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“He’s been trying to teach me to shift.” I steal a glance over the rim of my drink as I take a sip of the ale the maids set out. It’s not faerie wine, though…
“Did the instructor I set to help you not please you?” He arches a silver brow.
“He gave me two tries, then asked me to pick between electrocution and free falling off the edge of the moon. Neither of those sounded pleasant to me, so I think I’ll keep those as a last resort, thanks.” I fake a smile, crinkling my nose.
“Fair enough…” he trails off, wiping his face with a fabric napkin, then setting it on the table. His voice has changed, gone is the flirtatious ring and now it almost sounds disappointed. “I have something for you.”
No… Please… No more gifts.I don’t think I can pretend to be excited anymore.
He claps his hands twice and the silent guards along the wall open the door, letting a maid scurry inside, a velvet pillow in her hand, holding something gold. The king stands from his seat, grabbing the golden chain-like piece from the pillow and slowly coming toward me.
Leaning over the back of my seat, he brings his mouth to my ear. “May I?”
No… Why did he have to say that? Why did he have to say it like that… in the same tone Loric did when he asked to remove my dress and paint my body in Ashbourne. I’m never going to be able to unhear it now.
Still, I grin wide, sucking in a deep breath. “Please,” I say, gathering my hair, assuming it’s a necklace. The king runs his fingers down my throat, over the fading mark there and my gut flips. Bile rises in my throat, nearly choking myself on it, and it’s all I can do to swallow it down.
“It’s not for you, love. I mean, it is, but for your pussy.”
I drop my hair, looking up at him. He nudges my seat away from the table and gets to his knees in front of me and panic fills my bones until they tingle with it. He looks up at me for a moment, like he’s asking for silent permission, but I’m too numb to move or speak. He lifts the hem of my dress, just slightly, his eyes on mine, then reaches one of his ring-clad hands beneath it.
Time slows and I don’t so much as dare to breathe as he leans closer, really digging to gather the fabric of my dress. There’s easily five layers of skirts. It’s a dress given to me by him, of all people and I’ve never been so happy to make things so difficult to get to.
“Ah,there she is,” he says with a smile, making me jump.
I press my lips together, my eyes narrowed.
“Is it? I think it’s been too long for him. He’s forgotten what it should feel like,”Hyde says in my mind, and I have to bite back a smile, feeling my cheeks burn. I rest my elbow on the chair arm, bringing my knuckles to my lips.
Then the king pulls back, kitten in hand. My heart stops.
“I had my scholars look into this little one. I saw her when you got here, all snuggled up against your bosom and I just had to know. They told me it’s called a pussycat.”
“No… He was looking for Meg!”My dragon screams.
A burst of uneven air escapes my nostrils as I bite my lip, desperate to get myself together.
“No pussy named after our late queen should go unspoiled. So, I had a collar made for her.” The king holds up the golden chain, a small flame dangling from it, the word Meg etched into the charm. He clips it around the kitten’s throat, then gently sets her in my lap.
“Well, thank you. It’s lovely and has made my day,” I say, smiling wide enough for him to see my teeth.
He grins down at me. “I’m glad…” For a moment he doesn’t move, like he’s working up the courage to say something. “I’dlike you to consider an offer. Judging by your mark, you have maybe a week before it’s gone. If you mated with me, you’d be queen. You could rule this land at my side, like Megara’s daughter should. You don’t need to decide right now, but I’d like you to take the night to consider it.”
One night. I get one night.
What happens if I say no?
The king reaches into his pocket, setting a small diamond ring on the table. My blood turns to ice in my veins, not sure wherethatis going.
“Give this to Brenn for me. My servants say he left it in the library,” he says, walking toward the door. “It was lovely to have dinner with you, Calamity, darling. I hope you can see the motivation, and that you’ll have an answer for me in the morning.”
Chapter 37
Calamity
“Don’t say that. There was a lot happening when we left. Maybe they had to stay to fend off an attack or something.” My words feel hollow, even to me. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to convince him otherwise, when I'm fearing the same thing.
“Mira didn’t argue when I said I wanted to help you. She didn’t flinch. She told me to do what I felt was right… I don’t think she’s coming back for me. If she was, she would’ve by now.”
