Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
“I’m just… a little sensitive—that’s all,” I said defensively. “Do I really look like this because of what you guys fed me last night?” I asked, gesturing to myself with my free hand—the one that wasn’t holding my nightgown away from my breasts.
“The food of our people—of your people—and the Nectar of Lolth have revealed your true form,” Krynn said.
“But why do I look so young?” I asked. “I mean, not that I’m complaining, but I look like I’m nineteen again.”
“You look young because you are young,” Seldarin informed me. “You won’t come of age until the Autumn Equinox.”
“What? But I’m nearly fifty!” I exclaimed.
“Exactly. You are nearly of age to rule,” Krynn said calmly. “Royal Fae and High Fae aren’t considered fully mature until they reach the age of fifty. It’s just as well that your birthday is near,” he added. “Because you cannot ascend the Throne of the Midnight Court until you are mature.”
“But this is crazy!” I exclaimed. “I’ve been an adult for well over half my life now! Hell, I’m probably going to be a grandmother in the next year since my son and his wife are trying to have a baby.”
“You must forget the human part of your life,” Krynn told me. “You must leave it behind—your true life begins now.”
“I can’t just forget everything about who I am—who I’ve been for my whole life,” I protested. “And if this is what eating Fae food does to me, then I’m not eating any more of it!”
“Don’t be fucking ridiculous,” Seldarin growled. “You’ve got to eat. Even the nearly immortal Fae can be starved to death.”
I shook my head.
“I don’t think so. What if I ate more of those glowing berries and got even younger? I don’t want to become a literal child again!”
“That won’t happen,” Krynn assured me. “The Nectar of Lolth has revealed your true form already—it won’t change again. All that eating Fae fare will do now is to allow you to come into your true power.”
“What power? I don’t have any power!” I protested. Which was absolutely true—I was probably the least magical person I knew. Or I had been, twenty-four hours ago, I thought ruefully.
“You will.” Seldarin’s face looked grim. “You’ll have more power than any being in the whole fucking Midnight Court—which is why Mordren wants to get rid of you before you can learn to harness and control it.”
“What kind of power?” I asked, fascinated despite myself. “Will I be able to call lightning out of the sky like you?” I still remembered his impressive display from the night before. “Or make plants grow in an instant like you?” I asked, turning to Krynn.
Both of them shook their heads.
“Not at first, my Lady—Seldarin has Sky magic and I have Earth magic,” Krynn told me. “But you…you will have Blood magic. The most powerful and devastating magic of all.”
“Blood magic?” I made a face. “That doesn’t sound very appealing.”
“It will.” Seldarin sounded grim again. “Have your fangs started to grow yet, Princess?”
“My fangs?” Then I remembered how my canine teeth had grown sharp points. I ran the tip of my tongue over one of them again and winced. “Er…how did you know about that?” I asked, frowning.
“Because a Queen descended from Lolth always has the Spider Queen’s attributes,” Krynn explained.
“And her appetites…and her Thirst,” Seldarin said darkly.
“Her thirst? What are you talking about? And what was all that in the Throne Room about you two being the only ones who could ‘slake my thirst?’” I demanded, frowning. “Does that mean you’re the only ones allowed to give me water or anything to drink?”
“No, my Lady,” Krynn said quietly. “It means that of all the Fae in the Midnight Court, you may only drink from either Seldarin or myself when the Thirst comes on you.”
“The thirst for what, though?” I asked apprehensively. I had an idea of the answer, but I was really hoping I was wrong.
“The thirst for blood, of course,” Seldarin said roughly. “But that isn’t the only thirst that needs quenching,” he added and nodded down to where I was still pulling the silky nightgown away from my chest so it wouldn’t brush my sensitive nipples.
I could feel myself blushing, my cheeks getting hot.
“What are you talking about?” I asked again.
“True descendants of the Spider Queen have her needs,” Krynn said quietly. “Her sexual needs—which are said to be prodigious. They are tied to the Thirst, for the two go hand-in-hand.”
“Meaning what—that I’m going to get extremely horny and begin wanting to bite people’s necks and drink their blood?” I demanded. “No—that’s crazy!”
“It’s not crazy—this is your reality now,” Seldarin growled, frowning at me. “And the sooner you get used to it, the better for all of us. Especially since Krynn and I are the only ones you’re allowed to drink from.” He pulled his long black hair out of the way and leaned down to offer me his strongly corded throat. A whiff of ozone mixed with dark male spice filled my nose. “Here—are you thirsty, Princess?”