Page 32 of Frost Bound

A petite figure stepped from behind the queen’s throne and took King Randa’s outstretched hand. Neve froze as he got a good look at thevalles’ face.

It was the female from the day before. What trickery was this?

He shot a glance to Flyka, who was already watching him. His lips thinned, but he turned back as Eyri approached the dais and held his hand out for the tiny creature. She trembled slightly as she released her father’s hand and slowly descended the stairs, flowy green skirts pouring down the step. She stopped when she was eye level with Eyri, still two stairs from the bottom of the dais. His cousin took the human’s pallid hand in his own, engulfing it, and placed a kiss on the back.

“A pleasure to meet you, my lady,” he heard Eyri murmur.

Neve glared at thevalles, studying her face in the light of day. Was she a decoy? He stared hard at the king. Their coloring was similar—hair, skin, eyes—even the nose shape. He squinted at the queen. He saw nothing of the queen in the princess. Maybe that was why the queen hated her so much?

While he didn’t find humans appealing in the least, he could see that the queen was classically what the humans called beautiful. She was almost pixie-like. And while the princess was tiny—she was clearly a largervallescompared to the queen. Broader hips, lusher curves, taller.

Taller. He scoffed. She barely reached his nipples, if that.

“It’ll be a pleasure to have you in my home,” he heard Eyri say.

The little human stared at him with wide, off-putting eyes, and gave his cousin a small smile. “The pleasure will be all mine, my lord.”

Neve doubted that.

Time to get out of the serpent’s lair and back to their kingdom. They’d already received the Asteran bride gifts in the last week. All that was left was to secure the princess and her things.

He couldn’t quite call her hisniliave—his wife—even though they’d been married by proxy over a fortnight prior. She was a stranger, one that was necessary but unwelcome all the same.Vallesshe would remain.

Eyri coaxed the princess down the rest of the dais, her gaze sliding to the dead man. She blanched but covered it quickly. It seemed the princess didn’t share her parents’ love for violence.

His cousin towered over the princess as he bowed over her hand. “It will bring me great joy to show you our kingdom. I must return immediately. Your effects will follow behind us once we depart.”

The princess pulled from Eyri’s grasp and turned to the dais. She curtsied low. “I will take my leave. With your permission, your majesties.”

The queen stood from her throne and floated down the stairs to embrace her daughter. She clasped the princess by the cheeks and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Do us proud and go with our blessing.”

Allium tipped her head back to peer up at Eyri. “Take care of our daughter, Frost King, or the last war will look like child’s play.”

A nice little threat. How cute.

Eyri took the princess’ hand and pulled her gently away from her mother. “I don’t take kindly to threats, but as she’s your only child, I will excuse your actions. She will be safe.”

Neve kept his expression serene. A lie. She was a means to an end. Nothing more.

Allium smiled, but it was sharp and deadly. “I expect so. Write often, daughter.”

“I will … mother.”

She would not. Neve wouldn’t have any Loriian secrets being spilled.

Human blood would be spilled first.

Chapter Twelve

Dahlia

Dahlia soakedin her first breath of fresh air as the horses were saddled. She was finally out from beneath the Asteran monarchs’ control, and yet she felt like the danger had only grown.

“My lady?” the Loriian king’s accented voice washed over her.

She spun to face the giant, her pulse hammering faster. He was at least seven feet tall and all lithe muscle. Her gaze snagged on the set of wicked horns that curved from each of his shoulders.

Natural weapons.

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