Page 59 of Fake Fae-Ancée

"I sense a certain tension between you and your betrothed. Or faux betrothed, to be more precise."

For the first time since I had met her, I studied the Witch more closely.

"What are you getting out of this, anyway?" I asked. "Why are you so invested? Do you owe Yuri’s family?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that, Officer McKenn." The Witch shrugged her narrow shoulders as if that were perfectly mundane, cracking a warm smile. "My clients are certain entities who want to make sure the prophecies go off cleanly. The prince's — and yours, by the way — is especially important."

I wrinkled my nose. "Sounds mighty ominous."

She bit down on her pipe, her gaze turning sharp. "Plain talk now. Woman to woman. No hissy fits. You two, the prince and you both, need to get a few levels more convincing."

She shook her head gravely, as if remembering our abysmal dancing performance.

"Oh, I’m sorry!" I snorted. "Is it really my fault that Prince Charming isn’t even able to waltz properly?"

"No-one at the ball will believe you. The prophecy will not come true. No-one swears allegiance to the true king. Yuri will be expelled again. And subsequently, Yegor will succeed in having you killed,devushka. It’s as simple as that."

I looked at my feet, remembering being pressed into the mud. The slicing sensation of the Witch-iron blade…

The Witch got up and, with swifter movements I would have given her credit for, hopped on the next stone pad behind us. "I suggest you practice kissing, then."

A lance of shock bolted through me.

"You what?? We what??"

"Oh, don’t act prim." She looked down at me. "We must work with what we have. So I suggest you both work on getting that crazy sexual tension crackling between you out of the way. The sooner the better. So, practice kissing. Or even better, fuck and clear the air."

She gave me another sugary smile before hopping back to shore.

Yuri

"I was hoping you were kidding."

As is always the case with family visits — as soon as my brothers had arrived, I remembered why Bears are solitary by nature.

I had just returned from another brutal session in the weight room when Bates informed me that my brothers were here. I hadn’t expected them until next week. But I could use all the support I could get in this insane endeavor. However, I should have expected my brother not to go berserk with joy in the face of my plan.

"Do you have any better ideas?" I grunted back at Nicolai now.

We had tea. Like in the old days. As was proper for family occasions. Bates had gone all out, with sandwiches and tiny little cakes and everything. He had even whipped out the old silvery samovar that was exclusive for high holidays, not the regular one.

We made an alluring picture, no doubt about it — three giant hunks sitting in a parlor, sipping tea from tiny china cups and scowling at each other.

Or munching sandwiches, in Kostya's case. My other brother, the third in line, was probably suffering from a recent shifting, that was always followed by a ravenous hunger. But apart from the post-shifting munchies, he looked relaxed. Judging from the tan, the washed-out T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops he was wearing, he had flown in directly from Southeast Asia. A pair of shades sat crookedly on his nose.

My second brother Nicolai however scowled at me, as usual impeccably dressed in a tailored suit and corporate haircut, a heavy designer watch on his wrist.

"But she's Fae!"

Nicolai spread his hands in a disbelieving gesture, as if his objection was justified and not totally rude. We had all inherited the same giant hands from father. Half paws mother often called them.

"She is my future wife," I said pointedly, glad I had not told him the truth about Kai and me. "And your future queen."

Nicolai huffed. "A Fae? As queen of the bears? That’s ridiculous!"

"I can hear you, you know."

All eyes turned to Kai. She was sitting on the third sofa. For a change, her death glare was directed at my brother.

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