Page 40 of Kiss the Filthiest King

Not a single sound crosses my lips.

"How much do you hate that?" Caenan wonders.

"Do feel free to shut your mouth any time," I snap.

He grimaces. "That's what I thought. A lot, huh."

By chance, Rachel is then approached by two ladies—one from silver, one from the sea court, by their clothing—and he moves to stand closer, so I'm spared his mocking, and he's spared getting punched in the face.

I snag another glass of wine and make myself turn away from Valdred and Darina, who now laugh like good old friends.

That thing inside me is stirring again. Anger. Not directed at Valdred, strangely, but at Darina. Or rather, at the goddess inside her.

Not this again.

It's not like I can screw her into oblivion right here to appease it; though I can imagine it in my mind's eyes. Stride right there, grab her by the throat, lead her to her knees, and take her mouth as they all watch, claiming her as mine before the eyes of every court.

Never mind the fact that the mark currently on my hand is saying all this. And it's exactly the problem.

"You've trained your pet quite well," I hear as Rena approaches.

I grunt. "What do you want?"

We both know she wouldn't come anywhere close to me without a specific reason.Rena has loathed me for nine hundred years. To hear her talk, you'd think I'd single handedly caused all her unhappiness. In actual fact, she was the one actively working to ruin what she had, and I merely pointed it out.

My twin pursued and wed Rena shortly afterMarun revealed those glimpses of our futures. He saw himself mated and content and believed it was with Rena. I had my doubts, based on the fact that he'd never shown her more interest than he did to any pretty girl happy to lift her skirts; if they truly had been destined for each other, surely he'd have sensed it?

We were both too young to be sure what to expect, but after a hundred years of gloom, whereby Rena proceeded to stifle any ambition, any desire in him, cutting him off from all his friends, and even attempting to come between us, I was the one to point out to Calreth that they hadn't bonded. And sure enough, the girl in the seer's vision bore his mark. He concluded he'd been mistaken; the girl only looked like Rena.Exactly like,which was peculiar, but it didn't change the fact that it quite simply couldn't be the bright queen. A simple conclusion, after spending so much time in complete misery. And so, he left her and built his own court.

True bonds like the one linking Darina and I are so rare, many don't bother to look for their soul mate, and form an attachment based on feelings less instinctive, yet just as precious: trust, loyalty, affection. Out of a thousand fae, only one might have met the other part to their soul. There are plenty of contented couples, though. They could have been perfectly happy if they'd been remotely suited for each other, or perhaps if Rena had been less of a bitch. But despite all that, she blames me.I can't say I mind. Incurring her disfavor means I seldom have to suffer her presence.

"You can't think the courts will stand for this farce," she snarls. "A high queen is meant to be our anchor, centering all of us. No amount of posturing will change the marks upon your skins."

I wish she were wrong. What we are to each other is wrong for a high queen and one of the lower court lords. But fate has dictated our hands; now we can only live with it.

As things stand, the best Rina and I can hope for is preventing a complete bloodbath.

19

INNOCENT LITTLE TRAP

Darina

The court play and drink and dance like no human could ever envision, giving their very soul to the revel. It’s no wonder mortals can’t stop themselves once their join the dances here. They eerie music, too complex and enchanting to comprehend, is only part of the appeal; the folk dance with their very souls.

I’m dying to join in, to shed my clothes and tap my feet at the rhythm of the beat, to sing my heart out, or at the very least, steal one of the violin and join the players. But I’m supposed to be above it all, remote. A pillar between all the chaos of the mingling court.

“It’s unfair I can’t dance,” I pout.

“Well, I don’t see why not,” Loch says. “Show them their queen is fun. So long as you don’t dance with Ryther, it can’t hurt.”

My eyes cut through the crowd, finding his midnight gaze. I can’t help it. And of course, he’s the one I want to dance with. But I let Valdred takes me to the floor and leads me through a waltz, Loch following up with ajive, which doesn’t quite go with the music, but we laugh through it. They have to show me the steps, and my heart’s filled with wonders as I do my best to follow.

Still, I watch him, again and again, and each time I slip, Ryther’s eyes are already set on me.

I can’t deny that the party’s getting to me. Despite everything, the danger, the tragedies, the dances make me feel light as air.

I wish my sister could dance, too, so she could enjoy a moment of peace; but of course, it’s dangerous to her, like everything in this world.

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