Page 369 of Primal Bonds

“She might surprise you,” Rosana returned, but her heart sank. She was on her own, then. Even if Cleia had heard her earlier cry for help, she had no reason to suspect that Rosana had been taken to New Moon. And Dion might have a hunter’s Gift, but Luc had made sure she couldn’t leave a trail. She’d been closed up in his car until they’d reached the forest.

Blaer shifted impatiently on her sky-high heels. “My lord?”

“You did well,” Langdon replied. “I accept your gift.”

Rosana glared at them both. “I am not a fucking gift.”

The two fae ignored her. “So I’ve won a place at your court?” Blaer asked.

The prince inclined his head. “Olivier will assign you an apartment. You will, of course, refrain from any attempts to influence my court. You’ll find I’m not as forgiving as King Sindre.”

Blaer’s face set into a pleasant mask. And it was a mask. Rosana scented her anger, mixed with a cold determination.

“I understand, my lord.” She sketched a small bow.

The prince studied the tall blond mixed-blood for a moment. “Do you?” he murmured, and then turned to Rosana, effectively dismissing Blaer.

Behind him, the fae lady’s eyes blazed, twin red fires flaring to life inside obsidian pupils. But she meekly murmured, “Peace to you and yours,” and strode to the door, silver heels clicking on the marble floor.

A portly human with deep brown skin and a shiny bald head appeared in the doorway. “If you’ll come with me, my lady. I believe we have an empty apartment near the north gardens.”

Rosana eyed Langdon, tight-jawed. “You won’t get away with this.”

“You’re angry,” he said—and smiled. But of course, to a night fae, anger was like catnip.

Her hands balled at her sides. “You know who I am,” she said evenly. “Keep me here against my will, and my brother will come after you with everything he has.”

“You’re the woman I saw in the scrying glass,” he said as if she hadn’t spoken.

She stilled. “Am I?”

“Oh, yes.” A tilt of his gorgeous head as he examined her, a wolf with an intriguing—and very tasty—rabbit. “Which brings me to an interesting question: why were you looking for me?”

Oh, Lord. She did not want to bring Merry into this—or Adric, for that matter.

She spread her hands. “It just…happened.” Which was true enough. “Is that what this is about? You’re pissed off that I accidently spied on you?”

“Pissed off?” he repeated. “No, merely curious. I assure you, I had nothing to do with Lady Blaer bringing you here.”

Somehow, he was just a foot away again, that dark, seductive power licking at her. And gods, it was tempting to give in to it.

No. I love Adric.

But Adric doesn’t want you. Not enough anyway. He cut the mate bond, and then he left you. You begged him to take you along, told him if he didn’t, he’d die—and he still left.

Her heart squeezed.

“You’re distressed,” the prince murmured. “But there’s no need. As you say, you’ve agreed to nothing.” He paused. “Yet.”

She shook her head and slipped around him. Putting some distance between herself and that seductive aura.

She picked up the wine glass, toyed with the stem without drinking.

Stall for time. Think about Dion, not Adric.

Because Dion would come for her. That she knew, as surely as she knew the sun rose in the east and set in the west.

Just picturing her large, very capable brother heartened her.

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