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“I think we’dalllike to undergo training,” Sariel said, matching Foxglove’s manic grin.
Tarragon and Blossom exchanged glances. “I take it you won’t mind assessing them and such, Foxglove?” the former said.
Foxglove shrugged, and he sat back, his elbow bent against the chair’s arm. The move exposed his chest to me, and I felt like I was seeing him for the first time; his vest shirt was low enough to show off ugly, claw-like scars running horizontally across his chest. He was bigger than I realized, too, his muscles bulging and chest broad.
Hemlock sighed next to him.
“I welcome the challenge, your Majesty,” Foxglove said, a glint in his eyes.
“And is it possible to access your scholars?” I asked.
Hemlock’s eyes narrowed. “For what?”
“We clearly don’t know much about our bond,” Sariel answered for me. “By helping us learn about it, you’ll also be able to collect valuable information from us about the way it works.”
Hemlock’s brow lifted, and he turned to the King and Queen. “It’s not a bad suggestion. It would also help with the rearing of your offspring, your Majesties.”
Blossom just turned to Tarragon.
“Alright,” the latter agreed with a sigh. “But if you endanger yourselves, you will be pulled out until you have fulfilled the bargain.”
Sariel and I tensed. “Understood,” we answered in unison.
Tarragon clapped. “Wonderful,” he said, flashing us a grin. “You’re dismissed.”
2
BIG PLANS
SARIEL
“I’m waiting for you to saypsychbecause you can’t be serious right now,” Mikey huffed, arms crossed along his chest. He leaned against the ornate dining table with a nonplussed expression.
I completely understood his bewilderment. And, judging from the expression on our friends’ faces, they shared his disbelief.
EvenIcouldn’t believe what I was saying. Much of the conversation I’d just had with the present rulers of the Free Kingdom still astonished me, half of which I’d had to block out just to keep myself from doing something stupid. Like “letting my angel out to see if he could take on beings that had to have been around for several millennia” kind of stupid.
“He’s not,” Aria confirmed. “They’re serious.”
Silence followed her announcement. It was the first time she’d spoken since returning to our room. She was clearly upset about the terms of our agreement, but she also accepted that we had no alternative.
“How the fuck could they even think that demanding something like that was okay?” Reese asked as she paced next to Aria. “Achild?! What kind of demented shit have we gotten ourselves into?!”
“To be fair, fae have never been subtle or sane,” Neo said with a shrug. His eyes were trained on Reese as he spoke, and they followed her as she continued to pace the room. “Granted, asking for a firstborn iswildin the current day and age, but at some point in history, I’m sure people were sacrificing their firstborns in a more…” he paused, glancing at me briefly before continuing, “...permanentway.”
Aria’s head snapped up at his words. “And you don’t think giving away our child would be permanent?” she hissed, glaring at him. “Are you out of your mind—”
“Aria,” I interjected gently. “It doesn’t matter because we’re not doing it.”
“She’s still allowed to be outraged at the audacity, Sariel,” Marilyn snapped. “It’s asinine!”
“I feel like we shouldn’t be surprised. They had a flesh-eating vine chandelier with a human head dangling from it as a party decoration,” Neo pointed out.
I glared at him. I hoped the look conveyed that I wanted him to shut the fuck up.
“What’s the likelihood that you’re not the first couple to get propositioned by them?” Johnny asked, his head cocked.
I shifted closer to Aria on the bed, wrapping my arms around her and letting her scent wash over me. Johnny’s words reminded me of the woman who’d tried to warn me at the welcome party.
