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The image of those cocooned people came back to me and the gorge rose in my throat. “I’m going to be sick.”
Finally he released me, but with a fury that still simmered palpably. He stepped away and I fought to control the nausea.
“Give me that toy,” he commanded Athena and, mutely, she handed it over. Rogue looked as if he wanted to break it over his knee. He raked me with a cold look of contempt. “I’ve brought your midwife. Have her see that you didn’t endanger the babe with your wantonly reckless behavior. And get those cursed dragon eggs out of here—they stink.” Without another word, he strode out, taking the scepter with him.
“Goddamn it.” I fumed. Where did he get off acting like I’d disobeyed or something? Particularly when he did not get to give me orders, no matter what our relationship status was, and besides, he’d never told me not to use the scepter that way.Wantonly reckless behavior.
“I’m so sorry, Gwynn.” Athena absently petted Darling Hercules, who slinked out from under her hand and trotted over to jump onto my lap, purring and sniffing my hands. They looked normal, but still sizzled where they’d been in contact with the crystal globe. “You looked dead. I panicked and summoned Lord Rogue. I should have known you had it under control.”
“Is that how it looked?” I rubbed Darling’s ears and scooted him off my lap so I could stand, stretching against the stiffness and wincing at the catch in the small of my back. “It’s good you called him. I needed help.” Which didn’t help my pride to admit, but I’d own up to it.
“Are you going to be sick still?”
“No—that passed.” But I was such a morass of other emotions, including roiling anger at Rogue’s behavior and obvious displeasure with me, that I couldn’t sort it out.
Athena nodded, fingers tugging at her dagger but not drawing it. Starling would have demanded to know what happened. I appreciated that Athena didn’t ask. “I’ll take you to Mistress Nancy then.”
“She can’t come here?”
“No. Lord Rogue says no humans in this tower—this wing of the castle, actually.”
“Does he now?” More of his autocratic decisions. I nearly told Athena to overrule that order, for the sheer joy of countermanding His Royal Highness. But that might just get Athena and Nancy in trouble.
No, this was about him and me. He did not get to run my life, no matter how much he tried. I wanted to find him and tear him a new one. To add to my internal confusion, I also wanted to apologize and convince him not to be mad at me. Which was ridiculous, since I was mad enough at him that I didn’t want to even lay eyes on him. I hated the way he’d looked at me—and felt simultaneously outraged over it.
What a freaking mess.
This was where love got you. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to walk away and never speak to him ever again.
Not very mature of me. So, in lieu of confronting him further, if I even could, I followed Athena to visit Mistress Nancy. We wended our way down the tower steps, Darling Hercules leaping down them like an antelope clearing barbwire fences, with easy grace and an abundance of energy, then across several great halls and to another wing. I couldn’t call it grungy, but this side of the massive complex definitely paled in grandeur to the rest. We passed kitchens clearly intended for the human denizens and I blanched at the unclean conditions. Starling would have to add that to her list, and if Lord Rogue objected, he could go fuck himself.
Mistress Nancy had been installed in a decent-sized and sunny suite of rooms, with a set of glass doors that opened into a private courtyard. Okay, not exactly a slum. She was out there showing a redheaded boy some kind of sandbox. I’d forgotten about her son when I’d asked for her. What was his name? Billy.
Nancy straightened when she saw me, smiling in genuine welcome. “Lady Sorceress—you’re a sight for sore eyes. I’d worried after ye.” Her broad Cockney accent sounded so familiar and welcome that I impulsively took the few steps to hug her. Surprised, she patted my back. “’Ere now, lovey. Don’t you fret. Mistress Nancy will take care of you and the wee bairn.”
I blinked back tears and hiccuped a little. Then let her go and scrubbed at my face, embarrassed. I seemed to be weeping all over everyone lately. Not a good image for the powerful sorceress and Lady of the Castle of Dark Gods. If Rogue even still wanted me. Oh wait, of course he did. He just wanted me more obedient, curse him.
He’d talked a good game there for a while, but the megalomaniac never lurked all that far from the surface. Never mind that he had good cause to be upset, seeing as how I’d nearly succumbed to Titania’s clutches, killing my body and the baby along with it. But he didn’t have to be such an ass about it.
I really could not live with someone who talked to me that way.
“Billy, you stay out here and play in the magic sandbox while I give the Lady Sorceress a look-see. She’s your liege, so you should bow and show your best manners.”
“Oh, no, he doesn’t have to do—” I broke off at her sharp look.
“Oh, yes, he does. Best to learn his place now than step over the line foolishly later.”
I saw her point and did my best to accept the little boy’s timorous scraping. Once released, he scampered with good spirits back to the sandbox. It looked to be filled with a shimmering material composed of rainbow particles—a sort of cross between Silly Putty and glitter. At his touch, the stuff swirled and built itself into a tower, which he shaped, adding on ledges and windows.
“It’s a lovely gift to have waiting for him.” Nancy gazed at the boy fondly. “You’re most thoughtful to provide it.”
“I didn’t,” I replied, noting that she’d been careful not to thank me. Most likely it had been Rogue’s thoughtfulness, but I wasn’t about to hand him any credit at the moment. Nancy had a canny and careful mind, which was why she’d survived so well in Faerie without magic. Though, judging by the rest of us immigrants, the magic should be affecting her in some way. Perhaps she possessed a gift that emerged under specific circumstances, like Fergus had.
She made Athena and Darling Hercules wait outside also, which they seemed happy enough to do, though Darling immediately swatted the magic sand castle to Billy’s scolding complaints. Nancy settled me on the bed and gave me a surprisingly thorough and professional examination. I shouldn’t have been taken aback, but it felt like so long since anyone familiar with human medicine had touched me, that it seemed almost foreign now. I also had very little idea how much expertise a midwife of her era would have. I’d somehow expected her to wave magic hands over me and pronounce the baby fine, not give me the full gynecological prodding.
Though I supposed that was why I’d hired her.
“Ro—Lord Rogue asked you to come nicely, didn’t he? He didn’t bully or demand?”
