“No,” I said at the same time Bahlin said, “Yes.” He glared at me. I glared back.
“We were discussing my role as the potential Niteclif,” I said, assuming that if the guy really was the First Prince of Faerie he would know about my great-granddad.
“Ah, yes. There are some rules you’ll need to know about from the fae side of things.” He slid into the booth next to me, and I shifted so I could see him. He leaned over to kiss my cheek.
Bahlin growled, and Tarrek stared at him, a slight wind coming off of him and stirring the long hair of both men.
“Enough,” I whispered harshly. Neither of them backed down. “E-nough,” I snapped, and both men turned to look at me. I suddenly realized I was trapped up against the wall with two supernatural creatures facing off in front of me. How did I keep managing to get myself stuck in a literal corner around the monsters?
“One thing you need to know is that we are both High Council members,” Tarrek said, turning back to stare at Bahlin. “Neither of us rule, though both of us attempt to lead.”
“That makes no sense,” I said, thinking through the little I knew of their behavior. “Is there not a leader for the Council?”
“Not per se,” Bahlin answered vaguely, returning his gaze to me. “We are supposed to rule the supernatural world as what you would consider a non-partisan governing body. It’s not a successful strategy. It’s one of the reasons there are five of us. There’s never a tied vote on anything. As we rarely agree on anything, some will vote against each other at times just for the sake of doing so. That’s really all you need to know at this point, darling.”
Tarrek looked at me and quirked an eyebrow at the easy endearment. I shrugged. It was just a word.
I thought back to what Bahlin said about my great-granddad—“he became disillusioned with the constant battles, the killings, and he wanted out.” Suddenly it made more sense. I closed my eyes, wondering if the no-aging thing would matter if I got myself killed in the proverbial line of duty. The thought of my own death seriously disturbed me, and I realized that even in my darkest moments over the last few months, I had never been to the point where I was truly ready to die.
“Madeleine?” Tarrek asked. “Are you well?”
“Maddy, Tarrek. I just go by Maddy,” I whispered. He reached out and touched my hair and the same chemistry flared between us that had occurred in my dream. He sucked in air and stroked my head, saying something in an unfamiliar language. For some reason I didn’t feel compelled to pull away from him.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“I said that you are an angel in the mist, a flower’s bloom on a starlit night, a gift from the goddess. I will trust you, my Niteclif.” He slowly removed his hand, and I felt bereft at the loss of his touch. What was wrong with me?
I shifted slightly in my seat, uncomfortable.
Bahlin stared at Tarrek for a moment before speaking. “It’s a bit early to be committing to the woman, don’t you think?” He sounded hostile.
“No. I have touched her and felt her soul. She is an angel with a brilliant mind. I will trust her,” he repeated, and it dawned on me the words might mean more than their face value.
“What does that mean, you’ll trust me?” I asked Tarrek. For some reason he was easier to address than Bahlin.
“It means that I will defer to your word as law. I will accept your rulings to be fair and just.” His eyes blazed at me for a moment, so fast I wasn’t entirely sure I’d seen it.
And then time stood still just as it had at the stones. The hair on my body stood on end, and I gripped the edge of the booth with all my strength. There was no sense of past or present; there was no noise, ambient or otherwise. I felt suspended in motion. With a sigh reminiscent of the stone circle, I felt time begin again. With stunning clarity I recalled the phrase that the stones had whispered following the pause of time—adael i ddechrau.
“What just happened?” I asked through clenched teeth.
“Glory, Tarrek. Congratulations, my man,” Bahlin hissed. Turning to me, eyes glowing icy blue, Bahlin said, “He’s accepted you as the Niteclif. He’s confirmed your place. It’s begun, Maddy.”