AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She trained with Damian each morning. Learning combative techniques and how to maintain a shield while being attacked.
In the end, it felt pointless. Alister was thousands of years older than her. A master swordsman.
Faye frowned. “Your brother won’t stop.”
“I will find another way. One that will safeguard you, and the family you want.” He took her hand, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. “The familywewill have.”
He always asked for time. Being immortal, the man had an endless quantity of it. Faye didn’t have that luxury. “We need to put an end to the blood debt. Help me find a way to incapacitate him.”
Rune squeezed her hand as his lips thinned. “Vsenia.”
“He will attack me. If not in The Eyes, then later when I don’t expect it.”
“There are dozens of combative techniques I could teach you.” He spoke in a gentle tone, leaning forward. “They take time to master. Even mastered, you are expecting to be able to manifest your will when you are being attacked. Learning to focus in such a way takes years.”
Faye clenched her jaw, turning her attention to Hell’s landscape. She had less than a week before Alister forced Rune to name her a whore or acknowledge her.
“Give me two more days to search for an alternative, and I will begin teaching you combative spells tonight. You will need to learn to tear down mental barriers.” Rune lifted his chin, glancing at the door. He inhaled and turned his attention back to her. “Dinner is ready. You need to eat. You have been pushing yourself.”
“You need to eat too.” She smiled up at him as he stood.
Rune followed her lead, pressing his lips to the back of her hand. “What I sip from you each night is more than enough to sustain me.”
Faye blushed at the memories of his lips at her throat as they strolled to the great room, hand in hand.
The evening meal had started without them. Faye and Rune took their usual seats. She made a plate, joining in with the laughter and chatter.
“Vash was explaining your idiotic, royal dating system,” Sparrow informed Rune despite having a mouthful of food.
Vashien mouthed,I’m sorry,to Rune, and Faye took the opportunity to send a thought to Sadi.
I have an idea to stop Alister.
Faye waited, keeping her attention on Sparrow as she ate. Sadi was loyal to Rune, but she was willing to bet she would help if it freed Rune of his blood debt.
“Want to know a really easy fix for all this?” Sparrow dangled the question, entirely too pleased with herself.
Sadi’s response was taking too long. Faye began doubting if she sent her thought correctly and turned to glance at the Familiar.
Sadi’s sculpted eyebrow momentarily raised as their gazes met, then she bit a cut of meat off her knife paying attention to the conversation between Rune and Sparrow.
Faye explained her plan along her communication thread with Sadi as Rune chuckled, “I have the distinct feeling you are going to tell me.”
“If you formally acknowledge her, your shit brother gets to attack her. If you don’t, then Faye becomes the slut mistress of Hell. There’s a third option you royals are just too stuck up to see.” Sparrow beamed.
“I await your invaluable insight.” Rune leaned back in his chair. Idly brushing his fingertips over Faye’s thigh.
“My invaluable insight won’t affect any cute babies you two have either.” Faye choked on her drink, coughing into her glass. Scowling at her, Sparrow added, “Bitch don’t try to lie. I know you, and you want his babies.”
Faye wheezed into her napkin, trying to catch her breath as Rune rubbed her back. Thankfully she’d finished explaining her plan to Sadi before her sister ambushed her.
Sparrow clapped, unable to contain her I’m-a-genius grin. “Announce yourself as Faye’s whore. Problem solved.”
Leave it to her sister to find a loophole. One Faye didn’t want. Questions rose in her mind all at once. If he announced himself as her whore was that all he could ever be? He would have to sacrifice being her husband and consort.
“No.” The word slipped from her lips. Faye glanced at Rune and shook her head. “No.”
Sparrow’s shoulders dropped. “Bitch, you’re ruining my perfect plan.”
