Page 114 of Knightfall
“So eager, love,” he grinned at me. “You must feel backed into quite a corner.”
I gave a false look of worry after Meeker, who was just a speck in the distance at this point.
Abbas followed my glance, calm resolution settling over his features as he saw what he thought I perceived as my biggest threat.
“The chains,” I reminded him. “I don’t even know how you got an enchanted object through the gates.”
Abbas shook his head. “A man can’t reveal all his secrets. Where’s the magic in that?” He raised his hand and mouthed a few words.
The blue glow around Quinn’s neck ceased, and Connor pulled the evil thing off of Quinn, tossing it onto the ground. It skittered across the stone, landing near my feet.
I stared at Quinn long and hard as he rubbed his chest and then shook the feeling back into his hands, as though they’d been asleep.
Are you okay?I asked.
Yes. And I think I got what you wanted when you went into the world domination bit. Abbas has memories of the dragon. He’s the one who met with the rebels.
I turned to Abbas and smiled, taking in the how the torches lining the balcony offset the rich golden embroidery of his undershirt. I met his deep brown eyes dead on. “Would you please place my crown on my head, darling?” I asked in an annoyingly saccharine voice as a servant brought up the crown of Evaness on a pillow. The crown was tall, studded with seashells and diamonds and turquoise.
“Of course,” Abbas grinned darkly.
I tried not to smirk at his superiority. I dipped into my curtsy and allowed him to fit the crown to my head.
I waited while the herald said the words that made me queen. I didn’t listen to a single one, all of my attention focused on what came next.
“And now,” the herald cried out, “your Queen and the Prince of Cheryn will sign their engagement documents.”
A quill and a scroll were brought forward. The same document each of my other suitors had signed. With one special addition from Cerena.
I signed on the line indicated and handed the quill to Abbas, letting nervous worry cross my features for a single second before I smothered it.
Abbas caught the look and grinned. “You should be nervous.” He signed his name with flourish. “For all the things I plan to do.”
I put a hand to my chest in mock worry.
“Oh no, Prince Abbas. You don’t plan to mislead or desert me, do you? You are aware you just signed amagically bindingdocument?”
“What?”
“Oh yes. This particular engagement document ensures you’ll never find release with another woman again.”
Abbas’ face turned puce. “I’m nearly immortal.”
“Yes. Oh dear. That could be problematic. Unless of course, you’re into corpses?” I held up my hands and gave a suggestive shrug. “It also does one other thing.”
“What?” Abbas snapped.
I leaned forward, my voice a hoarse, angry growl. “If you ever betray me, you’ll end up just like Wyle.”
I let Abbas stew in his anger for a minute before I added to it.
I turned to wave happily to the crowd. Through my fake smile, I said, “You wondered why I made this so easy for you. Your brother flying around my lands, eating cattle and poisoning the crops with his breath, being led toward my little sister, is rather a nuisance. And since I’m going to kill him, I don’t want your father declaring war on me.”
Abbas jaw dropped. Just minutely. But enough for me to read the shock in his gaze.
I turned pressed a kiss against his furious face.
The crowd went wild.
