Page 43 of A Bond in Blood

I smiled, shoving him away. “Perhaps another time, beast.”

He laughed that unsettling laugh I hadn’t yet grown accustomed to before laying back on the stone.

“What are we doing?” he asked.

“You follow me around each day,” I stated. “What happened to performing the king’s duties? What happened to forcing me to watch failed deals being claimed?”

Olen’s shoulders rose. “I’ve been tasked to stand guard. Ulrich can’t have people believing he’s given youtotalfreedom.”

“I want to write a letter,” I replied, forcing the request I’d been braving to ask out of my mouth.

“That’s not a request I can grant,” he replied.

“You could ask…” I stopped my words as the beast’s head rose once more.

“Princess, if you want the king to doanythingyou ask, you must meet his demands first.”

I groaned and sank against the stone behind me. “It’s been five days,” I said.

“You’re rather full of statements this afternoon.” Olen yawned.

“Tell him I’m returning him the other nine.”

Olen sat up, his eyes studying me. “Why?” he asked, the question echoing down the hall.

“Because I’m a diplomat,” I said calmly, standing from my seat. “I’ll meet his demands if he meets mine.”

The music boomed out from behind the ballroom doors, and I fidgeted in my place. It’d only been hours since my conversation with Olen, but Ulrich had responded quickly, alerting his right hand to have Adalie prep me for that evening’s ball.

The first I’d attended since he’d murdered a man ruthlessly and humiliated me. Marking my body for eternity.

The doors groaned open, and I held my breath, flattening my palms against my thighs. I expected the music to stop, like it had before, but it continued on. To my surprise, not one eye tracked me while I entered the room.

No, it was as though I didn’t exist in the sea of moving bodies. As though I were invisible amongst the music and moans harmonizing together.

How these fae managed to celebrate and hump one another night after night was almost admirable. Almost like they had nothing more to live for.

I made my way to the throne, where Ulrich sat with two naked women kissing his neck.

“Your grace,” I said, dipping into a bow.

The women didn’t stop their kissing. Also behaving like no words had been uttered. Ulrich grinned back, however, wide and bright. His silver mask illuminated his green eyes.

“Sit,” he ordered.

My jaw clenched but I bit the inside of my cheek. We were playing our game again. Dancing around each other, trying to crack the other.

I tilted my chin down and took my seat on the rounded settee beside his throne, crossing my legs gently.

“So obedient this evening,” he laughed.

I met his eyes, ignoring the tongue licking up his throat.

“I’m only trying to mend the fissures in our two kingdoms’ relationship.”

“Olen said you called yourself a diplomat. I’m impressed.”

The king leaned forward, brushing away the women. “What do you want, Brenna?” he asked, his gaze holding mine.

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