Exton

Glancing at the bathroom door and the sounds of a shower Inari smiles, A woman? Is that what has kept him here? He deserves whatever comfort he has found after being held by that bitch... “I have spoken to Queen Titania, she sends her sympathy and wanted me to tell you that you are released from service and may stay here if that is your wish. She feels responsible for what has happened to you and Conal...”

Gareth nods, manages to give voice to a strangled 'thank you' and is silent. His eyes shadowed with pain at the thought of Conal. “Morgan said she had his body dumped in the concrete, unsure if he was dead or not. The thought has haunted me. That and wondering what happened to you..”

Inside the bathroom Nick is relaying all that is said to Raina. He can hear the conversation as if it were taking place right next to him. To Raina the sounds are muffled and she can only tell there are two voices. “A queen? A queen sent her to talk to Gareth? What the hell is going on?”

Inari takes Gareths hand, “Are the two in the shower to be trusted? Do they know where you were and what happened?” Gareth's jaw drops and Inari smiles, “I am not psychic, I can hear them whispering to each other...”

Gareth smiles in return, “I have trusted them with my secrets and my life. There is little they dont know about me.”

At this point Nick and Raina slowly exit the bathroom. Raina is stunned, this woman looking nothing like the image she was building in her mind. She is so small, and fae obviously. Her eyes, many secrets held there, some dark, and much pain....

Inari knows that she is being sized up and makes her own observations in turn. A blood sucker? A handsome one, but still. They must trust him, he could kill either one in seconds. Her attention turns to Raina, a strong beautiful woman, shaman by the looks of her tattoos, and proud of her lineage. They both seem to be very protective of Gareth...

Gareth introduces Raina and Nick and hesitates at how to introduce Inari. She stands and takes each of their hands in turn, “I am called Inari, in service to Queen Titania. Please sit. I have something to tell Gareth and it would be good for him to have his friends here.” She takes a deep breath before beginning. “I know that Morgan led you to believe that for a long time Conal was still alive. After she caught the two of you together she had him and me brought to one of her courtyards near the back of the house. She whipped him repeatedly and when I demanded she stop she had me whipped as well. Gareth, his last thoughts were of you and he asked me to tell you that he loves you and would beyond death. His body is not in the concrete, I saw where they buried him. His body lays under the trees in the forest behind that bitchs estate. As I am sure do countless others.”

Gareth nods and whispers, “Thank you, so much” as the tears start. Raina wraps her arms around him, leans her head close to his and speaks softly to him, trying to offer some comfort.

Nick watches Inari watching Raina and Gareth. When she turns her steady gaze to him, he asks, “How did you escape? That bitch must have a lot of people working for her.”

“In truth, it wasn't that difficult. I could have left sooner had I been worried about only myself. But I stayed in hopes of managing to get the three of us away. She kept us separated as much as possible, she is not a unintelligent person, but careless at times. After she returned without Gareth I stayed only long enough to gather enough evidence against her to make sure she dies one way or the other.”

Gareth raises his head, “But who will testify? Every person on that estate is scared to death of Morgan.”

Smiling Inari says “The queen will listen to me and I have no need of witnesses. But to be on the safe side I took the servant Margaret and the human child she had recently taken to Queen Titania. She will see they are looked after and Margaret can still write if we have need of a witness. Murder, maiming her servants, taking human children, all are serious offenses in any realm. She will be sentenced to death if she isn't killed before that.”

Raina nods slowly but her thoughts are swirling, She has the ear and the complete trust of the queen of the Bright Court? So much so that her word is enough to condemn a person to death with no other witnesses needed? Who is she and what is she besides fae?