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“Yes, Master Stableforth—of that I am aware,” Liath said. “We’ll be having our first magic lesson this afternoon. But first I must convince Alira that she has magic in the first place.”
“Of course, of course.” The Centaur nodded his head. “Well, please let me know if I may be any help.”
“Thank you. I certainly will.” Liath nodded politely back and Master Stableforth trotted sedately away.
“I’ve never seen a Centaur in the flesh before,” I murmured to Liath.
“They are becoming increasingly rare, which is a great pity. Master Stableforth is one of my advisors,” he told me. “In fact, he’s the one who advised me to ask for your hand.”
“Really?” I gave him a sidelong glance. “So you can blame him when you find out I have no magic, then,” I remarked.
“We’ll see.” Liath didn’t sound worried a bit. “Would you like more to eat?”
“No thank you,” I said hastily. “They’ll have to roll me away from the table if I take another bite.”
It was a bigger breakfast than I’d had in…well, ever. As I said, I had been on what felt like a starvation diet in the Summer Court, though it was normal fare for the other High Fae. But a diet of candied flower petals and rose water tea just didn’t fill me up—or make me slender, even though that was the goal.
“If you’re ready, we’ll go as soon as we’ve met a few more of your new subjects,” Liath remarked. “Look, here comes Striath the Satyr now.”
We wound up staying almost an hour more as a line of people, who would not have been considered people at all in the Seelie Court, came to make my acquaintance. I met the aforementioned Satyr, who had a muscular man’s torso and a goat’s shaggy legs, as well as a gaggle of giggling pixies no taller than my knee, some grumpy redcaps, a sweet young dryad who was to be my personal maid, and too many more to count.
They all came to nod and bow and wish Liath and me well on our marriage. We both nodded and accepted their well-wishes. I smiled graciously until the corners of my mouth ached—if I learned nothing else in the Seelie Court, I did learn faultless manners.
Finally everyone who was anyone had been met and Liath rose from the table. Taking my hand, he helped me rise too and also offered a hand to his Great Aunt Acosta.
“Thank you, my boy,” she said, as he pulled her to her feet. She smiled at me. “And you, my dear—you’re one of the family now. So you’d best hurry and give my great nephew a baby.”
“Oh, um…” I could feel the color rising in my cheeks and I wasn’t sure what to say.
“Now, Aunt Acosta, we only just got Joined yesterday,” Liath said heartily. “It’s a bit early to be thinking of babies.”
“No, it’s not! Not if you hope to ever hold the Shadow Throne,” she said grimly. “Just you mind you put a baby in her belly as quick as ever you can!” she added as she shuffled away from the table. “We must keep the Throne in the Blackthorn family. It is imperative.”
“I’ll keep your advice in mind, Aunt,” Liath said politely.
I thought the embarrassing incident was over, but the old lady grabbed me by the arm.
“Walk me down the dais, will you dearie?” she said to me, giving me a puckered smile from her mouthful of stolen teeth. “At my age, it’s so easy to trip.”
“Oh, well—of course.” As off-putting as I was beginning to find Liath’s Great Aunt, I could hardly refuse to help her.
Aunt Acosta gripped my arm more tightly as we navigated the few steps down from the Royal table. I expected her to let go of me as soon as we reached the bottom, but she only clutched me tighter.
“Listen to me, dearie,” she whispered loudly. “If you’re a shy one and have trouble parting your legs for a male, I can send along a passion potion to your room. Just slip some in your tea or wine and you won’t have a bit of trouble letting your new husband breed you.”
I felt shocked at her language—the more so because it was coming from what ought to have been a proper old lady.
“Thank you, but I do believe I shall manage,” I said frostily, wondering how in the world I was ever going to extricate myself from her grip. Liath was no help—he was across the room, talking to the spider woman seamstress, so he couldn’t rescue me from his Great Aunt.
“Just listen before you wave me off,” she insisted. “I can be sure the baby he plants in your belly is a female! For only a woman can sit the Shadow Throne, as you well know. I would have tried it myself, but I’m too old! Too old by half!” She cackled, showing her bright white, stolen teeth again.
