Page 75 of Throne of Dreams
She hoped he never spoke to her again.
ChapterTwenty-One
“Damn it, Ciara.” Tiernan grabbed the Winter High Queen’s wrists and yanked her off him. It took all his self-control not to toss her across the room. She dragged up her dress that had “mistakenly” fallen right as Maeve walked in the door. “I told you to stay away.”
“As if I could.” She slid the straps of her gown up over her shoulders, all demure and feigned innocence. “You know how much I adore you.”
Her slender fingers skated around his throat, her touch like ice. He reared back, away from her. “No.”
“You’re serious.” She blinked, then looked over to Merrick and her deep berry lips started to pout. Years ago, he might’ve fallen for such a trick. Years ago, he’d been a fool. “Mer, why doesn’t Tiernan want to play anymore?”
Merrick stiffened. His spine locked into place and his eyes darkened to the color of the Lismore Marin’s deepest trench. “Because he has a mating bond, Ciara. Because that High Princess who just walked out of here is the best thing to ever happen to him, and you tried to ruin it. On purpose.”
“I’d say I was fairly successful.” Ciara rolled her eyes to the ceiling and continued to sulk. “I was only trying to have some fun.”
Tiernan glowered down at her. “You lost that privilege long ago.”
She huffed, clearly annoyed, but he didn’t care. After she accepted the invitation to Sunatalis, she’d reached out to him, claiming she needed to speak with him regarding an urgent matter. He’d agreed, but he assumed she meant to hold an audience with him. He hadn’t expected her to show up in his damn bedroom.
He’d told Ciara about his mating bond with Maeve and still she thought they could carry on as they left off. It didn’t matter if he’d fucked her multiple times; back then, he thought they meant something to one another. The pull to Ciara had never been as strong as it was with Maeve. There was no bond between them, no connection. But he’d remained faithful to her, only to find out she was far more interested in testing the waters and wasn’t nearly as devoted to him. He’d caught her one day with her back against a tree and her legs wrapped around the waist of a Winter warrior while he pumped himself inside her.
Ciara fiddled with the silver hoops swinging from her pointed ears. “When did you become so boring?”
Tiernan tempered his rage. “When I realized my entire Court was worth more than anything I could ever get from you.”
Her harsh laughter rang out, and Tiernan ground his teeth together.
“What can she possibly offer you?”
“Her heart. Her soul. She’s given herself to me completely. No bargains. No questions. No ultimatums.” Tiernan quieted his mind and reached out to Lir.
“How is she?”
No response.
“Lir.”He would be kind before attempting to command.“Please.”
Strained seconds ticked by and then finally,“She’s safe.”
His commander was pissed at him and for good reason. He never should’ve agreed to see Ciara. He never should’ve asked Merrick to deter Maeve when the High Queen showed up in his room unannounced.
Ciara folded her arms, and a thin scowl etched its way across her brow. “She obviously needs training of some kind.”
Tiernan considered explaining they were working on that until she continued with, “You should whip her for the way she spoke to me. Insolent little brat. Add in the fact that she’s no better than a mortal whore—”
Tiernan had never seen Merrick move faster in his life.
He slammed his sister against the wall and the glass doors leading to the balcony shuddered in their panes. One hand gripped Ciara’s neck and her toes barely touched the floor. His magic swarmed, thick and menacing. The only time Tiernan ever saw such a flash of brute strength and power from Merrick was on the battlefield.
When Merrick spoke, the flowers wilted. “Do noteverspeak ill of the Dawnbringer.”
Ciara gasped and tried to swallow a breath. “What?”
“You heard me.” His threat was clearly implied.
Tiernan stepped forward. “Mer.”
It was just his name, but it was laced with enough authority that Merrick released her. He glared at his sister and if his eyes were blades, they would’ve sliced her to pieces. “The High Princess of Autumn has done more for Faeven in her brief life than you have in your entire existence.”
