Page 102 of Black Sea

To beg him to stand up against that request.

“I can’t believe this . . .” Araton said in Elvish, clearly shocked, deeply disgusted, and angry at our father. “Would you truly deny one of our cousins the chance to find her own mate?”

Understanding how delicate this subject was for him after losing Serie, Mother approached him and took his hands. “There are times, my son, when duty must come before one’s happiness,” she said, in a nearly mournful tone.

He stared at her with a betrayed expression. “You can’t seriously mean it, Mother.”

The queen’s eyes welled up as she indulgently stroked his face. My brother pushed her away with such disapproval that she covered her trembling lip with her fingers.

“Your cousins are kind and conscientious, as their parents were,” Father said, more affably. “And I’m sure they’ll understand once I speak with them.”

Araton shook his head, shocked, and turned his back to us, scrubbing his hands over his face.

Brow furrowing, Father looked at him for a few moments, almost as if he wanted to say something. Finally, he turned his attention back to the man behind me. “My daughter is right, Your Majesty,” he stated. “You are human. But you are also one of us.” His mate moved beside him again, heartbroken for Araton, and he entwined his fingers with hers before addressing Amlach once more. “So, what is your answer?”

I should talk. I should do something.

But I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think.

All that reverberated in my mind was a huge, excruciating no .

I pressed my nails deeper into Amlach’s thigh, but it was as if I was trying to squeeze steel. I yearned to feel his rough, reassuring hands on my shoulders, to hear his warm voice affirm that I was the one he wanted, and no one else.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he exhaled loudly through his nose, slightly tousling the hair on top of my head. “Maybe it’s time for my kingdom to have a queen,” he said.

I held my breath.

“I accept your terms, King Erech,” Amlach announced.

I stopped squeezing his thigh, and my arm fell limply at my side. My eyes drifted into the emptiness.

Amlach sidestepped me and offered his hand to my father, who firmly grasped his wrist.

“May this agreement usher in a new era of peace and prosperity,” the King of the Elves proclaimed.

“And toward new . . .” Amlach paused to find the right word, then said it in a tone as ambiguous as seductive, “ Experiences.”

“Definitely,” my mother said, with a smile that couldn’t hide her sadness for Araton. “Come, Your Majesty. I will show you your rooms.”

“Let me guess . . .” Amlach gallantly offered her his arm. “The stables this time?”

She let out a melodic laugh, and even my father chuckled a little.

Amlach gave him a respectful nod. “King Erech.” He also nodded to my brother, despite Araton having his back turned, with one hand on his hip and the other grabbing one of the gazebo’s columns. “Prince.” Lastly, he slightly bowed to me. “Your Highness.”

He winked at me, then a smirk flickered on his lips as I shot him a furious stare.

I would bite that grin off.

It was a promise.

60

“Leave us, Araton,” I commanded in Elvish as soon as my mother and Amlach had left the garden.

Araton scoffed at me. “Not a chance.”