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“Once I claim the throne, I will take another wife and you will be free to return home,” he explains. “You will be free to do as you wish, and the alliance between Hyatt and Ulleh will remain intact. You have my word.”
Suddenly, none of this feels real. It’s like I stepped off the dance floor and into a dream without realizing it. To be sure I’m awake and this is really happening, I bite the inside of my lip until I wince in pain. The faint, metallic taste of blood blossoms in my mouth.
This is real.
There’s a chance I could fix things, save my kingdom, and return home to see it restored to its former glory. As hard as I try not to get my hopes up, I can’t fight it. Nor is dangling the sweetest fruit in front of me, and I’m helpless to restrain myself.
“What’s the catch?” I ask cautiously, my heart already racing, thumping erratically against my ribs. “Why the sudden change?”
I follow his gaze across the celebration hall to a minotaur standing alone against the wall. His gray complexion and horns are identical to Nor’s, but he’s shorter, maybe a little wider. It’s hard to tell from this distance. A quarter-turn has my eyes whipping back to Nor and meeting his gaze.
“My brother talked some sense into me.” For some reason, I’m surprised to hear him say it. He’s almost admitting he was wrong, which seems very contradictory to his character, but I’m almost proud of him and back to thinking he might be decent under that tough exterior after all. “He made me realize what was truly important.”
“The crown?” I guess, and he nods in response.
“Yes, it’s essential that I take the crown,” he says. “But there’s another small matter of business to discuss.”
I cock my head to the side, wondering what else he could possibly want to bring up right now. He pretty much covered everything I consider relevant.
“Like?” I press when he doesn’t continue.
“You.”
My stomach knots at the simple word before a horde of butterflies turn my insides into a breeding ground. The intensity of his gaze masks something else, something darker. If I didn’t know better, I’d say there’s a bit of desire hiding somewhere in there, but that would be crazy. There’s no way this monster could actually want me after the way he’s treated me.
He brought me food when I was faint, but that’s hardly chivalrous.
“Me?” I ask, desperate for an explanation to keep my thoughts from running wilder.
“As I said earlier, youaremine. I expect you to play your part and do it well,” he says, his hand on my back drawing me more firmly against him. “You will uphold the traditional responsibilities of a royal wife, and you will be entirely faithful to me during your stay here. Anyone who touches you will die a painful death. Do you understand?”
The dress I’ve been wearing all day is suddenly too hot and heavy, and the heat scorching my cheeks intensifies. Sweat beads at my hairline, and I lick my lips shakily in an attempt to wet my parched mouth. The thoughts of crowns and alliances churning through my mind are quickly replaced my dirtier, inappropriate images that involve both of us in much less clothing in a much less crowded room.
Does he mean…
There’s only one way to find out.
“When you say traditional responsibilities,” I say, clearing my throat to find my voice. “What exactly do you mean?”
A wicked smile crosses his lips. “The first responsibility is consummation tonight. We’ll see if you’re still up for the terms of the truce after that.”
I stare him down, letting the reality of his words sink in, but my brain isn’t processing fast enough.
It’s definitely too hot in here.
I tug my hand out of his to fan my face, but it hardly alleviates the inferno burning inside me. Despite the consistent distractions, my mind had flirted with the idea of what our first night as a royal couple might be like, but there were too many unknowns. I shoved the thoughts from my mind, not sure what to expect.
Now it’s clear.
Despite us committing to this marriage for our own personal reasons, to everyone around us, it’s a legitimate marriage and must be honored. Plus, I think he’s curious to see what’s under all these layers of fabric.
His clothes leave less to the imagination, but now I can’t help but wonder what he might be hiding. He has a massive form. I’d be willing to bet his cock is massive too.
“Do we have a deal?”
The question quickly draws me out of my fantasies, and the details of Nor’s truce race through my mind. All I have to do is fuck him and keep him company until he becomes king and sends me home. I might have to appear at a few royal functions, whatever the royal women of Ulleh do, and Nor will make sure to it that my kingdom survives. He’ll send them the resources they so desperately need, and once I’ve earned a modicum of his trust, I can demand the raids be stopped altogether.
If he doesn’t stop the pillaging, I’ll end the truce and go home anyway. In the worst-case scenario, I’ll figure out a way to save my kingdom without him. Using his help is just the easiest route.
