Page 53 of The Bones of the Cursed

On the vanity I find beautiful gold butterfly clips, so I pull my hair back and let my natural waves cascade over my shoulders. I spot some rouge and quickly add some color to my cheeks.

I hardly recognize myself when I look in the mirror.

Peeking outside I see the majority of our group gathered around a large table set for dinner on the patio. The trees are all twinkling with lights and the sun is just starting to set, so I hurry down the hallway, trying to remember the exact way Malakai brought us. I take a few wrong turns trying to find the main staircase, but once I do, I practically run down the stairs to avoid being late, making it to the foyer before I bump into someone.

“Oh my goodness, I apologize. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” I step back and meet the deep gray eyes of the king. Oh fuck. I curtsy, awkward though it is since I’ve never done it before. “Your Majesty.”

His eyes crinkle in amusement. “It is no wonder my son is so taken with you. You are quite beautiful. It was hard to tell beneath all the grime.”

I rear back at his words, slightly offended. That doesn’t stop the blush rising to my cheeks at the implication that his son is attracted to me. Sun shining through the window glints off the ring on his pinky finger.

“I’m not sure what you mean, Your Majesty,” I say, while tilting my head to better see the intricate design on the piece of jewelry.

He gives me a knowing smile and turns his hand towards me. “The family crest. It is passed down from king to king within our bloodline.” He pauses. “What’s your name?”

“Alanis.”

He nods. “Well Alanis, I look forward to getting to know my son’s mate a little better. Come, dinner is prepared.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “Your Majesty…” I trail off, not sure what to say.

He laughs, a deep chuckle that echoes throughout the room. “I could scent the bond the second you both were in the room together. Not many are able to smell a mating bond that hasn’t fully formed yet. Only those of us who are lucky enough to find our mates can sense it.”

My cheeks burn as I follow him, ducking my nose into my armpit to see if I can smell the bond, too.

The garden is something out of a fairytale: twinkling lights, candles, lush green willow trees, and colorful peonies. I turn to those at the large glass table, the smell of meat and potatoes wafting from the center. My mind comes to an abrupt halt at the sight before me.

Malakai is dressed in all black. A black shirt unbuttoned at the top, showing off his tattoos. His hair is slicked back from his face. He oozes confidence and power. Standing before me, I can clearly see a leader. The future heir to this realm.

It’s not his clothes that make me freeze, though. It’s his eyes, devouring me with each step closer he takes. When he stops in front of me, I tilt my head back to look at him. His scent washes over me, instantly making my core clench. His jaw tenses and I know he can smell my arousal.

That alone should embarrass me.

I know I’m pissed as hell at him, but this feeling is one I can’t control. I break his stare for my own sanity and peer past him. Hannah, Hendrix, and Siveral sit chatting quietly amongst themselves. The king and queen sit at the head of the table, looking on with assessing stares.

Kailu is noticeably absent.

I take the seat next to Malakai.

“So, son, what brings you home?” The king looks between us with a soft smile.

He clears his throat. “I would like to take a look at the castle records. We’re searching for the missing soldiers and have come across portals through which ghouls are travelling. Alanis met a Banshee who said something intriguing, and I believe that if we can unravel her clue, we will find the culprit to all our problems.”

The queen looks between us with a pinched brow. “Alanis, was it? What exactly did this Banshee say to you?”

I swallow hard and tangle my fingers together in my lap to hide their shaking. “She said I could find what I need at the throne. I’m not sure whose throne that is, though.”

The queen looks absolutely appalled, but it is the king’s carefully vacant expression that draws my interest.

“I can assure you that we don’t know who is behind this,” the queen says. “If we did, we would have stopped it.”

Malakai snorts. “I’m well aware of that, Mother, but I was wondering if the records could tell us where another throne may be in this realm. Or could it be in one of the other four realms?”

The king says nothing as he quietly digs into the bowl of apples and berries placed before him. I continue to stare at him, and Malakai clearly takes notice.

“Father, do you have information that could help us?”

After a moment, he swallows his bite and sets his fork down. “Millennia ago, the continent was split in two. The northern half was ruled by the Gods and Goddesses themselves, and thesouthern portion by a Fae King and Queen they deemed worthy. As the years passed, the Gods and Goddesses grew tired of their mortal skin and left for the Eternal Vale, leaving the king and queen to rule the entire realm in their stead. They ruled it well for centuries, passing it on to their heirs before they too left for the Vale. Their great, great granddaughter, Paliri, my sister, decided upon her marriage to move the royal family’s holdings to Percius. It was better protected. And now here we are a century after Queen Paliri ruled, sitting where our ancestors did before us, and the Gods before them.”

---