Then he said something in Fey that I didn't understand.
I shook my head at him.
The Kelpie frowned. “Oh, yes. You are the one who speaks the English. I didn't believe it. I thought you were playing some kind of . . .” He growled something in Fey, then said, “Game. Some kind of game. You are not?”
I shook my head again.
He stared harder, then frowned. My scales had finally registered. I was mad enough that my eyes were probably burning too. The Kelpie grabbed my chin and held me firm as I tried to yank out of his grip. He stared into my eyes, cursed, then shoved me away.
“You are impossible,” the Kelpie said. “There is only one Dragon-Sidhe in Faerie, and it is not you.”
I grinned around the gag.
He reached around my head, and this time I didn't put up a fight because he was undoing my gag. I spat to clear my mouth as he pulled it away.
“So, you are the one behind the sinking villages,” I said.
The Kelpie blinked. “You're not going to beg me to let you go?”
“Hello? Dragon-Sidhe.” I waved at myself, the chain that connected the manacles clanging, then snorted a laugh. “I don't beg. Not out of bed at least.”
He contemplated me, his lips parting slightly. I caught the glint of sharp fangs. Kelpies are cannibals. They eat anything with flesh, even other faeries. Yeah, and they have the nerve to call the Hidden-Ones monsters. Okay, maybe the Hidden-Ones eat faeries too. But that's only if the faerie is the target of the Wild Hunt.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked the Kelpie.
He scowled.
“Come on. You've got me here. Don't you want to tell me your story? Is Dubheasa behind this?”
“QueenDubheasa!” the Kelpie snapped.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
“Whoare you to dare such?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “A woman who shouldn't exist, in a land she doesn't belong in, insulting my queen.”
“Is she also your lover? I know she likes Kelpies.”
The Kelpie leaned back, his large eyes getting larger.
I snorted again. “Why am I not surprised? Yet again,QueenDubheasa is messing with me and it involves another of her Kelpie lovers. How many of you has she had over the years?”
“As many as she wants,” he said. “She is our queen, and her lovers are honored to serve her.”
I chuckled. “I'm sure you are. All of you.”
“It is the way of royalty.”
“Well, I guess I can't argue that. The King of Fire is a bit randy too.”
“Randy?”
“Lustful.” I rolled my eyes. “I would have thought that was an old word.”
“Old word? You are difficult to understand.”
“So are you since you haven't told me why you're sinking Earth villages. The Earth King has only been on the throne for a few days. What could he have possibly done to upset Queen Dubheasa?”
“Nothing. My queen is wise. She saw an opportunity to undermine the new King of Earth's rule before it even began and she took it.”
