Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
The water is pure, heated silk, slipping over my skin like a caress, and I sigh as all my muscles relax. I didn’t realize how tense they were; perhaps I am more afraid of Arcus than I cared to admit. But even fear can’t touch me, now; I’m melting into a sensuous abyss of relaxation.
Arcus still holds me. He grins down at me with pride, as if he is responsible for this place and its effect on me. The king’s ego knows no bounds.
“You see now, why this place is sacred,” he tells me. Like he can read my simple, human thoughts. If he could, he would see eyes rolling in my mind. “I brought my queens here, before we were mated.”
My brow crinkles. “Queens?”
“Theeda and Parphia,” he replies, bemused. “Luthian taught you court manners, but no court history?”
I blush and look down.
“Theeda was my first queen. She was a good mate and bore my heirs.” He speaks with true fondness in his words. “I was disappointed when she died.”
“How did it happen?” I ask softly, touching his cheek as if to comfort him.
“She was at Palat Scylas, in the Sorrowlands, when they were infected.” He says no more, and I don’t press him. I have little knowledge of the Sorrowlands apart from what everyone in Fablemere knows: nothing grows, nothing lives. I don’t know how it got that way.
“I’m so sorry.” I take his hand and bring it to my lips, pressing a kiss in the center of his palm.
He smooths my hair back. “You are a tender-hearted thing.”
“I can’t help it. I’m human,” I say apologetically. “What about your other queen?”
He dismisses her with a wave of his hand. “Parphia? She isn’t worth discussing. Especially not in this sacred place.”
“Well, I thank you for bringing me to such an important site, Your—” I pretend to slip up. “Arcus.”
He lifts my chin and studies my face. “You are a wonder, Cenere. In all my thousands of years, I have yet to encounter someone so human, and yet so fae. I think it would be a mistake to let you slip from my grasp.”
I summon tears to my eyes and blink to ensure that one falls. “I am mated to Luthian.”
“Do you take me for an ogre? A pixie?” He laughs. “You made a promise to Luthian, not the old gods. It’s never been our way to yolk ourselves to each other inseparably. With a word, I can cleave the bond between you and your mate and have you for myself.”
Is it a threat or an offer? I can’t tell.
He lowers himself more, pulls me down with him. My copper curls turn to wavy, dark tentacles on the surface of the water. He urges one of my legs around his waist and the tip of his cock touches me. “Is that something you would desire, Cenere? Would you wish to be my queen?”
I desire Luthian. I would take a binding oath before the old gods if he asked me. But that is not why I’ve come to court.
With a gentle push, I free myself from Arcus’s arms and float just out of his reach. “It’s impossible.”
“Why should it be?” Arcus demands, shockingly gentle.
“Because...” I stop. I came to this court specifically to become Cassan’s queen. To claim the throne at his side. To exert my power and punish Cadwyn Thrace. To claim my justice. Does it matter now if I achieve it according to Luthian’s plan? What I want is in the palm of my hand, outstretched to me for the taking.
Luthian would take it.
If I break my bargain with him, I will lose my wishes. Will I even need them if I am Arcus’s queen?
But Luthian still plans to kill Arcus. I wouldn’t be queen for long. Perhaps, not even long enough to end Cadwyn Thrace. And while I could simply inform the king of Luthian’s scheming...
I love Luthian. Standing on this precipice of betrayal, I know I can’t step off it. I want to hurt Luthian because I am hurt. But I can’t end his life over something as trivial as unreturned affection.
My mind whirls. Arcus trusts me enough to be alone with him. No guards, no dragons, naked and vulnerable in my arms. He would have me as his queen. Luthian and I didn’t plan it that way, but it could still help us, without betraying him.
“Because,” I gasp on a sob that Arcus will believe because he wants to. “I am a lowly human. I’m fortunate that Luthian can overlook such a thing.”
“There is nothing to overlook, Cenere,” Arcus vows. “You are more perfect than any faery.”
“But could your courtiers overlook such a thing?” I shake my head. “I know I’ve impressed them with my displays. The mermaids, for example—”
“Mermaids?” Arcus laughs. “I would have liked to see that.”