Page 25 of Sold to the Fae King (Kings of the Fae Islands 2)

"Please, both of you, sit with us at the high table and share our food." Ember insisted.

"Oh, we couldn't possibly, Your Grace," Perivale shook his head, beginning to back away, but he quickly came to realize that it was in vain ,as Ember gave a simple gesture of his hand and a guard stepped up to block his path.

"I insist."

Chapter 15 - Iris

Iris was more uncomfortable than ever before, able to sense Perivale sitting just on the other side of the king without needing to glance in his direction. Merely knowing that they were in the same room made her skin crawl. Her only comfort was Ember's touch. Every so often he reached out to place a hand on top of hers on the arm of her chair, or laid his palm flat on her back in a gesture of reassurance.

Trying to ignore the fact that Perivale sat just on the other side of him, Iris turned her attention instead to the young, golden haired fae who had been seated beside her. She was a dainty little thing, plenty attractive but with a terrified wink in her eye. Practically everything about her reminded Iris of herself and how she had behaved when she had first been given to Perivale. The knowledge made her cringe and she wanted to reach out, take the girl in her arms and shield her from all the harm that had been, and would be done to her in the future.

Not if I can help it, Iris vowed. She knew all too well what it was like to be on the receiving end of Perivale's desire and anger. It wasn't something she would wish upon her worst enemy. Silently, she was already trying to come up with a plan to help the poor girl, even as she asked, "Are you well? You are awfully pale."

Melia dipped her head and responded, "Yes, Your Majesty. I am always this pale."

Iris got the distinct impression that wasn't entirely true. The undertone of her complexion was an almost green hue, as if she were sick with nausea, and Iris knew that look well. She had seen it on her own face plenty of times in the mirror.

"You don't need to call me that," Iris insisted, "You can just call me Iris. I am not a queen."

Melia's head whipped up and the startled expression on her face suggested that she hadn't expected a 'royal' to be so kind. Her guard seemed to slip, and Iris was hopeful that the girl might begin to relax a little.

"Here, let me pour you some honeysuckle wine," She offered.

"Oh, no! I don't think I should," Melia protested, quickly shoving her palm over the empty goblet that had been placed in front of her. Iris noticed the way she glanced in Perivale's direction. I remember that too. The control he'd had over her, choosing what she ate and drank, how she had dressed and even how she had bathed. The mere thought of it made her blood boil.

"Melia, do you know who I am?" Iris asked, leaning over so that the girl would still be able to hear her. The noise in the room had begun to grow again.

"Lady Iris, the king's bride," Melia responded, "And after your wedding, you will be Queen of the Spring Isle."

I'm not entirely sure about that one, Iris thought.

"Yes, and so you must know that the welfare of the people is my biggest concern," she said, gazing at Melia, willing her to understand, to open up to her. "One glass of wine never hurt anybody."

Melia still glanced in the direction of her master, but she made no more protest. When she slipped her palm off the goblet, Iris picked up a golden jug and began to pour some of the honeysuckle wine into each of their goblets.

"What shall we toast to?" Iris asked, holding both goblets, she offered one to Melia who seemed unsure for a moment. "How about, to new friends?" She suggested. Melia seemed to relax at that, as if the idea of being friends with someone soon to be a queen had somehow lifted a weight off her shoulders.

Maybe she sees me as a way out, Iris thought, her stomach twisting. I only hope that I can be.

"To new friends," Melia repeated and she reached up her goblet to clink it against Iris's. It was then that Iris caught a glimpse of the girl's wrist. Slender and pale, it was dotted with dark blue and black splotches. Iris's throat constricted the moment she saw them, her own wrists beginning to ache with the memory of similar bruises. Were those from his hands or his tie? She wondered, cringing.

"Is everything alright, my lady?" Melia asked. As if she had noticed Iris's eyes on her wrists, she quickly pulled on the bell sleeves of her dress to hide them.

"He did that to you, didn't he?" Iris asked, grimacing.

"What? No!" Melia replied, shaking her head. She lifted her goblet to her lips as if to hide the fact that they were quivering, but Iris had already seen. She knew what Melia was afraid of. She knew how Perivale would react if he thought they had been talking about his treatment towards her.

"Melia, you don't need to lie to me," Iris assured her. She reached out and placed a hand on top of Melia's on the arm of her chair, indicating her own wrist with her eyes. Although they had begun to fade, there were still yellow-green bruises around her wrists, indicating the last time Perivale had been violent with her, almost two weeks earlier. It had been one of the worst attacks she had received from him, no doubt made worse by her lack of willingness to comply with his desires.

Melia's sharp intake of breath was quickly followed by a question. "Did King Ember do that to you?"

The girl quickly glanced past Iris as though she was fearful that the king might have heard her.

"Oh, fae gods, no!" Iris exclaimed and, in that moment, she realized something. Ember had been right. He had rescued her from Perivale, and he had never done anything to harm her. The sudden urge to throw herself into his arms and cover his face with kisses was almost overwhelming. Instead, she leaned even closer to Melia and said, "When I asked if you knew who I was earlier, I didn't just mean my name or my current position. I meant, who I used to be, before I came to the palace."

Melia began to shake her head, looking confused as to what that had to do with their shared bruises. When the girl remained silent, her lips pursed, Iris explained, "Before I was King Ember's bride, I sat where you sit now."

Still seeing the confusion in the girl's eyes, Iris uttered the words she never hoped to admit out loud, "I once belonged to Lord Perivale as his bride."

---