As she waited, her mind started to drift. Her breathing slowed as she remembered the wet heat between her legs as the paddle had swung, smacking against her skin over and over again. The intensity of the wizard's eyes as he stared at her hungrily. Amara's eyes closed as her grip on the paddle's handle loosened. She ached all over, but the ache in her core was deeper and different, needier. She jerked, her eyes snapped open as the lock clicked and the door opened. She tightened her grip on the paddle and threw her whole body upward into the swing. The paddle connected with Kiernan's face and cracked him squarely across his eyes and cheeks. Amara ducked under his arms as he clutched as his face and shouted curses while she made her way toward the stairs. She climbed them as quickly as she could, one hand pulling herself along by the railing, the other gripped desperately on the handle of the paddle. She made the top and swung the door shut behind her and the lock clicked shut. A moment later the door shuddered as Kiernan slammed into it and started to shout again.
"Dammit! Just stop and listen to me, it's not wha-MARK! Don't let the bitch leave the house!" He slammed into the door again as Amara flicked her eyes from side to side, then limped quickly to the right, the paddle held up in trembling hands like a baseball bat. Her guess was rewarded with the sight of a window, and she shambled towards it and escape. There was an organic crunching sound from around the corner and Amara turned toward it, then let out a small squeak as something large, furred, and on all fours leapt into the hallway with her. The beast rose to stand straight, threw its head up to point to the ceiling, and howled.
"Quemar!" Amara pivoted, eyes wide as the sound of the stairwell door crashing open hit her pointed ears. Kiernan rounded the corner, clearly pissed off. His face was badly bruised, with two black eyes and blood trickling from his nose. Amara backed up as he stalked toward her, then let out a yelp as strong, furry arms encircled her around the waist from behind. The werewolf picked her up easily as she dropped the paddle in surprise then started to yell wordlessly and shove at his arms. Kiernan closed in and reached for Amara, his intent to grab her hands and talk to her. Amara began to scream and flailed as panic and fear lent her strength, and landed a kick from one delicate foot in Kiernan's gut. He doubled over and groaned as she continued to struggle, and he backed up even though her strength was fading and threw his hands up. "Take her to the bathroom and run her a bath, would you? I don't need her to break my nose again," he said to Mark as he stood back up, a wince on his discolored face.
"What were you expecting, Kiernan? Her dad is the fucking HuntsKing. You're lucky she only managed to hit you a few times." He shifted his grip on Amara and pinned her arms down as she went limp, his words echoed in her head. Her father was the leader of the Wyld Hunt? Mark and Kiernan's words faded to dull buzz that she ignored as she tried to digest this information.
She'd been told that she had been found on a battlefield, that the Summer King had taken her in as a friend for his own daughter. Of course, as the years went by it had become clear what her true role was; a replacement if the real Lady died. Someone had to bear the power of the role, or the balance between the Courts would tip. Weakness and discord couldn't be afforded, not if the fae were to survive. Humanities numbers had decided the war long ago. But the Fae kept their Hills within the Wastes of the North, and humans had left them alone. Rumours had been whispered that there were Fae who refused to cede the world to humans, who wanted to fight back and reclaim the ancient kingdoms. But those had to be dreams of madness, Amara thought to herself. Defeating humanity now would be impossible. As for her father...the werewolf had to be mistaken. If her parents hadn't died in the battle, why would they have left her there?
While Amara's pretty head spun with thoughts, Kiernan started the taps running and then left the bathroom after telling Mark to meet him outside. He stood outside the bathroom door and Amara blinked, her head lifted up as she noticed his absence. Mark set her down on the edge of the tub and clumsily gathered several towels and a robe from the closet and set them nearby. Amara watched him mistrustfully as he turned the taps off and growled lowly, irritated with the difficulty of the task with his claws. Steam rose up and filled the air as he looked at Amara pointedly and gestured to the tub. She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned up at him as he shrugged. The shrug lengthened and continued and Amara winced and looked away as fur vanished and limbs popped and shortened. She slowly opened her eyes as Mark wrapped a towel around his human waist and sighed heavily as she glared at him.
"Look. The situation has...changed, if you would." Mark started, his voice tinged with awkwardness. "You should take a bath and relax...clean up, whatever. After that, Kiernan said he'll have dinner ready, and you two need to talk." Amara made a noise of disbelief and Mark raised his hands. "Look, he's an ass and probably deserves it, but try not to hit him again, alright? This situation is bad for both of you." He exited the bathroom and shut the door behind him, letting the lock click shut. He looked over at Kiernan and shook his head as the two moved away. "You just couldn't do the job and return her. You just haaaad to keep her. Now you've pissed off the Summer Court and the HuntsKing in one move." Kiernan groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Hope the sex was worth it, dude, because the WyldHunt is going to run you down."
"The Hunt hasn't been seen in human realms for over seventy years," Kiernan muttered, and his shoulders tightened as Mark laughed.
"They haven't had a reason to break the treaties and hunt beyond their borders. But someone kidnapping the HuntsKing's daughter and stealing her magic? They're going to kill you, unless you can wizard your way out of this fuck up." He waved a hand at Kiernan and stepped outside to shift into his wolf form and lope off. He disappeared into the forest of evergreens and Kiernan shut the front door, then leaned against it and sighed heavily.
Inside the bathroom, Amara hugged herself and stared at the door warily, then glanced at the steam as it rose from the hot water in the tub. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, then unbraided her hair. She moved slowly, her exertion and bruises having sapped what little strength the cuffs allowed her, and lowered herself into the water. An audible moan escaped her lips as she sank into the steaming warmth, golden eyes half-opened and dazed at the relief provided by the bath. Her hair spread out around her like the petals of a flower as she relaxed and leaned forward. Her chin rested on the edge of the basin as her eyes moved lazily over the gleaming white marble tiled wall, then popped open as her reflection smiled at her. The water splashed slightly as she jerked back, face filled with shock as the faery in the reflection raised her hand. "Amaranth, I found you! We've all been searching." The reflection smiled again. "I'm your sister, Snowdrop."
