Free Dark Waters by Liia Ann White

DARK
WATERS
     
    The Water Lands, 1
     
    Liia Ann White
     
    Copyright
© 2013
     
     
     
    Chapter One
     
    “Lady Adora Belira ,
Princess of the
Seelie Court
, daughter of King Polara , and future ruler of the Water Lands.”
    As the kingdom’s attendant announced her arrival in the
court, Adora rolled her eyes. Stating her entire
title each time she entered the room was so ridiculous and unnecessary. But
Father had always been a stickler for rules. He was one of the last remaining
old-school faeries, insisting his lands follow the ancient laws laid down by
the Originals.
    Adora had never followed the rules.
Her mother was the enforcer of the family. Since she’d died, Adora had used her father’s obliviousness to her advantage
and rebelled against him and the kingdom at every chance she got.
    Father looked down at her clothing with a frown. She
preferred to wear combat gear, consisting of a skin-tight top, pants, and
versatile boots. The rest of the kingdom would prefer she conform and dress in
something more fitting for a princess, a flowing gown that had no practical use
whatsoever. She was a healer for the army. She needed to be prepared for
anything.
    “I do wish you’d wear something Kilip has prepared for you, even if only when dining in the court.” Father spoke with
a slight wheeze.
    “And I do wish you’d see someone about that cough you have,”
she told him, sticking out her chin stubbornly. “It’s getting worse, Father.”
    Adora sat by his side at the head
of the royal dining table. Several heads turned and people gasped when she
spoke to the king with a tone of disrespect. Once again, she rolled her eyes.
She’d been doing a lot of that lately.
    “Mind your business,” Adora snapped at the gawkers. All of them looked down and focused on their own
conversations. She turned back to her father, filled with concern. “Please,
Father. You’re becoming ill. You need to slow down.”
    He waved a dismissive hand at her. “Oh, please. I’m Fae . We don’t get these illnesses you keep referring to.
I’m twelve hundred years old. I’ve had a full life. Maybe it’s the Fates
telling me it’s almost your time to rule the Court.”
    A shudder spread through Adora’s very being. Although she’d been trained for it her
entire life, she never wanted to be a queen. She hated politics and had also
grown tired of death threats. Ever since she was born, there had been several
assassination attempts. While the majority had some from the
Unseelie Court
and the
Fire
Lands
, some had come from her own
kingdom. Her parents had the traitors executed. She hated being royalty.
    “You know how I feel about becoming queen,
Father.”
    The king picked up his fork and waited for a servant to
place a plate of food before him. “We are not discussing this again. Especially in front of our guests.”
    Guests. Adora scoffed.
Those who shared the dining room were friends, followers and sexual slaves of
her father’s. Faeries were very sexual beings. They partook in intimate acts in
front of company just as they would eat or drink. While she was no prude, Adora definitely didn’t approve of women fondling and
kissing her father while she sat inches away.
    When a blue-haired vixen ran her hand up the king’s thigh, Adora stood so quickly her chair flew out behind her. “I’ll
be in my quarters if you need me.” She almost growled the words out.
    Father barely seemed to notice, too busy concentrating on
his food and dick to pay attention to her hissy fit.
    Adora stormed down the hallway
toward her living quarters, angry at the vulgarity of the woman with her
father. Crossing the bridge over the lake that separated her quarters from the
rest of the castle, she came to an abrupt halt. She was acutely aware of the
fact that she was by herself. She’d never been truly alone. Guards always
followed her. No matter where she went, at least one pair of eyes watched her.
She always sensed them.
    But right now, she was