Ronan let out a deep laugh, surprising Beth enough that she nearly fell of the bed, before letting the door click shut behind him.