Page 26 of Treasured By the Fae Royal

“How dare you scold me. I’m not a child. I was just so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t realize how far I’d gone and by then it was too late. Besides, the manggas could always wander into the cottage garden. There’s no fence. Following your logic, I’m not safe anywhere. No human is.”

I growl. If we were on the ground right now, I might grab her by the shoulders and give her a good shake.

“The manggas, as well as any other dangerous creatures, cannot come close to the cottage,” I say. “They can’t come within a fucking mile of it because I placed protective wards in the forest around your aunt’s residence. To keep you safe. I never imagined you would travel so far away all by yourself. Had I known, I would’ve expanded the wards.”

She shifts in my arms, and though I can’t see her face, I sense her shock. She sucks in a quick breath and exhales shakily. “Lucas, I had no idea about the wards.” Her voice comes out much more subdued. “That’s actually really sweet of you. But why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m not certain.” It’s the truth. I’d created the wards before I departed the cottage on the very day I met her, but even once I returned for our midnight meeting, I didn’t bother telling her about the wards. Why not? I sigh into the breeze. “I suppose I worried you would think I was being overly possessive. But I like the word you just used to describe it. Sweet.”

She laughs. “Well, I think it’s more sweet than possessive. It’s not like you locked me in a cage for my own safety.”

We finally arrive at the cottage, and I descend slowly with her in my arms. Just before I put her down, I place my lips at her ear and whisper, “If you ever worry me like this again, sweetling, trust me, I will find a cage.”

Her breath catches in her throat, but before she can respond, her mother and aunt converge on us. I step back to give them space for a reunion, and her mother and aunt take turns hugging her.

“What happened?” Carol finally says.

Yvette gives her mother a sheepish look, then explains that she wandered too far and got lost. She describes the mangga swarm next, which draws huge gasps from both her mother and aunt. “But I’m perfectly fine. Prince Lucas saved me. He arrived just in time and snatched me out of the tree just as one of the mangga’s lunged at me.”

Heather gives me a look that starts out as suspicious, but it soon softens to one of respect. “It would seem you’ve saved my niece yet again. Thank you, Prince Lucas.”

I incline my head briefly. “I am glad I decided on an impromptu visit tonight.” Gods, I hate to think what might’ve happened had I not arrived just in time. My little sweetling. I can’t fathom any harm coming to her.

Carol approaches me and places a hand on my arm. “Thank you, Prince Lucas. Truly.” She sniffles and blinks away the fresh tears that fill her eyes. Then she spins and faces Yvette before I can respond. “You must never wander off like that again! I think you took about twenty years off my life. Gods, I was so worried about you, darling.”

“I’m sorry, Mama, really I am. I won’t venture that far from the cottage again. Especially now that I know about the protective wards Prince Lucas erected around Aunt Heather’s property. He told me about them as he was flying me back just now.”

“Protective wards?” Carol and Heather say in unison as their heads swivel my way.

I clear my throat. “Yes, I recently placed protective wards around the cottage that extend a mile in all directions. There are high concentrations of ussha in this area, and as you are probably aware, fae creatures of all types are attracted to areas that contain high levels of the lifeforce of our magic.” I pause for a moment to allow this information to sink in. “This means, it won’t be long before some of the more dangerous creatures from all four fae courts arrive in this area, though since my court is closest, I suspect more of the creatures will hail from the Summer Court,” I continue. “But the protective wards will keep all the dangerous animals out. Furthermore, the wards will prevent any individuals who have nefarious intentions from setting foot within the wards.”

It suddenly occurs to me that the farmer who visited Yvette earlier in the day obviously posed her no real harm, even though it would seem she didn’t like him. He wouldn’t have been able to enter the premises if he were an unsavory character. In my haste to find her, I’d forgotten this simple fact as I’d set off in the direction of his farm. Thankfully, it happened to be the very direction in which Yvette had wandered off.

I step closer to the little human and place an arm around her, not caring that her mother and aunt are watching. Let them watch. Let them come to terms with my intentions for Yvette. Surely they must realize how much I care for her.

To my delight, Yvette doesn’t try to evade my touch. Quite the opposite. She flushes and gazes up at me with a sweet smile that causes my chest to tighten with emotion. Gods, I cannot imagine spending the rest of my days without her. I must convince her to become my bride.

I think of all the information the servant girl named Amelia recently gave me, particularly the wisdom about winning over my future mate’s family members.

As I hold the little human close to my side, I look at Carol and Heather with what I hope is a gentle smile, and I search my mind for the perfect thing I might say to make them understand how much Yvette means to me. The perfect thing I might say to win them over.

At last, it comes to me. “I will always do whatever I can to keep Yvette safe. I will also do whatever I can to keep those she cares about safe. If you need the wards extended, I will be happy to do so. Also, if you ever need to visit a neighbor or a village, or to travel beyond the wards for any reason, I am willing to provide you with a safe escort.”

A small gasp leaves Yvette. “That is very kind of you, Prince Lucas.”

Carol appears impressed by my little speech, but Heather does not. She crosses her arms over her chest and shoots me a suspicious glare. The night is dark, but the ussha glow provides just enough light for me to see her full expression.

“I’ll have you know, Prince Lucas, that my niece is a respectable young woman. She will not agree to become your pleasure slave or your concubine or whatever perversity it is that you have planned for her. I appreciate you saving her life, I really do, but I will not stand by and allow you to ruin her life. She must get married one day. No decent, godsfearing man will have her if she’s been used by a fae prince.”

“Aunt Heather!” Yvette hisses in a low tone, clearly mortified by her aunt’s assumption that I want her just to satisfy my sexual appetites.

“I agree that your niece is a respectable young woman,” I say. “However, you have misunderstood my intentions. I very much want Yvette to become a permanent part of my life, but not as a pleasure slave or a concubine. I want to marry Yvette. I want her as my wife. I want her as my mate.”

CHAPTER13

YVETTE

I want to marry Yvette.I want her as my wife. I want her as my mate.Lucas’s pronouncement rings in my ears.

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