Page 14 of To Catch a Prince

“What sorcery should we expect ofthe beautiful one?” he asked, visiblyintrigued.

Talia managed not to roll hereyes.

“If Aleria bathed in the blood of a thousand virgins, she couldn’t be fairer. But the sorcery you’d get if you intended her any harm would be along the line of warts as big as fists on your face and itches in the crack of yourbackside.”

They’d reached the gates of the lovely city, with its gold tower, its white paved roads and the hundreds of flat-roofed, columned antiquehomes.

Talia hadn’t observed Telenar with a kind eye on her way in, as she’d believed her sister imprisoned within its high walls. Now she saw it for what it was, and saw why it was called the GoldenCity.

They left the gates, heading to the border of the nearby woods, and, at last, a familiar presence made itselfknown.

“No trick, Aleria, they’re withme.”

They were only answered by silence. “Xandrie isn’t captive. She is, believe it or not, to be wedded as soon as wereturn.”

That did get her cautious sister to come out from behind atree.

“Wedded?” she repeated with afrown.

Talia felt the four dragons behind her stiffen when they got a good look at the annoyingly perfect creature waiting forthem.

“Yes,wedded.”

“Last time a man had the pretense of wanting to wed our sister, she burned the heck out of him, and with good reason,too.”

“Well, he was a weasel, more than a man - and he certainly didn’t look like the freaking King she’s somehow ended up snagging in fourmonths.”

Aleria dropped herguard.

“Youjest.”

“On my honor, I do not. She’s sent me to bring you back, so we may witness the wholething.”

“A royal wedding?” Aleria pouted. “Right after traveling for three weeks, being sweaty, dirty, and dressed inrags?”

Talia self-consciously looked down at herself; her sister was right, on allaccounts.

“I can affirm that, should the two of you wear nothing but potato bags, you’d still lighten any room you walk into,” said the Pretty Man, offering his arm to Aleria as he pacifiedher.

Talia managed not to roll her eyesagain.

“Let us go and see our kin wedded. Before the ball tonight, I’ll arrange for dresses.” Then, he turned to Talia. “And, perhaps, abath.”

What. An.Arse.

9

The Threat

The beautiful onewasn’t,in fact, as captivating as the frightening one, to Vincent, in anycase.

Aleria certainly was fair. He wouldn’t have hesitated to call her one of the most delightfully beautiful women he’d encountered. Her blonde locks and perfectly symmetrical features made her perhaps a little more traditional than her sisters and many heads turned whenever she stepped inside a room. Even the most boring man he knew, Elder Nathos, couldn’t stop staring at her. But Vincent felt compelled to yet again turn to her youngersibling.

Talia Astria. The woman who could have killed them all. Her sister had been right, they could have been more polished tonight, but although he hadn’t been able to help himself from teasing her, her scent was making him adjust himself discreetly each time he got a whiff of it. She smelled good enough to eat. He knew where he would start, right at the back of her long slimneck.

Nathos managed to stop admiring Aleria long enough to preside over the ceremony that declared Xandrie wife to his cousin and Queen of Farden. She wore the crown well, like it had been made for her head of brown curls; her posture was stiff and noble; she softened it with hersmile.

Vincent, yet again, glanced towards Talia and found her beaming, visibly delighted for her sister as Rhey kissed her lips, and then, shocking absolutely no one, threw her over his shoulder and went out thedoors.

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