“What is she to you?” I asked when Lyklor remained close-lipped.
The blond Fae glared at me as though I was intruding on his privacy. “What if I told you we were lovers?” he challenged.
“I doubt that very much,” I answered with a soft huff.
I knew my youngest sister better than anyone. Hmm, the same one who snuck off to market to make out with Devdan after I’d warned her to stay away. My confident smile lost some of its lift. Just because she didn’t want to talk about sex didn’t mean she wasn’t doing it. She’d gotten very close to Ryo as well. Oh my sky, was my baby sister playing the field?
I winced. I needed to get Mel back on the double and have another sex talk. We could skip over 101 and jump straight to multiple partners.
I couldn’t speak from personal experience, only tell her I loved her and wanted her to be happy and if it took three males to make her happy . . . well then, so be it. I was happy for her.
Luckily, I had all the male I needed.
I flashed Jhaeros a quick smile of gratitude before returning my attention to Lyklor. The little prick was goading me. “Even if you are involved, that’s fine with me so long as my sister is happy and you treat her right.”
“Yes,” Jhaeros spoke over me. “We both want Mel to be happy and treated right. Bad things happen to those who don’t.”
I nodded. “I think Lyklor understands us.”
Plus, he’d had a demonstration earlier when Jhaeros broke what sounded like a finger on Malon’s hand. He’d probably pictured it was the one Albedo had placed on my breast at the feathers and lace ball.
“Did you see Ryo with her?” I asked next.
Lyklor scowled. “No, I have not had the pleasure of meeting him,” he said sourly. “I take it he was the guard she arrived with. I never saw him.”
If Lyklor hadn’t known of Ryo’s entry into Ravensburg, maybe Albedo didn’t either.
“Albedo will have discovered him by now,” Lyklor said, dashing my hopes. “The moment he saw that your sister wasn’t Sarfina, he became suspicious. Where is the real Sarfina, by the way?”
“In the dungeons.”
“Will I get to meet my sister?”
I glanced at Jhaeros. “Maybe it’s time to bring her back up and see if she can behave. She might be supportive of Lyklor. He’s not Liri, after all.” We both took a close look at the blond Fae with his long bangs, swept aside in a devil-may-care fashion.
“We heard you wanted Ryo to be king.” Triumph and challenge rang in Lyklor’s voice.
I pursed my lips. “Where did you hear that?”
“From Isadore, who overheard you.”
My heart plummeted then rose right back up into my throat. “How did she overhear me?” I demanded.
“Liri,” Lyklor said. “She has a lock of his hair woven into her own. Anytime he portals in someplace, she can too.”
“Pitberries!” I cried, remembering the maid who had appeared shortly after Liri—the wench who had left an empty bucket out for me to trip over. My fingers curled into fists.
“She’s not still here?” Jhaeros asked in alarm.
Lyklor shook his head. “She portaled into Ravensburg soon after spying on him at Dahlquist. Once she leaves, she can’t return—not unless Liri does.”
“And is Liri aware of this loophole?” Jhaeros asked in a dangerously low voice. He pushed up his sleeves as though readying himself to give Liri a beating.
Lyklor shrugged. “I don’t know. Besides Teryani, I’ve never met any of my true siblings.”
“Lucky you,” Jhaeros muttered under his breath.
After Lyklor recounted everything he’d witnessed since Albedo had come into power at Ravensburg, I got up from the armchair.
It disturbed me to learn of Mel’s capture, but I could sleep easier knowing that Malon was in my dungeon and that Albedo cared more about status than punishment. Mel was too valuable to dispose of.
I lifted my shoulders and started for the door. Jhaeros trailed me, stopping when I paused at the entrance.
“You will meet Sarfina tomorrow. As for who will become king in Liri’s absence, ultimately that is the choice of Dahlquist citizens, and they chose you, Lyklor. Don’t let them down.” Or me, I added mentally.
Folas and Galather wouldn’t be happy, but Ryo was no longer an option.
Jhaeros closed the door behind us.
“Lyklor and Mel?” I asked the moment the door snapped into its frame. “I can’t picture it.”
Jhaeros wrinkled his nose. “I don’t want to picture your sister that way—ever.”
I snorted and quickly sobered. “Do you think she’ll be okay?”
“She’s too valuable.”
I nodded, relieved Jhaeros had come to the same conclusion.
“I was just thinking the same thing.” I slipped my hand around his arm, and we pressed together as we walked back to the throne room. “What do you think of training Lyklor to become king of Dahlquist?”
“I’ll work with him from sunup until sundown if that gets us out of this sky forsaken realm faster.”
I laughed. “Tell me how you really feel about Faerie.”
Jhaeros swung his chin my way and flashed me a wry smile. My belly warmed. His smiles were so few and far between that when he did grin, it lit up my whole heart.
“At least raising a baby will feel like a walk in the field after having to deal with all the children here.”
Galather and Folas were still standing outside the throne room, waiting.
“I don’t know what those two are going to do without you,” Jhaeros said for only me to hear.
“They respond best to female leadership.” I chuckled softly.
“Maybe Lyklor will give them a bride to obey. Mel?”
I smacked Jhaeros’s arm. “Don’t even kid,” I admonished. I looked upward, rubbing my lips together in thought. “Then again, a crown is probably the best Mel repellent in all the realms. Responsibility. Commitment. Self-imposed imprisonment inside the castle. Once peace is restored, she’ll never look back.”
“Are you sure about that?” Jhaeros asked.
“Pretty darn sure, but I would like to speak to Folas about the trip he and Mel took to Ravensburg—see if he noticed anything interesting between my sister and Lyklor. They were there a full week. I suppose Mel could have gotten bored. Are you coming with me?” I asked when Jhaeros pulled away as we neared the twins.
“Uh, not the kind of information I want details on. I’ll wait for you in our chamber,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Apparently Mel wasn’t the only one who didn’t like to stick around for sex talks.
Folas had no light to shine on the matter, though. He said that after introducing themselves at dinner the first night, the two had barely spoken. From what he’d observed, Mel had found Lyklor to be annoying. That sounded more like Folas’s opinion, but he had nothing more to share, so I bid him and Galather good night.
When they didn’t trip over themselves to escort me to the royal wing, I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. “You don’t need to keep tabs on Lyklor,” I said.
“We know,” they said a little too quickly.
“Okay, good night.”
“Good night,” they chorused. Suddenly they were talking in synch.
Oh well, I was ready to turn in and get some rest before facing the next day. We had a king to train and a trade to make.
Walking along the corridor in silence afforded a nice moment of reflection I seldom found time for anymore. My days of waiting quietly for a deer to come along, hidden in the foliage of Brightwhisk Forest, felt like another lifetime. We’d all grown up since then. I’d married a faerie, been widowed, and now carried my first child with the male I loved. Even Shalendra had eloped. Would she soon be a mother too? If she was, I hoped she’d treat her children with more kindness then she’d shown Mel and me. Mel had grown up faster than I would have liked, but it was no surprise. She’d never wanted to be left
behind.
I tugged my hair over my shoulder and imagined her safe. Albedo had called her a bargaining chip, I reminded myself. I’d never wanted my sister to be a piece on the board. What if Albedo wanted to exchange her for Dahlquist? Liri better hope he didn’t, because I’d hand over the entire kingdom to get Mel back. I’d try for a trade first—a brother for a sister. There was nothing I could do for Ryo. Albedo would have never thrown his blood brother into the bargain. Now that Isadore had reported my intent to crown Ryo king, Albedo’s hold on him would only tighten. Ryo would have to be the sacrificial lamb. I was sorry for it but not sorry enough to jeopardize a trade. Wearing the crown meant making the hard decisions. As a sister, the choice was easy.
When I entered my chamber, I expected to find Jhaeros in bed, a single candle burning on my side. Instead, I stepped into a room glowing with flames that danced from every single pillar of wax. Standing on the rug between the foot of the bed and the dresser, Jhaeros faced me . . . entirely nude!
The candlelight played over his tall, toned frame, casting narrow shadows where his muscles levitated from his chest. His feet were planted shoulder width apart. Strong legs extended to his hips and the very large, very long, very hard male appendage saluting me across the room.
“Sweetberry sunshine!” I gasped. My eyeballs were glued to him. A unicorn could run across the room and I’d still be gaping at my mate-to-be in all his naked glory. I’d never seen Jhaeros let it all out in the nude. He usually only got naked under the covers and ended up putting a nightshirt back on after we finished making love.
I moistened my lips while staring shamelessly at his cock. “Who are you, and what did you do with Jhaeros?” My teasing smile faded as I gave serious consideration to my question. This was Faerie after all.
Fool me once.
I placed my hands on my hips. “Show yourself.”
The command worked when spoken by the king or queen of the castle. Technically I was queen, but I wasn’t Fae, so I couldn’t be sure this was Jhaeros, even though he still looked like him.
Jhaeros squinted at me as though I’d gone daffy.
I placed my hands on my hips, staring him down. “Answer me this. What flavor condom did we first use in Hawaii?” I shifted my gaze to his lips, awaiting his response.
Jhaeros snorted. “That’s the question you choose to ask?” He raised his brows.
“I’m the one asking the questions. It’s up to you to answer them,” I announced, even though I was 99.999 percent sure this really was Jhaeros standing before me in all his naked glory. Still, I had to be certain.
“Piña colada, like your new favorite drink—tied with sweetberry punch, of course.” Jhaeros grinned at me.
“Of course,” I said, smiling back as I tugged on the laces of my bodice.
“No,” Jhaeros growled.
My fingers stilled. “No?” I asked in confusion.
He was naked. I figured he wanted me to undress.
As he prowled toward me, my mouth went dry. I couldn’t stop staring at his massive manhood. Sure, I’d seen it before, touched it, sucked it, ridden it—but still. Holy moly, Mother of Sky! I reached for it when Jhaeros was close enough, but he spun me around before I could grab on to his thick length. Gripping me by the shoulders, he walked me to the edge of the bed, tipped me forward, and tossed up my skirts.
I sucked in a breath as air wafted over my backside. Jhaeros slid my underwear down my legs, and I lifted each foot to free myself of the slip of cotton, along with my slippers. Strong, warm hands cupped me from behind. His heat closed in as he inched closer. His hardness made contact with my bare cheeks and pressed into my soft skin.
I released a strangled breath.
Jhaeros dipped down, dragging his length with him on its course of entry.
Thinking about him entirely naked behind me, seconds from entering me, I gave a moan of anticipation.
Jhaeros gripped me by the hips and rammed into me. I took every inch of him in greedily. He reached all the way up to my G-spot and drove himself against me, rubbing without mercy.
I fisted the blanket, holding myself up. My breath hitched and faltered. It felt good to be desired, even large with child. Jhaeros made me feel like a beautiful goddess every time we made love. All he had to do was look at me, and I felt treasured.
The male was an animal in the bedroom. Every honey-blissed time we made love it was like a slumbering beast had awoken inside him. Like any caged beast, the one inside Jhaeros loved to come out to play.
He showed me just how much he missed me, stretching me to fit his hulking length that only seemed to grow the more excited he became.
Jhaeros’s hands slid up my hips to my bodice, his fingers deftly untying the laces until my breasts spilled free. They were growing larger week by week and hung heavy toward the blanket, dipping forward every time Jhaeros’s hips rocked into mine. He cupped and held them while he heaved into me. His fingers spread apart, and my nipples poked through. He squeezed the sharp peaks between his middle and forefinger. Shivers of pleasure streaked through me.
“You’re a beast,” I panted.
A beast with the king of all cocks.
“You turn me into one,” Jhaeros returned.
The male didn’t even sound winded.
I looked over my shoulder and saw the groove between his eyebrows as he moved against me in deep concentration. When he caught me looking, his face relaxed and his lips formed a smug smile.
Well, he had every right to be proud.
I pushed back against him, and he hissed.
“Careful, Aerith,” he said between his teeth.
“It’s not fair to let you do all the work,” I replied sweetly.
“Work?” A rumbling chuckle vibrated against my back. “You have enough to deal with. Let me handle this.”
“You mean handle me?” I asked huskily.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.” Jhaeros fit his body to mine, cupping my breasts again as he pulled me against him. His hands slipped along my sides until they reached my hips, which he hauled over his cock.
My breath grew labored. My fingers and toes curled as I tightened around him. Cries of pleasure erupted from my lips, increasing with Jhaeros’s speed.
My release built to its max before bursting inside me. With a sigh of contentment, my body sagged. I held myself, bracing my body, and my belly, for Jhaeros’s final thrust. He jerked and groaned with pleasure, grinding his hips into mine before going slack.
After pulling out, Jhaeros turned me around and gave me a stern frown.
Okay, not the expression I’d been expecting.
“Don’t ever call yourself worthless,” he growled.
I squinted in confusion. It took a moment before I remembered the same seething look cross his face when I’d said that without the throne I was worthless to Albedo.
His brown eyes seemed to flash in the candlelight. “You could never be worthless, Aerith. You are worth everything.”
My heart melted at the love in his gaze. I placed my hand on his flushed cheek and kissed his lips.
“I feel the same way about you,” I whispered before his mouth muffled the rest of my words.
Being enfolded in his arms was the happiest place in all the realms. I couldn’t wait to marry this elf. I needed my maid of honor back!
Chapter Eight
Melarue
Vultures descended on me in my nightmare. I had my breeches, waist cincher, and blouse back on, but my clothes were tattered and torn as I lay sprawled on my back in the hot sand. Four vultures circled around overhead in a painfully bright, cloudless sky. The birds of prey dropped from the sky, landing in a circle around me, staring down their sharp beaks at me. All at once, they hopped closer. I lifted my hand, but when I attempted to blast them with fire, my palm smoked and wouldn’t stop even when I beat it against the sand. My fingers turned black. I brought them in front of my face and stared in horror as they broke off and crumbled into the desert sand.
The nightmare faded yet continued.
Gone was the sandy desert, replaced by soft bed sheets and a gentle temperate breeze. The vultures turned into faeries, surrounding my bed.
I kept my eyes closed. Allowed them to tend to my battered body. Their voices whispered over me.
Something thick and creamy was rubbed gently over my toes. I bit my tongue as not to flinch. Once the ointment had been applied, I felt a bandage being wrapped around my foot.
“Her shoulder—” a male voice started to say.
“Save it for last,” a female hissed.
A dull ache throbbed in my shoulder. It felt cool, as though a cold compress had recently been applied. My right arm hung limply at my side, sinking into the smooth sheets.
A female began to chant over me.
What if it was the sorceress removing my fire magic?
My eyes sprang open as I sat up.
The chanting stopped, and four Fae servants jumped back. There were three young females and one male, all barely older than I was. My heart raced so fast that it felt like it would take days before it beat normally again, even after seeing Isadore was not among the crowd surrounding my bed.
I blinked and stared into a brightly lit chamber filled with what appeared to be south-facing windows. Plush chairs and rugs covered the room in cream and gold accents. Dried flower bouquets burst from vases, and scenic portraits depicted serene forests, lakes, and hills painted below sunny skies.
“You are safe, my lady,” a female with a short brown pixie cut said in a friendly tone that I had to admit sounded reassuring. I mean, Fae couldn’t lie, right? So I was—safe?
The other three nodded, every one of them appearing sincere. The male stepped forward. He had long brown hair that hung straight and silky over his shoulders.
“I am sorry. We will have to relocate your arm. It will be unpleasant.”
“Lulu,” Pixie Cut said, turning to a female with purple and blue hair twisted into a high bun, wisps framing her narrow face.
Lulu nodded, closed her eyes, and began chanting.
“That should help,” Pixie Cut said.
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