Bride of the Traitor: A Prophecy of Sisters Novel

by Faiman, Hayley

  “I do not think that we have been formally introduced,” he purrs.

  Holding his gaze with mine, I let out a sharp exhale. “I am Katrina, Queen Sybilla’s handmaid,” I say, attempting to sound strong.

  His lips turn up into a small grin, as if he knows that I’m only attempting to be strong in this moment. The room fades away from around us as I stare into his green eyes. They almost match my own, except they darken a touch when he lifts his hand and reaches for my hair.

  My breath hitches as he takes a chunk of my hair between his fingers and moves them back and forth. “I have never seen hair this color before, I was unsure that it was even real,” he rasps, his voice barely above a whisper.

  “It’s real,” I murmur.

  He grins. “And very soft.”

  I can’t take my gaze from his, I am frozen. He leans forward, his breath washing over my face. If I leaned forward even just a small bit, our mouths would touch, but I don’t.

  Someone calls his name from behind him and he growls, turning to look over his shoulder. I’m unable to move, my eyes trained on his neck, it’s strong and tanned and I have the ridiculous urge to lick it, to taste his golden skin.

  “I must go, but we will have some time alone again, no?”

  Stupidly, like the idiot that I am, I nod. “Yes,” I breathe.

  His lips turn up into a victorious grin before he releases me, stepping away. I watch as he turns his back to me and then disappears. This is very bad. I cannot want him and if I give myself to him, I know that he will only take what he wishes and leave, as do all men of his status. I do not want that for my life.

  Chapter One

  SIX MONTHS LATER

  KATRINA

  “Marry me,” Merek whispers.

  Turning my head from him, I wonder if I can truly trust his words. Can this be real? Can he be real? I feel his lips touch the side of my neck and my heart skips a beat inside of my chest. His hands wrap around my waist, they’re so large that they almost touch as his fingers are splayed wide.

  “Marry me, my joy,” he breathes against my skin.

  Lifting my hand, I stupidly grip his hair at the nape of his neck as my entire body shivers. I should push him away, but I don’t. My thighs clench with a foreign feeling as my lower intimate area warms and clenches with a need that I have never felt before.

  Pulling his head from my neck, I look into his eyes and ask him the same question I’ve asked over the past few months, one that he refuses to answer.

  “You bedded Duraina the first night you kissed me, the night I told you that I was pure? What’s changed between now and then?” I demand.

  Merek’s gaze shifts to the side, then comes back to meet mine. “You speak as if you know truths, Katrina,” he grinds out.

  “You did not return until the next morning.”

  It is impossible to keep the hurt from my voice. It is there. I am unable to mask it. Merek went to another woman’s bed, and he did so because he knew that I would not welcome him in mine. I still will not, until I am married.

  “You know that I am not pure, Katrina. Do you want a list of the lovers that I have had in my life, I warn you that I started bedding women at thirteen years of age, so it could be a lengthy list,” he snaps.

  My shoulder jerks and I try to shimmy out of his grasp, his words being far too much for me to handle. He refuses to release me, his fingers gripping my waist a bit firmer as he watches me, waiting for me to respond to his words.

  “I do not want a list,” I grind out.

  His lips twitch before he lowers his face and touches his mouth to mine. It’s a soft, gentle, sweet kiss that he doesn’t deepen, not even when my own part to allow his entrance. Nibbling on my bottom lip, he breaks the kiss.

  “My sweetness,” he rasps. “Say yes and there will never be another, just you.”

  “That is not romantic,” I breathe.

  He chuckles as though he finds me funny. “No, it was not meant to be romantic, but it is the truth. Honesty is not always pretty, my joy,” he says, letting out a sigh. “Marry me, Katrina.”

  MEREK

  I am tempted to throw this blasted woman over my shoulder and drop her in the church. Elias has given me permission to wed her and yet she hesitates. I know that she wants me. Her kisses, her hard nipples, the way she moans and shifts her feet when I’m near, as if she’s trying to relieve the ache that no doubt builds between her thighs, are all signs that she indeed wants more than a few kisses from me.

  “Are you frightened, my joy?” I ask.

  Her body jerks slightly and she shakes her head once, but I see the reality of it in her gaze. She is terrified. Though I doubt she’s afraid of me, I do think that she’s scared to move forward with me.

  “Are you scared of my physical touch or of giving all of yourself to me and fearful that I will harm you?” I ask, keeping my voice low.

  She is staying with me tonight, it’s possible that Elias is gone, that evil witch having drained his love and possibly his soul from his body. I am guarding Katrina and I will have an answer before this eve is complete, before the sun dawns on a new day.

  “I’m not scared, Merek. I’m terrified,” she breathes.

  Grinning, I touch my mouth to hers again, this time slipping my tongue inside of her and tasting all that she has to offer. Her kiss is timid, it’s shy and unpracticed and I find that it is much sweeter than any other that I have experienced in my life.

  I keep my hands wrapped around her waist, knowing that if I don’t, I will without a doubt rip the bodice of her dress completely in half, and devour her right here without a thought to her desire to stay pure until the night of her wedding.

  “Never be scared of me, my joy. This union is one that is not of duty like most in my position. Elias does us a great honor by allowing me to choose my bride. However, I will not force you to marry me. If you do not wish to have me, then I will allow him to make a match.”

  Keeping my eyes on hers, I take in her expression, wishing to see if she wants me to walk away or not. It will be difficult not to take her as my bride, but I have never forced myself upon a woman and I do not intend to start now.

  “In truth, I do not know what I want. I should say yes without hesitating. However, I want to be sure that this will be a love match and we don’t know one another that well. I won’t be happy if you ever take a paramour, it would destroy me.”

  My eyes widen at her candid words. A woman should never speak of paramours, not ever, and especially not to a man like me. Lifting my hand from her waist, I cup her cheek. My thumb glides along her bottom lip and I watch as her mouth parts.

  “Though you have no right to speak to me about this, I will tell you this but once, Katrina, and never speak of it again. A paramour is not something that I have ever intended on keeping, as long as I had a warm, willing, caring wife in my bed,” I murmur.

  “As long as everything is perfect,” she grunts.

  Shaking my head, I press my thumb against the seam of her lips. “That is not what I said. My parents have never strayed. They have never needed to. Though, I know that they have quarreled, as I’m sure I will do with my wife.

  “Naught is perfect, there will be times where you will not like me and I will not like you. As long as we have respect, devotion, and love, that is what will get us through the difficult journeys that we face.”

  “Merek,” she whispers as tears fall down her cheeks.

  I do not wipe them away, instead I wait for her answer, for her words. I need them just as much as I need her. When she doesn’t give me an answer, I release my hold on her and take a step back. Her tears continue to fall, but she says naught.

  “I will not leave this eve, because protecting you is my duty. I will, however, leave you alone from now on. Your silence is your answer and I will not ask you again, Katrina.”

  Chapter Two

  KATRINA

  The pain in his eyes causes my heart to stop beating in my chest. When he
turns his back to me, I watch as he takes the chair and places it facing the window. Before he can sit down, I rush toward him, my body moving faster than it ever has.

  Without a word, I wrap my arms around his back. Pressing my cheek against the center of his back, I squeeze his strong waist and let out a breath.

  “I want to be your wife, Merek. I want it more than anything in this world, but I am scared.”

  His spine is straight, his body is unmoving, until it isn’t. He spins around, knocking me off balance before he bends slightly and grabs ahold of the backs of my thighs and picks me up so that we are nose to nose.

  My breath hitches right before his lips press against mine. “Marry me, Katrina. Make me happy, my joy,” he whispers.

  “Yes, Merek. I have never wanted to marry a man more than I do you. I have never longed for a touch more than I have yours. I have never dreamed to be a different person, one of royalty and standing before I met you, because I knew that if I was then there could be a chance for us.”

  He chuckles as his feet move and he lowers me down on the edge of the bed. I watch in awe as he sinks to his knees in front of me. His hands cup my cheeks, his thumbs swiping the wet tears from my cheeks.

  “I will make you happy, Katrina. You will never regret a day at my side, for I will not allow you to. You can, and I demand, that you are always yourself, never dream to be anyone but you, my joy.”

  If the gods created a perfect man for me, I know without a doubt that they created this one specifically for me. My lips turn up into a shaky smile and I nod. “There is only you for me, Merek. You are beautiful and perfect, I never thought that this could be a possibility, never in a million years.”

  “My cousin is a fair king, he is also a good brother and he knew that I desired you, but was willing to walk away from you for the good of the crown. He understood that I was willing to forego a chance at happiness to fulfill my duty.”

  He rises to his knees, leaning forward he touches his mouth to mine. “He knew that I would do all of this, but he wanted his brother to smile, to love, to breathe easy so he gave me permission to marry the woman that I desire. That woman is you, Katrina.”

  My entire body melts for him. His lips touch mine, his tongue fills my mouth and he consumes me in a single moment. Merek swallows my whimpers, his hands staying on my cheeks, never roaming down to touch the rest of my body, no matter how badly I want him to.

  Lifting my hands, I wrap my fingers around his wrists. “Merek, please,” I exhale.

  He grins, sinking his teeth in his bottom lip before he shakes his head a couple of times. “You have stayed pure for so long, I will not take from you, not until you are my wife. Until then, we shall only kiss.”

  “What if I want you now?” I ask, feeling daring.

  He shakes his head. “Then you better marry me sooner rather than later, my joy.”

  MEREK

  There is a raucous at the door. Turning away from my very tempting new fiancée, I wrench the heavy door open to see the witches standing there, both of their eyes meeting mine and something unreadable in their features.

  “He wakes,” Aleida announces. Shifting my gaze from one of them to the other, I wait for them to elaborate, but they do not. “He wishes to see you, immediately.”

  Turning to look at Katrina over my shoulder, I open my mouth to tell her to stay where she is, but she beats me to it. “Go, Merek. I will be right here waiting for you.”

  Her words send a warming sensation throughout my entire body and I can’t help but imagine her doing just that, waiting for me in our chambers, in our home, for the rest of our days. I find that I very much like that idea.

  Lifting my chin toward her, I walk out of the room and go in search of my cousin. He’s sitting up in the bed when I walk into the room.

  “By the gods,” I whisper.

  Immediately my gaze travels the length of Elia’s body and my lips lift in a small smile, glad to see that he is alive, breathing, and well.

  “What do you last remember, cousin?” I ask, wondering if he’s lost any memory from the way that witch sucked whatever she sucked from inside of his body.

  “I remember coming here, storming this castle and taking out the king. I remember a beautiful woman in a copper-lined room. I remember that you are engaged to a maid.”

  I should straighten him out on the truth. I was almost engaged, though it’s official now, so I don’t bother. He has bigger issues to worry about in the moment.

  Sybilla speaks before anyone else can, her voice barely above a whisper. “You just don’t remember me.”

  My heart immediately aches for the pain in her voice. Elias shifts his gaze from me to her, his expression likely matching mine, obviously sad that he does not remember his wife. It seems as though that witch has taken the memory of his bride from him, but thankfully has left everything else.

  “I apologize, I do not remember you.” Elias lifts his head and looks to me. “She’s my wife? Carrying the heir?”

  “Aye, Elias. Sybilla is your Queen,” I rasp.

  I watch as Sybilla stands from her seated position at Elias’ bedside. She nervously brushes her palms down her skirts before she inhales a deep breath. “Well, you must want to meet with your men.”

  “Sybilla,” I murmur. To see this side of her, vulnerable and almost weak, it hurts me. Even when Elias left right after their vows, she did not seem so despondent as she does in this moment.

  She shakes her head, almost as if the motion will give her strength. “Go be with your men,” she whispers.

  I stand silently, watching as he throws his legs over the side of the bed and stands. He turns to his bride, cupping her cheeks before he lowers his head. I watch as he kisses each of her cheeks before he rests his forehead against her own.

  “You will join me, my bride.” His words leave no room for argument and not for the first time, I am proud of my cousin.

  Turning from them, I begin to walk toward the chancery where the men will soon be gathered.

  Chapter Three

  MEREK

  I stand with the rest of the men, next to my fiancée, and two witches as they ride off. They did not say a proper farewell, though I am not sure that I blame them at all. Elias is confused, Sybilla is hurt and in this moment, they only have one thing on their minds, healing, connecting, loving.

  “What happens now?” Katrina whispers from beside me.

  Clearing my throat, I glance down at her. “We wed, I spend the next few weeks getting this castle up and running, then we return to Aerilon,” I explain.

  Her breath comes out shakily, her eyes rounding as she lifts her gaze up to me. “We wed,” she whispers.

  “Preferably this eve,” I grunt.

  “Merek,” she whimpers.

  Yes. I do not know how much longer I can wait to have her. I have been imagining having her to myself for months. Now that it is possible, now that she has agreed, I do not want to waste another moment.

  Taking a step toward her, I reach out and wrap my hand around her waist, tugging her against my chest. Lifting my other hand, I cup her cheek, my thumb sliding along her plump lips.

  “Let us not waste a moment of our lives, my joy. Ellyn has been taken from us, Elias’ love and memory have been taken from him, I do not want to waste even a second.”

  Katrina’s eyes widen and I watch as her sweet tongue peeks out and she tastes her lips, wetting them before she nods.

  “Yes,” she agrees.

  Grinning, I’m not sure she realized that she didn’t have a choice, but it is sweet that she agrees. Releasing her, I grab her hand with mine and tug her toward the small chapel at the side of the castle.

  Pushing the door open, I look around for the priest and see him kneeling in front of the altar, praying to the many statues of the gods in front of him. Immediately, he stands, turning to face me, his eyes wide and terrified looking.

  “Please, do not hurt me,” he whimpers.

  Smirking, I sh
ake my head. “King Elias of Bunafi has taken over this castle, and the entire ruling area of Llyne. I am his first in command and his blood relative. No harm will come to the people of Llyne, as long as they pledge their loyalty to King Elias and his throne,” I say, my voice rumbling throughout the small stone chapel.

  The priest shakes his head, his lips parted, his eyes staying wide. His gaze shifts to Katrina, then back to me. I watch as he lowers to his knee, bowing his head and letting out a shaky exhale.

  “I vow that if he is fair and honest, a righteous king, that my loyalty will fully and completely belong to King Elias,” he says.

  I like this man, he does not want to agree to something that he cannot fulfill, because he knows as well as I or anyone else on this earth that if he vows his loyalty, the gods will not allow him inside of their gracious embrace if he breaks that vow.

  Dipping my chin, I tell the man to rise. He does so, still looking quite unnerved. “King Elias will not disappoint you, sir. And as the leader on his behalf, I will do my best not to disappoint you as well.”

  The priest’s eyes focus on mine, searching me for deceit, and when he doesn’t find any, he nods. “We would like for you to marry us this day,” I state.

  He jerks, his eyes shifting from me to Katrina. “Is this what you wish as well, child?” he asks.

  KATRINA

  The priest asks me if I wish, to marry this man standing next to me. Could I wish for anything more, anything else, in my entire life? No, I could not for this is a dream come true not only for me, but also for a woman like me, a woman with no royal blood or proper standing in society.

  “Yes, this is everything that I could wish for, and more.”