A smile pullsat my lips as I turn to the other brownie.Itisnot a friendly one.“If you want to stay in my kingdom, you’ll go back to standing in the corner like you were.”Iamguessing here.Ididn’teven realise she was in the room until she spoke.
“Hey!You don’t talk toFabialike that.”
I turn toArienna.My words slip freebeforeIevenrealise I’m thinking them.“You don’t talk to her like that,my king.”
Shestopsin her tracks, herpinkbrowsfurrowing in surprise.
My heartbeginsto race.“You’ll address me with respect.”I just want to hear her say it.My king.“Just as I will you.”I pause, looking her in the eye.“My queen,” I breathe.
She swallows.My gaze followsthe working of her throat.“Well… uh…” She glancesat her friend.“Respect is earned and um…” Her eyes plea withFabiato help her out.I turn my head to glareherinto silence, but my brother’salready grabbed her from behind,with one handwrapped around her mouth.The corners of my lips twitch as I turn my attention back to myqueen.
“To respect me, you have to respect her,” shesays.
My eyes narrow.
She startsto fidget, playing with a tendril ofpale-pinkhair as her cheeks heat.But she stillholdsmy gaze.Stillholdsmy breath in the palm of her hand.“My king.”
Instantly, the tension in my chest relaxes.I glance at Nicholas and nod for him to let Fabia go.Hedoesso slowly.
“Get her ready for the wedding,” Isay, taking a step towards the door.
“But I didn’t agree –”
My eyes snap toArienna’s, burrowing into the pale pink of her irises.“You did when you claimed me as your king.My queen.”
Her cheeks flush, making me want to go to her, to claim her as my queen in every sense of the word.
Instead, I force myself to leave.Sheisa means to an end first and foremost.A figurehead queen second.And third…
Third, sheisa dead woman walking.
Sheisn’tanything other than that.
Twelve
Agood brownie never lies.
Unless she really needs to help her friend.- Arienna
“Fabia,” I ask as I watch the hottest man in allofthe Seven Planes walk away from us,my eyes on his tight behind, “is my jaw on the floor?Because I feel like it’s on the floor.”
Dear gods, heisfine.Black leatherhugslong lean legs.Hiswasp-likewings, greyish and glowing,arecurrently erect, leaving his ass open for blatant, undisturbed ogling.And deargods, hisass…Agirl could get lost in it.
Preferably with her tongue.
I lick my lips, totally onboard with this whole marriage thing.“So any chance we can get married tonight?”I ask as the door closesbehind him.My king.“Or like, right now?”Or better yet, an hour ago so we can go ahead and have our wedding night?
Fabia stepsin front of me with a scowl.“You have theworsttaste in men,” shesays, shaking her head.“He’sa total dick.”
I peer around her, as if Icancatch a glimpse of him through the wooden door.“But he’s hot.”I grab her arm with both hands.“And Fabia, I think he wants to have sex with me.”
Scoffing, sheshakesme off.She opensher mouth to say something when a towel landson her face.
“Get dressed.The wedding is set for tonight, and we have a lot of work to do.”
Excited, I grab the towel off Fabia’s head andfling it around my shoulders.Rushing over to my clothes, I miss whatever shedoes, but the next thing Iknow, thereisa grunt and a hiss of pain.
I turn,withthe towel around my head, my hands drying my hair.“What the – Fabia!Seriously?How?”
