Page 65 of The Fae King's Labyrinth

“Which was why you married me.” He stated it, but I decided to take it as a question.

“One reason, yes.” I eyed him as we walked. “You know that very few people live in the luxury you do, right?”

“I am aware, but every one of my servants is paid for their labor.”

“I received a safe place to sleep and food in my belly. It was a fair trade.”

Based on Azulin’s stormy expression, he didn’t agree on the equality of the exchange. Before I could try to explain, a group of fae descended the staircase toward us.

Ghost moved to intercept them, blocking their access to us. The head of the contingent performed an elaborate bow, which was mimicked by the guards behind him. “Your Majesty, we didn’t expect you until later in the day.”

“If this is an inconvenient time, we can depart.” Azulin claimed my hand and turned away from the greetin party. I almost recoiled at the intensity of the emotions that pressed inon me via our connection when he threaded his fingers through mine.

“Don’t you dare leave!” a male voice yelled.

Azulin froze but didn’t turn toward the voice.

However, I turned to look. A tall high fae male came running down the last flight of stairs. He hurdled a row of flowers before striding across the lawn. “I forbid it!” He strode through the midst of the group that had already arrived and stalked around to stand face to face with Azulin.

To my surprise, Ghost merely stepped back and let the intensely emoting male approach without a word.

“You forbid it?” Azulin’s voice hardened. “Last I knew, I was still king.”

The pair of them were of similar height and build. The stranger’s skin was slightly darker than Azulin’s, as though he spent more time in the sun. However, his hair was fairer, burnished a lighter gold than my husband’s dark blond curls. But where Azulin’s posture was arrow straight and his shoulders rarely relaxed, this new fae’s demeanor was more relaxed, even while rigid with apparent anger.

Azulin’s irritation vibrated across our connection, but it didn’t match the emotion in his voice and demeanor as he glared at the fae.

The stranger spoke. “I do not deny your authority, brother, but I do question your commitment to your responsibilities.” The fae glanced at me. Taking in Azulin’s grasp on my hand,he refocused his attention on Azulin’s face. “You haven’t visited our parents in nearly a year.”

“A fact you never let me forget.” Azulin grimaced, anger flaring through the bond.

I tugged at his hand, hoping he would release my fingers or, at the least, hoping I could distract him.

Instead, he turned to me and said in a low voice. “Lady Anon, I unwillingly present you to my ruffian younger brother, Oran. Brother, my wife.”

“I thought we weren’t sharing that information,” I whispered, tugging on our joined hands.

Azulin didn’t respond.

“You married a human?” Oran studied me for a moment before offering me a deep bow. “My pardon, my lady—or I should say, my queen. No matter what species you are, we owe you the greatest of debts if you have broken my brother’s curse and succeeded where so many have failed.”

Azulin didn’t let me answer. “She is to be protected at all costs, understand?”

I swallowed my annoyance and took on my apparently role as bystander in the conversation.

Oran’s head snapped up, and he narrowed his gaze at his brother. “Of course. I assume you have taken the usual precautions.”

“As many as I could considering the time constraint.” Azulin released my hand and tugged back the cuff of his left sleeve, revealing the mating mark coiling around his wrist.

Oran gasped and the greeter from the welcome party let out an exclamation in a language I didn’t recognize. Both Azulin and Oran turned.

The greeter suddenly found himself the focus of the combined scrutiny of both brothers. The air thickened with magic and tension. Ghost stepped up behind the servant, oozing an intimidating magical pressure detectable even from where I stood with Azulin.

“Recall your oath of loyalty,” Oran reminded the fae before turning back to Azulin. “I assume this is not common knowledge.”

My husband tugged his sleeve back into place. “You are the first to know beyond the witnesses and the pooka who bound us.”

Oran’s eyebrows rose. “A pooka? I sense a story there.”

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