"The lovely Marie offered me her favors."
I raised my eyebrows. "And?"
"And it would have been rude to have ignored such an offer." By fey standards, he was right.
"She's human, not fey," I said.
"Jealous?" he asked.
I shook my head, smiling. "No."
He came to his feet in one smooth movement, planting a quick kiss on my cheek. "I knew you were more fey than human."
Marie was kneeling by Maeve. She kept her face turned away from us but shook her head, and Maeve turned a very frowny face to us. "Marie said you refused her advances, guard."
"I made it clear that I found her lovely," Rhys said.
"But you did not take advantage of her."
"I am Princess Meredith's lover. Why should I look elsewhere? I showed your assistant the amount of attention she deserved, no more, no less." The humor was gone from his face now, and he seemed almost angry.
Maeve petted the woman's hand and sent her into the house. Marie very carefully avoided looking at Rhys. I think she was embarrassed. Maybe she didn't get turned down often, or maybe Maeve told her it was a sure thing.
I stood. "I've had enough games, Maeve."
She reached toward me, but I was out of reach. "Please, Meredith, I meant no offense."
"You sent your servant to seduce my lover. You tried to seduce me, not out of plain desire, but out of a desire to gain control over me."
She stood in one swift motion. "That last is not true."
"But you do not deny sending your servant to seduce my lover."
She took off the big sunglasses so I could see how confused she was. I was betting it was an act. "You are Unseelie Court, and all manner of temptations are open to you."
It was my turn to be confused. "What does my court have to do with anything? You have insulted me and mine."
"You are Unseelie Court," she said again.
I shook my head. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"You would not try on the swimsuits," she said, voice soft, eyes downcast.
"What?" I asked.
"If Marie had seen him nude, then she would have known his body was pure, except for the scars."
I frowned harder. "What in the name of the Lord and Lady are you babbling about?"
"You are all Unseelie Court, Meredith. I have to be sure you are not... unclean."
"You mean deformed," I said, and I didn't even try to keep the anger out of my voice.
She gave a small nod.
"Why should our bodies, whatever they look like, make any difference to you?"
"I told you what I want, Meredith."