of the pavilion. “A whole thicket of them.” A fortune of them. But was that really such a surprise? He had been king.
He came close to one of the plants, touching the leaf. “To be honest, I didn’t know. I don’t come out here often, and when I do, it’s not to look at the plants.”
“Didn’t you build this house?”
“Yes, but Vesta was in charge of the gardens. This must have been her doing.”
What else had Vesta influenced in this house? Theo had to wonder.
He picked one of the berries and tossed it into his mouth. “I love these things.”
“So do I. Not that I’ve eaten them very often.” Anyone who’d grown up in Limbo loved them. Nightberries were amazing. Like a very sweet blueberry with a hint of honey. They were typically too expensive for anyone but royalty and nobility to enjoy them, but Theo had tasted them once as a child, thanks to her mother’s access to the fruit in the royal kitchens.
There was also a black market for nightberries. After her mother died, Theo had made a little extra money to help her and her father survive by using her talents to steal the berries from the royal gardens and sell them, but her father had gotten wind of her side business and made her stop, fearing she’d end up in the clutches of the Overwatch.
For a little while after that, he’d quit gambling to ease their debt. His health had even rallied a bit. But neither change had lasted long.
Robin held a berry out to her. She took it and popped it into her mouth. The taste was exactly as she remembered it, sweeter maybe, and she was instantly reminded of her mother. She swallowed, smiling at him, something that was shockingly easy to do when she was around him. “Thanks.”
He picked a few more, bouncing them into his palm. “Where do you think we should look for this cat?”
She looked around. “Cats sleep a lot during the day. He probably found a spot to curl up. A hidden spot. One that’s also safe.”
“Like under this thicket?”
“Exactly like that.” She glanced at him. “I’m not saying we’re going to fail, but the chances of finding a cat that doesn’t want to be found are pretty slim. Especially when finding him would involve crawling under bushes covered with thorns. Not to mention filled with spiders and other creepy-crawlies.”
He laughed. “Good point. You sound like you know a lot about cats.”
“Not a lot. Some.”
“Did you have one as a pet?”
She shook her head. “Pets weren’t really in our budget. Although…” She smiled at the memory that came to her. “I used to feed the eels in the moat with stale bread my mother gave me. For some reason, they liked pumpernickel best.”
Robin’s grin broadened. “Let me guess, you used to pretend you were the princess who lived in the castle?”
She snorted. “No. I used to pretend I was the queen.”
Chapter Ten
Robin laughed. He adored Theodora’s sense of self. “Of course you did. How silly of me. Really, though, I should have known. You’re not the kind of woman who takes a back seat to anyone, are you?”
Her smile flattened a bit. “I guess not, but I do anyway. And often. I have no choice. I was common-born.”
He picked a few more berries. “So was I.”
Her brows rose slightly. “You were?”
He nodded. “Did you think I was born into nobility?” He helped himself to another couple of berries, then walked over to one of the many carved wood benches and sat, patting the seat next to him.
She joined him. “Well, you ended up as king.”
“Because of what I did during the war. Because my actions impressed the aging king enough to turn over the crown. Not because of who I was or the family I came from.” How much of his history had been suppressed? All of it? He held out the handful of berries.
She took one. “I guess I never thought about it.”
“Vesta came from nobility. I’m sure that contributed to her belief that she should hold the throne alone. That and the general belief of most fae that the throne was rightly theirs anyway.”
“Not all fae believe that.” Theo ate the berry, then tucked one leg under the other and twisted to face him better.
“That’s why I said most. I know there are some decent fairies out there, but you’ll excuse me if I’m a little bitter toward the lot because of my ex-wife.”
Theo nodded. “Understood.”
“Thank you.”