Page 80 of Fae Exile

“Do you mean,” Rush asked, “that if I emerge champion of the Fae Heir Trials, I may still be crowned prince heir to the throne of Embermere?”

She bounced her thighs open and closed, open and closed.

A constant growl rumbled deep in my chest. I couldn’t seem to stop it.

“I haven’t decided yet,” she said before spreading her legs again. For his part, Rush didn’t appear to be looking. “No doubt, this will be fun.”

My jaw clenched at her suggestion of whatthiswould be.Over my dead body!

“You’ve certainly betrayed me,” she went on as if I weren’t seething. “You’ve earned your own death and that of everyone you love.”

“That he has, my queen,” cooed Braque, the fucking weasel.

“But the mate bond magic is ancient and primitive. You may not have had much of a choice.”

My jaw unclenched at the unexpectedly reasonable observation.

“And it is far easier to guide a man I already understand than one who doesn’t yet know the ways of working with me...”

“I’d be incredibly grateful and most honored if Her Majesty were to give me another chance,” Rush said.

I actually spun around to gape at him.Say fucking what, now?

She closed her legs, until we were all waiting to see if she’d again flaunt her lasciviousness. Then she splayed her legs wider still, pressing them to either side of her throne.

“I suppose it will depend on just how grateful and just how honored you are.”

“You can’t be serious,” I grunted under my breath so softly no one but Rush and Saffron should be able to hear.

Her stare whipped at me. “Oh, I’m very serious. One might even say, deadly serious.”

She tipped her head to one side. “You know,girl, legend has it that mates fuck like no one else, that they feel what no other pairing feels. I’d be willing to consider your gratitude as well.”

Finally, she crossed her legs, swinging the stiletto of the top leg. “According to what is said of the rare mates, seeing one of them with another is more painful than death. And Rush will be married to another.”

“No.” The denial slipped out of me.

“Oh yes. There’s nothing you can do to stop it.”

“The Nuptialis Probatio,” Rush said, “is it not to decide who is best suited to be the future queen of Embermere? Fairly and impartially?”

She batted her dark lashes with an innocence that didn’t suit her. “Yes, of course.” Next she barked a laugh before glancing at her cohorts, who laughed along with her. I’d strangle Ivar and Braque, but I’d murder her first.

“What did you do with the dragons?” I asked instead of revealing the anguish she was expertly brewing within me.

The queen arched her elegant brows. “The ones in the throne room? Or the ones down in my dungeons?”

For several beats of my heart, no one made a sound.

“The ones in the throne room,” I replied, like I couldn’t tell just how flustered Rush was that she knew they’d been down to the dungeons.

Her brows lowered to form stern lines. “The dragons, any and all of them, are not your concern. And if you fight me on that point, then I’ll seize the one you hold in your arms.”

No, I screamed inside.You don’t touch him!But fear paralyzed me, and I didn’t say anything at all.

“Good,” she said. “I see we finally understand each other.”

“What of my sister?” Rush asked, sounding weaker than I’d ever heard him. Now I understood exactly why.

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