Page 77 of Knightfall
Declan cocked his head. “What do you mean?”
I pushed Declan into an alcove. “Don’t you think he deserves a bit of his own medicine? Shouldn’t we show him just how thoughtless he’s being?”
“What do you mean?”
“Quick. Picture me naked. Picture yourself running your hands all over me. Picture cupping my breasts. Squeezing them. Suck my nipple into your mouth!”
“What—”
“Just picture it!” I covered Declan’s eyes with my hand. Then I continued, “You unbuckle your belt. Drop your pants. Turn me to face the wall. Stare down at my naked ass. Do you like it, Declan? You like my ass.” I closed my eyes so I could better imagine it. “You kiss my neck and rub your hand along my mound. And then you line yourself up—”
What the sarding hell are you doing?Quinn burst into the alcove where Declan and I stood, fully clothed.
I opened my eyes and grinned. “Quinn-bear. Do you remember all those times you embarrassed me? When I promised you I’d get revenge?”
Quinn’s gaze roamed over a fully clothed Declan and me. His eyes narrowed.
Bitch.
I grinned.
Watching him stomp off was the highlight of my morning.
Chapter Nineteen
The next few days were a blur of preparation for Abbas’ visit.
First, I sat through lecture after lecture on Cheryn. The sultan, Raj, and his first-born son were both near immortal. The sultan was over a thousand years old and had wished himself an endless supply of wealth. So, despite Cheryn’s northern location, full of mountains and few resources, the palace itself was grand, and the royal family lived in luxury. Abbas was half-djinn; he had superior speed, could smell fear, and supposedly half-djinn could grant three wishes in their long lives.
“Has he already granted any?” I’d asked.
“No one knows,” Declan responded.
After we’d gone over the schedule, and Cheryn’s traditional greetings, and some basic arrangements for the suitor’s ball held a few days after Abbas settled in, I was finally free to do what I wanted to do.
I cornered Avia in her chambers when she was being fitted for dresses; I reamed her for scandalously consorting late at night with an ambassador’s son.
“Well, I like him!”
“That’s wonderful, but you can’t like him until we’ve formally rejected Abbas’ suit and the one coming from Macedon. So until then—”
“You got Connor in your contingent of knights, why can’t I—”
“You can. You most likely will,” I growled. “If you’ll just wait long enough. Sedara and Cheryn are chomping at the bit to get at one another. By the time you’re of age, this crown and whatever knights you choose—”
Avia covered my lips with her hand. “I didn’t mean it.” Her eyes were glossy.
I sighed and pulled her in for a hug. “I know. But that’s the reality. You probably can choose him. If you wish. But you have to be smart, Squack. You can’t make enemies of two countries before you take the throne.”
“I said I took it back. I don’t want him or the throne.”
I huffed. “Let’s move on from this, shall we? I love the golden gown. It’s perfect.”
Avia grumbled and stared at herself in the looking glass. “I wish I didn’t have to wear it for a stranger.”
“I know.”
“He probably has a snaggle tooth and horrid breath.”
