Page 6 of Bound

The short, blonde woman smiles up as she washes away myreaction to Beck. “Don’t worry, miss. His Highness will be kind to you.”

“His Highness?” I ask, but the woman has finished her work.With a mysterious smile, she walks out. “And what the hell did he mean bygnomes?”

Chapter Two

Beck

Sometimes it’s hard to believe I was once the heir tothe Seelie Fae throne, all of the White Palace to be mine and my brother’s oneday. But that was a long time ago.

I sink into the too-small chair in the gnome’s tiny butwell-appointed office. Everything seems too small right now. My trouserscertainly are. Touching Meg has me hard enough to pound nails with my cock.

She’s the one. I know it deep in my soul. I was able to feelwhat was happening to her at the moment of her orgasm. She can bond. She canstop Cian’s slow descent into madness. It took everything I had not to form thebond with her, but now is not the time, and certainly not the place. Forming abond with one’s soulmate is a sacred thing, and I won’t do it here. I’m goingto have to put her through far too much to force that on her as well.

Reeve of the Gentle Hills walks in and places a largeplatter of food on the desk between us. “I thought Your Highness might join mein the noon meal.”

My stomach rumbles at the sight and smell of so much goodfood. Gnomes know how to cook. I nod shortly, trying not to betray myexcitement at the thought of being full for once. “I would be honored. I thankyou for your hospitality, but you have to get out of the habit of calling me bytitles that no longer have any meaning.”

I pick up two slices of dark bread and make a huge sandwichof venison and a pleasant-smelling cheese.

Reeve pours water into two mugs. “You’re giving up, then?You’re content to allow your Uncle Torin to remain on your father’s throne? Thevery throne he slew your father on?”

The food turns to sawdust in my mouth. I can still see myfather sometimes. I see him slumped on the ground in front of the throne heloved.

I take a long drink and force myself to continue eating.I’ll need the energy for the battle to come. Control. It is everything in life.I have to stay in control or I could lose everything.

“There is nothing of contentment in my life. There hasn’tbeen for the past thirteen years.” Naturally this talk sends my brain back tothe terrible night when I lost both my parents and my sister. The guilt stillgnaws at me, like a rat chewing and chewing. I had only been able to save mytwin, Cian. I force the thoughts back. I choose, as I have since that day whenI was seventeen, to look to the future. “It is not that I don’t dream of takingback what rightfully belongs to me. It is simply a matter of practicality. Myloyalists are gone.”

Reeve’s bearded head shakes vigorously. “That is untrue,Your Highness. There are many here, and many more on the home plane. Tír na nÒgis full of Fae longing for Your Highness.”

I sigh because I’m going to have to put this to the gnome inblunt words. It will likely ruin the man’s illusions of me, but then, I nolonger have use for illusions. “Peasants. You’re talking about peasants. WhileI am thrilled to have the love of the people, money is needed to wage war, andI have none. I am barely able to buy my way into this tourney. I have no ideahow I’m going to clothe my mate after I’ve won her. She’ll be roaming theforests in one of my beat-up old shirts. If I can’t even take care of my mate,I’ve got no idea how I should go about fighting a war.”

Reeve leans forward. “The loyalists heard that Cian isfading. They know that if Cian dies, you will be half a man. Symbiotic twinsare very powerful, my liege, but everyone knows that if your intellectual halffades, you will not be fit to rule.”

“Hence my long ride through that bloody forest to get here,”I admit. “Cian is fading because we have no woman. We’re long past the age whena suitable bondmate would have been found and our triad formed. He has losthope. He’s dying. Your summons could not have come at a better time, oldfriend. We’re desperate.”

I polish off my second sandwich and give seriousconsideration to making a third. But I stop myself. It seems rude to eat themajority of the meal.

Reeve pushes the plate toward me. “Please, Your Highness.I’m not the richest man but allow me to aid you. Our food is plentiful. My wifewill make sure your mate has suitable clothing. My son has ensured that yoursteed is stabled and well-fed. You will find your saddle bags filled witheverything you need for the journey. I’m pleased to serve my king.”

A deep sense of gratitude fills me. Reeve’s family had onceserved the King of the Seelie Fae, and Reeve and his family had preferred exileto serving Torin, the Pretender. “I don’t know how to thank you, old friend. Ifyou ever have need of a sword, I trust you will call on me.”

The gnome grins. “I know who to call, but no one bothers us.The deal we made with the Planeswalker clan protects us.”

I know the deal well. The Planeswalkers come from a planemany call Hell. They’re a demonic clan and quite mercenary, but easilycontrolled with an ironclad contract. Demons can access all planes and aregreat believers in contracts. Reeve and his tribe of ex-patriots serve assalesmen for the demons’ wares. The demon tribe travel and gather items ofinterest. Reeve sells them and takes a cut. It’s a partnership that works wellfor both sides.

I finish the last of the food and take a deep breath. Itfeels good to be full. Now I can use a nap. The tourney isn’t set for anotherseveral hours. A nap and food will make me sharp and ready. I just have to besure of a couple of things before I find a corner to curl up in. “I want mymate covered.”

I can’t stand the thought of her beautiful body on display.She’s mine. I should be the only one to enjoy her loveliness.

Reeve frowns. “You know I cannot, Your Highness. The femalemust be properly displayed. If the Planeswalker discovered I was treating youdifferently, he would accuse me of breaking our contract.”

I don’t like the answer, but I suppose I’ll have to acceptit. I’ve been forced to accept many unsavory truths since the day the worldfell apart. “Do the vamps know she’s here?”

“Yes,” comes the quiet reply. “I had to inform the VampireGovernments as well. I gave them short notice, but fifteen have already shownup. You know they can move very quickly when they want to. You were the firstto see her. I have to open her to public view soon. I must have at least tenwarriors in the tourney to see a profit.”

“Well, you’ll have that if fifteen vampires are here.They’ll all fight for her.” It’s a sad coincidence of fate that bondmates areso alluring to vampires. Since my uncle closed the Seelie homelands to alloutsiders, it’s become difficult to find a bondmate, and the practice ofvampires wooing faery bondmates has disappeared. Luckily it’s not all vampires,just the ones of royal blood who require a woman like Meg as a mate. I asked avampire once why they need Fae bondmates to procreate. I was told that therewas something about their blood that strengthens the vampire. They call thewomen “consorts.” A vampire of royal blood can form a psychic bond with thewoman, much as I intend to form with Meg. “The vampires will all fight and theywill all lose.”

Reeve nods his head. “Yes, sire, they will. I’ll make you adeal. I will personally ensure that no one else is allowed physical access tothe bondmate. The other suitors will only be allowed to view her. I will tellthe other Fae that we’ve had an expert prove her ability to bond. You arecertain she can form the bond? The demon seemed sure. He said she glows to him,and that is how he knew.”