Rainbow Comet Chapter 16

“I’m stuck!”

I’m almost to the door as those extremely hot words hit me. I slowly turn on my heel, looking back at him.

“You’re…what?”

Flynn

I look up at the clock impatiently. Where is Boreas? I tap my feet on the baseboard of the huge bed we share.

Surely the feast should be done by now.

I stare at the clock like it could make him appear if I just pay enough attention to it.

I feel like a coward for running, and I don’t really want to go back and face him.

After all, I impeded things between him and the queens enough.

Perhaps he went to bed with one of them.

I sit bolt upright at that, heart pounding, and place a hand over my chest where it’s suddenly aching.

He’d better not…

But then he has every right. He’s a king. It’s expected…

Why did we never talk about this?

Jealousy burns through me again, making me ashamed.

It reminds me of being raised as a fire fae, being told nothing would ever be mine. That I couldn’t have a soul bond, that I could only be sold to a harem…

Of being kidnapped and not let go without a fight.

Of having no rights.

Like I have no right to claim Boreas at the moment.

And I know it’s different. I know its his culture. I know he’s important to the galaxy and I couldn’t give him what a queen could give him…

But somehow that’s not important. I just want him.

I stare at the clock again. Glare at it, as if it could change things.

I keep expecting his heavy footprints, and the ground around me shaking.

Then his soft, heavy body falling into bed with me, us falling into the gentle rhythm of making love that seems to lift us both above every moment.

We’re stealing moments, every time, I know it.

The queens are catching on, and while his father defends Boreas’s right to privacy, who knows what he would say if he truly knew what were happening?

I put a hand to my head, where a headache is joining the chest ache.

I force myself to lie back, thinking it’s none of my business what’s happening with Boreas.

If he wants to have a private session with a queen, or stay late at the banquet, or even visit a queen’s bedchambers, it’s nothing to me.

Well, it’s everything to me, but we never negotiated anything about this.

I have no right to monogamy, no right to tell him no.

But still, my heart burns in my chest, like it’s trying to get out if it can’t have what it wants.

And right now, it wants to see where Boreas is. What he’s doing.

To spy on him even.

Gods, why didn’t I go back when I could have still had the excuse of returning to the banquet? Now it looks awkward, like I’m being possessive.

But no, a little voice in my head insists. I’m his guard. It’s my job to see where he is when he doesn’t come as expected. One could hardly blame me, after all, he could be kidnapped without me.

Such a thought has me jumping out of bed, wrapping my belt around me and pulling on velvet pants, then yanking open the doors and striding out into the hallways.

As I walk, the image of a woman wrapped around him, her hands sinking into him where only mine should be, his face thrown back in ecstasy, has me walking quickly down the hallway.

Gods, my jealousy is getting out of control.

Then again, he is highly desirable. Of course he would be wanting to take advantage of such a thing. Of course every queen would want to—

I stop outside the doors to the banquet as hear a muffled groan, then some rustling.

That’s Boreas.

I yank open the doors, my mind inventing every worst scenario that could be greeting me, from him with a lover to him being forced.

I’m not sure which inflames me more, since both seem to set my soul on fire.

But as I come into the room, nearly running, skidding on the marble, I look up to see him still sitting on his throne-like chair, the sides digging into him, a plate in front of him with a piece of cake on it, abandoned.

There’s no fork in his hand, and he’s leaned back, one hand on his front, the other messing with the arm of his chair.

I flush. Gods, he looks beautiful after a banquet. Red-cheeked, hair mussed and over his shoulders, outfit gorgeous. He always gets ready in his finest beforehand.

I chuckle at his surprise at seeing me, and the embarrassed little flush he gets as I walk toward the table, leaning forward across from him.

It’s too wide for me to reach him, and I like it that way.

“Am I interrupting something, King Boreas?”

“Prince,” he says, with a delicate burp. Then he lifts his chin, well, chins, and I can tell he’s still mad about earlier.

When I left him behind.

I walk around the table, thinking I know how to cheer him up.

I grab the plate of cake in front of him. “Looks like you’re still hungry.”

His eyes light up with something like alarm, and he pushes the plate away. “No, not tonight, Flynn, I—“

“Don’t be mad at me,” I say, cutting a bite off and holding it to his lips. He closes his mouth, shaking his head and frowning, and I put the cake down for a second. Then the temptation overcomes me and I bring it toward him again, and to my shock, he explodes with anger, though it’s suppressed and polite all the same.

“Godsdamnit, Flynn, I said not tonight!”

I sit, dejected. “So you’re mad I left.”

His expression softens and he  moves somewhat uncomfortably on the chair. “It’s not that. Though I did miss you.” He brightens. “And I am glad you came. No, I am mad at myself. For not being able to check on you when you’re clearly upset.”

I stare at him.

“Okay, and a little put out you left me, but who can blame you?” He waves a hand at the table. “Such things can be exhausting.”

“Not always,” I say, grinning and reaching for the cake again.

He gives me a stern look, lowering his eyebrows. “Not all things can be fixed with cake.” He pushes the plate away. “Flynn, I want to talk about us. Our future.”

Suddenly I want to leave again.

“What future?” I ask quietly. “We both know you have to choose a queen.”

“If I wanted to make you my lover, publicly…if it was okay with my queen, what would you say?”

My cheeks flame. “I don’t know.”

Hurt flashes in his eyes. “It’s all I can offer.”

“I know,” I say.

“I wouldn’t demand all of your time. Your people wouldn’t have to know if you didn’t want them to. But I’m proud of you, Flynn. I’m proud of us, of the love we make. You give happiness to me and the galaxy, and you should be known for it—“

“I told you I’m not ready. I’m still…discovering who I am.”

He nods, looking a little dejected. “I see.”

“Look, I can’t say what we are.” I stand, grabbing the plate of cake. “Let’s head back to the chambers, and I’ll apologize for leaving you.”

“I can’t,” he says, shaking his head sorrowfully, a flush on his perfect cheeks.

“I see,” I say. “Why? You have an appointment with some queen? You don’t want me because I can’t say what we are?”

His face flames deeper. “No, Flynn. I can’t.”

My chest tightens with rage, despite myself. “I see. So we’re over then.” I stride away from the table abruptly after setting the plate on the table. “I’ll leave you alone then. I shouldn’t have come. Sorry for bothering you. You’re probably awaiting an interlude, and—“

“I’m stuck!”

I’m almost to the door as those extremely hot words hit me. I slowly turn on my heel, looking back at him.

“You’re…what?”

He’s quiet now, and I can see his bright red face even from here.

I take a step forward. “What was that, Boreas? I can’t hear you.”

He says nothing, just grumbles something under his breath and then lets out a cough.

Suddenly the most hilarious explanation of why he isn’t in our bedchambers at the moment comes to mind.

‘I can’t’.

I laugh despite myself.

“Well, if nothing is wrong, I suppose I’ll head to bed. See you in the morning.”

“Flynn, damn it, I know you heard me! Don’t make me say it again!”

“But I didn’t hear you,” I say, definitely teasing now. “So I guess it’s off to the room for me, since you don’t want to come with me.”

I walk to the door again, opening it, knowing I’m going to turn back when—

“I’ll never forgive you for leaving me, Flynn,” he says quietly. “You know I’m stuck.”

I feel slightly guilty as I turn back to him. I walk over to the side of his chair and look down at him, putting both hands on my hips. “You have to be kidding. How can the king of kings be stuck?”

“It’s your fault,” he says, looking adorably flustered as he pouts up at me. “The queens were aggressive. You weren’t there to guard me.” He flushes. “You know I have no self control where granting wishes is involved.”

I eye the arms of his chair, digging into him. It has been looking…strained lately. “Why don’t you just break it?”

He frowns. “I used all my magic. I’m really weak, Flynn.”

I snort. “I’m tempted to leave you there, teach you a lesson about going too far at banquets. I won’t always be there you know.”

He gives me another adorable pout. “Come on, give a king a hand.” He struggles to move. “Oof, maybe two.”

I sit next to him. “So you’ve seriously been sitting in that chair, just stuck, and you didn’t call for me?”

He glares at me indignantly. “How would I do that?”

I laugh. “I suppose so. What about the mushroom guard?”

“There’s no harm in sitting here.” He grins. “And I knew you would come for me eventually.” He frowns. “Though I was starting to wonder if you were with a queen.”

I pick up the plate of cake, playing with it. “I was wondering the same thing. My jealousy is staring to inflame me, king.”

His gaze is soft now, patient, But he grimaces at the cake. “I said no, Flynn.”

I take a bite it of, then wince at its sweetness and set it down. Then I pick it up again, winking at him. “Then again, maybe we could break you out of there. Break the arms off—“

“Flynn!” He says. Then he rests back, looking so uncomfortable I just want to rescue him. “I just want out. I just want to go to bed with you. Is that so much to ask?”

I eye the chair. “I don’t know. The chair thinks so.” I push at his heft, which is truly wedged. “I’m not sure a simple fire fae can get you out of there. Should I call the mushroom guards? The muscly ones?”

“You wouldn’t dare!” He nearly shouts, then reduces his voice to a whisper. “No one should see the king in such a state. He should always be strong.”

“Don’t let this happen again then,” I say, only mildly jealous that he let the queens feed him enough to get stuck in a chair without me.

He shrugs. “If you’re not there, I make no promises.”

“Then I make no promises to get you out.” I stand, folding my arms.

“Flynn!”

“Alright, alright,” I say, because teasing him is fun, but saving him is better. Waving a hand, I use my fire on the arms of the chair, using my magic to isolate it from his skin, so it doesn’t burn him. My control over such things is absolute.

He stares in wonder as the impediments holding him disappear, and stands hesitantly, surging forward in an ungainly way, catching himself on the table.

Then he beams up at me. “That’s wonderful, Flynn. Next time I’m stuck, I know to call you immediately!”

I flush slightly at the compliments, and put my arm through his, helping him up. “All right, your kingliness. But don’t get in the habit of it. Someone else could take advantage of such a position.”

He frowns. “I’d kill them.”

“Really?” I say, walking him to the door. “I thought you said you were out of magic.”

“Well, if I were truly in danger, I’m sure I could—“

The doors fly open and a mushroom guard runs in, interrupting us. “Prince Boreas, you’re needed at the gate of the vale! Someone is breaching us!”

Brett instantly stands up straighter. He moves aside from me and rushes to kneel before the guard.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Prince Boreas.”

“No, tell me everything Teyran.”

He’s in king mode and I just have to grin, even though I was hoping to get him back to the bedroom.

But now, I just hope everything with his kingdom is fine.

Because by the way Teyran is gesticulating, things seem anything but.