Page 76 of Pining for the Prince
Hyax crouched down as Chase was dragged away. “You’re angry with me, aren’t you?”
“You blew fairy dust in my face, which left me in a state where I couldn’t defend myself from a fucking flower fairy.” It would have sounded a lot meaner if he had been able to control his giggles. “Arsehole.”
A fizzle of magic accompanied Hyax’s fingers stroking his cheek. “You’ll feel better in a moment. I couldn’t have you rushing inside, those elves play dirty.”
“Throwing a load of dust about is pretty underhand as well.” His head began to clear. “I’m not a damsel in distress. Or I wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t put me in that position.”
“I’m sorry, Gwil, I thought they’d cornered Chase already but the elves had restored his magic and given him a boost. He gave the warlocks the slip, and when I realised he’d gone, I thought I’d better check up on you in case he’d found you.”
Hyax helped him to his feet. “You need to promise you won’t do that again, otherwise, we go back to being business partners because I need to trust my lovers not to drug me.”
“I didn’t do it for nefarious purposes.” Hyax didn’t look that repentant. “I wanted to protect you.”
“There are ways and means of protecting me, and that wasn’t it. I mean it, Hyax, don’t do it again.”
Hyax wrinkled his nose but said, “I won’t.”
He turned to watch a procession of prisoners being led out of the building, all of them with their hands bound with magical glowing handcuffs and being put into unmarked police vans. “What’ll happen to them next?”
“They’ll go through due process. Goya will get his wish for them to be tried here, but they’ll be punished by the fae.”
“I don’t think that was what he had in mind.”
“He’s lucky we haven’t opened a portal and pulled them through. Officially, the Elven Assembly are denying all knowledge and saying that these are rogue elves working on their own.”
“They might be.” Gwil wasn’t well-read on elven politics, and if he didn’t need to be he’d keep it that way.
“The chances are low that one of the tribes wasn’t involved, but I doubt it’s provable and there’s enough tension between the elves and the fae so neither side will dig too deeply, nor will the elves contest the punishment.”
“What about Chase?”
Hyax scowled. “What do you care?”
“No need to pull that look, I’m just interested for fuck’s sake.”
Hyax bristled. “As this is his second serious offence, you can imagine his punishment will not be pleasant. He was exiled, had his magic limited and he managed to circumvent that, so I would think there will be a great deal of iron in his future.”
“Why don’t you just execute him, it’ll be more humane.”
Hyax’s look was cold. “Then what will he have learnt?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
“Are you really sure they want me there?” Gwil asked.
Hyax could understand his reticence, but if they were going to convince his parents Gwil was a suitable spouse and not just worthy for a harem, he was going to have to deal with his future in-laws. “They want to thank you for your help. We need to capitalize on anything like that because, as much as I love you, we’ll have to face facts that it’s going to be a bit of a struggle for them to accept you.”
“That’s not what you said to begin with.”
Hyax wrapped his arms around Gwil’s neck, if a vampire could be called adorable then Gwil was it. “I know, I really didn’t expect them to react the way they did. I’m sorry, and I’ll understand if it’s too much for you.”
He wouldn’t, and he’d make Gwil’s undead existence unbearable since he loved the fucker too much to let him walk away, but he knew he had to at least act like he was being reasonable.
“No, I love you and I’m not going to let them come between us. I was miserable when I thought you couldn’t want me, so I can deal with your parents. I’ll wear them down eventually, it’s not like I don’t have the time.”
He kissed the end of Gwil’s nose. “Ready to be a pain in a royal’s arse?”
“On recent evidence, it’s more you being a pain in my arse—not that I’m complaining.”
