One of the double doors opens. A tall human man steps in. He is wearing jeans and a faded tee shirt. There is mud on his knees. As if he has just come in from gardening.
His snow-white hair is tied back in a messy bun. His blue eyes are like mine.
“Monty?” I splutter.
I’m seeing things. I have to be. How can my brother be here?
“Laurie!” he exclaims as he steps towards me with his arms wide. I run to him and fling myself into my bigbrother’s embrace. His arms wrap around me, and now I’m sobbing again. Harder than ever.
Selwyn found Monty and brought him here? I can’t even begin to process that.
“Oh Laurie. I’m so sorry I couldn’t find you. I tried. I tried so hard. I promise.”
“I know,” I manage to splutter between great wracking sobs. I always knew he would try.
But it is too late now. Mother has given me to a fey prince, just as she always planned to. I’m married and my magic has been tapped, and there is no going back. I belong to Prince Selwyn now. And nobody can change that.
Slowly, my sobs stop. I’m dried out and hollow. There are no more tears left to spill.
Dyfri leads us into another room. A cosy dining room just big enough for a round table for six. Dark oak panelling lines the walls, and the one high arched window is latticed. I have an unsettling feeling that it’s not London on the other side of the thick, old-fashioned glass. At least, not modern-day London.
But Monty has his arm over my shoulders, and I don’t feel as if I need to worry about anything.
We all sit around the table. A servant who looks more like a shadow than anything else, lays out tea, complete with small cakes and sandwiches. Then he silently leaves. I swear he did walk through the door and not the wall, like my eyes are trying to tell me.
Ollie leans forward and pours the tea.
“How is home?” I ask my brother.
Monty beams. “Wonderful! Full of life! Bursting with people. We have turned the lawn into a vegetable patch. The kids love it.”
“You have kids?” I exclaim.
“Oh no, not directly. Ned and Morgan have three, and Flyn’s sister has a little girl.”
I have no idea who any of these people are, but Monty is speaking of them so fondly, my heart is bursting for him.
“Sounds like quite the found family,” I say.
Monty’s face lights up even more. “It is.”
“How is Pink?”
“Wonderful!” The love in my brother’s eyes makes my heart swell even more. “We got married. We wanted to wait until we found you, but…”
I place my hand over his. “I’m happy you didn’t put your life on hold. And I’m very happy you had the good sense to marry Pink, he is lovely.”
I only met him once, for a few hours, but it was more than enough time to see he was a perfect match for my brother.
I pick up my teacup and take a long sip. Ah, that’s better. Tea is always so soothing. As well as hydrating. I need to replace all the fluids I lost from crying so much.
Monty fixes Dyfri with a stern stare. “May I take my brother home?”
I spill my tea and cough. But it’s fine because all eyes are on Dyfri.
The prince takes a long, unhurried sip of his tea. “If that is what Laurie wishes, then I will not stand in the way. I can’t say the same for Selwyn. Or any of my other brothers.”
“Fuck treaties and alliances,” grumbles Ollie.
