AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Four children. I’m expected to pop out four kids. I mean, I never really thought about marriage and kids, but that’s a lot… isn’t it?And yet, that’s just the beginning of this mess.
“What’s the number two concern?” I ask, even though I’m pretty sure that has to do with what I heard in the ball concerning a war.
Yeah, like what humans need is more trouble.War means that the humans will get the short end of the stick, no matter where they stick that stick.
His gaze meets mine, those pale eyes of his stealing my breath. “That we won’t be able to share you, and that it’ll cause a war amongst the kingdoms.”
I was right. War. Death. Famine. It hadn’t happened in ages, but peace amongst the fae is always fragile, if our history is any indication.
He pats my hand again. “But don’t worry, my lady, we will do whatever it is we must in order to share you, and to keep war from our lands.”
I try to smile, but I feel like I’m heading for my doom. The noise of the ballroom is gone, and now there’s only the silence of the rest of the castle. We walk down several hallways until we reach one with a bench outside the doors.The Elders’ Chambers.There, a few guests mill about. Probably the already married ones who were only at the party to see the matches.
Probably also some of the ones responsible for tattling on me to the elders.I’m just guessing, though. Again, I wish I knew more about the solstice nights and the elders. All of this is so new and confusing to me, making an already difficult time harder.
We stop outside of the imposing doors, and the four of us stand in silence. I don’t venture to imagine what they’re thinking. There’s no telling since three of these four princes think I’m truly their mate, and one is as hard to read as a book with no words.
The elders walk past us, cast Prince Sulien a look, then disappear into their chambers. I glance at the prince again, and I stiffen. The Summer Prince has the look of a man capable of awful things as his intense auburn eyes sweep from me back to the elders’ chamber.
What the hell is he going to do or say? How is he going to protect our secret?I don’t know, but I’m almost scared of him right now. He’s pissed, I just hope that anger is directed at the elders and not me.
“The damn fools like the dramatics,” Prince Forrest whispers in my ear, the heat of his breath distracting given the circumstances. “They like to seem all-knowing and powerful, but they’re really just a pack of old men hoping to prove their use on the rare occasion they can.”
I hope he’s right. I honestly do. The elders are often whispered about by the staff, but most of what we know sounds more like fairy tales than the truth. Fairy tales about powerful older fae capable of steering the direction of our court.
Prince Sulien turns to all of us, heed held high, shoulders back, and says, “I’m going to meet with them and handle this. Stay with Cassia.”
It’s frustrating. His voice gives nothing away.Is he worried about this? Is he cocky as hell?I can’t tell, and I kind of want to slap the answer out of him.
“You’re going to talk to them and put them in their places, right?” Prince Forrest asks, andheabsolutely sounds cocky.
The summer fae doesn’t look impressed. “I’ll hear their concerns and deal with them.”
“If these weremyelders, I’d tell them to go fuck themselves,” Prince Forrest says, and there’s a challenge in his voice.
Prince Sulien’s expression doesn’t change when he answers, “And that is one of the many ways you and I differ.” Without giving me the least bit of reassurance, he turns and disappears into their chambers.
Great. I guess I get to just sit out here and twist in the wind.Although, I guess, I prefer this to actually being in there with him, lying through my teeth.
Yet, I feel helpless. And Ihatefeeling helpless.
Not sure what else to do, I sit on the bench in the hall, gripping the wood, letting my thoughts race. I need to think. To come up with a plan of what to tell the elders. Who am I? How am I a fae? What house am I from? How do I explain working as a maid all these years without telling people about my fae side? How do I explain why I’ve never shown control over the least bit of magic? They’re all good questions.
Unfortunately for me, I don’t have any answers.
Suddenly, Prince Cobar sits close beside me. So close that his thigh and arm touch mine. It’s bold, and not at all what I’m in the mood for right now, so I scoot the other way down the bench.
“Did you really steal a necklace today?” He whispers into my ear, suddenly beside me again.
Damn teleporting. He could have just moved over.I pull back from him and glare. “You’re terrible at breaking the ice. You know that, right?”
He smirks. “But I more than make up for it in good looks.”
Despite my best intentions, I smile before I can smother it. “Look, I’m busy right now.”
“Busy worrying?” he asks, lifting a brow.
Prince Zane sits down on my other side, his chill oddly nice against Prince Cobar’s warmth. “She hasn’t dealt with the elders before, of course she’s nervous.”
