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“Why now, Cade?” she implored me, her bottom lip sticking out deliciously, tempting me to bite at it.
I licked my own lips, refraining in the moment. I sensed that Aradia was nearby, even if my enchantress wasn’t showing herself.
She’s keeping a closer eye on me now that Zephyrine is here,I realized with annoyance, raising my head to look for the enchantress. But Aradia still did not appear.
“See? You’re not even looking at me now, and I’m right in front of you!” Stralia complained.
I refocused my eyes on Stralia, tipping her head back toward me. Brushing long strands of platinum blonde from her shoulders, I peered into her eyes sincerely.
“Just because I’m married doesn’t change our arrangement,” I whispered, hoping that Aradia couldn’t hear me.
Fat chance on that,I mocked myself. Aradia heard everything, andIwas going to hear an earful for this conversation. But for the moment, I needed to reassure Stralia that everything was fine, even if I didn’t believe it myself.
Stralia’s face brightened some, but a shadow lingered. “You say that, but we both know that’s not true. If your new little fae girlfriend finds out about this, about us—”
“Now you’re just being difficult,” I sighed, cutting her off and dropping my arms. “What do you want me to do, hm? I’m the damned king. I have obligations to the kingdom, to Ironhelm. Stop playing the victim and be a part of the solution for once.”
Stralia gawped at me.
“You’re marrying someone else! You’re supposed to love me! How am I supposed to just ‘get over it’?”
I swallowed a loud groan. I loved Stralia, but sometimes, I wondered if it wasn’t an affair borne more from pity than genuine affection. We had been companions for so long; it was hard to know exactly how I felt about the beautiful, blonde fae who had always just been there. In some ways, I likened her more to a rescue kitten I had taken in.
“Cade, call this all off. Send that little bitch back to the middle of nowhere where she belongs,” Stralia begged, the tone of her voice grating on my nerves.
I hated it when she did this.
“I have no say in that,” I grumbled, hating this repetitive fight. It was old and irritating, partially because it reminded me of how little power I had in the grand scheme of things. “What do you want me to do? Forfeit my crown? Bring Ironhelm to its knees and divide the kingdom? If I give up my crown for you, the other three kingdoms of Mystara will certainly try to invade and claim this land for their own kingdoms. What would happen to the faeries of Ironhelm? I have a responsibility to protect them.”
She frowned, a look of uncertainty coloring her eyes. “That will never happen.”
“That’s exactly what will happen,” I contradicted her.
“I would still love you if you didn’t have your crown,” she mumbled. “We could rebuild if it came to that, get rid of that stupid blood oath. Or we could run off somewhere—”
I groaned so loudly that she stopped herself.
“Stop it!” I barked, my annoyance growing. “You’re just rambling now. You know, this is more than just about you and me. This is about Ironhelm. They need a king—me. I am their king. That’s not in dispute.”
She pouted deeper and looked back at me.
“The kingdom would still follow you,” Stralia insisted with far too much optimism. “If you sent that fae away, they would follow you if you married someone else—or no one at all.”
I snorted and whirled around, suddenly very tired of her presence.
“You’re naïve if you believe that. There was a blood oath, a treaty, Stralia. Stop acting like you don’t know what’s at stake here—”
“Don’t be a fool, wench,” Aradia barked, finally showing herself. Apparently, she had heard enough, too. “Keep your distance if you know what’s good for you—and for Cade, not to mention the kingdom.”
Stralia scowled at Aradia, who returned her glare with just as much malice. They’d never liked each other, and the arrival of this Zephyrine was only going to make matters more tumultuous. But I was secretly grateful that Aradia had arrived to end this discussion with Stralia. It saved me from looking like the asshole. Again.
“Ah,” I muttered, ambling toward my bed. “How nice of you to make an appearance—especially when I could sense you hanging around for the last fifteen minutes. You should work on your invisibility.”
The enchantress ignored my comment and continued to fixate on Stralia.
“Youwillstop sneaking into his bedroom, Stralia,” Aradia told my lover, but now Stralia ignored the redheaded elder and pressed herself to my side more tightly, as if I could protect her if Aradia decided to end her at that moment. Not that the enchantress would dare without my order. But Stralia’s nearness melted my resolve, her words chipping away at me.
Stralia didn’t let up. “Cade, you know you don’t want to marry this fae. Send her back to where she came from. We can resume our lives as they were before. We were so much happier. At least send her back for a while. There’s really no need to rush this wedding, is there?”
