Page 39 of Wrath of the Fae Queen
I turn to her, my gown clinking as it flows around me. “Do I look like a mate in mourning?”
“You look delusional to me,” she snipes. “Sit. At. My. Feet.”
Don’t do it,Aldrin growls.
I wasn’t planning to.
“Do you think you can steal me from my lord father’s castle and lock me away in this palace as your plaything?” I take the steps up the dais. “You willnotbreak me. I will make sure you willnotbe sitting on that throne for much longer.”
The murmurs in the crowd become louder. I have been here before: a victim of a cruel leader on display before a mass of powerful onlookers. None will raise a finger to help me. I have to save myself.
Titania leaps from her throne and pounces on me so fast I don’t have a chance to react. She turns me swiftly on the spot to face the people, standing at my back, digging nails into my shoulders.
“This petulant child, thishumangirl, thinks she can rule the Spring Court, just because she spread her legs for its exiled king?” Titania bellows.“What does she know of this realm? Of what it is to be fae? All she was good at was seducing Aldrin away from his people and responsibilities.”
My smile widens as I allow my glamour to flicker in and out, revealing my pointed ears in glimpses. To show them that Iamas fae as I am human, and make Titania look like the liar that she is. People gasp and Titania believes it is at her words. She straightens even taller behind me.
“Aldrin claimed that our lands are dying and our people need saving. If this is true, then where has he been?” She pushes me hard and I stagger away from her, almost tripping on the length of the gown. “In the human realm, even though it is a crime to travel there.”
I turn to Titania and laugh. “And where did you find me? Have you told your people about that?” I swing around to the crowd, calm, my shoulders straight. “My father is the Lord Protector of the human realm. A powerful man in his own right, and he has a strong alliance with our king. Titania brought an army through the portals and into our protectorate, taking possession of our fortress while we were in the capital and holding my mother, my sister and my niece as hostages. Then she had the audacity to threaten my father and my king. These are all acts of war, right after Aldrin negotiated a trade dealwith the humans that would bring immense wealth to the Spring Court. In taking me from my home, she has likely destroyed that deal and started a new war.”
The High Chancellor flicks her nails right in my face. “Dear little ignorant pet. What do we care for the threats of humans? They can try to invade these lands to get you back, and we will crush the weaklings beneath our boots without a second thought. Why don’t you stick to what you are good at: spreading your legs.”
She grabs me by the wrist, digging her nails in deep enough to puncture the skin and pull a gasp from my lips. The sudden pain throws me off balance as she drags me across the dais toward the throne.
I willnotsit at her feet.
“Look how she is dressed. Do you think you will attract the eye of another powerful man here and hide behind him?” She snickers. “Once a whore, always a whore.”
I glance down at myself, heart racing and skin heating with shame, but I push it all away. “I am wearing a ball gown of woven gold and a tiara. Now, there is not much more regal than that when holding court.” I raise my eyebrows at Titania, finally allowing her and her inner circle to see my glamoured circlet. “Do you often shame the bodies of ladies? I thought we were much more liberal and open-minded in the Spring Court.”
The High Chancellor doesn’t even react to my words. She turns toward Torin and snarls at him in a low voice while he rushes over. “Why the fuck is she wearing that?”
“I—I have no idea where she got it from,” he stammers, eyes wide. “She wasn’t wearing it before.”
Titania shoves him backward with enough force that he falls on his ass, humiliating her own son in front of all these important people. “Get off my dais! Get out of my sight!” shehisses at him and he scrambles away. Her wild eyes turn to me. “Kneel before my throne.”
“No.” I part my legs to even out my center of gravity and square my shoulders.
“KNEEL!” she screams, grabbing the chains connected to the collar at my throat to force me down.
“No.” I grasp her wrist and pull her away from me, snapping the delicate gold links. She almost rolls an ankle in those high heels. I lean in close to her and whisper, “I have been professionally trained in hand-to-hand combat and swordcraft, so think twice before you assault me.”
Titania rears away, her eyes widening. She swings her arm back, then brings it forward with momentum to slap me in the face, but I easily sidestep her. She lashes out with a second blow, but I grab her arm and twist it.
“GUARDS!” Titania screams, visibly shaking with fury. “Force her to the ground! I want her lying at my feet in submission.” She turns and stalks to the throne, throwing herself into it.
I swing around to see multiple guards materializing out of the crowd and making a beeline for me. My mind whirls, trying to find a solution where I am not face down on the ground. One where I don’t have to reveal my magic to so many onlookers.
Aldrin!I screech at him.Any ideas?
You could fucking kill them all,he snarls.
Not helpful.I take a quick step back as the guards reach the bottom of the dais.Ideas, Aldrin.
I’m still thinking.Another heartbeat passes and they take the first step toward me.Could you disarm one, hide your air wield from the crowd behind their bodies, then use their sword to fend them off?
I can’t take on five fae men. Not without magic.My heart is like a mad beast thrashing against my ribcage.
