A Symphony of Sirens: A Reverse Harem Siren Romance (Spellsinger Book 2), page 4
“Alexandrite is the only kingdom in Tír na nÓg that touches the Sgàthan Sea,” Torin said reverently. “No matter how power shifts the landscape, King Declan manages to hold the shoreline.”
“Mountains and ocean,” I whispered. “Right beside each other.”
“Well, not beside exactly,” Torin grumbled. “Close.”
“Yes, close. As close as you claim Declan and you still are.” I looked over at Torin and smiled. “But a sea won't sway me, Onyx.”
“It's far more impressive than flowers,” Torin mumbled, but he looked relieved, all the same.
Chapter Seven
The Alexandrite Castle seemed to grow as we approached. It spread out to either side as well as upward, in gravity-defying spires with dizzying amounts of details cut into them. In normal stone, these details would have been stunning; cut into alexandrite, they weren't just architectural adornments, they were facets which made the castle sparkle. I'd seen sparkling castles in Tír na nÓg before, but combined with the shifting color of the stone itself, the edifice became a mind-boggling display of color, design, and light. It made me feel like squinting while simultaneously struggling to keep my eyes open, so I wouldn't miss a single aspect.
A fresh water moat, full of gleaming fish, separated the castle and its courtyard from the rest of the kingdom, and a massive stone wall, just regular granite, rose up around the castle grounds. The guards at the gate waved us through with warm greetings called down to us. Torin was a little hard to mistake. His bulk alone was a dead giveaway. And then there was his recent fame due to our winning the Sapphire War. All of that combined to make for an easy passage through the many kingdoms of Tír na nÓg, but in Alexandrite, where Torin was almost as well known as in his own kingdom, it practically made him a superstar.
Stable boys rushed up to take our mounts, but even before we had climbed out of our saddles, a woman was standing beside us, arms outstretched to Torin. She was dressed as a royal: sweeping, velvet skirts, elaborately coiffured hair, and a noted lack of jewelry. Shining Ones used gemstones to enhance their magic, but the more powerful they were, the fewer gems they had to wear. Torin, for instance, could access his personal stone's power no matter how far away onyx was. So basically, the more jewels a fairy wore, the less power they had. This woman wore a single, alexandrite pendant; a subtle signal that she was magically kick-ass.
Her hair was deep black, with a blue sheen to it, and her eyes were the blue of a robin's egg. She was tall, even among the willowy Shining Ones, and her body was much too lush for her to be purely sidhe. Added to her obvious joy at seeing Torin, I came to the conclusion that this was his mother. When he jumped down from his horse and went straight into her arms, I was certain of it.
“My son,” she confirmed it, “I've missed you.”
“Mother”–Torin smiled brightly–“you look beautiful, as always.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes shifted to me. “And is this who I think it is?”
“This is Elaria.” Torin reached for me, and I edged forward. “Elaria, this is my mother, Duchess Ceana.”
“Nice to meet you.” I held my hand out to her.
“Don't be ridiculous,” she scoffed as she pulled me into a hug. “I'm so happy to meet you at last. I wish I could have gone to war with you, but my son was adamant that my presence could be used against him, and my king agreed with him.”
“Declan forbid you from fighting?” I lifted a brow.
“Declan?” She lifted her brow back at me. “That's rather familiar of you.”
“We're friends.” I cleared my throat as Torin grimaced.
“Yes, His Majesty has spoken highly of you,” Ceana said. “In fact–”
“In fact, His Majesty is right here.” Declan stepped up to our little group. “Elaria, I'm honored to welcome you to my kingdom and my home.”
“Hey, Dec,” I said automatically, then saw the surprise on Duchess Ceana's face, and the irritation on Torin's. “I mean; Thank you, Your Majesty. Your castle is very beautiful.”
“It fades to insignificance when such women stand before it.” Declan waved his elegant hand to include me and Ceana.
“Declan,” Torin growled.
“Can't I even give her a compliment?” Declan asked innocently, but his eyes were twinkling with mischief. “Welcome back to your birthplace, King Torin.” He held out a hand to Torin.
“Thank you.” Torin sighed and returned the handshake. “It is good to see Alexandrite again.”
“You two are something else”–I shook my head–“at each others' throats one minute, and then shaking hands the next.”
“Kings.” Ceana shrugged, slid my arm around hers, and led me inside the castle. “Now, sweetling, Torin tells me you're a spellsinger; a rare bird indeed. Perfect for my son. He needs someone special, but also someone who can be firm with him, and he's confessed that you can be challenging.”
“Mother!” Torin stomped after us. “You betray my confidence.”
“To your lover.” Ceana shrugged. “You told me you trust her implicitly.”
I lifted my brows at Torin and then looked eagerly back at his mother. “Do go on.”
“I just want to see where her intentions lie,” Ceana said primly to Torin. “After that Oonagh debacle, I want to be certain your heart isn't in danger.”
“Sweet stones save me from a mother's love,” Torin moaned.
“Be grateful you have it,” Declan said with a bittersweet tone. “Some of us have not known such for many years.”
“I'm sorry, Declan,” I said. “I hadn't thought to ask about your parents. Have they both passed away?”
“Yes, but the pain of losing them is long healed,” Declan said softly. “I thank you for your solicitude.”
“I don't know if I could ever heal if I lost my parents,” I said.
“Everything fades eventually,” Declan mused. “But you're right; the loss is never completely gone.”
“What exactly is your relationship with my king?” Ceana asked me, her gaze going back and forth between me and Declan.
“Now, Duchess,” Declan's tone changed to a warning, “you tread very personal waters.”
“It's my right to ask,” Ceana said loftily as she steered me further into the castle. “Elaria is my son's consort, and he has made it clear to me that theirs is a monogamous relationship. Unless that changes, your kingly rights have no bearing.”
We passed room after shimmering room, filled with beautiful Shining Ones, who stopped to stare at our procession. Our knights were bringing up the rear, and I'm sure we looked important; especially with Declan escorting us. Casual conversations dropped into speculative murmurs, and a few fairies even ventured out to peer down the hall after us.
Ceana paid them no mind, keeping her attention focused on me. “Well? What are your intentions toward my son?”
“My intentions”–I chuckled–“how 1950s-father of you. Alright, Duchess Ceana, because you are being so straightforward with the asking, I'll give you a straightforward answer.”
“Yes?” She cocked her head at me.
Behind us, the men were looming closer, listening intently.
“I don't fall in love easily nor do I form friendships fast,” I confessed. “It's rare for me to find someone I can connect with; someone I can feel comfortable enough to be myself around. And there are very few people who have ever truly been there for me when I needed them. These two men”–I nodded back to Torin and Declan–“have both become important to me. They have stood beside me and fought beside me. I care about them both; Torin as a lover and Declan as a friend. I will not betray my friendship to King Declan by turning on him because Torin feels threatened. Nor will I betray Torin by acting on any physical attraction I feel for King Declan.”
“Well said.” Ceana nodded with a satisfied smile. Then she turned to Torin. “I approve wholeheartedly of her.”
“That is a relief, Mother”–Torin smirked–“because I wouldn't have heeded you, had you disapproved. Elaria is the one woman I'd risk your wrath for.”
“And that only makes me approve of her more.” Ceana nodded, then gave me a wink. “Nicely done, Queen Elaria.”
“Oh, I'm not a–”
“Your Majesty,” Declan interrupted me, “recall what I said about 'once a queen'?”
“Always a queen,” I finished the statement, catching Declan's serious look.
I realized that his look had nothing to do with the queen comment and everything to do with me putting him in the friend zone. I hated hurting Declan, but he knew I loved Torin, and he also knew what that meant for us. He should have expected my sentiments.
“Think of it like the presidents in America,” Ceana offered. “Even when they leave office, they retain their title.”
I blinked at her in surprise. “Yes, that makes sense now. Thank you.”
“Of course, darling,” she purred. “Now, come along, I want you to meet my husband and my mother. They have been eagerly awaiting your arrival.”
Chapter Eight
“This is her?”
I wasn't expecting milk and cookies from Torin's grandmother, but after the warm welcome I received from his mother, I'd thought his grandmother would at least be civil to me. But this woman looked nothing like a cookie-baking granny, and her tone was far from civil. Scathing would have been an accurate description.
Her willowy body was rigid with disapproval, her ebony eyes full of disdain. Mahogany hair swept back from her stern features in a tight braid, showing off her golden-oak skin. The woman looked as if she were carved from wood, and had all the emotions that might entail. No, I take that back. Even Pinocchio had loved his father.
“Mother,” Ceana sighed, “please try and be nice.”
“To a witch?” Torin's grandmother lifted her chin as if they were asking her to be nice to a slug.
“I am part witch too, Mother,” Ceana said just as sternly.
“That is not your fault,” Torin's grandmother said.
“Neither is Elaria's heritage her fault, Grandmother,” Torin took a step in front of me. “She saved our realm, perhaps you can be a little more tolerant of witches today.”
The woman made a face like she had smelled something rotten in the state of Denmark.
“Whooee”–I shook my head–“tough room.”
“Oh, it's just begun,” Declan whispered.
“You make jokes?” The woman lifted a brow at me.
“Lady”–I leaned past Torin's shoulder, gently shoving him aside–“you are a joke.”
The whole room went quiet. Torin tensed. A small chuckled escaped the Alexandrite King.
“Excuse me?” Torin's grandmother looked like she was about to murder me.
“You think you know me?” I got in her face. “You think you know all witches because one bastard did something bad to you? You're a joke –a cliché. The embittered victim, still holding a grudge after centuries have passed. You wanna judge me without exchanging a single word with me? That's fine, but you're going to be judged in return. I don't even know your name, but I know you. I know your type. You had one trauma wreck your world, and now you think you're entitled to your bitterness; you're entitled to behave badly to whomever you wish. Well not me, honey. You don't get to disrespect me. I've overcome too much to get here, and I don't give a flying fairy fuck who you are. I won't allow it. I have way too much respect for myself to stand here and let anyone sling shit in my face. I've walked through blood and fire; hell, I've sung about it and rained it down from the sky in order to keep our realms safe. So, the likes of you ain't gonna phase me. You feel me . . . Grandma?”
“Holy fucking shit,” Declan whispered.
“Great gemstones,” Torin groaned.
Torin's grandmother stood shaking with rage for about thirty seconds. Her eyes started to shiver, then they widened slightly, she steadied herself and nodded.
“She's worthy of you, Torin,” the woman declared.
Every jaw in the room dropped even further. Except for mine; I smiled and held my arms out to her.
“Come here, Gran.” I pulled the woman into a hug before she could protest. “It's all good. I get it now, you were just testing me.”
She stood rigid for a moment, then her arms encircled me, and she hugged me back. The whole group took a relieved breath.
“Welcome, child,” she whispered to me. Then she slid out of my arms and gave me a little smile. “I am Countess Elise, but you may call me Ellie.”
“Ellie, eh?” I chuckled. “That's what they call me.”
“Perhaps we are more alike than I thought.” Elise nodded.
“Sweet stones, Mother,” Ceana huffed. “Was that really necessary?”
“Everyone must be tested, in one way or another.” Elise shrugged, then turned back to me. “But I would like to know one thing, Elaria. What is a 'flying fairy fuck'?”
Chapter Nine
“I have never seen anyone handle her like that,” Maon (pronounced “moon”), Torin's father, said to me. “Well done.”
“Thank you.” I shook his hand.
We'd just been introduced; minutes after I'd explained what a flying fairy fuck was to Torin's grandmother. I suppose I'd brought that on myself, but it was a rather awkward description. Declan had laughed his fairy butt off through most of it. Torin had covered his face in mortification, and Maon had smirked at me. I'd known who Maon was instantly; his eyes gave him away. Torin's were their exact duplicates.
The rest of Maon was as different from Torin as it could be. His hair was dirty-blond and cropped short, his skin was so pale it was nearly white, and his build was the slim, athletic physique of most Shining One males. But those eyes . . . damn, they were all Torin.
“You realize that you're golden now?” Maon went on, stopping briefly to hug his son. “With Elise's blessing, you can do no wrong. At least, in this family.”
“Oh really?” I lifted a brow at Torin.
“Don't let it go to your head,” Torin warned me.
“No, that would be too much to bear. We already have your arrogance to deal with.” I grimaced.
“She's lovely,” Maon said to Torin.
“So I've heard,” Torin said dryly.
“Oh, come on”–I knocked my shoulder into Torin's arm–“you love me.”
“Yes, I most certainly do,” Torin's voice went soft as he slid an arm around my waist. “Despite the trials that accompany your affections.”
I leaned into the affection, laying my head briefly on his chest, before looking up to see that everyone in the room was smiling at us. Everyone except Declan, that is.
“I think I'll leave you to your family reunion,” Declan said crisply. “Elaria, if you could perhaps come and bid me goodbye before you leave Alexandrite?”
“Of course.” I gave him a little smile, hoping it conveyed how sorry I was that this was uncomfortable for him.
Declan nodded and left. I sighed. Damn it was rough when you really liked someone, and they really liked you, but you loved someone else. Then there was Banning. Every time I saw Banning Dalca, it was like a punch in the gut. My soul remembered him; I just didn't have the actual memories to go along with the feeling of our past. Well, not all of them. They'd been popping up more and more frequently, and they'd stopped limiting themselves to my dreams. I'd had numerous visions of my past with Banning, all while I was awake.
“Elaria?” Torin asked.
“Huh?”
“You looked far away for a second.”
“Just clearing my head.”
“Let's retire to the sitting room,” Elise suggested. “I think we could all use some refreshment.”
“Yes”–Torin's eyes looked concerned–“we could all use the chance to clear our heads.”
Chapter Ten
“You have a wonderful family,” I told Torin.
We were getting settled into our guest room later that evening. Our visit had lasted long enough for us to get invited to dinner, then Declan had insisted we spend the night. Torin liked the idea of having more time with his family, so we accepted the offer.
“Thank you,” Torin nestled me in against his chest. “I'm relieved that they approve of you.”
“You mean you're relieved that your grandmother approves of me.” I chuckled.
