Page 309 of Kingdoms of Night

They were always going to do that anyway.

I swallow. “All right.”

If he’s pleased, he doesn’t show it. “Good. Then kneel.”

* * *

I get to my knees as instructed. The floor isn’t as hard as the marble I’d knelt on just this morning.

The man gets to his feet, his everblue eyes set on me. “Crawl to me.”

I’ve never crawled. I wouldn’t even know how to start. I hesitate.

“I should add that if you don’t hold up your part of the bargain, I’ll have no choice but to pass you down to someone else,” he tells me, indifferent.

I place my palms on the floor, and advance awkwardly.

“Not bad. You’ll need to work on that. Steady yourself.”

When I reach him, his hand cups my face and tilts it up. I sit on my heels again.

His thumb brushes my lips, and part them. He slides a finger through my teeth to my tongue. “Do you know how to use this?”

I’m not sure I’m supposed to talk. I frown.

“I meant, do you know how to suck a cock, princess? Shake your head, or nod.”

I shake my head. I’ve never so much as seen a man’s appendage before, let alone touched one.

He should have taken Margaux, not me.

Thoughts of Margaux make me shiver. Where is she? Is she all right?

“You’ll learn that too. Not yet. I don’t have time to teach you.”

He lets go of my face, and walks toward the entrance of the tent. “Get some rest. You can sleep with the dogs, for now. We’ll reach our destination in a few hours.”

“Where?” I ask, completely clueless as to where this creature could have come from.

I’ve travelled five of the six kingdoms, and I’ve never seen the likes of him.

“Why, my little pet, we are heading to Elnar, where the high court of fairy is held.”

“Fae don’t exist,” I say automatically.

They’re just tall tales to frighten and entertain children, nothing more.

He chuckles. “Oh, poor girl. You’re so ignorant, it’s almost sad. You should start believing in fae, Lena. You belong to one.”

CHAPTERTHREE

Though I fell asleep underneath the dark fabric of a luxurious war tent, I wake within four stone walls. I’m still on the floor, atop a thick fur rug.

Everything hurts. My bed at home was oh so comfortable, stuffed with swansdown and covered with silks. And here I thought kneeling at the altar of the Sun for an hour or two hardened me. The state of my limbs after a few hours on the ground tell another story. I am weak.

The warmth against my back is the first clue that I'm not alone. I open my eyes to find myself staring into a pair of bulging black orbs.

The massive white hound doesn't seem sure about me, sniffing me tentatively. I can't say I blame him: I haven't bathed since yesterday morning. "Hi there."

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