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Lach stared at the vampire. “Find another consort.”
“Your father was explicit, Your Highness.” Roan’s eyes were on the door that Gillian had
slammed with vigor. “If I see you all safely back and lead the Seelies to their glory, my lieutenant and I will claim the princess and take over your father’s armies. King Fergus doesn’t want to unite the tribes under one crown. He merely wants good relations with them. He knows what it would cost. It would cost blood and death and pain unimaginable. Your father is a good king. And your sister is far too ambitious. I worry she’s going to cost you your relationship with your bondmate.”
“She’s pissing me off, that’s for sure,” Dellacourt said. “You can’t believe for a second that Bron will turn on her brothers.”
“I don’t want her to.” Shim ran a hand through his hair. He hated politics. Politics always seemed to get in the way of doing what was right and just. “Give Gilly a little time, but know this, I care not what my father promised you, if Gilly doesn’t want you, I’ll fight to make sure she’s happy.”
“I’ll make her want me,” Roan said with perfect arrogance. “I’m not a stupid man. I can handle your sister.”
“I don’t know about that. A smart man wouldn’t have laid out his plan,” Dellacourt said.
“This gives her time to get used to the idea. If I sprang it on her before the wedding, she just might pull my fangs out. I rather like my fangs.” He sighed and turned to Shim. “Though I would keep my mouth closed about your plans around your bondmate. After everything I heard, I doubt she will be happy fleeing the plane. She cares about these Fae. She was in jail because she tried to defend a brownie. The villagers truly care about her.”
She hadn’t seemed happy about the idea. And they hadn’t even told her about her brothers. Guilt ate at him. He’d been far too busy fucking her to see to her welfare.
“We should have talked to her.” Lach seemed to easily pick up on his thoughts.
Though the full, deep bond hadn’t been performed yet, Shim was finding it so much easier to know what his brother was thinking now that Bronwyn was near.
“We will. Let’s feed her and let her clean up and then we’ll talk to her about our plans. And no dictating. Your ‘I’m the dominant one and you will obey me’ bit is going to get both of us in trouble. Let me handle her.”
Lach frowned. “It should be easier than this.”
“Women are never easy.” Dellacourt smiled. “They have all these feelings and shit. Of course they also have boobs. Gods, I love boobs. Kaj has the most sensitive breasts. Really, I can get her to orgasm just by tweaking her nipples the right way. Where did my consort go? Damn it, she’s shielding again.”
Shim sent out his own little plea, a pulse of comfort for Bron. There was a little flare of panic from her, and then it was like a wall came between them.
“What was that?” Lach asked.
“I think our wife just learned how to put up shields of her own.”
Roan started folding up his maps and locking down his tablet. “Well, deal with her. We’re going to have to take another route back to Aoibhneas. We ran into some of Torin’s men. They were tipped off to some odd behavior in the forest. Two men and a phooka.”
Shim wasn’t going to be made to feel guilty about that. It had saved Bron. “Tell us when and we’ll be ready to go. Just know that Bron is our main responsibility.”
“And your sister is mine.”
There was an odd comfort to the fact that the vampire would protect his sister. Shim was just worried about who would protect Roan from Gillian.
Shim hurried his preparations. He and Lach found some cheese and soft bread and fruit. The owner of the house was more than happy to provide for them. She spoke about how kind Isolde had been to her and all the villagers. And how they would all follow her now that her true identity was revealed.
Shim was grateful, but the woman’s words also frightened him. He didn’t want Bronwyn caught up in the fight. He wanted her safe.
“The sooner we get her out of here, the better,” Lach said under his breath as they mounted the stairs.
“Her brothers can handle this fight.” It was their crown, Shim assured himself. Bron’s crown waited on another plane.
Duffy’s eyes were barely open when they reached the door. Lach laughed a little and poked at their adopted brother.
“I weren’t sleeping. I was just resting.” Duffy’s eyes came open. “I need me rest. I think I might have a vampire to kill.”
Shim sighed. Fuck all. Duffy couldn’t be pleased about the engagement. “Brother, you knew you couldn’t marry her.”
He shrugged and closed his eyes once more. “Always knew. Don’t mean I won’t protect her.”
“Well, rest up. We move out tonight.” Shim opened the door and realized that Bron hadn’t waited.
