Crown of Beauty and Vengeance

Chapter 14

"You know," Lyv told him, "this is now borderline creepy with you trying to find out as much about me as possible."

"You were nervous when I last met with you. And we really do need to go to lunch again sometime...though I shall be seeing you a lot more around the palace should you accept my mother's offer."

Ah, so that's what this was about.

Lyv sighed, looking up at Gideon. "Go on back to the apartment. Everything will spoil if you don't. I'll meet you back there later, all right? And can you take Posy with you?"

The pixie, who had been sitting on her shoulder, started pouting. Lyv had promised her some cheesecake and a flower.

Gideon looked from her to Destan. "Just make sure she gets back home safely."

"Of course."

He nodded, leaned over to kiss the side of her head and take the canvas bags she'd been carrying, and walked away. Posy huffed out another breath, but flew after him, landing on the top of his head as he turned the corner.

"I would have thought he'd put up more of a fight about this," Destan admitted to her.

"We've already talked about what I should do once I talked with the queen."

"And that is...?"

Lyv only smiled before stepping around him and to the door. One of the guardsmen nodded as he held it open for her.

The scent of sugar and freshly baked treats greeted her when she went inside the bakery. Unlike it usually was, the place was completely empty, all of the white tables and chairs neat, the food in the display cases untouched, and the owner – a fairy she'd come to know well named Sherine – was peeking out from the back door into the kitchen. Her eyes were wide and bright when she saw 'her and then quickly glanced at the two Fae sitting at the only occupied table.

The first Lyv looked to was Queen Alexea...and paused when her sapphire blue eyes met hers. Jai had those exact same eyes, though the queen's shade of dark hair was that of Destan's and Laurel's. The power she radiated was one of grace and love and elegance. And when she fluidly stood, her light blue dress rippled like waves along the shore, sparkling like the sun hitting the water.

The Fae who stood up next to her then made Lyv stop in her tracks. She was expecting the queen, but not the king as well. She had heard how the princes favored their father and even how Jai was the spitting image of him. And it was completely true, though the king's hair was cropped short and slightly gray, his beard neatly trimmed, and his russet brown eyes watching her.

Their son stepped up beside Lyv, placing his hand on the small of her back that sent a shiver up her spine. "Mother, Father, I would like to introduce Audry Rey. Audry, these are my parents."

"King Emmeric, Queen Alexea, it is an absolute honor," she said with a curtsy, and then started brushing back the stray hairs that had fallen from her braid. "I apologize for my appearance. I wasn't...anticipating this meeting to be while I was out grocery shopping with my brother."

"That is absolutely fine," the queen smiled. "I apologize from taking you away from your shopping."

"She was coming here for her favorite chocolate mousse cheesecake, actually," Destan grinned...and then turned his attention to the slice waiting for her at the table with the king and queen.

"It's my favorite as well," the queen smiled. "Sherine is unmatched in her skills anywhere in the city."

"And she is sure to have someone bring some to the palace when she's not able to come herself," King Emmeric smiled over at her. "So, you had better start on yours before she steals it."