"But in faerie, at any court, you aren't allowed to marry until you are with child," Farmer said.
"Mr. Farmer," I said, touching his arm, "since this is informal, perhaps it would go more quickly if I explained."
Farmer and Biggs whispered back and forth, but finally I got the nod. I was going to be allowed to talk. Oh, goody. I smiled at the other side of the table, leaning a little forward, hands nicely folded on the table. "My guards are my lovers. Which makes them royal consorts until one of them makes me pregnant. Then that one will be king to my queen. Until the choice is made, they are all royalty in the Unseelie Court."
"The three guards who have been charged by the king should be sent back to faerie," Shelby said.
"King Taranis was so afraid that Ambassador Stevens would see that the Unseelie Court was beautiful that he put a spell on the man. A spell that forced him to see us as monstrous. A man who would do such a desperate thing would do many other desperate things."
"What do you mean, Princess?"
"To lie is to be cast out of faerie, but to be king is sometimes to be above the law."
"Are you saying these charges are falsified?" Cortez asked.
"Of course they are false."
"You would say anything to save your lovers," Shelby said.
"I am sidhe, and I am not above the law. I cannot lie."
"Is that true?" Shelby leaned down and asked Veducci.
He nodded. "It's supposed to be true, but either the princess is lying, or Lady Caitrin is lying."
Shelby looked back at me. "You cannot lie."
"I have the ability, but to do so is to run the risk of being cast out from faerie." I squeezed Doyle's hand tightly. "I just got back. I don't want to lose it all again."