Page 37 of Royal Captive
“Hurry up, Princess! Get your ass downstairs!” Giselle’s footsteps faded away as she left.
Part of me wanted to hide in my room and make them drag me downstairs by my hair. That wouldn’t do me any good, or win me any favors though. All I would get was another trip to the ‘crazy’ room. I survived the Royal Hunt; I could survive this.
Squaring my shoulders, I opened the door and went down the hall, joining the procession of other women (and a few men) as we descended the staircase.
“Oh, she came down.” Giselle gave me a strained, frosty smile. “I thought we’d have to drag you out by your hair.” Her face twisted with dislike, but it didn’t ring quite true in her eyes.Overall, she just looked like she was in pain. And like she wanted to dig my eyes out of my skull. “Come here, dear. We have a special place of honor for you.”
I let her guide me since there was already a large crowd present in the parlor and I had no idea where to go anyway.
“There you are.”
With rising horror, I realized they’d plopped me right in the middle of the room. There was a makeshift throne sitting before me, draped with red velvet and satin pillows. They pushed me down into the chair, my hands gripping the carved wooden hand rests and curling tightly around the edges.
“The guest of honor has arrived.” Giselle gestured grandly to me, striding forward in her fancy gown like she was a queen in her own right. She gave a bow to someone above us to the right, and I craned my neck to see.
Cassus sat stiffly in a high-back chair similar to mine, but up on the second floor from a small balcony that overlooked the entire parlor. His glare was murderous, forcing me to look away. Did he blame me for Ferar’s death or his fall from grace? If so, why had he saved me in the lake?
“Let’s give our human princess a royal welcome!” shouted a male fae.
Hands grabbed me and brought me forward, my shoes useless as they scrambled against the smooth stone floor, the fae strength far superior to my own. They pushed a rough crown made of sharp sticks and rocks down onto my head, not caring as it scraped my skin and cut into my flesh. My teeth grit against the pain and weight of it. They pushed a rough sash made of burlap around my chest even as they tore the flimsy garment I wore. I clutched at the sash desperately to keep my chest covered.
“Our princess needs her finery!” the same male fae shouted. I’d kick him in his nuts if he got close enough to me.
Raucous laughter overwhelmed me, the noise and cacophony so thick I barely made sense of it. Hands groped and touched andtookas hot tears gathered at the corners of my eyes. Where was Ellis? Why wasn’t he here?
Iwould notcry.
It wasn’t like Ellis could do anything even if he barged in here with flames and ashes spewing from his mouth. I could remember and fantasize about the tavern all I’d wanted, but Ellis had hurt innocent people that day. While it was a nice thought to have your man charge in and burn the world for you, it wasn’t right. It wasn’treal.If Ellis tried to save me, he’d probably be right here with me, instead of … wherever he was. We would never escape by charging in like a bunch of reckless children, spewing magick left and right.
We need to learn this world, blend in, and make a plan.
A slap across my face forced me back to reality.
“There she is! Don’t go away from us, now. That would be rude. We have so much fun planned!” Giselle spun in a circle, her glittering robes surrounding her in a halo of light. I glanced up at Cassus, who had his chin in his hand, giving a look of disdain to everything in his purview.
“And now, who shall come forward to kneel at her feet? She is a mighty beast of a human, but we shall do our best,” continued the same anonymous male fae.
Assholes.
Tears burned at my eyes as all the taunts from my childhood came back to me, along with more laughter, and more jeers.
It was just like at home, except the bullies were stronger and prettier.
“I’ll put her atmyfeet!”
****TRIGGER WARNING FOR ATTEMPTED GANG ASSAULT****
A fae with shoulder-length brown hair pushed his way to the front, tossing a pouch at the house matron and grabbing my hair all with one motion. He yanked me off the ‘throne’ and shoved me to my knees, his free hand popping open his breeches.
“NO! STOP!” I twisted and tried to pull away, but someone put their weight on the back of my legs, forcing me still. The same figure grabbed my hands and pinned them behind my back, leaving me helpless.
And I couldn’t even see who held me down.
“Give us a show, Melek!” Cat-calls and jeers rained down on me in torrents.
Melek’s grip on my hair tightened painfully, setting my scalp on fire. He stroked himself with one hand, his dick (not even a very large one, at that) bobbing in front of my face.
I pushed back against the fae behind me with all my strength, but he only pushed me forward toward Melek. My lips clamped shut, and I closed my eyes. Melek would have to pry my mouth open if he thought his cock was getting inside!
