CHAPTER 206

He nodded. "If anyone's listening in, I'm unaware of it. And you have my word that I won't share anything you tell me in confidence, as long as we're on friendly terms."

"It is considered ill-advised to make such a promise to the fae," she whispered. "What if I should decide to take you up on it?"

He shrugged. "If you think it would help you feel better, go ahead. Vent a little. Cry. Throw a huge temper tantrum. I won't tell anyone about it."

"Do you know why I've been taking long walks with the others, Caretaker?" She opened her eyes, and golden light blazed from them as if a switch had been flipped.

"I thought you wanted some personal space with a little company is all. Everyone here is really nice, some just take longer to get to know."

"I spoke with them to ensure that they were not enslaved, that they were here of their own free will. That you did not pretend for my sake, did not try to trick me with this strange soul of yours. In terms I think you can understand, I wanted to know if you were too good to be true."

This made him laugh. "Honestly, I'm just doing my best to stay alive and be myself. I think the others see me as better than I really am, but that's okay. That's how love is supposed to work, right?"

"Indeed." The queen took a step toward him and grabbed onto him with all four hands, two on his shoulders, the others on his waist. "I would like to make a bargain."

"A bargain?" It suddenly occurred to him that he was no longer close to the house. If she were to try something, would the others even be able to come and save him? Would they even know to?

"This Dreamscape of yours has become a refuge for me, a place that I do not fear appearing weak, nor do I fear dishonesty."

"Have you talked to Lily yet?" he muttered. "Cause I know she has to tell the truth, but she will bend it quite a lot."

Titania snorted. "Indeed. But what I refer to is the idea that all these souls of yours have value, not in their essence, but in their counsel. In fact, the nymph is far wiser than expected."

"Absolutely." There wasn't a doubt in his mind that this was true.

"I spoke of this story to each of them and asked that they keep it a secret from you. Tonight, I have discovered to my delight that they have kept their word, and you are hearing this tale for the first time. This is something I value highly, for any decision I make in the fae realm has no bearing on their existence here."

"You can trust them to be objective."

"Precisely." Titania was so close to him now that he could feel the warmth of her body, smell the mint of her breath. If she was getting ready to pull one over on him, he was not ready for it. "I want you for your mind, Caretaker. I wish to be able to come and visit this place as I please, to be free to roam, to speak of my problems with no fear of reprisal. This place is special, even to an immortal such as myself."

"That...uh..." He wasn't so sure about giving the queen unfettered access to his brain, but how could he put it politely? "I guess I have some concerns."

"I understand. But you should know that my presence here would be on your terms alone. I cannot visit while you are awake, and even while you sleep, you may not notice my presence at all. I would do nothing to hinder or harm you, though I may seek your advice or company on occasion. I wish to see the man you become, Mike Radley. You intrigue me."

"As long as you intend no ill will and cause no harm, I think that would be fine." If there was a loophole she intended to exploit, he would have the actual Lily come inside his head and beat her ass, if necessary. Between his gut telling him it was okay and the sheer vulnerability radiating from the queen, he felt it was a good deal.

"Good. In exchange for this access, I am prepared to give you something valuable in return. I will lose our duel, but I cannot simply forfeit." She tilted her head knowingly. "Even though it would be a sound decision to forfeit, such actions can create powerful magic of their own and may weaken my hold on the fae realm. There are dark forces that wait everywhere, Caretaker. This is a valuable lesson that I believe you have already learned."

"Indeed, but...what, you just want me to beat you at the duel?"

She nodded. "I wish for you to use your magic on me, per our agreement. If I lose the duel, then it will be known that it was by your magic and trickery alone. Any status I lose among the nobles will be seen as minimal, and the fallout will be arbitrary. Showing favor to a mortal is one thing, but a complete forfeiture of a duel is unacceptable."

"You do know what my magic does, right?" He wanted to be absolutely sure that she understood what was about to happen. "It isn't just about being able to scream like Cecilia or manipulate the Dreamscape like Lily. It's...kind of a sex thing."

"This is your world, Mike Radley. I ask that anything you do here with me remain a secret between us." Her upper hands slid up to his neck, and her lower hands moved around to his back as she pulled him close. "Can we agree on this?"

"Yes," he whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I guess I'll just tell everybody that I got really lucky and won somehow."

"Oh, you're about to get luckier than you've ever been. Let me feel it, Caretaker. Show me your true power."