My glare jumped between Raza and Tiernan, unsure whether I was more annoyed at Raza calling Catlittleor of Tiernan implying that I'd been conquered.
“Count Tiernan,” Raza stood and smiled at Tiernan.
“Relax, everyone,” I finally realized that the humans in the room were still on high alert. “This is Raye's father, he's an unseelie nobleman and he's not here to do anyone harm.”
“Raye?” Raza lifted a brow, making him appear even more wicked. “You call my son,Raye?”
“He said it was okay,” I gulped, suddenly nervous.
“It's fine,” Raza laughed. “As long as he's okay with it,” he glanced back at Raye and they shared a secret smile.
“Alright,” I get over anxiety really fast when someone teases me. “What's so funny?”
“His name meanshanging maw,”Raza explained. “You've sliced it in half to simply mean hanging... if that,” he frowned back at his son in question.
“It ends up just being nonsense,” Raye shrugged. “But I'm okay with nonsensical nicknames from beautiful women.”
Tiernan stepped forward with a narrow-eyed look and Raza lifted his hand to stop him, “Count Tiernan, you have nothing to fear in regard to my son and the Princess.” Tiernan started to settle back when Raza added. “I've already made it clear that my interest supersedes his.”
“Whoa now,” I held up my hands when Tiernan started to rush forward, a look of murderous rage on his face.
Then twilight arrived and the tingling rush of it had me gasping and swaying forward. Two pairs of hands shot out to steady me and the magic that had been filling me sparked between all of us. The men inhaled sharply but held firm to me as I closed my eyes and breathed through the lure of it, the bubbling urge to set the magic free and let it do what it will. I had learned to control it months ago but it still took conscious effort and my unsettling attraction to Raza had weakened my focus.
Which wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't touched me. My magic liked Tiernan, it always had, and we spent many a pleasurable twilight wrapped around each other enjoying that fact. But the addition of Raza had amped it up to fan girl fascination. It was practically screaming inside me, jumping up and down like a rock star had just entered the room. I wrestled down the urge to metaphorically throw my panties on Raza's stage and after a few tense minutes, finally got the crazy magic under control.
“Lord Raza,” I opened my eyes the men released me. “Did you come here to help Raye or start a fight? Because if it's the latter, I'll kick your ass myself and send you packing back to Fairy, got it?” I lifted my hand and let my magic trail across my fingertips.
“Not yet but I now I definitely intend to have it,” Raza's pupils had dilated so that there was only a thin rim of gold around them. Before either I or Tiernan could say anything, he went on. “Now tell me in great detail what is happening in reference to my son and these murders.”
I sighed deep and looked to Tiernan for help. I don't know what was worse; Raza as an aggressive suitor or Raza as the concerned parent. Either way, this was going to require some delicate handling. Sweet Danu, whose bright idea was it to notify Raza? Yep, go ahead and call me Simple Seren.
Chapter Sixteen
Why had they seated me next to him? How had I wound up here? Why was he having this effect on me? What was Tiernan thinking? Oh Goddess help me.These were the thoughts running through my mind as I sat between Raza and Tiernan at the Tulsa Council's meeting table. Raza was sitting in Teagan's seat at the head of the table. He'd simply walked in and sat down there. No one seemed inclined to ask him to move. Especially after Raye took up a post behind his father like some kind of thug bodyguard. Not that Raza would even need a guard.
Instead, Teagan had nodded his head graciously and held out the chair beside Raza for me. He had then gone across the table and taken the seat on Raza's left. Tiernan had sat on my right stiffly and Cat had taken a seat on the floor between us. The atmosphere was tense, practically sparking, and even Murdock kept his mouth shut.
“So you think my son is a murderer and a criminal,” Raza said conversationally.
“No, we don't,” I leaned forward to address him. “I believe Raye is innocent and that's why I'm trying to help exonerate him and the other raven mockers. These are my fairies, Lord Raza, and I will defend them. You don't need to be here.”
“Princess Seren,” Raza took a deep breath, like he was trying to control his anger. “If you think that I'm the type of father who would sit by and do nothing as my son's life hangs in the balance, you have sorely misjudged me.”
“I don't think that,” I sighed. “I don't think anyone here thinks that but ifyouthink,” I hardened my voice and his eyes narrowed on me, “that I am the type of leader who allows my people to be falsely accused and sentenced for crimes they did not commit, thenyouhave sorely misjudgedme.”
“My apologies,” he whispered as his expression changed to one of fascination. “I know you're trying to be the best ruler you can be but I cannot remain in Fairy when my son clearly needs me here. He is my blood, my only child, and I would sooner slice my own throat than ignore a threat against him.”
“There's no threat here. Your son is safe with me,” I laid my hand over the clenched fist of Raza's which was set on the table between us.
His bluster was obviously hiding his fear for Raye and it was completely understandable, especially now that I knew Raye was his only child. Raza must have been panicking inside, knowing that we had the right to judge his son and if we found him guilty, we could kill him legally. For such a powerful man, feeling helpless must have been maddening.
So I had responded to his fear, as I would have to any parent's, by reaching out to comfort him. In retrospect, it was so stupid. I should never have touched him. If for no other reason than he was a volatile being. But I wasn't truly afraid of Raza. I had moments of stomach clenching terror around him but it was an instinctive reaction to what he was, notwhohe was. Like how Cat had reacted to him; she sensed the beast inside but then the man had reached out and reassured her. That was how I felt around Raza too; instinctively afraid while consciously knowing that I had nothing to fear.
Turns out, I was wrong. I did have something to fear from Raza but it wasn't the possibility of physical harm. It was something far worse. When I laid my hand over his, his fist twitched and then slowly released; his fingers spreading flat and then rolling in a sensuous slide to place his palm flat against mine. Long fingers curled up around my hand, talons going even further over the back until they just dimpled my skin. One twitch and he'd draw blood.
But I knew that wasn't his intention and I had a feeling that Raza never did anything he didn't intend to do. So it was with clear purpose that he slid my hand closer to him, pulling me along with it, until I was within whispering distance. I could smell his scent; sweet and smoky, like apple cider warmed over an open fire. His eyes caught the light, flashing gold, and his lips pushed together, as if in invitation, while he considered me.
“I told you to be careful who you give that compassion to, Princess,” his words seemed to fall from his lips onto my skin.
