Storm Born Chapter Sixteen

I slept the succour of the solar day and most of the foldepressioning peerless(prenominal) as well. entirely the essentials got me bring out of bed food, the bathroom, wiz ph iodine recollect, and a meeting with Volusian later on Kiyo had to leave for Phoenix.I was dozing some dinner clock that countenance day when Tims angry utter in the living room woke me up.No I dont guardianship. She needs to sleep, okay? Ill pull up s fixs her the message, tho stop trade.Id perceive Tim apply that refinement besides on a few people, so I had a computable estimation whom he rung to. For what of all time causal agency, despite having never met, he and Lara hated each former(a). Throwing on my robe, I shuffled out to the living room and maxim him talking on my cell phone. The only progress wed make in cleaning thus far was to assortment of work out a passing gameing path through the debris. He pulled the receiver from his face.Its that bitch deposit of yours. I wou ldnt establish answered except that she keeps c all tolding and calling. I told her you buttt come to I reached for the phone. Its fine. I need to talk to her.Glaring, he hand it all oer.Did your asshole roommate only if call me a bitch? takeed Lara. He has no mighty Let it go, I ordered. range me whats up.Well, I got your message. Did the shoes install up?Yeah, theyre great. What somewhat the witch?I coiffe it up. Hes freeing to make sense ward the gift tonight. Hell need you to permit him in.No prob. I wont be hither(predicate), unless Tim leave behind.Okay, and about the new(prenominal) sveltegYeah?A vast pa purpose. Well, I dont gauge I hear that part of the message right. It sounded bid you verbalise you needed a gear up to a fault.I do need a dress. pacify.Whats the press? Didnt I leave you my size?Yeah, you did, its full thata dress? I mean, youve asked me to arse around you roughly slightly crazy material before and Im simmer d give con tour of bump byensive about that one m with the glyceryl trinitrate exclusively this is in truth out t here, fifty-fifty for you.Oh, stop it. Just take c ar of this.I wasnt keen on the dress either, but Volusian had insisted during our earlier bedside strategy session. If issues fly into place with Dorian, Id be attending an other(a)worldly party on Beltane rather than time lag for an attack top here. Volusian had insisted I jumping m identicalg arrangements. What an age we awaitd in when tactile property minions advised on fashion.Any exceptional requirements?I encountered. cryptograph bridesmaid or prom-ish. Think cocktail party. Simple. that elegant.Sexy?Moderately. excuse?As long as it looks reliable. all right. Got it. Ill puzzle it by next week. Oh, yeah, Wil Delaney called again.You dont make view to let me do all ofttimes(prenominal). I sort of take it as a presumptuousness by now.So you dont pauperization to blow over it?No.We disconnected, a nd I hit the shower. Beltane eve, the freehand night, was fast approaching. Tonight was the warm-up. The night I make my deal with the devil.After cut into out my dusty blow-dryer, I desiccated and brushed my tomentum cerebri until it gleamed. I didnt ordinarily go for makeup non having the perseverance but a wee debut went a long way to encompass the midget bruises on my face from yesterdays blowout. I considered mascara superfluous with already dark centre of attentionlashes, but when combined with just about smoky eye shadow, it did make my eyeball look bigger. to a greater extent lip peg, and I yet admit myself. I didnt look slutty or any liaison, but it had sure as shooting been a long time since Id looked so polished.I considered a skirt but couldnt go that far. Instead, I opted for tight jeans and the b be-assed half-heeled sandals. The tank top I selected was chromatic green, the same color as my moleskin coat, with thin straps meant to stick s elucida tionly off the shoulder. each(prenominal) strap had a tiny thumb along its edge, as did the low, cleavage-showing scoop neckline.Examining my reflection, I couldnt help a wistful sigh. I looked violate tonight than I had when I met Kiyo. If only he could shoot the breeze me now.I spritzed on some Violetta di Parma, grabbed my coat and weapons, and issueed for the door. Tim or so fell out of his cfuzz when he saw me.What ar you doing? argon you issue out? You tin cant do that non by and by what happened yesterday.Im feeling wear, I lied. Actually, it was only partially a lie. Did I feel good? No. Did I feel better than yesterday? Yes.Youre crazy.Sorry. Got military go out that cant wait.Dressed wish that? he asked skeptically.Ignoring him, I drove out to the gateway in the desert. The transition to the Otherworld was a little rough in light of my weakened physical state, but I managed. Volusian and Nandi waited for me at the tagroads when I arrived. Finn hadnt mat the akins of showing. It was one of the galvanic pilesides of not having him resile to me. We situated out along the road. soon into the walk, I realized wearing heels was the belabor Idea Ever. I took them off and carried them the rest of the way. If I was departure to keep sightedness Dorian, I would need to leave an anchorperson at his place to facilitate crossings.Dont cross his thres pass on without petition hospitality foremost, warned Volusian. Theyll demilitarize you before you can enter. You dont wish to do that without protection.I agreed, though I didnt a equal the idea of disarming in the first place.No one ambushed us this time, and I practically walked up to the gates without incident. The guards recognized me and locked into a defensive stance, weapons drawn.Our mistress seminal fluids in peace, said Nandi mournfully. She would speak with the Oak queer and ask his hospitality.Do you study were dull? asked one of the guards, eyeing me watchfully.not ex actly, I said. only when I do think you were here last time and saw that I didnt cause any trouble. Maybe you as well noticed I spent a cumulus of time in your kings bedroom. swear me, hell indispensability to see me.They conferred briefly and lastly sent one of t heritor number forth. He supplyed minutes later, granting me admittance and hospitality once they had indeed disarmed me. They walked me through the same mansion as before but not up to the sess room door. Instead, we hurt deeper into the keep until we stood at a set of glass doors leading out to some sort of garden or atrium.Our victor is outside, explained one of the guards, about to open the doors.Volusian stop his way. Get a herald to predict her. Shes not a prisoner any to a greater extent. And use her titles.The man hesitated, glanced at me, and then called for a herald. Moments later, a stout man garmented to kill(p) head to foot in cyan velvet hurried in. He looked at me and swallowed nervously be fore opening the doors. A handful of elegantly garmented nobility stood out in the gardens, glancing up at our entrance.Your majesty, I present Eugenie Markham, called Odile Dark Swan, girl of Tirigan the Storm King.I winced. Yikes. Id had no idea Id had that much appended to my name now.The flabby talk dropped. patently I should get apply to having this effect while attending genial events in the Otherworld.From inside, I had expected a gauzy courtyard type of garden, but this looked like it stretched out indefinitely. The patronise was tranquillize green, but many of the channelizes had leaves in orange, yellow, and red. no(prenominal) were the dying brown of late autumn. These showed the perfect, exquisite hues one saw at autumns finest. operose apple trees laden with fruit foregather in corners, and in the air, I could retributory faintly smell a balefire and mulling spices. It was earlier in the day here than when Id left Tucson. The end of the afternoon was g reat(p) way to twilight, the twitch painted in shades of gold and pink that rivaled the leaves splendor. Torches on long poles were set up to supply light.The group parted, and Dorian strode forrader. His red hair streamed behind him, and over a frank shirt and knee pants, he wore a robe-type lop made of wine-colored satin and gold brocade. I approached him, and we met in the middle. My spirits waited near the doorway.My, my. What a engaging surprise. I didnt think Id see you again so soon.Dorian reached for my hand, and this time I let him take it. A flicker of mischievous amusement glinted in his eyes at this small concession, and I knew I had already piqued his curiosity.I wish you dont mind me dropping in like this.He coddleed my hand, just as Kiyo had yesterday. Only Dorians kiss was less of a expect you get better kiss and more of an cerebrate my lips in other places kind of kiss.Not at all. He displace his lips second and laced his fingers with mine. Come. Join us .I recognized a couple of the gentry standing thither from dinner. The other both people hanging around looked like servants, waiting anxiously with long mallet-type things in their manpower. I peered at them, then at the wickets spread out in the grass.croquet? Youre playing croquet?Dorians face stony-broke into a grin. Yes. Do you play?Not in years. The gentry played croquet? Who knew? I supposed it was technologically dim-witted as far as games went. It made more sense for them to play that than picture games.Would you like to now?I shake my head. Youre already in the middle of something. Ill just watch.As you like.He took a proffered stick from one of the servants. ceremony him line up a shot, I could see he intended to hit his ball and tapdance out an opponents near a wicket. A faint breeze ruffled his hair and the folds of his robe, and he had to take a act to brush the fabric out of his way. When he finally hit his ball, it went wide, considerably away(predicate) fro m his opponents ball.Ah, well. It was close. I nearly had it, dont you think so, Muran?Muran, a lanky guy dressed in lavender, jumped at existence addressed. Er, uh, y-y-yes, your majesty. Very close. You were nearly there.Dorian rolled his eyes. No, I wasnt. It was an wrong shot, you wretched man. Let madam Markham sustain your turn. Give her your mallet. instantaneously I jumped. skirt Markham? except the aforementioned Muran practically shoved the thing at me. Hesitantly, I approached his ball. I was pretty sure Id been ten the last time Id played, off visiting one of my mammas aunts in Virginia.Remembering Dorians hang-ups on his robe, I paused to duty period off my coat. A servant like a shot raced over to take it from me, folding it neatly over his arms. I turned hold up to the ball and mallet, sizing up the shot. I tossed my hair back over one shoulder and hit. The ball half-skittered, half-rolled through the grass and went through one of the wickets.Exquisite, I he ar Dorian say.I glanced back at him but saw he wasnt observation the ball at all. His eyes were all over me. I tried to return the mallet to poor Muran, but Dorian wouldnt hear of it. He made me coda the game in Murans stead. As we played, I immediately picked up on something peculiar.Dorian was a terrible player too terrible to be real. He was plain faking it, but his subjects could not bring themselves to do better than their king. So they too faked their own sort of appalling game play. Watching it was comical. I mat up like I was in a scene from Alice in Wonderland. Having no such qualms about winning, I played popularly, and even with aching muscles and no practice, I won pretty handily.Dorian couldnt go for been happier. He clasped his hands together, laughing. Oh, outstanding. This is the opera hat game Ive played in years. These sheep wont realise what to do now. He glanced at his chum players and beckoned them toward the building. Go, go, your shepherd is tired of you all.I watched them go. You dont unfeignedly treat themrespectfully.Because they deserve none. Did you see the imbecilic way they acted in that game? Now imagine that happening every second, every day of your life. Thats what its like to be royalty, to live at court among courtiers. Be in put forwardigent you have no true throne yet. Its all simpering and groupthink.I almost hear a touch of bitterness in his light voice. Almost.A servant turn over my coat back, and Dorian addressed her and a couple of guards. Lady Markham and I are way out to take a walk now through the eastern orchard. visual perception as shes dressed for business, I imagine she wants to speak alone. Follow, but keep your distance.Turning, he offered me his arm again and led me off into one of the gardens winding turns, into a complicated apple orchard. Like the other trees Id seen, these were fill with fruit. Still more apples lay on the ground, round and red and waiting to be eaten.When we were suffici ently alone, I said, Im not dressed for business, not in these shoes. I was dressed for business the last time I was here.He gave me a sidelong look. Women who show up looking as lovely as you do after barely stomaching my presence last time do not list on pleasure. They come for business.Youre a cynic.A pragmatist. But, business or pleasure, it becomes you. He sighed happily. I do so wish more of our women would wear pants like those. The warriors often do but not nearly so tight. give thanksI think.We walked on at a leisurely pace while the sky turned orange and scarlet.So I imagine youve counterchanged in other ship canal since our last encounter. The very situation that youve come here so congenially indicates as much.Yes. I narrowed my eyes. You know, I dont measure you nameing me that Storm King bedtime explanation when all the time you knew I didnt know what was going on.Mean, perhaps. But also amusing were you in my place. Besides, I did you a go of sorts. I provide d necessary background information, Lady Markham.Dont say Lady Markham. It sounds weird.Ive got to call you something. Our normal rules of etiquette dont exactly outline anything for your situation. You are the missy of a king without a kingdom. You are royalty but not preferably royal. So you are addressed like a noble.Well, then, only use it in public. Or stick to Odile.What about Eugenie?Fine.Silence fell between us. The orchard seemed to go on forever.Do you want to tell me why youre here yet? Or should I think up some other pleasantries to discuss?I quash a laugh. Dorian played broad-leaved bottletree and scattered, but he wasnt a fool.I need a favor.Ah, so it is business after all.I stopped walking, and he stopped with me. Looking subjugate at me, he waited patiently, his face pleasantly neutral. I shivered as another breeze take through, and he took my coat from me, helping me slick it on.I wrapped my arms around myself, grateful for the coats warmth. Sexy was cold.I c onjured a coerce yesterday.Did you now? His voice held less levity and more calculation. What happened?I told him the story, just as I had for Maiwenn and Kiyo.What were you thinking when it happened?At first, I cerebration he was chastising me. Sort of like when you do something stupid and your mom asks, Are you insane? What were you thinking?Like how I felt? What was going through my head?He nodded.I dont know. I sound off I went through a mass of moods. When it all startedI mean, I felt the same as for any other attack. Planned out what I would do, pore for a block offing. But once my mom got havedI started to lose it.And when Corwyn had you pin down?Who?The elemental. He was one of Aesons men. The spirits you banished came back telling tales, though admittedly, no ones heard this part, seeing as you didnt leave any witnesses.I felt affright. Weak. Defenseless.You dont strike me as psyche whos scared a dowry.No, very. Im scared all the time. Stupid not to be. Whats tha t precept? Only the dead are without veneration? Or is that hope? Dunno. At that point, I sure as hell didnt have any hope either. I felt like I was out of options.And so you chose the only option left to you.I didnt choose it exactly. Not consciously.No. But sometimes our souls and the secret parts of our minds know what we need.He walked over to a large, sheltering maple tree. presumptively it too had those wonderful colors, but the near- night made such things impossible to see. Taking off his robe, he spread it on the ground and sat down, leaving space beside him. A moment later, I sat down as well.So what have you come to ask me, Eugenie Markham?You already know. I can hear it in your voice.Hmm. So much for crafty guile.I need you to check me how to use the magic. So it doesnt take over again. I dont want to kill individual the next time I gross out out.Or, he added, you just might want to kill somebody with it. On purpose, that is.Maybe. I shivered. I dont know.He didnt speak right away. The darkness around us grew deeper.What you did to Corwyn was akin to using a brick to swat a fly when much finer, much simpler methods would suffice. The storms you can conjure are great and reigning things, absolutely. The gods know your father made effectual use of them. But I think youll induce your real power is in controlling the storms finer elements. A tyke can throw paint on a canvas a overwhelm works with fine brushstrokes. You learn the small things, and then the storms impart be second nature.I took a deep intimation. So can you instruct me? Will you teach me?Even in the dark, I knew he had that laconic smile on his face. If someone had told me during our last meeting that wed have this conversation, I would have flogged him for insolence.I dont have anyone else to go to. Maiwenn offered, but she doesnt have Maiwenn? he interrupted. His tone startled me. When did you talk to her?After the attack. I explained the circumstances of our meeting. W hen he didnt respond, I grew defensive. in that locations zippo wrong with that. If anything, its kind of nice to have someone on my side who doesnt want to see me get pregnant and take over the world.And for that very reason, you shouldnt trust her. I want to see Storm Kings heir born. Therefore, I have good reason to make sure you stay alive. She does not.I remembered thinking how Maiwenn would have had a lot less to worry about had I died in the attack.She didnt seem so morose, I replied haltingly, suddenly struck by a thought. If Maiwenns noble philosophy involved cleanup spot me, then would Kiyo follow her in that?The sinister ones never do.Youre just trying to expect me to your side.Well, of course. Id be trying to do that careless(predicate) of her involvement.I sighed. It was all plots and posturing after all. Above all else, Dorian was save one of the gentry. Maybe coming here was a mistake.Coming here was the smartest thing youve done so far. So tell me, what will y ou give me for teaching you to control your power?You cant get something for nothing, huh?Oh, please. Dont sound so superior. I helped you last time without asking anything in return, and now here you are again asking more of me. You demand a lot of the gentry you consider so greedy.Fair plenty. I leaned against the tree a little. If youll help meIll letIll let people think were, you knowThere was a pause, and then his warm laugh filled the orchard. Sleeping together? Oh, you really have made my night. Thats not fair. Not fair at all.I blushed furiously in the dark. Youll one-up Aeson. Hell think Im willingly big you what he tried to take by force.And all the while, Ill actually be getting nothing except tantalizing glimpses of you in outfits like this.Ill cover up more if it makes a dissimilarity.What would make a unlikeness is if you were sleeping with me for real.Thats not fair either. Not for a few magic lessons.A few? He laughed again, his voice carrying the kind of susp ense that seemed to amuse rather than upset him. Jesus. Did nothing bother this guy? My dear, its going to take more than a few lessons to quell that storm in you, pun intended. Especially with your temper. Its going to make focus hard.I felt indignant. Hey, Ive been focusing since I was a kid. I can clear my mind in the middle of a fight to banish spirits. I go to trance in seconds.Perhaps, he conceded grudgingly. But Im unflurried not sure this is fair. Youll be getting more than lessons. Assuming you are my lover, people will be hesitant to assault you. Youll find your status soaring.Christ. Nothing gets past you, does it? Apparently Volusian and I have a lot more to learn about subterfuge too.Who?My servant.Ah. The sullen one with red eyes?Yes.He made a evaluate click with his tongue. Hes both dangerous and powerful. Youre brave to keep him.I know. I couldnt throw him to the Underworld, so I bound him to me.If I helped you, we could believably send him on.The thought knock ed out(p) me. With Volusian securely in the world of death, Id probably be a lot safer.As though reading my mind, Dorian added, Things will get nasty if he ever breaks loose on you.I know. He tells me on a regular rump in graphic detail. Stillhes been useful. I think Ill keep him around for a while.We sat quietly in the darkness again. I realized it must be getting past the castles dinner hour. break down of the reason for showing up at this time had been to get invited to dinner. With gentry compliment in hospitality, Volusian had thought it would please Dorian to show off his resources, especially since being half-gentry meant I could safely eat in this world now. Finally, a legitimate nab to all this insanity. I half-smiled imagining a lobby full of hungry gentry, pounding their silverware on the table. With the way everyone danced around Dorians moods, however, I had no doubt theyd wait hours if need be.If youre going to pretend to be my lover, it will involve more than ju st say-so. Youve seen how free we are with our affections in public. If you keep ten feet away from me, no ones going to believe it.I froze, suddenly remembering that other dinner. I hadnt entirely considered the implications.He chuckled softly, a low and dangerous sound beside me. Oh, yes, you didnt think about that, did you?He was right. Id figured Dorian and me disappearing into his bedroom for lessons would be convincing enough. But now I had to picture school term on his lap, letting him touch me and kiss me. I had trouble with the image. He was one of the gentry, the beings Id hitherto kept a wary eye on and tracked down my whole life. Discovering Kiyos true nature had been a shock to my system, one I was easily starting to reconcile. How could I handle someone who was completely of the Otherworld?Yetthe more I hung around Dorian, the easier it became to think of him as just a person. Weird or not, there was something comfortable about being with him. So, yeah. I could hand le this. Maybe. It was just a little making out, right? It wasnt sex. And wasnt it a small thing to ensure I didnt pull anyone else apart inadvertently?Im not going down on you or anything, I warned, using flippancy to cover my discomfort.He laughed again. As saddening as that is, it might actually be too much. Youre human enough that theyll expect some modesty.Small blessings. solely right. Ill hold up my half if you hold up your half.Well, in distribution, I think Im actually doing three-quarters of the work here. But yes, Ill do the same. Shall we shake on it? Isnt that how you humans close a deal?I lengthy my hand in the darkness, and he took it. Suddenly, he pulled me to him and kissed me. I immediately pulled back, aghast.HeyWhat? You dont expect to have our first kiss in public, do you? We want to be convincing, remember?Youre a sleazy bastard, you know that?If you truly believe that, then maybe youll feel better finding another teacher.I thought about that. Then I leaned forward and tried to find his lips in the darkness. I didnt realize I was shaking until his hands gripped my arms.Relax, Eugenie. This wont hurt.I took a deep breath and calmed myself. Our lips found each other. His reminded me of flower petals, soft and velvety. Whereas Kiyo was all about animal resentment and aggression, Dorian seemed more aboutprecision. I suddenly remembered his metaphor about the difference between slapping paint on a canvas and fine brushstrokes.Dont get me wrong, Dorian wasnt exactly sweet and chaste. There was warmness in those soft lips. He seemed to want to draw out the experience, almost in a taunting way, so much so that I found myself longing and eager when his tongue finally darted in between my lips. He pushed it farther into my mouth, the rest of the kiss intensifying. He smelled like cinnamon and cider, like all the good things in an autumn night. Finally, he pulled away.Youre still timid of me, he noted, amused by that fact just like everythi ng else. Your body still wont relax.Yes. I swallowed. It had felt good, the kind of good that sends heat down your body and makes your toes and other parts curl. But my dismay had underscored it all, that fear of gentry and otherness that I still couldnt quite shake. It was a weird combination, physical pleasure mingling with fear. Very diverse from the way it was with Kiyo physical pleasure mix with a larger, all-encompassing sense of chemistry and mutual affection, despite my unease over his half-kitsune heritage. I cant help it. This is all still strange for me. Part of me says its wrong. Its hard to change what Ive always believed overnight, you know.Do you want to go back on the deal?I shook my head. I dont go back on my deals.I could feel him pull a face in the darkness. He leaned over and kissed me again.