“I know what I said!”
“What is wrong with you?” I stopped, eyeing the pixie who had been my little fiendishly favored court fae for the past few hundred years.
“Nothing is wrong with me, but there might be something wrong with you!”
“You will mind your tongue, pixie,” I said, my tone dropping.
She pouted at me and then turned around, flying down the stairs.
“Where are you going?”
She didn't respond.
“Olivia!”
She spun around, little hands on her hips, her big iridescent wings fluttering rapidly.
Olivia stuck her tongue out at me before whirling around and flying away.
“What am I supposed to do with this thing?” I yelled, staring at the sleeping human in my arms. “She needs tending.”
“You’ll figure it out!” Olivia yelled back before disappearing from sight.
I should never have agreed to this.
Things were fine without dragging an unwanted woman into my court.
Readjusting her in my arms, I walked up the rest of the stairs, muttering about how disrespectful my pixies had become. Too many years behind closed doors and they tended to be more brash with their words. If they weren't so dear to my blackened heart, I might have ripped off their wings for their insolence.
The stairs ended at the top platform with a large oak door bearing a black iron lock.
Moving the human to my hip, I pulled out the key ring, searching for the lock to the spire. My key master had gone missing, and I had been left holding all the master keys. There were fewer keys than I remembered, and I knew wherever my house brownie went, he took specific keys with him.
Never a good sign when one's servant randomly vanishes with the keys to the front door.
Which one was it again?
I held up one of the brass rings with the twisted symbol.
I think this is it.
The keys were all magical, opening various rooms and objects throughout the palace. With my keymaster missing, I didn't trust anyone else with the keys.
Thankfully, no one wanted to get into the spire room. Too far away from anything enjoyable. Plus, this room held nothingof importance in it. There were at least four or five other keys to the locked room, roaming around the castle, which of course I would have to locate now that I had a guest staying here.
Opening the door, I coughed on the motes of dust that flew into my face.
I couldn't remember the last time anybody was in here. I hadn't planned on having the human stay in this part of the castle, but after seeing how powerful her elemental ability was, I was not taking any chances.
Out of the thirteen elements, plant magic was not only unique, but useful when crops stunted to grow. The temple had severely undermined her ability, or they were never aware of it; otherwise, my agent would have noticed and reported that delicate detail back to me.
Though she did not know it, I’d had my kin watching her from the moment we received word of her birth. Not that I ever planned to wed her, but I needed to observe her in case she ever came searching for me. Humans tended to be fanatical, and I didn’t need another witch ruining my life.
White drapes covered the vanity, the wardrobe, even the bed.
I tried to remember who had stayed here before. If anyone had. It wasn't where my father had kept his human witches, mistresses, whatever he called them, and it wasn't a place for guests. I had no recollection of this room other than it existed.
“Well,” I said looking around, “I can't very well hold you and move this stuff.”
