Page 93 of Fae Exile

With her neck pinched to her shoulder to play at keeping my lips away, she said, “If you’re doing this to avoid answering my question and you just don’t have all that much you love about me to share, then I caught you.”

I sneaked a final smack of a kiss to her neck then withdrew as she laughed, tugging her flush against me. “I could go all day long with a list of the things I already love about you. And I can’t even imagine how many bits of you I’ll fall in love with over our lifetimes.”

She stiffened.

I examined her face. “What? Too much too soon?”

She took a moment, but finally, “No, it’s not that. Or, well, maybe it is, I guess. I just... Until I got here, I thought only dragon shifters had mates. Maybe dragons too, I’m not sure about them since I’ve never talked to one before today.”

It was my turn to stiffen. “Wait, what? Youspoketo a dragon today?” I could feel my brows climbing my forehead.

“Well ... whaddya think I was doing when I was connecting with the blue she-dragon in the throne room?”

“I didn’t know. And we haven’t exactly been talking much till now. Better things to do and all.” I winked.

Our minutes till a goblin came to fetch us to prepare for the Nuptialis Probatio were probably numbered.

With increasing interest, I scanned her naked body.Oh yeah, we’ve definitely talked enough.

I was lowering my lips to her breast when her scar once again caught my eye. I groaned. “Dammit, I’m supposed to be focusing. My priorities are all skewed with you lying here all beautiful and sexy and naked.”

“Hey, if we’re stuck here for now, and queenie can’t kill us, then, well, fuck it. No use fighting that part of it since we can hardly fight the rest of it, let alone some crazy fae land magic. So I say, let’s make the most of our time here, yeah?”

“Yes. Definitely. No. Wait. Don’t you have more questions before we’re separated and the Nuptialis Probatio starts?”

Just the thought of having her out of my sight made panic flare in my veins. If Azariah hadn’t assured me the magic of the Fae Heir Trials was now unbreakable, even by the queen, then I didn’t think I’d leave Elowyn’s side, no matter what anyone demanded of me.

“Separated?” Elowyn asked.

“Yes. Goblins will arrive soon to groom us. You more than me, of course, since you’re the competitor. With Pru gone, you’ll get someone to replace her.”

“You’re not seriously telling me I actually have to compete to be your mate. That’s already decided, isn’t it? By…” I waved my top hand. “…fate, destiny, whatever?”

“Yes, definitely. But…”

“But. I hatebuts.”

“Me too. Especially this one. The Fae Heir Trials magic is old, really old. No one can break it once it’s been initiated.”

“You said that already.”

“What I’m getting at is ... you’ll actually have to win the Nuptialis Probatio for us to be able to marry. Mates or not, the magic will force me to marry the winner. Assuming she then passes the last two stages of the trials, of course.”

“Assuming, my ass. There’s noshehere, just me.”

“Obviously. But me knowing that and the magic knowing that are two different things.”

“Whom do I have to compete against?”

“All the princesses and contenders you saw at the parties, and some others in from clan territories.”

She just stared at me, so I added, “Like Natania, Coretta, Eliana, Malina, you know, that group.”

“And bythat groupyou mean the conniving, catty, wheedling, manipulative, serpent-like bitches who can’t keep their hands off you?”

If our roles had been reversed, I’d probably murder every last contender who so much as thought about laying a single hand on her.

My mouth was a grim line. “Them.”

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