Page 31 of Bride of the Black Dragon
“Er, nothing,” I say quickly in a low voice. “I was just…just…” I cut my eyes towards the Queen and notice that she’s glaring at me, no doubt angry that I’m daring to eat dessert. “I’m not hungry,” I say, putting down my fork. “May we leave now?”
“As you wish, little dove.” Xaren rises and pulls out my chair, helping me up like a gentleman should. Then he takes my hand and leads me from the banqueting hall while all the Nobles watch with wide eyes and whisper behind their fans.
However, he drops my hand once we’re outside in the long marble hallway.
“There,” he says dryly. “That should give them something to talk about. ‘The Dark Prince and his lovely bride.’ It should also put my mother off the scent for a while.”
“But she can’t be put off forever,” I point out. I lower my voice and take a step closer, looking up into his face. “Xaren, you must get me with child—soon.”
I don’t know where I get the courage to speak so to him—perhaps it is self-preservation. I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Queen will have me eliminated and put another in my place if I don’t get a baby in my belly and I don’t want to die!
Xaren scowls down at me, his easy, open manner dispelled at once.
“You know why I won’t do that, little dove,” he growls. “I think you’d better go back to your own rooms now.”
“I will go—for a bath,” I say. “But then I’m going to come to your rooms and we must…must do what must be done.”
“Listen to yourself—you can’t even say it!” he growls, glaring down at me. “You can’t even admit to yourself that you’re asking the deformed prince to breed you.”
“I never said—” I begin, but he’s already turning away from me.
He leaves me standing in the middle of the corridor, his words ringing in my ears. I feel like I’ve just lost all the progress I gained with him today—but what else am I supposed to do? I must get pregnant even if the thought of lying under him makes me shiver with fright and…perhaps something else?
I can’t name the emotion that floods me when I picture myself naked under the Dark Prince, opening myself to him as he thrusts inside me over and over again. I only know it makes my breath come short and my nipples tight and the place between my thighs feels hot and wet and ready.
But how can I convince Xaren of that? How can I let him know that I don’t think of his as deformed or find him disgusting?
I have no answers—only questions. Slowly, I turn to go to my room. I will have Tanzy bathe me and then I’ll go down to the dungeons that Xaren calls home.
I must convince the Dark Prince to bed me or I’m certain I will be killed…but I don’t know how to convince him to take me.
17
ELAINA
Tanzy is all gratitude when I push open the door to my rooms.
“Oh, my Lady—thank you—thank you!” she cries and tries to kneel before me. I take her by the shoulders and raise her up and give her a tight hug.
“No kneeling,” I tell her. “Not ever.” I don’t want to be like the other Royals or the stuck-up nobles. Tanzy is my friend and you can’t be true friends if one of you is always bowing and kneeling.
“But you saved me!” she cries. Her eyes are red-rimmed and her cheeks are pink from crying. “You kept me from being maimed, my Lady!”
“I couldn’t let you be hurt—not when I could stop it,” I tell her, giving her a squeeze. “Now please, help me get ready. I need to look extra pretty tonight.”
“You do? Why?” she looks confused.
“Because…” I take a deep breath and decide to confide in her. “Because neither Prince Dorian nor Prince Xaren has yet bedded me,” I admit to her. “I’m trusting you to keep that to yourself,” I add.
Her eyes grow wide and she nods.
“Of course, my Lady! But why have they not, er, taken you? I mean, I know about Prince Dorian being a man-lover,” she adds casually. “Everybody in the Citadel knows that. But I wouldn’t have thought it of the Dark Prince.”
“Xaren’s not a man-lover. He’s just…reluctant to take me when he thinks I’m unwilling to be taken,” I say. I won’t say why—that’s Xaren’s secret and not mine to tell.
“Reluctant, is he? And are you unwilling to be taken? I don’t blame you if you are—he’s so frightening!” She shivers, her eyes going wide.
“He’s not as frightening when you get to know him,” I say. “And no, I’m not unwilling—not at all. I mean, I’m still a little frightened because of the first time being painful. But I’d rather it be with him than Prince Dorian.”
