Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Flanna grins, showing her gapped teeth. I find myself fascinated by another nonhuman creature. Despite my aching head, I kneel down to get on the same level as the brownie. It seems like the polite thing to do. I feel Cian’s pleasure at my gesture. The bond makes it easy to sense his moods.
“Hello, I’m Meg. It’s very nice to meet you.”
The brownie bows deeply. “And you, Your Highness. I cannot express my joy at this bonding. It has saved us all. Surely Danu herself sent you to us.”
I look up at Cian, hoping he’ll explain who Danu is.
He merely grins down at me. “I’ll give you a full lecture on the religious beliefs of the Fae at another time, sweetheart. For now, our people await. They long to meet their queen.”
I’m up on my feet in an instant. “Queen?”
His smile is slow and sure as he leans over and whispers in my ear. “What do you think they call the woman who fucks the king, my lover? I know you’ve been fucking big brother, and I mean to have some of that, too. I’ll have you in my bed by the end of the week. I promise you won’t want to leave.” He drops a light kiss on my cheek and walks to the door. “Get dressed, my queen. We have a party to attend.”
With that, he winks and disappears behind the door. I sink to the bed and take a deep breath. I thought Beckett was a lot to deal with. He hadn’t actively tried to seduce me. Cian has just made a declaration of intent.
“He’s a charmer, that one,” Flanna is saying with a chuckle as she walks to the small wardrobe. She goes on tiptoes to open the door and pulls down a sumptuous-looking gown. “I wouldn’t bother trying to hold him off, Your Highness. He’ll be in your bed before you know it. No woman can hold off Cian Finn when he wants her.”
“What about Maris?” The name comes straight into my head. I search my new memories. The blonde Fae bondmate was named Maris.
Flanna’s eyes widen in obvious surprise. She hands the dress to me. “He performed a true bonding, then?”
“So he tells me.” The dress is sapphire blue with flowing skirts. There’s delicate embroidery around the bodice. It’s like nothing I’ve ever worn before. This is the dress of a faery princess. “She was his fiancée?”
Flanna nods. “She was engaged to the princes at a very young age. Their father chose her. She came from impeccable bloodlines. She was very much the lady.”
While the brownie’s voice was even, there’s hostility there as well. “You didn’t think she was right for Cian?”
“I didn’t think she was right for either of them,” Flanna corrects. “Come along, Your Highness. I will help you get dressed while we gossip. It’s a sacred thing in a royal court, and I’ve missed having a queen to gossip with.”
I allow Flanna to pull and prod me into the dress while she speaks.
“Maris was a cold girl, and she would have become an even colder woman,” the brownie explains. “Beck accepted the betrothal because Beck always obeyed his father. He convinced Cian to accept it as well, but I know Cian was worried about actually bonding with her. He would never have formed a full bond with her, I promise you that.”
Flanna gets on the bed to button the dress up the back.
“He was pretty out of it. I don’t know that he intended to go so far with me. Beck didn’t.” I watch in the mirror as Flanna puts the finishing touches on the dress. I don’t recognize myself.
I’m such a long way from Fort Worth.
“Don’t let that worry you,” Flanna says, getting off the bed. “Beck has his reasons. He’s done things he’s not proud of. Give him time. Let him come to trust you.”
Shaking my head, I stand and smooth the skirts one last time. Flanna gives me soft slippers for my feet. I don’t tell her I have no intention of bonding with either brother any more than I already have. It isn’t fair, but I don’t intend to give Cian a chance to hurt me. I will get through the evening and then sit Cian down in the morning for a thorough discussion of how this “marriage” is going to work.
In the meantime, I will get used to my new home. From the sounds of the party going on in the front yard, it seems as though I’m about to meet the entire village. It’s time to put my game face on and start that learning curve.
I allow Flanna to escort me to the door. We walk into the living room. The music is louder out here. The door is open, and I can see the night beyond is lit up with torches and a huge bonfire. All manner of Fae creatures dance around the bonfire. Some of them don’t look even vaguely human. I feel my jaw dropping and force it to close.