by Cara E Holt
trying and failing over and over again to stop him. I can feel my temper and frustration building each
time I fail and I’m not sure whether I want to punch his cocky face or jump on him and kiss him silly.
At one point he takes his top off complaining of the heat and I have to stop myself from drooling at
him and concentrate on what he is saying to me. This time he comes at me and I end up thrown to
the floor with him on top of me. We both stare at each other breathlessly and my eyes fall to his lips.
Noah coughs making us remember we aren’t alone and Lorcen jumps up off of me barking grumpily
that we are done for the day. He walks over to where Noah is now stood.
“I need alcohol.” He tells him and Noah smiles putting a hand on his shoulder. “I feel your pain
cousin.”
I look at them both puzzled as to what they are talking about. I bend down to pick up my towel and I
hear Lorcen curse and when I turn around he is gone.
“What’s up with him?” I ask feeling confused.
Noah shakes his head smiling and comes over putting an arm over my shoulder. “You really don’t
have a clue do you princess? I don’t think he knows whether to cuddle you up and protect you or
throw you on the floor and ravish you!”
“Oh.” I say blushing and not knowing quite what to say in response to that.
“Let’s get you back to your room to shower and change. I’ll get Megan to look after you for a few
hours. I need to go and make sure my cousin doesn’t drink himself into a coma.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
Noah drops me half an hour later over at the east wing of the castle where he tells me are his and
Megan’s living quarters. Megan hugs me clearly delighted to see me.
“I have been pecking Noah’s head about when I could see you!” She tells me offering me a seat on
the sofa next to her.
“It’s so nice to see a friendly face, especially someone I know.” I tell her.
“So how are you dealing with all this?” She asks me and I sigh and shake my head. So much has
happened in less than a week that it is difficult to try and process it all.
“I’m doing okay I guess. Feeling a little overwhelmed.”
She nods and pats my hand. “I can imagine, being matched to two princes can’t be easy.”
I groan in response. “It’s fecking awful. There’s all this pressure on me to choose and I know
Whomever I choose I leave the other with no mate. On top of that I have to get used to the idea of
being a future queen in a world that just feels strange to me.”
Megan nods in sympathy. “ I don’t envy you. Have you any idea on who you might choose?”
I sigh and smile. “I think so. Lorcen. I just can’t think straight when I’m around him.”
Megan laughs. “Lorcen does tend to have that effect on the ladies, both here and in the human
world.”
I smile in agreement. “I just don’t know how to read him. One minute he’s all softness and telling
me I’m meant for him and the next he’s grouchy and snapping at me and storming off.”
“Lorcen’s not had it easy you know. He lost his father at a young age and being the future king he
hasn’t had much of childhood with all that is expected of him. He had to grow up very quickly. He
has somewhat of a reputation of being tough and dangerous. Lorcen likes to feel in control of his life
and you being matched to him and another is something totally out of control and he hates it.”
I nod her explanation makes sense.
“Thank you for listening to me moan on.” I tell her sometime later after we have chatted and ate
lunch.
“Anytime. I mean it anytime you want a girl’s opinion on what’s going on come and find me.”
Megan escorts me back to Lorcen’s rooms and advises me to make myself comfy saying she is sure
Lorcen will be back soon. I turn on the TV but it is all fae stuff and not stuff I find I can get into. I turn
the TV off and wander into the library deciding to find myself a book. I seat myself on the sofa in
front of the roaring warm fire and start the book.
I must have fallen asleep as I wake sometime later and find the day is drawing in and my belly
rumbles telling me I’m hungry. I make my way into the kitchen and find Lillia has left some stew in
containers in the fridge that I can heat up on the oven. After I have eaten I don’t really know what
to do with myself. I would go and explore the castle but it’s so big and I would feel cheeky just
wandering around. With nothing else to really do I head back into the library and pick up my book
back where I left it. Before I know it is ten at night and Lorcen still isn’t home. I laugh at myself at
that thought as I sound like the little wife waiting at home for her husband’s return. My muscles are
still sore from training today so I decide to run myself a bath and have a good long soak. When I
come out of the bathroom and back into my room I had kind of hoped he would be back but he isn’t,
so feeling increasingly pissed off that he has abandoned me I take myself off to bed deciding to get
an early night.
I wake the following morning and shower and get on my training gear. I open the door to my room
and pause in my steps when I see Lorcen’s room empty and his bed is still made as if it hasn’t been
slept in. I tell myself he is probably up already but when I enter the kitchen there is only Lillia there
bustling around the kitchen. She looks at me sympathetically and sits me down offering me food and
coffee.
“Does he do this a lot? Stay out all night?” I ask her and then I feel bad as I can see I have put her on
the spot.
“Ah he’ll be passed out in the barn lovey don’t you worry. No fae girl could turn his head while you
are around.”
After I have eaten I decide I’m tired of sitting around waiting for someone who has clearly decided
he has better things to do than spend time with me and decide to head down to the training rooms
on my own and get some practice in. I feel very self conscious when I get down there and all the
male fae stop and stare at me as I walk through. I pause at the door to the room when I can’t see a
handle and I’m unsure what to do now.
“Need a hand?” Says a voice behind me that makes me shiver. I turn around and find Devlon’s dark
eyes watching me.
“Devlon.” I say surprised.
“The one and only.” He smiles in response, now I know where his brother gets his cockiness from.
“What are you doing down here on your own sweet?”
“I’ve come to train.” I tell him determinedly.
“In need of an instructor?” He asks but it almost feels like a challenge rather than a question.
I’m about to politely say no but thank you when I think stuff it! I want to train and if Lorcen can’t be
bothered being here to do it then why not let his brother do it.
“Yes please.” I tell him which earns me one of his strange smiles. He flicks the door open with his
magic and we enter inside. Devlon walks over to the wall of weapons and takes down two swords.
“Lorcen has had me working on basic defence I tell him.”
He smiles offering me a sword. “I think you’re more than capable of learning to wield a sword.
Besides defensive moves won’t help you kill a barguest hunting you down.”
I nod in agreement and Devlon spends the next hour showing me how to hold a sword and basic
movements. He
is a bit too touchy feely for my liking but I shrug it off grateful that he is taking up his
own time to teach me.
I slash the sword around smiling and he smiles at me. “I feel like Shee-ra.” I tell him and when he
looks at me puzzled I tell him she is an eighties cartoon heroine.
We are in the middle of sparring with swords when Lorcen sifts into the room with Noah and he
looks at me and then at Devlon and he looks furious. I notice he is in the same clothes as yesterday
and my heart sinks as to what that may mean. He storms over to Devlon and pushes his chest with
his own. “What the fucking hell do you think you’re doing brother?”
Devlon stands there calmly and smiles. “What does it look like? I’m teaching Shee-ra here to use a
sword.”
I chuckle at Devlon referring to me as Shee-ra and I am met with a scowl from Lorcen which just
angers me further I mean who does he think he is!
“Has he hurt you?” He asks me looking concerned and angry at the same time.
I shake my head. “Of course not.”
Lorcen’s eyes turn back to his brother and he gets right up in his face. “You need to leave. She is
mine understand?”
“I’ve been training her while you have been what crawling out of some fae tarts bed? She deserves
so much more than you!” He growls fiercely at Lorcen.
“Fuck you!” Lorcen shouts back and I notice curious fae have gathered around the open door way
the sound of arguing drawing their attention. I move over to where Lorcen is all up in Devlon’s face
and push my way in-between them with my back to Devlon.
“Firstly I am not yours! Secondly you need to calm down and back off.” I stand there hands on hips
looking at him furiously. “Devlon has been an excellent and patient trainer.”
Lorcen frowns at me. “You don’t know him like I do Ebs.”
I melt a little when he calls me Ebs as it feels personal but then I remember he’s been out all night
doing god knows what!
“I’ll make my own judgements on who I spend my time with!” I reply prodding him in the chest with
my finger making him step back a step.
Lorcen looks over my shoulder at Devlon. “I’ll take over from here.”
“Ha, like hell you will! “ I tell him firmly. “You stink like a pub and are in yesterday’s clothes.”
Lorcen glares at me and says firmly. “I train you, no one else.”
“Fuck you!” I reply. I can feel my anger building inside me. I know I’m not really mad about the
current situation in fact the jealousy he displays at me spending time with his brother is actually
rather sweet but I am mad at the fact that he left me alone for most of the day yesterday choosing
instead to go get drunk and how do I not know he didn’t stumble out of some fae tarts bed this
morning!
Lorcen grins at me then. “Potty mouth.” The fact that he tries to make light of the situation and
teases me pushes me over the edge and I step forward and shove him. Only it’s a little more than a
shove and Lorcen goes flying across the room and crashes into the wall, sliding down to the floor.
I gasp looking at my hands in shock. I catch Devlon looking at me with interest. Noah rushes over to
where Lorcen is sat looking a bit dazed. Part of me wants to rush over and ask if he is okay but the
stubborn and angry part of me wins and I storm out of the training room, pushing past the
crowd that has gathered and somehow manage to find my way back up to my room. I slam the door
and turn the lock. I sit there shaking on the bed looking at my hands, where on earth did all that
strength come from? I suddenly feel very scared and alone in this crazy ass fae world.
There’s a knock at my door which makes me jump.
“Ebony.” Lorcens voice says softly “Are you okay?”
I stay silent and ignore him.
“I didn’t stay with a girl last night. I got stupid drunk and Noah took me to his house. I passed out
on his sofa.”
“What you do is none of my business.” I say in response. I fold my arms and frown at the door.
“It is your business.” He replies. “I’m sorry about yesterday I just needed some thinking time.”
I see the door handle turning. “Don’t you dare use your magic to open this door!” I warn him but
before I can say anymore the door opens and he is stood there before me looking all unsure of
himself.
I storm over to him. “How dare you unlock that door!”
“It’s my home.” He says winking at me. That just angers me more and I stomp my foot like a child
and point a finger at him. “Actually it’s your mother’s home.”
He stalks closer to me his eyes looking determined. “You look so flipping beautiful when you’re angry.”
I step back and back as he comes closer until my legs hit the frame of my bed.
“I said I was sorry.” He says softly and then before I can say another word his lips are on mine and I respond with urgency wrapping my legs around his waist and he holds me there while he kisses me. I should push him away but my deceitful body craves his touch. His kisses make me forget everything and I just want more of him. Lorcen pulls his lips away and sighs his forehead against mine.
“I can’t think straight when I’m around you Ebs. It’s a feeling I’m not used to. Whenever I’m around you all I can think about is making you mine. My lips on yours, my body against yours. I can’t get enough of you and it scares the shit out of me.”
“I’m scared too.” I admit and he smiles at me and rubs his nose against mine.
“Truce?” He asks as he dips and kisses my neck.
“Truce.” I agree breathlessly savouring his touch.
“We are spending the rest of the day together.” He tells me still holding me in his arms. “Get showered and I’ll meet you in the living room in twenty minutes.” He quickly kisses my lips and then places me down and leaves the room with me stood there in a daze like some silly love struck kid.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
I quickly shower and change into fitted blue trousers and a plain blue roll neck top pairing it with a pair of black knee length boots. I pull my hair into a tight pony and touch my cheeks with some blusher and take a look at myself in the mirror. Aoife is a talented fae, as the trousers fit me like a glove. I leave my room and head for the living room where I find Lorcen stood out on the balcony looking out, deep in thought. He is wearing black leather trousers and a black top that buttons up one side of his chest. A belt holds a mighty looking sword in place. He looks every inch a fae prince, jaw droppingly male in every sense of the word.
“You’re staring.” He says turning to smile at me.
“I don’t stare, I observe.” I tell him smiling back.
He comes over and takes my hand in his. “You’re going to need a coat.” He pulls me back along the corridor to my room and over to the wardrobe. He pulls out a white fur like cape and drapes it over my shoulders, fastening it by a button at the front. He stays before me and leans into my ear. “By the way the boots, looks very very sexy.”
I blush and mumble thanks. I can’t resist rubbing my cheek against the cape it’s so soft and warm. I look up and find Lorcen watching me with a look of desire in his eyes. He coughs and steps back
“Let’s get out of here.”
On his way out Lorcen flicks a finger and a black cloak floats along and settles on his shoulders. My unseelie prince looks every inch the dark handsome fearful warrior he is rumoured to be.
We cross the castle courtyard and enter a stable. “We are going riding?” I ask surprised.
He nods. “You’ve ridden before right?”
“Actually it’s a unicorn, not a giraffe.” He laughs teasingly. Stroking the mane of a large and beautiful chestnut coloured unicorn. “This is Anlon.” He tells me.
“What an unusual name.” I say in awe gazing at it.
“Its name means champion.” He tells me as the unicorn nuzzles against his hand.
I laugh watching him stroke the beautiful creature. “Yours then I presume?”
He smiles and shakes his head. “You presume wrong, this is my brothers, but this,” he says taking my hand and leading me further down. “This is my boy.” This unicorn is much larger and is jet black and looks fearless. “This is Aralt. It means leader.”
He takes me over to a smaller grey unicorn “This little beauty is Blathma and for today she is yours. She is my sisters.”
I move closer and tentatively reach out my hand, the unicorn leans in and allows me to stroke her.
“I can’t believe I’m stroking a unicorn!” I say beaming at Lorcen and he is staring at me as if transfixed.
“Something wrong?” I ask him wondering if I have something on my face. Lorcen smiles and shakes his head taking Blathma and Aralt by the reigns and leading them outside. Lorcen drops beside Blathma and bends offering me his hands to step into, which I do and placing my hand on his shoulder manage to mount her and don’t end up falling on my arse as I expected. Lorcen leads us out of the castle grounds through a side entrance and out into beautiful snow covered country side.
We trot slowly for about half an hour and Lorcen points out landmarks off in the distance.
“We are going to need to move a bit faster if we want to make it to where I want to show you. Think you can handle a gallop?” He asks and before I can answer he smacks Blathma on her rump and she takes off. I quickly grab tighter to the reigns and hold on for dear life. He comes up alongside of me grinning. “Let’s see if you can keep up.” He says challenging me and gallops off ahead of me. I squeeze my thighs gently and Blathma moves quicker and I laugh as I gallop to catch up to Lorcen.
Up ahead Lorcen has stopped and is waiting for me. I catch up and we slow to a trot again.
