Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

R osa woke in the attic with Balthasar sitting beside her and gently stroking her head.

"I don't think I will ever tire of waking up and seeing you," she murmured sleepily. "What time is it?"

"About 8 p.m.," he answered with a kiss on her forehead. "You had me worried for a while there, Wylt."

"I'm okay, I think. Where's Eldon?" The last thing she remembered was him catching her.

"He's off somewhere. He said that you needed to sleep and would be fine again once your magic stabilized."

"Did he tell you what happened?"

"Yes, and while I'm pleased you tapped into your magic for lessons, I can't say I approve of his methods."

"Don't worry. I slapped him for you."

"You should've kicked him in the groin like Saul. He's still complaining about it." Balthasar's grin was mischievously feral.

"He was the one that told me to aim for the groin! I'm sure the three J's will assist with bags of frozen peas on their return," Rosa huffed, and she climbed out of bed. "Yuck, I'm still in my dirty clothes!"

"Be careful on your feet. You might still be a little wobbly."

Rosa unzipped her hoodies and made for the bathroom door. Then with hand on forehead like an old-time damsel in distress, she moaned, "Oh, no, I'm so weak and defenseless and wobbly! If only I had some handsome man to assist me in the shower so I don't fall over."

Balthasar took the hint and followed her, picking up her discarded clothes to put in the hamper. Rosa's nerves felt on fire as she stepped into the scalding water. The amount of magic she'd released had left her feeling raw and uncomfortably emotional. Balthasar's arms came around her in a protective circle.

"You know I can fight off wolves on my own," he said. "You watched me do it with three, remember?"

"I know, but I wasn't thinking about that, was I?" Rosa said, turning to hug him, her face nestling into the curve of his chest. "Eldon still shouldn't have used you as bait."

"No, he shouldn't have, but he knew exactly what buttons to push with you, and he was right about one thing—your love, our love, can make you vulnerable."

"That's bullshit. It means I'll fight harder to keep you safe," Rosa argued. "I lost you once, and I won't go through that again. I won't let the Autumn Queen have you or take the memories of you away from me again. I'll go to Faerie and burn it to the fucking ground first."

"Easy, Wylt," Balthasar teased as he massaged her shoulders. "There will be no more romps into the Aos Si for us."

Rosa smiled and kissed him, but her growing unease made her chest tighten. She had seen the queen's rage at Celyn and the snow that had begun to fall. She was going to stop at nothing to keep her kingdom, even if it meant the destruction of the whole of the Aos Si.

Down at breakfast the next morning, Eli greeted her with a hug, enthusiastically asking her about how she felt and how her magic was.

"It's okay, I guess," she answered, taking the seat beside him.

"This is excellent news. I'll have to start training you in battle magic immediately," Eli stated, pouring her coffee.

"Try not to overwhelm her, Eli," Balthasar said gently.

"I'm not overwhelming her. I'm simply excited to start training Rosa. She's much quicker than the both of you."

"She is now that she's destroyed my manhood," Saul said from across the side of the table.

"Don't pout. It will grow back," Rosa said and stabbed a sausage with her fork, enjoying his wince.

"It already has, and it is bigger, better, stronger…"

"Enough, Saul. This is the breakfast table," Eli interrupted.

"She needs to learn how to use her sword more than she needs to learn battle magic," Eldon said. He strode into the room, resplendent in a crimson shirt, grey and black scarf, black jeans, and Doc Martens. Rosa grinned. There was something about the Vane men and clothes. "Magic can fail her where steel cannot."

"The sword is magic," Balthasar pointed out. "If she can grasp both concepts of sword fighting and magic, they will work seamlessly together when she wields it."

"Do I have to wield it?" she asked quietly.

"It would put the fear in any Seelie that you encounter," Eli said. "The Autumn Queen let Ryn use it to keep her court in line. He never even had to draw it."

"It's yours now, Rosa," Eldon stated. "Don't fear or worry over its past."

"Someone else can teach her how to use it," Saul said. "I'm not letting her anywhere near me holding an edged weapon."

"Chicken," Rosa teased.

"Next time, you won't be so lucky."

"We'll see."

"It's a shame Lily isn't here. She is excellent with a blade," Balthasar said.

"I will teach her. Wearing a faerie sword is not like a normal weapon," Eli said, patting her hand. "You will have to think of a name for it."

"Doesn't it already have one? You would think the Autumn Queen would've been all over that," Rosa said, pushing the food around her plate. All the talk of training and magic made her appetite waver.

"Ryn used to call it Queen's Justice, which goes to show how much of a groveler he was," Eli replied. "But it's yours now. You must name it so it can become that to you."

"The name will become its essence," Eldon remarked. "Choose wisely."

"Can't we talk about anything normal over breakfast?" Rosa complained half-heartedly.

"Welcome to the family," Balthasar said, kissing her cheek.

"Well, if I'm part of the family, I want my own room, seeing how Eldon has the cottage," Rosa said, ignoring the look on Balthasar's face and staring at Eli.

"Of course, Rosa, name the spot and it shall be yours," he said, smiling indulgently.

"I want the north tower. It's empty, apart from some neglected rugs, and I want a door built so that it opens onto Bal's attic staircases," she replied.

"I can't risk human workmen at the moment, but if you will allow it, I can do it using magic," Eli suggested.

"Really? No arguments? You'll let me have it?"

"Why would I argue? I always feel better having my children under my roof," Eli's green eyes flicked across at Eldon, a question passing between them. Eldon shook his head. Eli ignored it, turning back to Rosa. "I didn't expect you to move into the attic with Bal. It's his workspace, and you'll need one of your own. I'm sure you two can find a happy medium."

"Can I watch you use magic to change it?" Rosa asked.

"I was hoping Bal would help. He knows your tastes, and it would be a nice surprise for you," Eli smiled. "A present, as compensation for all the hard work we are going to make you do."

"Why am I worried all of a sudden?" she asked.

Saul laughed. "Because you need a lot of training to ensure you don't become faerie food."

"You can talk. What is your area of expertise again?" Rosa asked glibly.

Saul's smile was infectious as he licked his fork suggestively. "Diplomacy."

"Which you will do much of on your trip to London," Balthasar said pointedly.

"What trip?"

"The one we are sending you on today," Eli informed. "I need you to go and speak with the clan leaders. If the Seelie are on the move, I need them to be ready to defend themselves and the humans if they have to."

"You are throwing me to the dogs," Saul pointed out.

"They were the ones that asked for you. Balthasar makes them uneasy and defensive, and I have no patience at the moment. Gwaed Lyn needs me here, and I need you to go and do what you do best. If anyone can convince the Gwaed Gam to get it together, it is you."

"You are powerful enough to destroy them all if they try to attack you," Balthasar said smoothly. "I have every confidence in your abilities, baby brother."

"Besides, they all adore you, so it won't happen," Eli added. "I need you to do this for me, Saul."

"Fine! But I will only stay two days. I'm not going to suck up to a bunch of under lords to get them to fall in line," Saul said stubbornly.

"Then don't," Eldon replied. "You are their prince. You don't bargain or negotiate with them. Remind them of who they owe allegiance to, and they will rally."

"Excellent advice from the Kingmaker," Eli said with a touch of mockery.

Eldon rolled his eyes. "Sorry for trying to protect my country when it needed it. We can't all hide in Gwaed Lyn and let the world go to hell around us."

"You should've come home and let the humans deal with it. We are observers of Time, Merlin. We don't interfere."

"What lies! I'm half-human, and I will interfere however I choose," Eldon said coolly. "I couldn't return to Gwaed Lyn."

"Wait, are we talking about Arthur?" Rosa asked, struggling to keep her excitement in check.

"No, we are not," Eldon said with scathing finality. "Finish your breakfast, Rosa. Eli will need to start you on sword work."

It wasn't the first time Rosa had held a blunt practice sword, and she was mentally prepared to get pummeled. During her time at university, she had dated the head of the Oxford fencing team, and his idea of spending time together was teaching her how to fence.

Young and eager to please the most handsome chap in school, she had obliged him, completely unaware that he was pining for his vice-captain and practice was a way of seeing him.

That small amount of experience didn't help the sheer terror that coursed through her when she stepped into the training room to find Eli, shirtless and in full Unseelie form, holding a sword that was almost as long as she was high. Her Eli was gone, and only Prince Bleddyn remained. In that form, she could never think of him as Eli. His eyes never held such a cold emerald ferocity when he was glamoured.

"Is there a reason why you're trying to scare the snot out of me?" Rosa asked, gripping the blunt practice sword.

"The Seelie will not do you the courtesy of looking human," Bleddyn replied. "They use their beauty like another weapon. If anything, they will use glamours to make themselves more beautiful. Now, come at me, Rosa." He smiled, teeth sharpening.

Fighting the urge to wet herself, Rosa summoned the culmination of all her fencing experience and put her new strength behind it.

If she thought Saul had been hard on her the day before, nothing compared to the rigorous training Bleddyn pushed her through. In his true form, it was hard to see the man who had read her fairytales as a child. He was carved from midnight and fury as he taught her to use her new Gwaed Teulu strengths and find balance using both her physical body and magic.

"You're still the slave driver, I see," Eldon said, coming in to watch.

"Harsh but fair," Bleddyn said coolly. "Rosa is a quick student, but she does not have the luxury of time to learn new abilities. I couldn't let you train her. You don't look like you've used a sword in years." Eldon bristled as Bleddyn rested his blade casually on his bare shoulder. "Do you even remember your lessons or did you choose to magic those away as well." It was such a blatant provocation that Rosa was shocked when Eldon started stripping down to his jeans.

"Sword, Rhosyn," he said, and Rosa handed it to him, stepping quickly out of his way.

There were few things Rosa could imagine more exquisite or terrifying than two alpha fae ready to duel. Both seemed to hum with pent-up energy and power.

Rosa knew their practice swords had no edge, but it didn't stop her from flinching every time steel met steel. They moved around each other with a deadly and terrifying grace. There was static in the air like a lightning storm ready to break as they clashed over and over, using magic as well as steel as they dueled.

"What's going on?" Balthasar appeared beside her. "My magic is ringing inside of me."

"Just the usual show of two alpha princes in the house," Rosa joked lamely, cringing as the flat of Eldon's blade struck Bleddyn in the side, causing him to stumble. If he'd been human, it would have shattered his ribs.

"It's good to see you didn't forget everything ," Bleddyn jabbed. "Did you learn not to go onto a battlefield naked after that almost fatal occasion with your manhood?"

"That happened one time and only because he was jealous," Eldon retorted, and Rosa turned red with laughter. "My opponent was a Roman, and you know how touchy Italian men are when it comes to size." He grinned at Balthasar, who shrugged nonchalantly.

"We Florentines don't have those kinds of insecurities." Balthasar smiled pleasantly, his teeth lengthening. "But if it's a fight you want, I'd be happy to give you one."

"Come on, Leiddiad, winner gets to kiss Rosa." Eldon winked at her. "With tongue."

"You are cousins." Balthasar glared at him, removing his jacket and shirt and kicking off his shoes and socks.

"Barely a drop of blood between us. Even less between her and the Unseelie king over here."

"I don't think I'm going to survive the amount of testosterone in this room," Rosa said as Balthasar handed her his clothes.

"Then sit back and enjoy the show." Balthasar kissed her quickly before joining the other two on the mat.

"Grab yourself a sword, Leiddiad," Eldon said, pointing at the rack.

"No need. I'm going to have yours in a moment."

Rosa's heart was in her throat, hands crumpling Balthasar's jacket as the three men attacked each other with deadly abandonment. They were jeering and laughing at each other in a strange male bonding ritual as old as time.

Rosa stopped worrying and started to watch how they moved, how they learned to anticipate what their opponent was doing, and how to throw their magic at just the right moment.

Balthasar was true to his word and had disarmed Eldon in minutes. Eldon rammed into him, and with a twist, he had flipped Balthasar backward across the mat. Balthasar groaned as Eldon jeered at him in Welsh. His victory was short-lived when Bleddyn moved too fast to see, kicked out the back of Eldon's legs, shifted to grab his throat, and slammed him to the mat.

Bleddyn moved towards Rosa in three quick strides, dipped her and kissed her with lips and power. Rosa's magic exploded inside of her, sending a dome of pink and red light out all around them. When he lifted her back onto her feet, Balthasar and Eldon were staring at them in slack-jawed wonder.

"I win," Bleddyn said and strode from the hall, leaving Rosa blushing as pink as her magic.