Chapter 26: Sena - Fated to the Night King

Alkan collected me from my spot in the kitchen and offered me his arm.

"I've been told that you've learned about our garden. Would you like to see it?"

"Do you plan to put me to work in it?" I meant it as a small joke, but his narrowed eyes made me aware that there'd been a hint of hurt in my voice that deserved explanation. "Where I came from, it was one of the duties I was often assigned. Harvesting beside the other Stricken was a common task."

He nodded and there was understanding in his eyes. "If you wanted to work in the garden, you could. Every member of this court serves for the benefit of all. None are exempt. But you wouldn't be forced to do a specific job simply because you aren't Istakarran."

"That seems like a very fair manner of involving all who live here."

"They all benefit from being a member of the court. They should all contribute in their own way."

I swallowed and looked away. It was a pretty picture that he painted, but I didn't know if I could believe it. Leah hadn't seemed unhappy or pressured into work. And Gus had told me how she'd been welcomed into the Night Court by Alkan. And she was the one who had charge of the kitchens. Led the household staff and managed the large events. The relationship between the King, Gus and Danvers told me a lot about the man Alkan was.

One that wasn't as I'd been led to believe.

"The garden is through here." Alkan lifted my hand and placed it on his forearm, giving me his steady strength as support if I needed it. "It's open to any who wish to visit."

We stepped out of the castle into the open air, the night sky spreading above us. Stars lit the darkness and, low in the sky, I saw the moon adding its light.

Over the edge of the mountains I faced, bright ribbons of teal, purple and pink danced along the ridge. That alone was breathtaking.

As we walked along the path, I started to notice the different plants that lined the borders. Sweetly scented jasmine perfumed the air and there were flowers blooming that were the size of a dinner plate.

"How did you get all these here?" I stared around in amazement.

Alkan looked down at the smoothed pathway. "It was work to find plants that would thrive in this area, as well as those that would bloom best at night. Some even feed off the aurora's energy. For many of us, the night is the time when we can come out here to enjoy the serenity of this space."

He continued to walk, his hand now resting on mine, and we followed the path. He never rushed me, and when I asked, he led me to the section of nightberries that Leah had mentioned. He held one up to my lips and it burst on my tongue, the flavor almost intoxicating. Delicious, heady, and I instantly wanted more.

"We make a wine from these that is highly sought after by the Northern Lords. We trade with them often. It's been a useful negotiating tool."

"I can understand why." I licked my lips and opened my mouth when he held another up. "I've never tasted anything like these."

He placed the berry on my tongue and when he pulled back, his finger lingered on my chin. It wasn't forceful or invasive, but more like he was reluctant to not be touching me.

"I believe Gus sent food for us. I know you had some of her cookies earlier, but she's insistent about feeding people."

"She does that to everyone, I think." I wasn't complaining. I'd already been the recipient of her generosity, and it felt good to not be constantly hungry.

Alkan's hand slipped around to the small of my back again, and I let him guide me forward. As we rounded a corner, a blanket was spread out for us in a grassy area and a basket sat in the center.

I settled onto the soft fabric with Alkan's assistance and took the plate he offered me. "Food is the way Gus shows her care for people. She feeds the entire court, but at the same time, the ones she holds closest, she'll go out of her way to make things they'll enjoy. The cookies she fed you are one of my favorites. She found out how much I liked them the day she first made them, and now she makes extras for me. I have a feeling she'll be making note of every single thing you seem to like and those will become a standing order in her kitchens."

Alkan doled out the meal that Gus had sent for us, and I looked at him sitting beside me.

"If the Istakarrans are blood drinkers, then why do you eat food?"

His lips curved up and I saw the tip of one of his fangs. It sent a rush through me, just that small reminder of how it felt when his teeth broke through my skin.

"For pleasure." His voice was low, the answer to my question was a rumble that vibrated over my skin, and my chest went tight at the sound. "Blood is sustenance, but there's more to life than simply surviving, don't you think?"

I couldn't answer that. I'd spent the majority of my life barely sustaining. More than that hadn't been possible. But as I thought about what he said, his argument made sense. Being able to eat delicious things and not worry about whether I was taking from others around me that I knew were also hungry was a relief.

The scent in the air was sweet and soothing. It felt like it wrapped around us and I sought out the source. Purple, star shaped blossoms waved in the slight breeze, and I dragged in a deep breath of the air. The flowers perfumed the space, sweet and ripe, floral blended with musk. I reached toward one and Alkan stopped me, his long fingers pulling mine away.

"Careful Sena. This particular flower is more than it seems. Even its fragrance, though beautiful, can cause dizziness or even unconsciousness."

I froze, worry making me ask, "Then why is this where you had the food waiting for us."

"That was all Gus. She's pretty immune to the night jasmine. Just thinks it smells nice. I think she forgets that others don't have the same tolerance she does." He begins gathering up the basket and placing the food back inside. "If it was my choice, I'd have shown you the real jewel of this garden."

He stood, offering me his free hand, and I thought about refusing. But I was out here, alone with him as far as I knew. I'd already agreed to work with him. Antagonizing him wouldn't do me any good. I needed to be smart and trust that, for now at least, he didn't plan to hurt me.

My palm slipped into his easily, his cool skin a stark contrast to my own warmth, and when he wrapped his fingers around my wrist and lifted me back to my feet, I felt my pulse rocket up in response to his touch. That strange urge to stay close to him rose up again, raising the hairs on my arms.

"This way," he said, the basket in one hand, the other settling against the small of my back to steady me. We followed the looping path that narrowed, pushing us closer together so we could stay on the graveled track, gleaming silver in the moonlight.

The sound of falling water grew gradually louder, until the center of the garden appeared before us and the source became clear. A wall of gleaming black stone sat in the middle of a pool, and water cascaded over the surface, filling the pool at the base. The lights of the aurora above were reflected in the surface, a perfect mirror of the sky. Circling the fountain were countless roses, many in full bloom, ranging from the palest white to deep red. The king guided me to a bench that was tucked into an open space with roses wrapping around a trellis above.

"This is your favorite place?" I asked, sinking down onto the bench. The lavender blooms were large and there was no mistaking the way the branches reached toward Alkan as he sat down beside me.

"It is." He answered me freely, like he didn't fear sharing this aspect of his personal life with me. "These roses do best when the nights are long and dark, so summer can be a difficult season for them. I come to visit and lend them a little of the power the night gives me, which boosts their ability to bloom. It's a fair trade-off."

He reached out, breaking off one of the large flowers and holding it out to me.

"What's that for?" I asked, not understanding why he would offer me such a gift.

Alkan watched me, gauging my hesitation and weighing it before answering. "This rose is a reminder that beauty can bloom anywhere, even in the dark."

His words struck a chord in my chest, making it go tight with emotion. I finally accepted the flower from him, hissing when my thumb snagged on the tip of a thorn.

"Careful," he said, a small knowing smirk on his face. "These have their own defenses. Some people have been known to boil down the thorns to make a devastating poison. We don't allow that here, but Danvers has found some medicinal uses for them."

He methodically peeled the thorns free of the stem and put them in his pocket, then took my hand in his.

A red drop of blood beaded on the tip of my thumb.  The smell of copper rose in the space between us and I saw his eyes dilate with anticipation.

"We can't let that go to waste, my little spy." His voice had dropped lower, scraping over nerve endings and making me shiver with want. The pulse in my wrist throbbed in memory and I was afraid at how much I wanted to feel his mouth on me again.

Without breaking eye contact with me, he lifted my thumb up until it was even with his mouth, then sucked it inside. Wet heat encircled the digit, and I thought it would end there. Until the first pull of his lips against my skin made my eyes flutter closed. His tongue sweeping over the puncture made me clench my thighs tight, and the barely there feel of his fangs had me almost ready to beg for him to bite me once more.

He released my thumb with a wet pop and when I opened my eyes once more, he was watching me, that fierce light still in his gaze.

"Delicious," he murmured, his fingers stroking over the back of my hand and down to my wrist.  The source of that desire. The need. The aching want.

I braced for him to press the advantage, knowing I couldn't hide my vulnerability. How open I was to him, unable to understand why.

He didn't.

Instead, he pressed the thornless stem into my hand, curling my fingers around it.

"For you." That was all, then he picked up the basket of food, helped me stand, and then led me out of the garden.