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Grandfather’s face turns red as he turns to look at Stellan. “You allow your people to attack her?”
I feel a flash of anger from Stellan, but he quickly masks it as he speaks to my grandfather. “I don’t allow anybody to attack her. The people who attacked her have been dealt with, I assure you. The dragons have a group of traitors, but we are handling the situation. I would never willingly put Wisteria in danger.” He takes a deep breath, looking at me. “But as it turns out, she is more than capable of taking care of herself.”
I grin as I feel the pride in his emotions—he is proud of me. Me, a girl he never wanted to marry, but still got stuck with. I’m so different than a dragon shifter, but he still loves me.
“Your eyes,” Grandfather gasps.
I turn toward him, curious what he’s going on about.
“Do they change colors?” he asks.
“Oh.” I let out a breath. “I’m fae—my eyes change colors depending on my emotions.”
“They werepink,” Grandfather says.
Venali grunts. “Uh, I thought we agreed you guys weren’t going to flirt in front of me anymore.”
I ignore my cousin’s protests. “Light pink means love. Since we have a complete mate bond, I can feel Stellan’s emotions. And he was proud of me. It made me remember why I love him so much.”
“He’s probably proud because you’re not helpless like most female dragons,” Venali mutters under his breath. “Female elves may be rare, but at least they’re fierce.”
“You love him?” Grandfather asks, ignoring Venali ashis eyes focus intently on me. “I thought your marriage was arranged.”
“It was arranged,” I admit, wondering what that has to do with me being in love with him.
“And your marriage was less than a month ago,” Grandfather continues.
I nod.
“You two didn’t know one another before the wedding?”
“No,” I answer. “I met him once, two weeks before our wedding. But other than that, any of our interactions were always from a distance. He was supposed to marry my older sister.”
“Older sister?” Venali perks up at that. “I didn’t realize your father had other children before you.”
“She was adopted as a sacrifice for the alliance. Once the fae realized how powerful I was, they decided to do whatever it took to keep me.” A diety. An empress. A prisoner.
“Fae beauty mixed with fierce elf magic and a soft heart,” Grandfather says. “I imagine there isn’t anybody who would willingly let you go, my granddaughter.”
My heart swells at his words… not because he means them as a threat, but as a compliment. My grandfather loves me, even though he barely knows me.
“I will do what I can to save your husband. The fact that he is the crown prince will help. The elves do not want to start a war just as we reappear in the supernatural world,” Grandfather says, then he begins walking again, leading us toward the dining area.
Venali looks over his shoulder at me as we make our way to dinner. It’s not hard to read the smile on his face. He wasn’t sure how bringing Stellan would go, and despite the fact that the council wants to punish him for marryingme, it’s gone better than he expected. My grandfather truly has accepted Stellan.
Stellan squeezes my hand and I smile at him.
Everything is going to be okay. I believe my grandfather when he says he’ll do whatever he can to protect Stellan.
21
Nobody can take you from me
Stellan
How are things going?
I look at the text from my father, wondering how to respond. Do I tell him about the trial today? Or do I tell him all is well? Thelastthing we need is for my father to show up here, even if it is to protect me.
