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Anaria beamed up at her father and if I hadn’t been there yesterday, if I did not know everything that I did, I would have thought her smile genuine.
“Of course, you are, Tavion. It’s what you do.” She murmured, yanking her hand from mine. “I have everything I want. Everything I need. Which is not your money or your castle.” Her green eyes slid to mine.
“Or you, for that matter.”
Her words hurt. They had power. Power enough to knock the breath from me, to make me reach for her hand again. Only to have her pull away.
“You areimpossible.” I ground my teeth together.
“You’ve said. So often, you’re becoming tiresome.” She sounded so…detached, my doubt turned to dread. Had I ruined things so thoroughly between us that there was no hope? Was my growing affection—more than affection, if I was honest—doomed from the start?
I ground my teeth together. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been denied something I’d wanted.
And I would not be denied now, not when my future was so clear. Not when everything was riding on this little performance.
I shot to my feet, interrupting the Shadow King mid-speech, not that I fucking cared. “I have an announcement.” I pulled Anaria to her feet. She fought me every step of the way, so I swept my arm around her waist.
“My wife and I will be leaving for Warrington Hollow today. I’m taking her home to Nightcairn Castle to meet my parents.”
Anaria growled low in her throat and I tugged her tighter against me, a thrill of excitement going through me. That low, rumbling snarl…that fucking sound made me want to do things to her I hadn’t thought of in a very long time.
I could either be the Fae lord who would protect her, or the wolf who would consume her until there was nothing left.
And right now, I wasn’t sure which I wanted to be. Because consuming Anaria…my entire body tensed in predatory anticipation at the very idea of putting my mouth on her.
I wished I could see her face—she was absolutely fuming—but I was too busy holding the king’s dark stare, daring the evil fucker to stop me.
“Your father is dead.”
“My father is alive and well and looking forward to meeting my new bride.” The brat stomped on my instep, but I barely felt her velvet slipper on my heavy boot. Her elbow, however, was sharp as fuck when she dug it into my side.
“How long?”
I lowered my voice and hissed so only he could hear, “You were ready to allow Greaves to take her to the Shadowlands with nary a fight.” I straightened to my full height, put enough predator in my gaze even the king shrank back. “For as long as I fucking want, that’s how long.”
“Two weeks.” The king motioned Lyrae forward. “She will accompany you.” His sharp teeth gleamed. “I take my daughter’s welfare very seriously.”
King Serpens Centaria leaned forward, Lyrae and Crux drew their blades and Anaria went still, her body trembling. And her fear sent a blast of absolute rage through me, while I decided if it would be worth my while to rip out all their throats and be finished with this whole business.
I kept my voice pleasant. “You send Lyrae with us and I will send you back a corpse.” My smile never faltered, and Lyrae blinked.
Just once, but it was enough.
“Make no mistake, Montgomery, no matter how much money you throw around, it does not change the truth.” Serpens leaned back in his throne, the picture of arrogant ease.
“Unlike your brother, you are a worthless dog and you will end up at the end of the gallows before the snow flies.” His smile widened, as if he knew how deep those words struck true.
“And all of Blackcastle will watch you swing.”
62
ANARIA
“Inever took you for a fool.” I hissed. “Apparently I was wrong.”
I hadn’t said a thing for the rest of the audience.Just sat there, numb, frozen,pissed off.
I went through the motions, smiling blandly up at my false, hateful father, allowed my smug, arrogant ass of a husband to escort me from the throne room.
