Page 76 of Of Blood & Bone: The Young Queen

“Queen Elinor, do you take Ronan, Prince of Ellerban as your husband, agree to care for him in sickness and in health and to put him above all others?”

I look at the prince and my heart flutters as he smiles at me. “I do,” I reply.

“Ronan, Prince of Ellerban, do you take Elinor, Queen of Ardvalla as your wife, agree to care for her in sickness and in health and to put her above all others?”

“I do,” he replies as his smile broadens.

Pater Aemon raises the realt higher. “By the power invested in me by the gods, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Go forth, be true to each other and may your union be blessed with healthy and happy children.”

Prince Ronan turns to me. “In Ellerban we seal the marriage with a kiss,” he informs me as he places his lips on mine and kisses me deeply. Kes and Ailish start to clap and as much as I’m enjoying the prince’s kiss, I’m keenly aware the last lips to touch mine belong to the two men standing on either side of my new husband. He stops kissing me and whispers into my ear, “And I’m looking forward to properly sealing our union later.”

Kes jumps between us before I can reply and takes me into a warm embrace. “Congratulations, Elinor,” she says in a throaty voice, “I hope your marriage is a long and happy one.”

“Thank you, Kes,” I reply as I tighten my arms around her.

Ailish is next. “Congratulations, my Queen,” she says as she gives me a warm hug.

I thank her and am just about to say something to Pater Aemon when Aaran steps in front of me, takes me into a hard embrace and places his lips on my cheek, dangerously close to my lips. “Congratulations, Queen Elinor,” he says, as he crushes me to his chest and I don’t miss the possessive tightening of his arms or the searing intensity of his gaze as he releases me.

“Thank you, Aaran,” I reply and try to quell the frisson of desire that ripples through me at his possessive touch. I turn to focus my attention on the prince but instead I find Barra standing before me.

He smiles a warm smile and takes me into his arms. “Congratulations, Queen Elinor,” he says as he places a gentle kiss on my cheek. Then his lips move swiftly to my ear. “Don’t forget, I am your most humble servant, ready to do your bidding anytime.” Then he releases me, and I grab the prince’s hand in an effort to ground myself. I desire Prince Ronan, of that there is no doubt, and I’m already looking forward to consummating our marriage. However, I can’t deny the attraction I also feel for the other Ellerban men currently standing in my chamber and I don’t know how to reconcile that against the vow I just took to put my husband “above all others.”

“Congratulations to you both,” Pater Aemon says as he places his hands together and bows before me and the prince. It’s obvious from his expression that despite the ceremony he just performed, he’s not really sure what’s going on. “I shall take my leave and allow you your small celebration in private.”

I glance quickly at Kes and a pre-agreed understanding passes between us.

“Pater Aemon,” she purrs into his ear, “I’m afraid you need to come with me. There is some business I wish to discuss with you.” She throws her arm around his shoulders and leads him to the door, closely followed by Ailish. May the gods bless him, but he looks truly confused and concerned as they lead him away.

“Where are they taking him?” the prince asks.

“He will be a guest of the Khaleeni for the next few days,” I reply, “at least until such a time as we wish to reveal our marriage.”

The prince smiles. “I’ve no doubt you have the timing of that announcement carefully planned.”

I smile in return. “Oh, of that you can be sure. It’s going to be rather special.”

He takes my hand and kisses its palm. “I believe with a wife such as you I need never worry about planning ever again for the rest of my days. You really are quite good at it.”

I smile and as I stand there surrounded by the only three men I have ever been intimate with, it strikes me that I have no plan and no idea how to deal with this situation.

Chapter Twenty-Five

The morning sun bursts through the windows of my chamber and I stretch languorously along the silken sheets of my bed. The prince murmurs appreciatively behind me as my naked curves connect like flashpoints to his flesh. The palm of his hand travels eagerly from my thigh, over my hip, into the curve of my waist and up to my breast where his fingers curl around it in a proprietary grip.

“Mmmm…” he growls into my shoulder, “good morning wife, how do you fare this fine morning?”

I place my fingers over his and release a contented sigh. My body still feels the effects of our vigorous lovemaking from the night before and there’s no doubt our union is well and truly sealed. However, as I feel his manhood grow and harden against my buttocks, that doesn’t mean we couldn’t seal it a little bit more.

I turn my head and kiss him. “I fare well, my husband,” I reply as I reach down and stroke him. “However, I feel our marriage is not yet thoroughly sealed.”

He laughs into my shoulder as the fingers of his other hand move to my womanhood. “I fear I’ve created a monster,” he whispers into my ear as his fingers start their dangerous caress. “Perhaps, I need to go a little deeper,” he growls as he pulls my buttocks against his manhood.

“Kneel for me,” he demands as he positions himself behind me. A frisson of excitement pulses through me at the commanding tone of his voice and the possibility of what he has planned. I kneel and my core burns with liquid heat as his handtrails seductively from my shoulder, along my spine and over my buttocks.

Then both his hands come around and caress my breasts. I moan with need as he places kisses of fire along my spine. “Place your head on your pillow,” he commands, and I immediately do as he asks, excitement and desire fusing deliciously together in my veins. He pulls my buttocks higher and towards him as the fingers of his right hand leave my breast and start a slow massage of that tight bud of desire at the apex of my womanhood.

I writhe with need, but he places both his hands on my buttocks and stills me before plunging into me. Before I can register what is happening, he withdraws and plunges into me again, so deep I feel him press against my core and it tips me over yet another edge I didn’t know I had. He plunges into me over and over again, faster and harder, and I lift my buttocks to meet him, lost in a frenzy of need. An overwhelming pressure builds inside me and I move faster, keeping up with him as he rides me with unbridled passion. His seed bursts forth from him as he roars my name and as I feel it fill me I let out a cry of my own before collapsing back onto my pillow.

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