Page 86 of A Bond in Blood

He shrugged. “They could always wait for their Gods to respond. I do not force them to take my blood and agree.”

“How does Oberon fall into this?”

Ulrich held my gaze, his chest moving slowly. “Unknown to you, and most of this world, I meet with Oberon yearly. In secret. We discuss the current conditions of our courts and every nowand then, I will follow through with any deals that involve him. Your ancestor only wanted to marry this mortal. Oberon thought it was disgusting to have fae and mortal blood mixed. He came up with granting an island as long as your family paid him a yearly visit to acknowledge his rightful place as your true king.”

“You also managed to place Sigrun in Titania’s personal court.”

Ulrich’s hands gripped his chair. “Yes,” he hissed. “And you saw how that worked out.”

“How many spies do you have in Oberon’s court?”

The words left my lips and Ulrich’s chair clattered to the ground. He was before me, his hands wrapping around my wrists.

“Quiet your tongue,” he sneered.

“No!” I pulled from his grasp. “I’m not stupid, Ulrich. She all but said it! How many? How many more deals will Oberon force you to claim? How many more lives of peopleyoutricked?”

“Brenna,” his voice dropped low. “You do not know what you speak of, and I suggest you stop immediately.”

“Or what?” I countered. “You’re going to attack me again? You’re going to kill me in a fit of rage? Or will you whip me until I bleed again and mark the rest of my body with your violence?”

“Get out,” Ulrich snapped. His hands landed on my shoulders, and he spun me toward the door. “Leave my sight now before you regret it.”

I scoffed. “Still a coward.”

Ulrich let out an angry breath and I expected his hands to grip me, but he kept away. I gave him another scoff, picking up my skirts as I walked towards the door.

“Don’t forget you’re a pawn in this game!” Ulrich yelled after me.

“And don’t forget that I hate you!” I replied.

I made my way out of the library, hate heating my blood, and turned toward mylooking glasshall. I didn’t want to return to the bedroom. Not when I knew he would eventually lay beside me in bed. Sleeping like a peaceful brute while I spent the night fidgeting in my spot.

I saw the red moonlight before I crossed the threshold and relief flooded through me. I couldn’t usually stay angry the moment I entered this room. Not with the beauty and simplicity of the space.

I approached the glass, laying my cheek against the cool surface while I drew scribbles in the fog left by my breath.

The city below was alive and bright. A population of people living under the moon of my blood. Oddly fitting when I came to ponder it, that I would find myself trapped on an island living under the moon that had ushered in my birth.

My hands continued to scribble while my breath fogged the glass, absently drawing the markings I’d seen across the king’s forearms. The letters I didn’t recognize running up the tails of the strange beasts on his body.

“Did he have you mesmerized?”

I pulled my head from the glass, finding Olen in his beast form. The red of the moon lightened the dark scar across his face.

“What’s that from?” I asked, pointing to the scar.

Olen growled.

I glared in response. “It is only a question.”

Olen laid before me, resting his head on my feet. Trapping me in place. His chest rumbled just below the tops of my shoes as he spoke. “A deadly creature marked me, leaving me with the shame of it for the rest of my life.”

I shrugged, leaning back on my arms while I studied the scar. “I think it’s handsome.”

His chest rumbled and that strange laugh sound came from his throat. “Handsome? I have yet to be told that.”

I smiled at him. “It’s odd when I see it on your face in beast form. The way it’s raised and how none of your fur covers it. But… when you are yourself and it’s across your face? It’s handsome and unique.”

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