Page 104 of The Beast King's Bride

“But you are part-Fae,” Talen goes on, his voice flattening. “So you don’t need the bond to live a long, long life.”

I frown. “But—”

“It would be a bond for life,” he says. “Not something to take lightly. If we did this, you would be stuck with me forever, and how well do you know me? Why would you want to bind your life to that of a cursed king?”

“Who says I’d take it lightly?” I bristle. “And what if I want to?”

“Ash, if you want to be queen, I—”

“I don’t care about being queen,” I snap, stung. “And I understand if you don’t want to bind your life to me. After all, I’m a half-Fae, half-human servant you carried away for a cure that didn’t succeed. You probably want to bond to a Fae princess and make sure your line—”

“I don’t care about my line,” he growls, “or about Fae princesses. You’re the one I want.”

I stare at him, non-plussed. “Then, I don’t understand—”

“There’s nothing to understand.”

“Sire,” Jassin says again.

“What?” Talen growls.

The guards stamp their spears into the stone floor, the echoes dancing inside the throne room. Someone enters the throne room and hurries down the long carpet to the thrones.

“The White Sage,” Jassin says, bowing low, “is here to see you.”

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