Page 34 of Brutal Fae King
And it seems like there’s no real choice. Ihaveto stay in this castle, and I absolutely do not want this Mischevil to get what he wants. My choice is to agree to his offer of marriage and have a chance at saving Maribelle, getting control over my powers and sharing the throne and everything that comes with it—orI can reject his offer of marriage, and yes, I’d still be the rightful heir, but I would still be trapped in the castle anyway, and it would clearly continue this relationship I have with him where we passively fight each other. Essentially, it sounds like my choice is to be trapped here, fight him, and get nothing done, or be trapped here, work with him, and possibly save Maribelle.
Put like that… I don’t think I have much of a choice. It seems like the only smart thing to do is to agree to marry him and perhaps see if there’s a chance of escaping at some point in the future when Faevea is no longer in danger and doesn’t need its prophesized lost queen anymore.
After all, Iamthe queen. Escape should be possible with that kind of power eventually.
So I nod at him.
“Fine,” I say. “I will marry you.”
He grins and nods.
“Good choice,” he says. “I shall send for Faevea’s best healer this very evening, and I will send them out accompanied by half a squadron’s worth of guards to Thawallow on the morrow. We will be married as soon as we can find someone to officiate.”
I swallow hard and nod.
So I don’t haveany time at allto formulate an escape… It wasn’t like I thought he’d forget about this if I procrastinated, but I didn’t think it would beso soon.
He nods back and leans a little to the side.
“Mackinel,” he barks. “Take us home.”
The carriage begins slowing down and turning around. I just look down. I almost feel a bit sick.
“I will set you up a bedroom as well,” he says. “Have a think about what furniture and colors you want in there.”
I look up at him, but I don’t have any words.
I’ve… never had a bedroom of my own, let alone one I could decorate…
I open my mouth.
“I—”
ABANGcracks into my right ear, and I feel myself fly from my seat in the carriage in the force. Suddenly, warm arms wrap around me. I blink, and he’s holding me, his arm grabbing me around my waist and pressing me to the side of his hot body. His wings spread wide, defensively.
“Damn!” he growls under his breath and looks down at me with a sharp glare. “Hold onto me! Do not let me go!”
I nod so vigorously that it’s more like a tremble than a gesture.
He’s standing, and he takes us both to the door. Looking out the window, I see what hit the side of the carriage. There are Naga slithering all over the carriage. They have swords drawn on the driver, whose hands are held up in surrender.
He turns and glares at me again.
“Get behind me, but don’t let me go!” he orders. “If they come in, we’re flying away!”
“R-right!” I whimper.
I move behind him and grab ahold of his waist. The king then moves forward and whips the door open.
“Off the carriage!” he bellows. “Off the carriage, malcontents!”
The Naga snap around to him. They start approaching us, swords drawn. I yelp in terror. Then, he thrusts his palm at the Naga approaching us. A pulse of magic crashes out from his palm and hits the enemies in a wave. The entire crowd of Naga go flying from the carriage, tails flailing as they soar away.
Whoa! What kind of magic was that?! That’s not elemental magic!
I step out and look at the Naga who have been blown away—and my wrist gets caught. I scream. A Naga pulls my arm, dragging me toward the door of the carriage. His lips have pulled back, his snake teeth bared, hissing.
Strong arms grab me and yank me back into the carriage, accompanied by theshingof a sword being rapidly drawn.
