Page 25 of Bride of the Fae Prince

“Or I could give you one of my swords, and we could work out some of that anxiety.”

“And terrify the poor girl with the sound of combat in the hallway?” I shoot back, more irritably than I intend.

Rahk remains cool and composed. As always.

“Punching something would feel good,” I admit under my breath. I had been feeling confident and in control of the situation. I wasready.But then my wife just had to be wearing that horrendous gown that looked like it would take the credentials of a human university to remove.

I’m not angry. Not at her—or even the maid. But now I’ve been forced to wait out in this hallway for approaching half an hour, and I’m getting very close to tearing my hair out.

Rahk chuckles. Then, startlingly fast, he balls his hand into a fist and throws a punch at me. I barely duck in time, caught off-guard, before throwing a punch of my own. Rahk dodges, ever swift on his feet. His sheathed sword bangs against the wall as we ram into each other, his armor hitting against my fine robes.

He almostlands a blow right to my mouth, which is hardly fair. But he is so determined to distract me that I almost miss when the door to the chamber opens. My stomach flips. I catch his wrist, shoving his next punch aside as I stand at attention and hiss, “Rahk.”

He beats me to composure, however.

I try to disguise my labored breathing with a serious expression as I face the maid.

“Your bride awaits, Your Highness,” she says as she curtsies. Then she scurries away like a mouse of the Small Cities.

I stand before the door, suddenly unsure. Suddenly wishing the maid had taken just a few minutes longer. My heart still races from Rahk’s distraction. Truth be told, I could use more distraction.

My wife is on the other side of this door. And she is terrified of me.

A hand lands on my shoulder. I exhale through my nose, then meet Rahk’s solemn expression.

“Think of fairy puffs, my friend.”

“What?”

“They’re sweet. All you have to do is be sweet.”

I glare harder until he grins and backs away, lifting both hands as though in surrender. Then I face the door and draw a deep breath. Before I have time to think anything else, I clench my jaw and push it open.

It swings a little harder than I intend, banging into the wall. Rahk hisses from behind me. As if I’m not already cursing myself for opening the door in possibly the most terrifying way I could have.

There she is. Seated on the edge of the bed, dressed in a simple white gown with that cursed blue veil over her face. She clasps her hands tightly in her lap, a long, thick braid falling over her shoulder. Her hair is a light blonde. To think I married this woman before I even knew the color of her hair.

What color are her eyes?

I swallow, tearing my gaze from her just long enough to close the door behind me. The latch gives a click, firmly shutting out Rahk and the rest of the world. Enclosing us into this space together. Me and my new wife.

No backing out now.Her fate is sealed with mine. The only way is forward.

I turn back to her.

The first thing I’m doing is ripping off that veil.

Chapter 12

The Princess

He fills the doorway.My mouth goes dry as I stare at him from beneath my veil. I try not to crumple the folds of my dressing gown beneath my sweaty hands. I try to breathe. Try to not imagine what will happen next.

I just need to take this moment by moment.

And at this moment, he studies me from across the room. His scrutiny makes my skin itch, but I can handle scrutiny.

He takes a step toward me. My heart rate kicks up several notches, and my veil sucks in toward my mouth with my sharp inhale.Calm down,I tell myself. I can handle him walking closer to me.

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