Page 82 of Bride of the Fae Prince

“He’s been poisoned!” someone shrieks. “Get a healer! Find the antidote!”

My blood freezes for one hazy moment. Horror descends upon me like a wet blanket. It’s hardly a second before my husbandis swarmed. I lose sight of him, and I stare at the rainbow of dresses and barely-dresses clumping around the chair where Ash had sat only a minute ago.

I toss aside my horror and throw myself bodily into the sudden swarm of women. “Get away from him!” I shout fiercely, rage bubbling up from somewhere deep inside me. “Getawayfrommy husband!”

My nails rake across bare fae skin as I try to tear my way to Ash. I earn an elbow to the gut and hardly notice it in my fury. He ismyhusband.Ineed to get him back to his quarters. Edvear will know what to do. But poison can move quickly. His fae blood and enormous body had better give me enough time to get help to him.

If thesestupidfae princesses would just getoutof myway.

“Move aside!” I bellow, grabbing a handful of gauzy fabric and yanking with all my might. As if that will give me enough leverage against their greater strength.

It’s Pelarusa who sees me first, hears me first, and the look in her eye makes me realize how vulnerable I am. Most of these women, if not all, want me dead. And I just—

With one swipe of her delicate but shockingly strong arm, I go flying backward and hit the ground hard. I push up on my elbows, expecting her to pursue me, to slice into me, but before she gets a chance, Oleria steps between us. Pelarusa bares her teeth at her, but returns to the fray.

Oleria’s silver eyes flash, her brow grim. “You need to get out of here. Fast. I’m not going to be much protection.”

Why is she helping me? No, there’s no time for that. She’s right. I’m practically defenseless, and if everyone suddenly decided they wanted me dead, I’m sure they can accomplish it easily enough. But Ash—

Something shatters. A roar follows the shattered glass. “Whotried to poisonmy wife?”

Ash’s head is suddenly visible above the women, and they back away as he flings his arm wide. Fury burns in the gaze he levels on Listhra. She has half-risen, staring with wide eyes at him. He grabs the armrest of her chair and yanks it toward him so hard she falls back into it, and lifts an ashen face to his.

“Who gave you that poison?” he demands, his voice lowering to something much more terrifying than his shouting. “Who?”

A hand clamps down on my wrist. I nearly scream, whirling as another hand clamps down over my mouth.

“It’s me,” comes Rahk’s deep voice. “Come with me quickly, Princess Stella.”

“But Ash has been poisoned!”

“He will be fine, my lady. Have no fear. It’s more important to get you to safety.”

I want to protest, but he’s right, and at that moment, Oleria shouts over the din: “Go with him!”

There are at least half a dozen angry fae women between me and Ash. Rahk lets go of me, and just for a split second, I can almost make out the shimmering edges of a pair of wings behind him. They vanish too quickly, and I have barely a heartbeat of hesitation before I latch hold of his proffered arm and let him whisk me out of the hall.

The door shuts behind us, cutting off the cacophony with a firm thud.

Chapter 30

The Princess

My hands shake atmy sides as Rahk guides me back through the halls of the palace, which seem oddly quiet after the feasting hall. He’s a silent, looming presence. A presence that can turn on me in an instant.

But Ash hardly trusts anyone except Rahk. If I’m not safe with him, I’m not safe with anyone. I swallow, huffing at my attempts to keep up with his long legs. As if realizing how fast he’s walking, Rahk abruptly slows.

“I thought you’d gone home,” I say by way of greeting.

“I did. Until the invitation arrived from the High King for my sisters to come to a banquet tonight held in Ash’s honor. I came as quickly as I could.”

He came right on time, it seems. “Thank you, Prince Rahk.”

“It is my honor, Princess Stella.”

Once we reach Ash’s quarters, Rahk raps a special sequence on the door.Ti-tap, ti-tap, ti-tap, tap.The door opens quickly, revealing the steward and his twitching ears.

“Why, Master Rahk, I didn’t know we had the pleasure.” Edvear’s gaze shifts to me. “Lady Stella, you’re returned from dinner. Where is His Highness?”

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