Page 50 of Their Princess

Turning back to Jol and Talrinir, my eyes dropped to their now joined hands. A smile split my face and I rushed forward to hug them both. “Congratulations!”

Talrinir laughed, pure joy lighting up her face and Jol patted my back and said, “Thank you.”

“Huh? What’d we miss?” Kayden asked from the kitchen.

“King Jolmach and I are … courting,” Talrinir explained.

Kayden rushed over and high-fived Jol. “Congrats, man!”

Jol smiled down at Talrinir. “I’m very fortunate that she is allowing me this chance.”

“Is that why you brought Elrith instead of asking us to pick him up?” I asked. “So you could tell us?”

Talrinir nodded. “That and to check on you, but you look one hundred times better. Have you decided about staying here yet? Our world definitely agrees with you.”

I opened my mouth, but Trey interrupted me.

“We will be living here permanently,” he advised them.

Talrinir barked, a sound I hadn’t heard from her before, and pulled me into a tight hug. “I’m so glad! We’ll be able to spend more time together.”

“And I’ll be able to help with your wedding planning,” I replied with a wink.

Her cheeks flushed and she self-consciously stroked one of her doglike ears. “Eh, hm, yes.”

“I’ve got a lot of plans in the works,” I informed them. “Some we will need your and Druth’s help for.”

She smiled warmly and said, “I can’t wait to hear about them. We have plans today, but how about tomorrow?”

I nodded. “Perfect! Have fun tonight and we’ll come to the castle for lunch tomorrow.”

Jol smirked. “For lunch, huh? I guess I’ll have to make sure we have extra rolls for a certain little imp.”

Elrith gasped. “You give another imp extra rolls?”

We all laughed at his outrage, and at his confusion, we all laughed harder.

ChapterEighteen

The sun had barely peeked through the curtains when an immensely strong aura drew near us. One that felt powerful and … somewhat familiar.

Elrith raced into the kitchen where Trey and I were finishing making breakfast, his eyes wide with fear, and leapt into Trey’s arms, shaking.

“What is it?” Trey asked him.

Mason and Kayden hurried from their rooms, headed to the front door to go face whoever or whatever it was.

I joined them, pushing open the door and stepping out first, ignoring Kayden’s soft growl.

The hairs on my nape rose at the sight of a pack of at least a dozen hellhounds jogging towards us.

No wonder Elrith had been scared.

At the front of the pack was a familiar, but much larger than I remembered, hellhound.

“Dhun!” I yelled and ran forward, arms spread wide to hug him.

He yipped in greeting before letting his tongue loll out the side of his mouth in a hellhound grin. He picked up speed and ran forward to meet me.

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