Page 38 of Fates Fulfilled
But her coldness this day was harsher than normal. Did his mother fear her position in the palace with a new princess of childbearing years in residence?
Garrin wished Isle hadn’t sewn such doubt about his mother, because now that they were there, he couldn’t rid himself of dark thoughts.
16
Lex lifted the fabric of the pale yellow, floor-length gown one of “Garrin’s women” had pulled over her head. But it wasn’t see-through the way she had assumed it would be. The fine material fit snugly when she swished her hips back and forth, with a billowy layer that flared out, giving the illusion of lightness without being light. The material was stretchy and comfortable for something so frail-looking. And surprisingly warm. Apart from her exposed arms and neck, her core was warm, and that was what mattered.
A young woman who looked about Lex’s age held up a stunning pair of emerald earrings. “What do you think of these, miss?”
The refracting surface of the green gemstones caught the light and bounced off the walls. “Are they real?”
“Real?” she said, and started to affix them to Lex’s ears. “They are from the palace jewels, my lady.”
Lex was going to take a wild guess and assume everything from the palace jewel collection was the real deal. Especially given the weight of the earrings. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”
This woman was fairer than Cora, but her face was just as pretty, with a narrow nose and rosebud lips. “What’s your name?” Lex said. “I never asked, and I just realized how rude that was of me.”
“Not at all. My name is Em,” the woman said, and smiled.
“Pleased to meet you.”
“It is my pleasure, Lex. You are to be a princess! What an honor.”
“Any woman would be proud to call Garrin her husband.” No denyingthattruth.
Em grinned. “And he’s chosen you! There are many who would love to be his wife. You are most fortunate.”
Wife.Lex took a deep breath. It was all make-believe. Not real.
The feelings she had for him—when he wasn’t being bossy—might be real, but her memories growing up were from Earth, no matter her changed circumstances, and Garrin was a Fae prince. He called her his fiancée, but she’d never agree to be one of his many women, and he’d never leave his land to live in the Earth realm. “Em, what about the others? Are they disappointed Garrin—ah,the prince—will marry another?”
Em looked over her shoulder as the women in the large room scurried about. Some wore elaborate gowns for the evening, while others chatted happily amongst themselves, fluffing pillows on couches and pulling massive curtains back to draw in light from the vast white landscape.
Her brow puckered. “A few are displeased. They hoped to be chosen by the prince. But the others are happy to be among his women.”
“You mean after the wedding, he’ll still…”
“Oh, yes,” Em said. “It is the prince’s duty to provide more progeny for the kingdom. ’Tis a shame the king has not been able to sire more children.” She brightened. “But his queen is not so old. There is still time. And there is the king’s harem. They work hard to help him produce a child.”
Lex choked. “I’m sure they do.”
If Garrin was hundreds of years old, his mother had to be much older than that. And she could still bear children?
Not to mention, Garrin planned to continue sleeping with these women after he married so he could produce a soccer team of kids. Dark Kingdom castle was seriously messed up.
Even if this weren’t all pretend, there was no way Lex would agree to marry Garrin…
Who was she kidding? She’d consider it because she was attracted to him, Stockholm syndrome or not, but never under these circumstances, with women waiting in every wing. In fact, she couldn’t imagine a worse fate than loving someone who didn’t love you back.
Em held a mirror in front of Lex’s face.
And Lex’s eyes flew open. “Holy shit!” She grabbed the mirror and angled it this way and that. What the hell had happened to her?
She’d glimpsed herself in mirrors once or twice when she first entered what appeared to be a communal dressing room of sorts, with dozens of wardrobes and lounge chairs. Her hair was longer and looked damned good, given the ordeal she’d been through. But then they’d plunged her into a copper bathtub, and that was the last she’d seen of herself until Em finished primping and dressing her.
Lex touched her cheeks, which were plumper somehow. And her lips, that had always been too pale, were now a deep rose hue. She shook her head slowly, hardly recognizing herself. Even the edges of her face were smoother, less angular, and more symmetrical.
She’d always been tall and slender, but now her waist cut in more, giving her an hourglass figure.
