Chapter Sixteen

 

 

Conall was still fucking me when we rode into the courtyard of Castle Seelie. He bucked up into me and came just before he stopped the horse. Then he set his clothing to rights, dismounted, and helped me down. Conall set me on my feet and settled the blanket around my shoulders. There was cum running down my legs, but I wasn't about to wipe it away with all of the fairies in the courtyard watching us. My face flushed, and I pulled the blanket tighter around me.

“Drostan wouldn't permit me to clothe you,” Conall said apologetically. “He said that all of your clothing belonged to him. I'm sorry, but I will get you something to wear as soon as I can.” He swept off his cloak and wrapped it around me. “Is that a little better?”

“Yes; thank you,” I whispered. “But I had things that I brought with me from Earth; items with sentimental value.”

“I'm sure they'll be fine in Drostan's keeping until you return,” he assured me.

Conall took my hand and led me to the main doors of the castle. Men smiled at me as we passed; looking me over as if I were on the auction block. Conall nodded to them casually and kept going.

“Sir Conall”—one of the men stepped between us and the door—“who have you there?”

“My new slave,” he said crisply. “She's on loan from King Drostan.”

“King Drostan let you borrow a slave?” The man asked in surprise. “So, that's why you volunteered to take him Queen Tana's message. Perhaps next time, I shall volunteer.” He leered at me. “Especially if his slaves are so exceptional.”

“Perhaps you should,” Conall said with narrowed eyes. “But this one's mine; so stop looking at her like that.”

“You're the one who brought her here in only a cloak,” the man huffed as he stepped out of our way. “How was I to know that you weren't willing to share?”

“You can look,” Conall said. “Just don't look as if you're going to touch.”

Then Drostan pushed by the man and escorted me into the castle. Everything was bright and shiny; gold featured predominantly in both fixtures and furniture. It was a little hard to look at. I ended up squinting a lot and staring at the floor. So, I didn't see the next person who approached us. But I heard her voice.

“You're back,” the woman noted. “Good; the Queen has been asking for you.”

“I'll attend her shortly,” Conall said.

“You'll attend her now,” the woman growled.

Conall's expression went furious, but he held his tongue and nodded. The woman looked mollified and stepped aside. Conall brushed past her and led me through throngs of fairies, deeper and deeper into the castle. We climbed a long, twisting staircase—the marble cold on my bare feet—and then went down a glass-walled hallway. A lush garden spread out to either side of the hallway—which was more of a tunnel—and gleamed with bright blossoms beneath the morning sun. Finally, we came to a gilded door guarded by a pair of knights. The knights nodded to Conall and then opened the double doors for us.

We strode across a plush carpet, winding our way through luxurious and fanciful furniture, to stand before a throne set within the curve of a soaring, bay window. A woman sat on the throne; hair whiter than a snowdrift, skin like golden oak, and eyes like irises. She was more beautiful than any woman I've ever seen; on Earth or Tirne. A man stood beside her; leaning down to speak into her ear. But then she spotted us and smiled brightly. The man noted her distraction and looked up. He had a very similar appearance to the woman's; enough to mark them as relatives. It was startling to see her features in a masculine form; and even more startling to find that they worked. He was just as handsome as she was beautiful. He blinked his stunning eyes at me slowly; looking me over with what seemed to be shocked interest.

“Sir Conall,” the woman said with pleasure, “I'm glad to see that you've returned safely to my court.” Her eyes strayed to me. “And with a gift?”

“Uh...” Conall looked at me with widening eyes. “I've just returned, Your Majesty. I didn't have the chance to take my new slave to my quarters. My apologies. She's on loan from King Drostan and not mine to gift.”

“On loan?” The Queen looked me over again. “Let me see her.”

“I'm sorry, Riley,” Conall whispered into my ear as he pushed the cloak open and took the blanket away from me.

The Queen's gaze flicked over my body and lingered on the residue coating my thighs. “I see that you've made use of this loan already. So, you won't mind lending her out to me.”

Conall gaped at the woman.

“Sir Conall?” The man prompted with a smirk as his gaze flicked over my body.

“No, of course not, Your Majesty.” Conall removed his cloak from me as his jaw clenched. He lowered his voice to say to me, “Obey her, Riley; she is the absolute power here. I shall request your return as soon as I can.”

Conall helped me kneel before the Queen.

“Lovely,” the Queen purred. She looked off into a shadowed corner to command, “Have her bathed and then returned to me.”

A woman came forth and helped me to my feet. As she escorted me through a side door, I caught one last look at Conall's angry expression. I couldn't help feeling pleased. Conall hadn't been cruel to me, but he hadn't exactly been kind either. My instincts were screaming that I was better off away from him.

“Now, Sir Conall,” the Queen said. “What was King Drostan's response?”

The door closed behind us before I could hear the answer.

“You look as if you've had it rough,” the girl said kindly. “Are you all right?”

“You're human!” I had finally gotten a good look at her.

“Yes, but I ended up in service to Queen Tana,” she said. “I was lucky. If you're smart, you'll try to make her happy, and then maybe she'll keep you too.”

“I wouldn't know the first thing about making a woman happy,” I whispered in horror.

The girl laughed as she led me through narrow corridors. The corridors were empty and unadorned; I had the feeling that we were walking through hidden passageways.

“Queen Tana won't require you to service her,” she said. “She likes to have entertainment as her consort makes love to her.”

“Oh,” I whispered.

“You'll probably have to fuck one of the knights,” the girl went on. “But they're all handsome, and they'll treat you well; it won't be a hardship. Queen Tana doesn't allow any abuse of slaves in her presence.”

“Really?” I asked in surprise.

“This is Seelie,” the girl said. “It's a different world than Unseelie.”

“No kidding,” I muttered. “Hey, I'm Riley.”

“I'm Janet,” she said with a grin. “Nice to meet you, Riley, and welcome to Seelie. Come on, let's get you a hot bath and some clothes.”

“I don't know what I want more.”

Janet laughed.