In War, There Is Love

Loyalty II

“I was expecting something like this from him. The silence was already too loud. This is why you should move faster, Maya. What are you waiting for, your husband to kill you first? What do you mean you don’t know who did it? The answer to that is more than obvious. Just because Demetrius is faking an investigation, doesn’t mean he wasn’t behind it in the first place. Don’t let him fool you, and don’t disappoint me, daughter. Have you forgotten what your purpose there is? Trust yourself, and trust Ser Jeremiah. He’ll help you if you need him.

You’re our only hope, Maya.”

Maya gathered the piece of paper on her first, letting out a hiss like it had physically hurt her.

“I’m better, Father, thank you for asking,” she murmered, feeling a migraine spreading on her forehead. Hope. “No pressure at all.”

Why was she even surprised? It was her father. It was all about scheming and politics with him. When had he ever asked her about her wellbeing? It was just the kind of relationship they had. It didn’t mean he didn’t care, even if sometimes, just like now, it did feel like that. Right?

With a sigh, Maya burned the letter on the closest candle and walked out of her room.

“Do you want me to accompany you, my Lady?” Ivy questioned on her way out, but Maya glared at her until the maid looked down on the floor.

“It’s not necessary.”

She hated how word had spread in the Court about the attack on her. Like it was mere gossip, something maids needed for entertainment. Maya had taken part in the investigation herself, just so she could prove to everyone she wasn’t scared, but the whispers hadn’t gone down entirely either way.

Yet she had to admit, not all of them sounded that bed. Most even sounded... concerned.

Which was stupid. Vampires had no reason to worry about her. She wasn’t one of them, even if sometimes it felt like they were not that different after all.

Maya focused on the water splashing in front of her. The fountain was so giant, so beautiful, she suddenly had the sure conviction she knew the one that had designed and created it.

With just her fingertips, she created a small ray of sunshine and started playing with it, letting it pass through the water, like invinsibility.

Sometimes just like her.

“Lost in thought, I see.”

Maya jumped when she heard the voice, and immediately the light vanished from her finger. Like it had sensed death walking upon her.

Which it had.

“What are you doing here...?” she trailed off, gaze fixed on his face and on the way he looked washed out by sunshine. His black hair somewhat brighter, his whiskey eyes like two pools of honey.

Maya could hate him and still admit to herself that he was the most beautiful creature her eyes had ever laid on.

Black hair. Black features. Pale skin. The structure of his bones so perfect sometimes she wondered if caressing his jawline would actually cut her skin open.

“Did you think the sun could really burn me, darling?” A lazy smirk laid on his face. There was an intrusive thought that told Maya to kiss it away before she shook it away.

What was wrong with her? He was just a vampire, one that had probably attempted to hurt her, out in the middle of the day. It didn’t have to be that attractive.

“Unfortunately, I did not.” With a sigh, she turned and sat down by the fountain she was admiring. “But you could let a girl dream.”

With a quiet chuckle that caused something inside her stomach, Demetrius sat down beside her. They weren’t touching, but it still did feel like they were too close.

Why was he even here? Outside with her? He hated the sun, all vampires did with a burning passion.

“This is pointless. You should gather the Council again.” Maya didn’t know where it had come from. She hadn’t really thought about it until now.

But a naked truth? She did kind of miss them. The meetings, the plans, the scheming... She was hearse;f when she was with them.

His face hardened, the glimpses of his charm all vanished. “I promised I wouldn’t until I found the one who attempted to hurt you.”

“And Kings break their promises all the time.”

“Is this what your father taught you?” Now her husband was looking at her like he could see right through her. It was moments like these when she hated herself for opening her mouth.

“It’s more like self-teaching.” She shrugged. Speaking like this with him, sitting down by the waterfall like they were two teenagers sneaking out, made her feel out of place. And surprisingly comfortable with him at the same time. “On my Court—”

“Previous Court,” he corrected her, and this time their gazes met. “Previous Court, Maya. This is your Court now.”

“Well, previous Court.” She fought herself not to think about what he had just said. “The word of the King would matter only when it was given in front of his Council.”

“You are my Council.”

Her heart almost dropped there on her lap, and she kept her gaze at him for a long second before she moved it away.

How could he say things like... like this? Like she mattered to him? Like they didn’t actually hate each other and would rather see one another dead than see another day.

“A part of it,” Maya corrected him this time, standing up. “Besides, you can banish the Council for so long before they start thinking you’re attempting a full dictatorship.”

Still she avoided his gaze. Why did he keep looking at her like that?

“And if I tell you that you don’t have to worry and that none of them is actually the one?”

Maya narrowed her eyes. “You found him?!”

“I didn’t find proof, no. But I don’t need them.” Her expression might have given the question away, because Demetrius answered, “Jeremiah.”

Maya snorted. “Just when I thought we were having a real conversation. You’re so full of yourself, husband.”

“I’d be surprised if you actually believed me.”

“Of course you would.” Her voice raised. “What do you think I am, a child that you can manipulate however and whenever you want? Do you think you can put me against the only person I can actually trust inside of her?”

“The only one?!” For a second Maya was sure she heard hurt in his voice. “You do realize that I couldn’t compel the guard to tell me the truth, right? And the only other person I cannot compel is you. Doesn’t it sound like magic to you?”

They were back at each other’s throats again, of course.

“Yes, and Jeremiah is the only one that does magic in all the Mysticlands. This is ridiculous.”

He stood up too, walking until he was one step away from her. “You and your need for your father’s validation is actually ridiculous. If you could just stop being so unreasonably loyal to him—”

“Then who do I have to be loyal to, if not him?”

“Me.”

Maya was suddenly too stunned to speak. What shocked her more was that Demetrius meant it. It was written all over his face.

“You?! You’re my enemy.”

“I’m your husband,” he hissed. “And your goddamn mate.”

“You don’t believe in mates.

“Doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me.” Maya was close to pulling her hair out. “You cannot use it to manipulate me into swearing loyalty to you when you do not believe I am your mate in the first place.”

“Don’t get this wrong, darling.” His voice lowered, and for some reason he took her white-gloved hand in his and started playing with her fingers. It was distracting. “I do believe you are my mate. I just don’t know how yet.”

He was confusing.

Maya withdrew her hand.

“This is pointless.” She attempted to leave but he held her by her wrist again.

“Train with me.”

Being out in the sun really did play with his head because there was no way he would say these words if they were inside. “What?”

“I said, train with me, wife. Physical training. So you can protect yourself when I’m not around.”

Maya laughed. “I do not need physical training, I am a fairy of light.”

“Who doesn’t know how to control her power.” Well, coming from him, it stung.

“As if you know what to do about it.”

He smirked. “I do, actually. I have had my fair share of fighting with faeries to know what they’re doing.”

Maya let her wings open and take her upwards to the sky, leaving her husband behind. “Aren’t you tired of your narcissistic ways already? It’s been centuries!” she called from the distance, seeing as he looked up at her with his wicked grin on his face.

“Oh, darling, I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

“Boring. Predictable.”

His laugh stayed with her until she flew away.