Chapter 20

The sky is so bright blue it dazzles. I'm flying into it, and out of it, and back into it. I don't need to turn around to see that my mother is pushing me. Her presence is all around me.

"Higher!" I squeal.

Maybe today is the day I finally make it over the top bar and spin all the way around.

The air tickles my ears. The cold chains are digging into my chubby little hands. My bright red wellies look amazing against the sky. I'm shrieking in pure delight, the way only a child can.

My mother is laughing.

Rhydian appears in front of me. In full regal clothes. Standing in front of the swing, on the edge of the wood chips, just where the green grass begins. He watches me intently, but does nothing else.

I jump off the swing and go over to him. My childish body has gone, and my adult one has returned. The chains of the swing are still squeaking and my mother is still laughing. But I don't turn around to look.

"You are really here, aren't you?" I say.

I don't understand how I know, but I do. And I really don't know why this isn't terrifying me, but it is not. Perhaps enough weird stuff has happened to me lately that I'm no longer bothered by it.

"Yes. I am a dreamwalker," Rhydian says calmly.

His voice sounds a little distorted in this dreamworld, but the sky is still blue and I'm still not freaked out. Even though I probably should be.

"So you thought you'd just walk into my dream?"

Weirdness aside, it seems a bit rude. I mean, talk about invasion of privacy. It is also incredibly intimate. I mean, I know we just had sex, but this feels even more personal.

"You were making noises in your sleep," he says.

The swing creaks behind me. Oh god, I was making baby noises. Now my cheeks are heating. What the hell? Dream me blushes? This is most unfair.

"I thought you were having a nightmare. So I came to stop it," says Rhydian.

I blink. Oh, my goodness. That is actually super sweet. Still a little creepy and stalkerish, but sweet.

"You could have just woken me up," I grumble, and I don't know why I'm being so ungrateful. Probably because I am embarrassed about the baby noises and the soppy dream.

"That wouldn't have stopped the nightmares forever."

I stare up at Rhydian as my jaw drops open and my heart flutters. What he is saying goes far beyond sweet. This is pure romance territory, and I might actually swoon into his arms.

Rhydian wants to stop me from ever having nightmares. It is the most romantic thing I have ever heard of and it is happening to me.

His amber gaze flicks over my shoulder and to the swing and my mother. His brow furrows.

"I can taste the truth of this dream," he says.

I shrug. "My mum took me to the park all the time. It is probably an amalgamation of memories."

His gaze flicks back to me, but now there is a strange look in his eyes. "Your mother was kind to you when you were small?"

Oh my sweet, sweet baby. He looks so utterly bewildered and lost. His words have punched me in the gut so hard it is making my chest ache. I want to hug him, but for some reason, I don't.

"I guess fey mothers aren't like that," I say softly.

I'll give him an escape route, and besides, I'm not stupid enough to criticise the queen. Not even in dreamland or whatever it is called.

Rhydian blinks slowly, as if pulling himself away from distant memories. "It is not our way," he says. "Raising young is tedious. We used to trick humans into doing it for us."

"Changelings?" I whisper.

He nods.

Are they going to start doing that again, now that they are back? I can't remember what the tales say about what happens to the human babies that are swapped out. I can't imagine it is anything good.

"I will leave you to dream in peace," he says curtly and then disappears.

I stare stupidly at the spot he was standing in a mere heartbeat ago. Talk about uncanny. I'm unsettled that he left so dramatically. And I'm a little sad too. I wish he had stayed a little longer.

"Jamie!" calls my dream mother.

I turn towards her. Hopefully, it is time to feed the ducks.

Waking up smooshed into someone's firm and manly chest is lovely. I could get used to this. It feels intimate and cosy. We had sex, he walked in my dream and now we are snuggling.

Sadly, Rhydian shoves me off. Very gently, but still. I bite back my squeak of indignation and yawn instead. I should have known that it was too good to be true.

Rhydian rolls out of bed with a grace that is frankly unnecessary at this time of morning. But at least I get a glimpse of his naked ass before his nightshirt slides down, and my, what an ass it is. It looks so very firm and peachy. The sight is making me a little dizzy. I'm such a pervert.

"Time to bathe," he says, without looking at me.

Yeah, yeah. I know the drill. The morning routine is firmly etched into my soul. I yawn again as I head for my bathroom. Some of my muscles twinge in complaint and my ass feels delightfully well used. Not sore exactly, but I can definitely feel it. An echo of Rhydian.

A blush burns across my cheeks, and I pick up my pace. Funny how I don't mind being naked apart from the cockbag and collar, but I really don't want anyone to see me blushing.

But hey, I'm pretty now, of course I don't mind if anyone sees me. Not that Pinky is impressed. And Rhydian has seen it all anyway. Damn it! Now I'm super blushing. Anyway, the point is, displaying emotion is way worse than showing off my beautiful new body.

I splash into the wonderfully hot water and sink in up to my chin. A happy sigh escapes me. I've made it. And now I'm all but floating in scented water. This is bliss.

A gentle swish behind me has me turning my head. Rhydian is walking into my bath. Still wearing his thin cotton nightshirt. He dips down to his chin in the water and then moves to the seat at the edge of the pool. The water comes up to just below his nipples and now that the thin cotton is wet, I can see everything. His pecs are gorgeous. His shoulders are well defined. His nipples are very pink.

I gulp and hastily look away.

"Come here," he orders as he reaches for me.

I bob a little closer, and he takes my arm and pulls me onto his lap. His fingers go straight to my hole and I yelp in surprise.

"Hold still. I need to check if you are damaged."

I huff and let him prod at me. Seemingly satisfied, he sighs and relaxes back against the blue tiled wall of the enormous bath. He doesn't shove me off his lap, so I don't move. I like the feel of his muscular thighs under my naked ass cheeks.

I lean back against his chest and get comfy. I really hope we are staying for a nice long soak. Sex is great, but I think I might like cuddles just as much. I'm such a soppy idiot.

Rhydian seems in a good mood and strangely, I'm proud of that. Unless it has nothing to do with me at all. Oh no, I can just feel all my doubts and insecurities waiting to rush in.

"Was I any good?" I blurt. "Last night," I add, probably completely unnecessarily.

"Yes."

Is all Rhydian says, but I hear amusement and fondness in his voice. I don't think he would lie. I'm not even sure if fey can lie. That's one of the things from the old tales. And he definitely had an orgasm and seemed to enjoy himself, so I can't have been that bad. I need to have some faith in myself.

I wonder if he will let me blow him soon. I'm still dying to try out everything Dyfri taught me. Which reminds me,

"Can I see Dyfri today?"

It feels like I haven't seen him in forever. And it feels like I have so much to tell him, but really the only thing that has happened to me is that I'm majorly getting the hots for his brother.

"No," says Rhydian.

"Because I'm hanging out with you today?" I say hopefully.

"No."

I'm pretty sure I'm pouting, but at least Rhydian can't see the face I'm making. I don't want to spend the day alone. Not even with a radio. If Rhydian doesn't need me, why can't I go see Dyfri?

"Is he busy?" I ask.

"No."

Oh. A coldness grows in my guts. Twisting them uncomfortably. "Does he not want to see me anymore?" Is what Rhydian said about Dyfri hating to be seen as weak and hating feeling beholden to me, true?

Rhydian sighs. "I don't want you seeing him anymore. You were getting far too close."

I twist around to glare at him. "I'm not allowed to have friends?"

His eyes narrow. "Watch your tone."

I spin back around and cross my arms over my chest. What a smug, condescending, arrogant asshole.

"Jamie," he says softly.

I ignore him, even though my heart is doing a happy little dance at the sound of him using my name.

"Friends will get you hurt here. You are too kind. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save Dyfri."

Memories of the banquet come flooding back, and I squirm. It didn't feel like much of a sacrifice in the end. It felt like a mind numbing orgasm from Rhydian. But I'm not going to let him know that I'm apparently a kinky freak who doesn't mind exhibitionism at all.

"You can't save him, Jamie. You can't save Dyfri. You can't save me. You can't save any of us."

His soft words sink into my soul and rattle around my mind. The look of bewilderment in his eyes as he contemplated the idea of a kind mother replays in my heart.

I let out a loud huff of disagreement. I can't save him? We will see about that.