Page 15 of Fae-King It (Mystical Matchmakers #5)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

A half-hour later, Dominique’s head was spinning. She’d learned more about Ronan Byrne this morning than she expected.

As they ate, Ronan and Jessel discussed how someone had been able to tamper with Dominique’s food. He explained that he intended to speak to the woman who’d served their breakfast but that he doubted she was responsible.

There was more discussion of how to best protect both of them. Dominique disliked most of Ronan’s suggestions, mostly because the plans involved him remaining close to her at all times. Even when they were back in the human realm. She needed physical distance between them in order to maintain her emotional distance. Their marriage would last for at least seven or eight years, probably closer to ten, and she couldn’t afford to get attached to him. To rely on him.

It was so tempting to let go of control and just go along with his plans, but she knew it would be detrimental to her in the long run. She couldn’t get used to depending on someone. Not unless she knew they wanted her for the long-term. No relationship was guaranteed, but Dominique needed to be confident that her partner wanted her enough to try their best.

In the end, Jessel put an end to their bickering by telling Ronan to back off and Dominique to suck it up for a short time. Neither of them was willing to argue with her, so that put an end to the heated exchange.

After the simple but surprisingly delicious food, Ronan walked her to her room and instructed her to stay put until he came to get her. He refused to leave until he had her verbal promise.

Now, she had nothing better to do but pace inside her room in the palace. Her phone had no signal, and she hadn’t brought her laptop because she hadn’t believed she would have time to work, nor the ability to trust those around her. There weren’t even books in her room.

She needed something to do, or her mind was going to constantly go back to last night and Ronan. Or she would obsess over her sudden concern that he might be hurt by her family.

If she couldn’t keep her mind and body occupied, she would have to face everything she was thinking and feeling. She wasn’t ready to do that. She would never be ready for it because it meant giving someone else power over her.

Dominique didn’t want to care about him. And she shouldn’t. Not after he essentially blackmailed her and put them both in this perilous position.

Just as Dominique began another circuit of her room, there was a knock on the door. She froze, one bare foot hovering in the air. She’d kicked off her stilettos as soon as Ronan ditched her in her room. As much as she loved her high heels, they weren’t suitable for pacing a hole in the floor.

She lowered her foot and tiptoed toward the door, her steps silent. There was another knock, but still, she didn’t call out. She couldn’t risk it. If it was Ronan, he would have used the closet that adjoined their rooms.

“Dominique, it’s Aisling. Please open the door.”

She hesitated. She knew that Ronan trusted his sister implicitly. The way he spoke of Aisling, and the way he treated her, made it obvious.

But Dominique had also made a promise not to open the door for anyone but him. Indecision wasn’t a sensation she was familiar with, and she despised it. When Aisling knocked again, Dominique couldn’t stand it any longer. She didn’t want Aisling to think poorly of her. Why she cared, she couldn’t explain. But she did.

She marched over to the door and cracked it open, looking out at Ronan’s younger sister. “Hi, Aisling. Is everything okay?”

The younger woman studied her with the same blue eyes as her brother’s. And, like her brother, she saw too much. As soon as Aisling saw Dominique’s face, she wedged her body through the door, forcing Dominique to back up. Her guards sputtered and tried to follow her inside, but she slammed and locked the door in their faces. The door rattled in the jamb, but Aisling ignored it.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Dominique tried to adjust her expression as she answered. “Nothing. Just a few pre-wedding nerves.”

Aisling gave her a dry look, appearing much older than her nineteen years. “Don’t lie to me, Dominique. My brother disappeared right after breakfast, and now you’re hiding in your room. Your family is trying to sneak around the castle and bribe the staff for any tidbit of information they can.”

Dominique stared at Ronan’s sister. “Let me guess…Jessel trained you as well.”

Aisling shrugged a shoulder. “I’m actually still in training.”

Dominique decided this was a good thing. It would give her a chance to warn Aisling about her family.

“My parents are determined to become the ruling family of this kingdom by whatever means they can use. They won’t outright rebel or betray your parents or Ronan when he ascends to the throne, but they would use magic or herbal drugs to keep them in line. They’ve never done it before, but I’m not entirely sure they wouldn’t stoop to murder if they were sure they could get away with it.”

Aisling listened and nodded as Dominique spoke. “I see.”

Dominique was beginning to understand why Ronan thought his sister was ready for the throne. She gave nothing away in her response. She seemed so cool, calm, and collected.

Aisling reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out a cell phone. Dominique watched in confusion as the young woman tapped the screen a couple of times and lifted it to her ear.

“Yes, brother, I know you’re busy,” Aisling began. She paused, listening to him. “Yes, I know I can’t just lock my guards outside of a room without letting them clear it first, but your fiancée needs to be fitted for her wedding dress.”

There was a pause as Aisling listened to whatever Ronan was saying. “I’m in her room right now.” Another pause. “Yes, the guards are outside and we’re in here alone.”

Dominique didn’t physically wince, but internally, she took a huge step back. This wasn’t good. Ronan was going to be upset that she let Aisling into her room.

“I know, big brother,” the princess said. “Jessel trained me the same way she trained you. Actually, she was harder on me because she realized all the mistakes she made with you.”

Dominique couldn’t hear Ronan’s reply, but she did see the wicked twinkle in Aisling’s eyes. Clearly, Aisling and Ronan enjoyed teasing each other. If she wasn’t so stressed, she would smile.

“I won’t let her out of my sight,” Aisling said. “You know she’ll be safe with me and the four guards our parents saddled me with.”

Aisling listened for a few more seconds before holding the phone out to Dominique. “My brother would like to speak to you.”

She took the phone and lifted it to her ear. “Yes?”

“What part of don’t open the door for anyone but me was unclear?” Ronan asked, his voice a deep rumble.

Dominique didn’t flinch, but she wanted to. “Are you saying you don’t trust your sister?”

She saw Aisling smile and nod out of the corner of her eye.

“We’ll discuss your mistake later. My sister is right. You do need to be fitted for your wedding dress, and I trust her to keep you safe while I’m busy. Keep her in your line of sight at all times.”

“Ronan—”

“We’ll discuss your punishment for disobeying me after dinner.”

“Now, wait a godsdamned minute—” Dominique began, any pretense of detachment abandoned.

The line went dead.

Her face felt scorching hot, as did her scalp, as Dominique handed Aisling’s phone back to her.

“When I no longer want to strangle your brother, you’ll have to explain to me how you both have working cell phones in the fae realm.”

Aisling grinned at her. “And, when you’re calmer, I’ll tell you. Though I have to say, that I love how you handle my brother. He needs a female who won’t let his pretty face or title affect how she handles him.”

Dominique took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. “Let’s get this done.”

Dominique thought the process would be exceedingly painful, and in some ways, it was.

But Aisling Byrne made a situation that should be uncomfortable into something fun.

Dominique realized that Ronan’s younger sister possessed something he didn’t, something that would make her the excellent leader he thought she would be. Aisling knew how to put people at ease. Not only that, but she also knew how to navigate delicate situations with aplomb.

Dominique sensed Aisling’s attention on her the entire time she worked with the dressmaker to design her dress. Though Dominique had never considered getting married, she did love clothes and had a deeply ingrained sense of what complemented her coloring and body shape. She also remembered attending her aunt’s wedding as a small child and thinking that her aunt had looked like a goddess rather than a fae woman. Decades later, Dominique still remembered the dress.

Two hours later, Dominique was satisfied with the design and had selected the fabric and the iridescent material to be used as the overlay. Lydon, the dressmaker, assured her that he would have the dress ready to be fitted just before dinner and would bring it to her room.

When Aisling suggested a walk around the castle grounds before returning to her room, Dominique accepted, eager to continue to avoid her thoughts and feelings toward Ronan. It had been a mistake to have sex with him, but she knew that she would do it again. She wouldn’t be able to resist.

The sun was high in the sky and the air was warm as Aisling led her through the castle gardens. The four guards that trailed Aisling everywhere kept their distance, enough to give them a bit more privacy. Dominique sensed that Aisling wanted to speak to her, and it wasn’t long before the young woman got right to the point.

“I know what my brother is up to,” Aisling said.

“What do you mean?” Dominique asked, unsure exactly what the princess was talking about.

“I’m not sure why he approached you, but I know he’s trying to ascend to the throne to keep Mama and Papa from marrying me off to King Heron. I also know that he talked you into going along with this crazy plan. While I appreciate what he’s trying to do, I don’t approve of his methods.”

Dominique stopped, turning toward Aisling. “What do you mean?”

“I see the tension between the two of you. It’s faint, and I doubt anyone else notices it, but it’s there.” The princess stepped closer. “If you don’t want to go through with this wedding, just say the word, and you won’t have to. I can handle it.”

If Aisling had said the last sentence to her yesterday, Dominique would have thought her too young and idealistic to know what she was talking about. But, today, after watching and listening to Aisling interact with those around her and being on the receiving end of that attention herself, Dominique didn’t doubt at all that the young fae would have the grit to do whatever was necessary to succeed as the queen.

Dominique reached out, laying a gentle hand on Aisling’s arm. “You have my gratitude for the offer, Your Highness, but I’m afraid it’s too late.”

“It’s not. The wedding tomorrow can be canceled.”

Dominique shook her head. “Unfortunately, that’s not the only issue. My family is another. My mother hoped that one of my older sisters would catch Ronan’s eye when they were younger. Now that I’m engaged to him, she will force me to marry him. By whatever means necessary. And if you put yourself in the position to become queen, her attention will turn to you.”

Aisling’s face changed as Dominique explained the situation. A harsh look crossed her features. “I see.”

In that moment, Dominique saw the kind of queen Aisling would be—fair, honest, and generous, but the gods help anyone who crossed her or harmed someone she cared about. If that happened, she wouldn’t hesitate to act and protect those she loved.

Dominique decided then and there that she would help Aisling find her match when she was ready. The princess deserved to have a spouse who could love her for all the intricacies of her character rather than just for her title and the power that came with it.

Before the conversation could continue, Aisling glanced over Dominique’s shoulder and gave her head a minuscule shake. A few moments later, footsteps approached from the opposite end of the path.

“There you are, darling!” her mother cried.

Dominique met Aisling’s gaze and saw the hard look in the princess’s eyes. “I’ll be okay,” she murmured.

“Yes, you will because I’m not leaving.”

Graciella approached them, pausing to curtsy toward Aisling, something Dominique neglected to do when the princess came to her room earlier. Clearly, she needed to brush up on her etiquette when it came to dealing with the royal family.

“Your Highness,” Graciella said to Aisling as a greeting. before turning her attention to Dominique.

“Lady Proxa,” Aisling returned.

“You both look so lovely and bright today,” Graciella stated, her eyes moving to each of them in turn.

“Thank you,” Aisling answered.

Graciella made a show of taking Dominique’s hand. “I’m so happy for you, Dominique,” she said, squeezing her fingers a shade too hard.

Dominique felt the pinprick on her fingertip too late to try and pull away. A familiar sensation washed over her, one that she’d grown accustomed to during her teens and early twenties. Anger washed right behind it. No, not anger. Rage. Pure and unadulterated.

Her mother’s audacity knew no bounds, just as Dominique suspected.

The pull of magic forced her mouth and tongue to move even though she didn’t want them to. “Thank you, Mother. I’m incredibly happy, too.”

Keeping hold of Dominique’s hand, Graciella turned toward Aisling. “It will be your turn soon,” she said, her voice warm.

Aisling waved a regal hand. “Not too soon, I hope. I want a little time to experience life before I take a husband.”

The magic snare her mother cast pulled at her tongue again. “Your Highness, do you require my attendance much longer? I haven’t seen my mother in close to a decade and I would like to catch up.”

Dominique wanted to smile at the words that came out of her mouth. She and Aisling hadn’t been nearly so formal all morning. Surely, the princess would recognize that something was wrong and help her.

Her heart sank as the princess nodded, her statement of staying close by seemingly forgotten. “Of course, Dominique. I’m looking forward to spending more time with you.”

Despair filled her as Aisling turned and walked away, her four guards following her at a distance. Dominique wanted to call out, to cry for help, but the magic surrounding her was too strong. At least for the moment.

What her mother didn’t know was that Dominique had begun taking small doses of the potion Graciella had coated the needle with. Her body eventually grew accustomed to the concoction, but she hadn’t achieved full immunity yet.

As soon as the princess was out of sight, Graciella turned to her, the mask of an affectionate mother falling away to reveal the monster beneath. Without hesitation, she struck Dominique, slapping her face so hard that her head jerked to the side. Her cheek burned as Dominique straightened and faced her mother again.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” her mother hissed, moving in until their faces were inches apart. She didn’t release her hold on Dominique to allow her to answer, obviously intending the question to be rhetorical. “I have worked for decades to get one of your sisters married into this family, and you waltz in and accept the prince’s proposal.”

Her mother took a step back, taking a deep breath and visibly relaxing. She began to pace just in front of Dominique’s statue-still form, her hands behind her back.

“It’s a small hiccup,” her mother muttered, mostly to herself. Then, she glanced up at Dominique. “You’ll do what we tell you to do when we tell you, do you understand?”

This time, her mother released the hold of the magic, allowing her daughter to speak. “I won’t,” she replied.

Her mother fisted her hands behind her back and the magic yanked on Dominique’s tongue again.

“I will, Mother,” she stated next.

Her mother smiled, smug and malicious. “I can feel you trying to resist me, Daughter. You know it’s futile.”

Her tongue free once again, Dominique asked, “What exactly do you intend to do? He isn’t interested in my sisters. If he hasn’t spent time with them in the last twenty years, what makes you think he will now?”

A shadow moved on the other side of Graciella, snagging Dominique’s attention. Her eyes moved to it quickly, taking in the faint shape of a man. She looked back at her mother, not wanting to bring Graciella’s attention to whoever stood nearby.

Her mother didn’t seem to notice as she faced Dominique, a sly smile on her face. “You’re feeling exactly how we’ll make him interested.”

“What will that accomplish? He isn’t the king yet, and his parents may very well refuse to give him the throne if he marries one of my sisters.”

Graciella’s smile widened. “You know how the world works. The royal family faces assassination attempts on a regular basis. Eventually, one will be successful. The same sad fate will eventually happen to your fiancé.” Her mother shrugged. “Then, we’ll be exactly where we need to be.”

Dominique shook her head. “How do you know I won’t go straight to Ronan once your little potion wears off and tell him what you’re planning?”

Her mother had the gall to look shocked. “You would go against your own family?”

A bitter laugh escaped Dominique’s lips. “I don’t know what you are, but you, your husband, and your two daughters have never been my family. After all the years you’ve drugged me, bespelled me, and abused me in other ways, what I can’t believe is that you would call yourself that. You’ve never been my family .” She nearly spat the last word.

Hard hands suddenly grabbed her from behind. “I hate to hear you speak so harshly, Daughter,” Jurgen muttered from behind her. He said the word daughter with a wealth of disdain. The same way he’d said it her entire life.

The shadow she saw earlier had disappeared and Dominique wondered if this was it. If she was going to die today.

Her arms were pinned to her side as her mother fished a small potion bottle out of her bodice. “I hate to hear you speak like that, Dominique. But you won’t be able to tell Ronan because you won’t remember any of this.”

The potion her mother had drugged her with was beginning to wear off, but not fast enough. Dominique could feel the hold of the magic slipping, but she couldn’t quite fight through it. Her body twitched involuntarily, giving away her resistance and the fading effect of the potion and spell.

Jurgen grabbed her hair, yanking her head back against his shoulder, and slapped a hand down on her sternum. Her body twitched again before going rigid in agony as he used his magic to paralyze her. That was his talent—the ability to immobilize his opponent with his exceedingly painful touch. He hid it carefully because he didn’t want others to realize exactly how dangerous he was.

Her mother came closer, making a tisking sound. “It’s better this way, Dominique. We won’t have to convince you to end the engagement. You’ll do exactly what we say, when we say it, before your untimely and tragic demise.” She lifted the glass bottle in her hand. “Unfortunately, this little potion is lethal after more than a dose or two. It’s simply too potent for most fae to survive.” Her mother looked sad for a moment before she smiled again. “At least you’ll finally be of use in your last days.”

Dominique shoved at the fraying cords of the magic surrounding her, but it was no use. Not with Jurgen pouring his magic into her body. He reached up with his other hand and pried her jaw open.

Graciella pulled the cork stopper from the bottle, lifting it higher.

A hand suddenly appeared out of thin air, gripping her mother’s wrist so hard that she cried out.

Ronan shimmered into existence next to Graciella, his expression thunderous. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Her mother stared up at him in shock for a moment before she began stammering. “Your Highness, you don’t understand. Dominique is…she’s…” Her mother stopped speaking and took a deep breath.

Dominique had to hand it to Graciella. She was a consummate actress. Instead of the malevolence she’d shown Dominique earlier, she appeared distraught and near tears. If she could have rolled her eyes, she would have.

“You see, there are things you don’t know about my daughter,” Graciella began again. “She’s not well…in her mind. That is why she left the fae realm and went to live amongst humans. She needs medication on a regular basis in order to regulate her condition and she refused, so we have to take matters into our own hands at times.”

Ronan released Graciella’s wrist, inserting his large body between Dominique and her mother. “I’m not sure I believe you, Lady Proxa. Considering Dominique maintains her own business and has employees, I find it impossible to believe that she is as ill as you’re implying.”

“I understand, but you have to realize that?—”

Ronan didn’t let Graciella finish. “I’ve been following you and your husband around this castle for the last three hours, so I know exactly what you’re up to.”

Her mother’s eyes moved to where Jurgen stood behind her, and Dominique knew what was about to happen. She wanted to cry out, to warn Ronan that her parents were going to attack him. Her vocal cords remained as frozen as the rest of her body. Despair filled her as she watched Jurgen reach out a hand. She would have to watch her parents do to Ronan what they had done to her for decades. It hurt to watch helplessly, to know how he would feel as they forced him to comply with their demands, to know that they would both be dead within months if not weeks.

It was then that Dominique realized she loved him. She’d been so distracted by her family and her shared history with Ronan that she hadn’t noticed how he’d slipped under her guard and found a resting place in her heart. She didn’t want this for him. She would rather take his place a thousand times over than subject him to what was coming.

Once Jurgen touched Ronan, they would pour that potion into his mouth and turn him into a mindless puppet for the next few weeks. Then, Ronan would die.

Dominique had no doubt that she would be disposed of first, especially since she knew exactly what her parents planned. She wanted to cry, but with Jurgen’s power surging in her, even her tear ducts were paralyzed by his magic.

Just before Jurgen’s hand touched Ronan’s arm, a crack of thunder shook the very air around them. Graciella and Jurgen jumped, but Dominique knew that Ronan recognized the sound. It was the same one they’d heard decades before when they were cursed.

Lightning split the sky above, and a swirling burst of thick gray smoke appeared before them. The smoke pulsed and expanded for a beat before it withdrew quickly, revealing the figure swathed in black within it.

Zephira stared at them, her gnarled onyx staff shimmering in the suddenly subdued light of the sun. Black clouds had gathered above them, creating the illusion of dusk where there had been noonday sun just moments before.

“You dare,” she hissed.

Both of Dominique’s parents froze. They stood perfectly still as they watched the sorceress with wide eyes. Together, Graciella and Jurgen were powerful, but they still couldn’t take on a sorceress such as Zephira and win.

“You dare interfere with my curse,” she accused.

As one, Graciella and Jurgen took a step back. “Of course not. That wasn’t our intention.”

Dominique could almost smell their fear as they put more space between themselves and Zephira. Her legs nearly collapsed when Jurgen’s hands released her, but Ronan reached out, pulling her into his body and holding her weight easily.

“You mean you weren’t going to bespell the boy and convince him that one of your elder daughters was his true love?” Zephira asked.

Neither of her parents spoke, but even Dominique could see that the enchantress had voiced their spontaneous plan.

“I cursed these two for a reason and you shall not interfere, or you will face the consequences.”

Zephira strode forward, and Dominique saw her stepfather shift as though he was about to reach for her. The sorceress saw it too because her dark eyes pinned him in place as she said. “Your touch won’t work on me, but you’re welcome to try. You’ll die for the trouble, and I don’t think you’ll be missed.”

Jurgen stilled, prey before a raptor.

“Now, it’s time for you to leave my sight before I lose my temper and destroy you both for what you tried to do.”

Graciella opened her mouth, the glint in her eye telling Dominique that her mother thought she’d found a way around this mess, but Zephira seemed to grow a foot right in front of them. Huge gray wings burst from her back. Each feather tipped with black as though they’d been dipped in shadows.

“I said LEAVE MY SIGHT!” Zephira roared, her voice echoing in the courtyard, the magic in her words so thick and potent that anyone within a few miles would have heard her.

Jurgen abandoned any pretense of backing up Graciella, leaving his wife behind as he turned and sprinted away. When she realized her only weapon was escaping, Graciella soon followed.

Once they were out of sight, Zephira glared at Ronan and Dominique before she vanished as well in another storm of gray smoke and a boom of thunder.

Dominique’s legs gave way completely, and Ronan didn’t hesitate before he scooped her up in his arms. The prickle of magic poked at her skin as shadows emerged from his flesh, wrapping around both of them.

In a blink, they were inside the castle, the furnishings of the room completely unfamiliar to Dominique. Ronan strode to a couch, settling on the cushions with Dominique in his lap.

“Shhh. Don’t cry, Princess. You’re safe. I have you,” he murmured, his hands brushing her cheeks.

Dominique suddenly became aware of the tears streaming from her eyes. She hadn’t realized she was crying until Ronan spoke. A thin breath escaped her as her entire body shuddered, still fighting off the remnants of the potion her mother had administered and her stepfather’s magic.

As she struggled to regain control and shut down the thoughts of what might have happened if Zephira hadn’t appeared, Ronan held her, stroking her hair and back, holding her so close that she could almost believe he cared about her.