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asleep. I became aware of movement around us, the hyrða guards had formed an impenetrable wall. Not to protect Aliath from me, strangely enough. But to shield him, while he fed, from the prying eyes of the rest of the Dökkálfa Royal Court. I hadn't expected that. The Ljósálfar had been very open in their enjoyments. Sharing Light, considered an intimate and sacred thing, was done without shyness. Much of how they interacted intimately was done on display for all to see. The Dökkálfa obviously did not behave in the same fashion as their fairy cousins. Another point in their favour as far as I was concerned. Even if Michel had helped to lower my walls and encouraged me to participate in public shows of affection more now than ever before, I was still a very private person, when it came to things that made me blush.
    And the way Aliath held me right now was making me blush. He was no longer feeding, but his sated look and steel hold around my waist, made me realise he had gained more than just a full belly from feeding off my courage. He wasn't ready to release me, which was a good and a bad thing. I would have preferred a little distance, entirely too uncomfortable for my liking right now. But, if he kept me close, then maybe he wouldn't punish me for my transgressions today. And lets face it, I had just challenged the new Dökkálfa King. How could he not use me as an example to the rest of his Court?
    But what choice did I have? Spin until I passed out? I'm not that kind of girl. I'm Nosferatin. I fight back when cornered. I may have won the first round, getting Aliath to let me out of my cell. But right now, I was fairly sure I had just given up any ground I had gained. I had acted as Aliath would have expected, it may have caught him off guard, but it wasn't something I wouldn't normally have done.
    Had he predicted I would make this kind of mistake? Had I just walked right into his trap?
    He'd let me know he was the bigger spider, that he had the bigger web. I didn't truly believe him then. With hindsight, I was forced to change my opinion of that now.

Chapter 3
The Dökkálfa King
    I sat motionless on his lap, waiting for the spider to attack. But he didn't. He simply held me tightly and firmly, and leaned back in his chair with half lidded eyes.
    Obviously my courage had tasted divine.
    I glanced around our make-shift hollow, a private haven in the middle of a fully occupied throne room. Not that Aliath was sitting on his throne, but I was sure that's what this room was. Where he received his Court and any visitors. Everything on display with a good dollop of fairy pomp and circumstance.
    I had obviously been the entertainment. I wondered what his intentions were once my performance was completed. I could hear the fairies in the room talking quietly, calmly, as if his moment of indulgence hidden behind his Hyrða guards was all very acceptable. No one seemed to be surprised. Not even Aliath, if his relaxed and happy demeanour was anything to go by. But I couldn't help feeling I had thrown a spanner in the works, upset his plans. Me sitting on his lap and him feeding off me had not been on the cards.
    So, the longer it took for him to act, the more unsettled I became. Aliath was not one to be indecisive. I had never seen him hesitate to make his move before. But this moment, this halt to the proceedings because of something I had done, was unusual. Disconcerting even. My heart began to beat faster and my breathing was determined to keep pace.
    It took everything in me not to outwardly show my fear.
    Finally, after several minutes, Aliath shifted beneath me.
    "You must be careful, Princess," he whispered against my ear. "I may be quite replete, but if you continue to wantonly throw your courage about, I can not be held responsible for my behaviour."
    His words took me so much by surprise, I didn't temper my response.
    "I am what I am, Aliath and you are more than capable of saying no."
    His chest rumbled beneath my