Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

T he next morning saw Eldon sober, refreshed, and in close counsel with Eli. To Rosa, it seemed that they were conspiring, but she was happy to see they weren't arguing for once. Eldon looked glorious in an emerald green dress shirt and a black waistcoat with every inch clean and sparkling.

Despite all the warnings that Eldon had delivered about Eli being a separate beast to his inner Unseelie prince, Rosa knew that Eldon could drop his tame persona and become the equally terrifying and wonderful Merlin. When she watched them together, she saw flickers of both.

I wonder how long it will take me to get a new name to hide who I am? Rosa thought, knowing that deep down, she would always feel like Rosa, just as she knew what was under all the calm, civilized facades of the Vane men.

"Good morning, Rosa," Eli said, sipping his coffee.

"Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt. It looked like serious business," she replied, the tips of her ears warming.

"We were discussing how we are going to kill Nimue," Eldon said.

Rosa rolled her eyes at him. "Tell me you are going to get information out of her first."

Eldon's smile was cold. "How vicious. I like it."

"Don't pay any attention to him, Rosa," Eli said. Rosa sat down beside him. "We were talking about making Nimue some shackles so that she can't use her magic and the Autumn Queen can't use her as a puppet. The star metal currently binding her can only go so far."

"You are going to let her out of the cell?"

"She needs to be interrogated," Eli said without emotion.

"You won't need to hurt her to get what you want," Rosa pointed out.

"What if we want to hurt her?" Eldon said, and Rosa groaned.

"She's scared enough of you as it is. Have you even tried talking to her?"

"I only just woke up."

"And you're already at shackles and torture? Did you even remember to feed her this morning?" Blank stares met her. "We need to know what she knows. She's been treated like shit, and a bit of kindness might go further than a blade."

"And it's that kind of thinking that will get you killed," Eldon growled.

"She's not powerful enough to take us all on, and she knows we'll kill her if she tries anything."

"What are you proposing?" Eli asked, ignoring Eldon's snorts of derision.

"Let me get her fed and cleaned up. She can keep the shackles on. If she tries anything, I'll gut her myself. I'm not some damsel that can't handle myself; you both saw to that." Rosa placed her hand over Eli's. "Please, let me try it my way first. You both want revenge. I get that. But there's more to this than we realize. You spent fifty years putting together a treatyto try to lure Ryn and the Autumn Queen out, and in the end, a servant got the better of him. You have to see if my way works."

"She's manipulating you, athair ," Eldon teased.

Eli's eyes flashed emerald before he finally nodded. "I want Nimue ready and in my office in two hours."

Nimue was in the corner of her cell when Rosa opened the door for her. She unlocked the wall chain but ensured Nimue's shackles were still secure.

"Come with me," Rosa said and waited for Nimue to get up and walk from the cell.

"Am I going to my judges?" she asked.

"To have a bath," Rosa answered.

Guiding Nimue with a steady hand on her shoulder, Rosa took her to a set of guest rooms. Belinda had filled the bath, but Nimue balked when she saw it.

"I don't think…the lake…" she stammered with real fear in her eyes.

"Not to worry. Technology is here to save you." Rosa showed her how to use the shower and Nimue laughed with delight as the water trickled over her fingers.

To Rosa's surprise and embarrassment, Nimue pulled off her cloak and what remained of her dress. Rosa averted her eyes as she helped untangle the dress from the shackles. She'd promised Eli and Eldon she wouldn't leave Nimue alone, so she sat down on the toilet lid to wait.

A light-hearted song burst out of Nimue, the acoustics in the shower making it sound like two voices were singing in harmony. Rose thought it could've been Welsh, the twist and accents on some of the words were similar. However, it sounded far older and more complicated. Rosa amused herself by making roses appear in her hand and filling a decorative soap bowl with them.

"They are lovely," Nimue commented. She wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out of the shower. "You are quite new to magic, aren't you?"

"Very new, but I'm learning quickly thanks to good teachers."

Nimue squeezed the water from her waist-length hair. "I'm sure you are. They taught me much, but I learned most from…from Deryn. I see the family has grown since I was here."

"And one is still in Italy," Rosa answered, wondering how much she could tell her.

"The dark-haired one is very handsome." Nimue's lips curled into an appreciative smile.

Rosa took a deep breath before trusting herself to answer. "That is Balthasar. Your kind call him Leiddiad."

"They aren't my kind. I'm half made—neither human or Seelie," Nimue corrected. "I did hear of him from the common Seelie when I was trying to escape."

Nimue smiled unexpectedly, and it was stunningly pretty, though there was a strained panic in her eyes that didn't sit well with Rosa. Maybe she's as cracked as Eldon says .

Now that Nimue was clean, Rosa noticed the undertones of her skin were gold, not pink, and it made her skin shimmer when the light hit a certain way.

"Come on. We'll find some clothes for you to wear."

After the doomed ball, the Gwaed Gam had fled the mansion, many leaving all of their possessions behind. Rosa had raided the haul of designer labeled outfits until she found clothes that would be close to Nimue's size. Rosa couldn't hide the smile as Nimue tried on modern fashion with equal amounts of scandal and enjoyment.

In the end, she settled on black leather tights, chunky heeled ankle boots, and an asymmetrical button-up blouse in a shimmery gold. Her burnished gold hair had dried in smooth waves, and Rosa couldn't help but feel a touch envious of her. Ryn had bestowed all of his Seelie beauty onto her.

Nimue smiled at her reflection. "I think I'm going to like this new time."

Downstairs, she charmed Vera and Belinda, and the other serving staff eyed her with a reserved jealousy. Rosa tried to remember Eldon's warnings about Nimue and her ability to make everyone around her admire her, like most of the Seelie.

Rosa found her fists clenching at times, even though her face was smiling. She could remember the Seelie court far too well. She couldn't forget that Nimue was Ryn's daughter. Ryn, who had been like a charming prince while he danced with her, before he showed her what lay underneath. She could still feel his hands squeezing her face as the Autumn Queen poured the elixir down her throat. She wondered how Nimue would react once she learned that Rosa had killed her father.

As Nimue made the sensible Mr. Goode blush, Rosa suddenly wanted to lock Saul and Balthasar in a packing crate and send them far away. Despite her newly acquired abilities, and how much she knew Balthasar loved her, she still felt a flicker of insecurity. She thought that now she was Unseelie, she wouldn't have to worry about fickle human emotions so much. In truth, everything she felt was magnified.

"Come on, we need to see Eli," Rosa interrupted, escorting Nimue out of the kitchen. Rosa took small and petty satisfaction in seeing Nimue look nervous. Rosa knocked on the office door.

"Enter," Eli's voice echoed out with such a force even Rosa paused before opening the door.

Eli sat at his desk with Eldon standing beside him like the king's advisor. Saul and Balthasar watched them carefully on the other side of the room. They stood in front of the windows, so even if Nimue tried to make a run for it, her exits would be blocked.

"Sit," Eli instructed and Nimue took the chair in front of him.

Rosa retreated to Balthasar, her arm snaking under his suit jacket. The tension in the room made the hair on Rosa's arm stand on end, but the touch of Balthasar's warmth calmed her. His face was a steely mask, but he still put his hand on her hip and drew her close.

When Rosa turned, she saw Nimue watching them. Her head tilted to one side as if she was finally realizing they were together. Rosa's grip on his shirt tightened.

"Rosa has convinced us to hear you out instead of killing you, Nimue. This will be your only chance to convince us of your usefulness." Eli's voice held an edge that cut to the bone. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Seren Du," Nimue murmured respectfully.

Beside Eli, Eldon's face betrayed nothing, but his golden eyes refused to rest on her.

It's okay, cefnder. I'm with you , Rosa thought, hoping it would touch his mind. His face didn't change, but Rosa saw his fists unclench at his sides.

"You will tell us the truth about why you betrayed us," Eldon demanded. "We took you into our home and under our protection, and all you brought was death."

Nimue flinched, the sound of his voice robbing her of any confidence or bravado she still might have possessed.

"Rosa informs us that you were held prisoner by the Autumn Queen. Tell me about it," Eli said and folded his arms.

"Before Merlin found me in the forest, I was found by one of the Seelie. They knew me to be Ryn Eurion's blood, and he was summoned," Nimue began, her voice barely a whisper. "I was told that the Autumn Queen would grant me a place in her court if I delivered Merlin to her. Even then, she was afraid of his power and of what he might grow into. She hoped to turn him to her side so you would have no choice but to return to the Aos Si. She knows you'd do anything for your family. For a girl who had been feared, shunned, and abused her entire life, the prospect of belonging was irresistible."

Eldon's face had shut down completely, his emotions locked away as he listened. Despite that, Rosa could see the unspoken fury and pain in his golden eyes.

"The queen didn't count on me finding my place amongst you. I'd never had a family before. I thought that if I didn't report to Ryn that they'd forget about me, and for one hundred and twenty-three years, they left us be. I hoped she would think that you'd killed me and would never return to her, that she'd forget about our bargain completely."

"The queen forgets nothing," Eli said coldly.

Nimue licked her lips nervously before she continued, "The day they came, I knew they couldn't take you, Bleddyn. They wanted Merlin, and harassing you was only to distract you long enough to kidnap him. Ryn promised no harm would come to Deryn, so I did the only thing I could think of… I hid Merlin in a tree to protect him, so that they couldn't find him."

"Protect me?" Eldon snorted. "I remember it somewhat differently."

"Remember it however you like. It is still the truth," Nimue countered. "When they realized their mission had failed, they took me to the Aos Si instead. The queen was furious that I had moved against her. As punishment, she had me tortured and then locked me in a spell, binding me to the dark cold of the lake—never drowning, never seeing, never warm, unable to move, but always conscious for centuries." Her arms twisted around herself defensively.

"How did you escape?" Eli asked, ignoring her discomfort and trauma.

"Something is happening within the Aos Si. Even under the water, I felt something shift in the very fabric of the world." Nimue frowned. "I struggled to break free. I eventually would have, but I was pulled out."

"By whom?" Eldon demanded.

"By the queen," Nimue answered. "She's furiously angry at something you did." She pointed a long finger at Rosa. "But that's not the best part… She is aging, and the Aos Si is about to see its first winter since she cast her spell."

"Why did she set you free?" Eli asked.

"She expects me to kill Rosa and steal the swords."

"I would like to see you try," Balthasar said, his voice dropping to a threatening growl.

"It's a dangerous thing to admit that you've been sent here to betray us again, Nimue. The raiders by the lake were for show?" Eli asked.

"Partly. The queen didn't think I'd suffered enough. I have no interest in betraying you, Seren Du. That's why I'm telling you what the queen plans. She is weakening and is more desperate and dangerous than ever before…" Nimue broke off, clutching at her head in pain as if every word was agony. "She took everything from me. I want to help you kill her."

"I've heard enough," Eldon growled. "Trust this information at your peril, Bleddyn. I'll not sit here and listen to any more of her lies."

"My lies! Everything I suffered was because I protected you." Nimue's voice hitched. Eldon stared at her a moment longer before throwing open the doors and disappearing.

"I'll go," Rosa said and hurried after Eldon before he escaped the grounds altogether.

Upstairs, Eli was considering what Nimue told them as she wandered about the office looking at books and paintings. Balthasar watched her uneasily. Saul shared a look with him, his brother's flirty banter held in check. Nimue was beautiful, almost too beautiful, but even Saul knew it was better to steer clear of some dangers.

Nimue stopped near the windows that overlooked the grounds and sighed, "He looks really angry."

Balthasar moved to see where she was staring. Eldon was waving his arms about, shouting as Rosa gesticulated in response.

"Can you blame him?" Balthasar asked.

Nimue twisted a lock of her hair thoughtfully, the smell of apple blossoms coming from her. "No, I can't blame him, but I wish he'd try to understand."

"Rosa will talk him down. He seems to listen to her." Balthasar watched as Eldon pushed his hands through his hair.

Rosa untangled them and held them with her own, her mouth moving urgently. Eldon lowered his head, and Rosa cupped his cheek with her palm.

"They seem very close. It's understandable. He's just as beautiful and complicated as the day I met him. I've yet to meet someone who can resist him," Nimue commented.

"It's not like that."

Nimue raised a perfect golden eyebrow. "I've never seen a woman who didn't love Merlin. You'd best keep your pretty eyes open, Balthasar Vane, for your own heart's sake."