6. Lily

Krynn walked forward swiftly—he seemed to know where he was going. He also seemed to be able to see in the dark because he didn't stumble or hesitate even a little. I wondered if that was the reason for the glowing eyes all the Fae seemed to have—did it allow them to see, even in the pitch blackness?

I wished I had that ability myself. It was scary walking in the darkness without being able to see anything at all. It also occurred to me that I was now all alone with two huge, strong males—a situation I would never have allowed myself to get into back in the human world—or the "Mortal Realm" as they called it.

Yet I didn't feel like either Seldarin or Krynn posed a threat to me…though I did wonder why they were so eager to proclaim me the "Lost Princess." It seemed like I had stumbled into an otherworldly plot filled with political intrigue.

I didn't really want to be caught in the middle of the conflict between the two of them and the Regent, Mordren, who had apparently been about to be crowned ruler before I had been caught watching the Fae ceremony. But events were moving so fast—I felt like I was being swept along on an invisible current I couldn't fight.

At long last, I began to see a pale blue glow at the end of the tunnel. It grew brighter and brighter until we stepped out into a kind of cave.

I had been to Lurray Caverns in Virginia on a family vacation once, and marveled at the underwater structures that time and water had carved into the solid rock, but this space was nothing like that. I mean, yes—there were the stalactites and stalagmites growing from the floor and hanging from the ceiling, but they weren't muddy and brown. Instead, they seemed to be made of some pure white stone which had a sparkly, rainbow sheen. It made even the most common rock formations look like priceless jewels.

"Come, through here is the living area where it is said that Lolth herself dwelled in the early days, before the Palace was built," Krynn said to me.

He led us through the maze of long, slender rock spires and out into a kind of room where the walls and floors were smooth and pale blue, swirled with white. In fact, they looked a little like ice, I thought. But when I touched a wall, it wasn't cold—or at least, not icy cold—and my fingers didn't come away wet.

There was some furniture set up that looked like it belonged in a Queen's bedroom. I saw a table with several chairs made of some kind of white wood and decorated in filigreed silver. Further on, there was an immense four-poster bed made of the same white wood. It was hung with gauzy silver curtains and covered in a thick white fur spread that looked as soft as silk. There was even a vast bookshelf filled with leather bound volumes and a deep, comfy leather chair that had a fur throw draped across it so you could sit and read.

If you're wondering how I could see all this in what should have been a dark cave underground, it was because of the trees. Scattered around the living area were weeping willow type trees, all between four and seven feet tall. They had silver bark and their long, trailing branches had glowing leaves in all different colors…soft pink…pale blue…lilac purple. It gave the whole place a magical feeling…as though I had just stepped into an enchanted grotto where a fairy princess under a spell lay sleeping.

"Oh, this is amazing," I breathed as I turned in a circle, taking in the beautiful room.

"You don't think it's, er, overwhelming at all?" Seldarin was frowning at me anxiously.

"Overwhelming?" I shook my head. "In what way? I mean, it's not like anything I've ever seen before and it's really beautiful, but I don't feel any different than I did before I came in here."

"You see?" Krynn shot Seldarin a look over my head. "I told you she wouldn't be bothered."

"Bothered by what?" I demanded, frowning.

Krynn hesitated, as though trying to think how to put it.

"The…atmosphere in the Cavern is somewhat rarified, my Lady. Those without Royal blood in their veins feel the pressure of the power of Lolth, which still lingers in this space."

"It's like having a heavy fucking bolder on your back," Seldarin growled, rolling his broad shoulders. He looked down at his hurt arm, the one that the dagger had landed in. "Fuck…I'm bleeding all over the fucking place!"

"Let me see," I said at once. You don't raise two kids without learning how to deal with cuts and bruises. Also, he had taken that dagger to the arm for me—if he hadn't been holding and protecting me, it might have gone right through my throat!

"I really don't think it's proper for a Princess to tend wounds," Krynn objected. But I was already towing Seldarin to the back of the cave, where there was an enormous round tub which was made of white marble.

"Here—sit," I commanded.

With a bemused look on his face, the big Fae did as I said. The taps of the round tub were shaped like a golden swan. I lifted one of its wings and cold water began to flow from the swan's beak. I lifted the other and the water became warmer. I fiddled for a minute before I got it right, then I reached for a white cloth which sat on top of a folded pile of towels to one side of the tub.

"Here, now this might sting," I told Seldarin as I wet the cloth and began cleaning his arm.

"I don't mind how much it hurts, but you really shouldn't be tending my wounds, Princess," he objected. "It's far below your rightful station."

I gave a bitter little laugh.

"Considering that I've been living in my minivan for the past few weeks, I doubt cleaning up your arm is ‘beneath my station.'" At this point, dumpsterdiving wouldn't have been beneath my station—and believe me, I had seriously considered it.

"The blood—does it…affect you?" Krynn asked, stepping forward to watch the process, a look of concern on his gorgeous face.

"Affect me?" I raised my eyebrows. "If you're asking if the sight of blood makes me sick then, no—not hardly. I raised two kids and the oldest one was accident prone. Chris Junior was always in the ER for stitches and broken bones. He?—"

I stopped talking abruptly because remembering how things had been when the kids were little made me sad. I missed the sweet way they used to come to me for comfort and hugs and tickles. The way we'd all been such a happy family before they grew up and moved out and Christopher lost interest in me and kicked me to the curb…

"My Lady…are you crying?" Krynn asked, his voice gentle.

I hastily swiped at my eyes with the back of my arm.

"No—of course not. I was just…thinking of how things were before my husband left me. Or kicked me out, I guess is a more accurate term," I added dryly.

"A human man treated you that way? He dared to turn you out of your home with no place to go?" Seldarin's bronze eyes flashed dangerously. "He should be killed for such an act!"

"Well, that's how I felt too," I admitted. "At first, anyway. And still some, I guess. But mostly I'm just tired and hungry and I feel like I could really use a bath." I looked into the deep tub with longing. Its broad marble lip was hard against my backside—I needed to get on with my task, I reminded myself.

"Still—a Mortal cannot treat the rightful Queen of the Midnight Court in such a shameful fucking way," Seldarin growled—clearly he wasn't over the slight to my honor yet. "Tell me where he lives, Princess and I'll go run him through. Your vengeance shall be my quest." He fingered the jeweled dagger hanging on his belt menacingly.

For a minute, I was seriously tempted. Christopher had used me to raise his children and then thrown me out on the street like a dirty tissue. If he didn't deserve to die, I didn't know who did.

Then I remembered the kids. My ex hadn't always been the best father—he was too busy working for that. But they would both still be heartbroken if their dad was found dead in an alley somewhere.

"No thanks," I told Seldarin. "Let's just get your arm taken care of and leave the vengeance for later, okay?"

The big Fae muttered something that sounded murderous under his breath and I considered that maybe I could just have him scare Christopher a little. He might be motivated to give me some kind of alimony if a seven-foot-tall Fae warrior had him at knife-point.

But I was too tired to seriously consider it. I concentrated on cleaning Seldarin's wound and put my plans for revenge on the back burner.

The big Fae sat stoically as I washed the blood away and I noted that it was dark blue rather than red.

"Do all Fae have blue blood?" I asked, still washing.

He shook his head.

"No, Royals and true descendants of Lolth have purple."

"Well that settles it then, my blood is red," I told him as I finished washing the wound. "I can't be this ‘Lost Princess' you two keep talking about."

"If you're not the Lost Princess, then why is my wound already healing, just from your touch?" Seldarin asked, looking down at his arm.

I frowned when I saw he was right—the dagger slice in his arm had been deep—a nasty wound I was sure would need stitches. But even as I watched, it seemed to be knitting itself together—healing right before my eyes.

"Wow, that's amazing!" I murmured. "But I'm not doing it—I can't do things like that."

"Not in the human world, you couldn't," Krynn remarked, coming over to examine the rapidly healing wound. "But here in the Cavern of Lolth where the power of your ancestress lingers, your body will begin to relearn its true powers…and its true form."

"Its true form? What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, feeling suddenly frightened. "Are you saying this place is going to do something to me? To change me?"

"It won't do anything but reveal who you truly are," Krynn assured me. "We wouldn't bring you anyplace that would hurt you, my Lady. We are sworn to protect and defend you at all costs. Do you not see these?"

He knelt in front of me and pointed to the spider web tattoos on either side of his throat. The golden markings were glowing even more brightly than before—as were the silver markings on the sides of Seldarin's neck.

"What are they and what do they mean?" I asked, frowning.

"They are the Markings of Lolth," Seldarin answered for him. He reached up to touch his own markings and winced. "Fuck—they're burning!"

"It's because of our proximity to the Princess in the place where Lolth's power is so strong," Krynn told him. "Kneel with me—we will ask for her touch to soothe the pain."

Seldarin frowned, but left the edge of the tub, where he had been sitting beside me, and knelt by Krynn. Though I was sitting and they were kneeling, they were still taller because of their immense height.

"Er…what exactly are you two doing?" I asked, looking up at both of them uncertainly. I had never expected to find myself in this position, with two gorgeous Dark Fae kneeling at my feet.

"Imploring your touch and pledging our loyalty, my Lady," Krynn said. He held out a hand to me. "Will you touch our Markings to ease the burning?"

"I don't see how me touching you can help," I protested. I could see that the spider web tattoos on both their necks were glowing very brightly now, but I was sure they were mistaken about who I was and what I could do for them.

"Please, my Lady," Krynn murmured. "We took these markings when you disappeared nearly half a century ago."

"Krynn's right," Seldarin said. "We swore to never stop looking for you and to be loyal to you if you should ever be found. They are a visible sign of our devotion and allegiance to you—the Lost Princess."

"And, once you come of age, the rightful Queen of the Midnight Court," Krynn added.

I shook my head.

"Look, first of all, I came of age about thirty years ago—give or take a few years. And secondly, I don't want to be the Queen of anything."

"You don't have a choice," Seldarin growled. "As a Princess of Lolth's blood, you have a duty to the Court and the whole Dark Fae Realm. You must rule us. The Dark Fae have to be ruled by a Royal or we'll descend into fucking chaos!"

"But I'm not Royal!" I protested. "Just look at me—I'm a middle aged mom—not a fairy princess!"

"At the moment, your outer appearance does not reflect your inner self," Krynn told me. "But my Lady, we burn for you." He looked at me earnestly, his glowing green eyes suddenly half-lidded. "Would you truly deny us your touch?" he murmured.

"Oh, um…"I felt my cheeks getting hot with a blush. The way he was looking at me…well, let's just say that no man had given me a look like that in a long, long time. "I, er, I don't…don't know what you want me to do," I stammered.

"Just touch our markings…soothe them with your fingers. Your power will ease the burning we feel," Krynn told me. He ran his fingertips over the golden tattoos on the sides of his throat and winced in apparent pain.

"Just fucking touch us, Princess," Seldarin growled and I noticed that his bronze eyes were also half-lidded. "Let us feel your hands on us."

"Well…I guess I can. But I don't see how it's going to help," I told him.

Leaning forward a little, I reached for Krynn first. He leaned obligingly forward and I ran my fingertips over the sides of his throat, noting as I did so that the golden lines of the spider web tattoos were indeed hot to the touch.

As I stroked the Markings, I felt a strange tingle—almost like a current of sensual electricity flowing between us. It made my nipples go suddenly hard and the place between my legs began to get hot and wet.

Part of me wanted to jerk away—what the hell was going on? But another part was intrigued. What was this reaction touching Krynn was causing in me? I had certainly never felt like this with Christopher—not even when we first got together and were madly in love.

In fact, sex with my ex had never been anything to write home about. It was okay at best, and downright boring at worst. But by the time I figured that out, I had already been devoted to his kids and too happy to leave him. Also, sex in general had never done much of anything for me. Not that I'd had many partners before Christopher, but none of them were any good.

I had always assumed that maybe I had just been with the wrong men—or maybe something was wrong with me. I never got aroused when a man touched me so I thought maybe I was partly asexual.

But now, sitting here on the edge of the tub and stroking the sides of Krynn's throat, I could feel myself aching inside—needing as I never had before. And from the look on the Dark Fae's face, he felt the same thing I was.

"Enough, my Lady," he said at last, his voice going hoarse. "Lest I shame myself. By Lolth, your touch is intoxicating."

"Oh, er…" I pulled my hands away hastily, feeling like I'd been caught doing something sexual and maybe slightly illegal. "Do you feel better now?" I asked, trying to regain my composure.

"Much better—your Royal touch is soothing and maddening at once," Krynn purred, his glowing green eyes filled with an emotion that almost looked like lust. But it couldn't be, I told myself. Nobody as gorgeous as the Dark Fae would be looking at me, a middle-aged mom, with lust…right?

"My fucking turn," Seldarin growled. He leaned towards me eagerly. "Stroke my Markings too, Princess. I want to feel your hands on me."

I did as he asked, leaning forward to run my fingertips over the sides of his strong throat. Again, I felt that same warm, sensual tingle, humming between myself and the big Fae. I had touched him earlier, when I was washing his wound, but this felt different. Maybe because it was intentional or maybe because I was touching the Markings he and Krynn claimed they had taken just for me. But for whatever reason, I could feel myself getting even hotter and wetter and my nipples were so tight they ached.

"Fuck!" Seldarin said, his voice dropping to a growl of pure lust. "You're better stop now, Princess—you're going to make me fucking come!"

"What?" I pulled back my fingertips and was half relieved-half disappointed when the tingling flow of erotic energy between us cut off abruptly.

"It's her, all right." Seldarin was still looking at me, but speaking to Krynn. His voice was still hoarse with lust. "Never felt anything like that before."

"There can be no doubt that she is the Princess," Krynn agreed. "It is said that a Queen descended of Lolth can drive every male in the Midnight Court mad with her touch."

"And she hasn't even taken her true form yet!" Seldarin said, still eyeing me in that hot way that made me squirm on the hard edge of the marble tub.

"Or begun to reach her full power," Krynn remarked. "Truly, she will be a formidable Queen."

At that moment, my stomach decided to make a loud, angry growling sound.

"Oh!" I put a hand to my midsection, feeling horribly embarrassed. "I'm sorry—it's just that I only got a couple handfuls of berries before you caught me, and I haven't eaten anything else in so long."

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, my Lady," Krynn assured me. "Sel and I are the ones who should be ashamed. Here we have been enjoying your touch and never thinking of your needs, as we ought to do."

"Sorry about that, Princess," Seldarin also apologized. "We'll get you something to eat at once."

"Thank you." I kept my hand on my stomach, hoping it wouldn't growl again. The two handfuls of glowing berries I'd managed to sneak before the tiny pixie creature saw me and raised the alarm back in the clearing hadn't done much at all to assuage my hunger. I was starving.

"Not just any food either—she must be fed on High Fae fare and she must drink the Nectar of Lolth," Krynn said, nodding. "The more Royal food she eats, the more the human dross will slough away revealing her true inner form."

"Look, I don't know about any of that," I told him. The way they kept talking about me changing and "getting my true form" was making me nervous. "I'll stay here for tonight and have dinner, but tomorrow I need to get going," I told them. "I can't leave my minivan parked at the Grab N Go too long or I'll get towed."

"You can't just go!" Seldarin protested, frowning. "You're the Lost Princess. You?—"

"Very well," Krynn interrupted him smoothly. "If you wish, you can leave tomorrow morning. But first you must stay the night and eat of our food." He shot a warning look at Seldarin, who looked like he was going to protest again. "Sel, now that you're healed, would you be so good as to bring our Lady some food from the feast? And I will go get her some proper clothing," he added, giving the dirty jeans, tattered sweater, and old jacket I was wearing a dubious look.

I had to admit, my current clothing was a far cry from the floating, gauzy robes I had seen the Dark Fae of the Midnight Court wearing. Besides being ragged, they weren't as clean as I would have liked. I hadn't had money to visit a laundry mat in some time.

But it wasn't just the clothes—it was all of me. I didn't look anything like any of the gorgeous Fae I had seen in the clearing. Despite the strange erotic energy that had flowed between me and the two guys, I really didn't believe I was the Lost Princess they were looking for. They had said this was a magical cave—probably that was the reason I'd felt so strange when I was touching them.

Seldarin still looked irritated at the thought of me leaving, but he nodded shortly.

"Very well, I'll get the food. Can you point the shortest way to the kitchens from here?"

"Of course." Krynn nodded and both of them rose smoothly to tower over me again.

"What can I do while you two are gone?" I asked, eyeing the gorgeous marble tub. "Er, it's been a long time since I had a bath," I added hopefully.

"Please feel free to use any and all of the amenities here, my Lady," Krynn said courteously. "Take a warm bath and relax while Sel and I get your dinner and find you clothing more appropriate to your station."

"Thank you," I said, truly grateful. This might be a really weird situation I found myself in, but at least I was getting dinner and a bath out of it.

Though of course I wasn't going to stay—there was too much political intrigue and I didn't want to deal with any of that. But a hot bath, a good meal, and a night in the huge four-poster bed with its deliciously warm-looking white fur covers would be a welcome change from sleeping in my cold, cramped minivan.

"Very well—please enjoy yourself," Krynn told me. "There is a privacy screen here to shield the tub—would you like me to unfold it?" he asked courteously.

"Oh yes—thank you." I nodded. It was nice of him to realize that I wouldn't want to be naked in front of them. When I had been younger, I might not have minded strutting around nude in front of two huge, muscular Fae. But now that I was getting older, everything was starting to sag—I preferred to keep my nudity private, thank you very much.

Krynn found the screen—a wooden folding one made out of some dark, rich wood and carved all over with gorgeous pictures of strange animals I had never seen before. He arranged it in front of the vast marble tub, which hid it from the rest of the luxurious bed chamber cavern. Then he and Seldarin bowed to me and left to get me food and clothes.

At last, I was alone.