Chapter 14 #2
Kirill and Fiona freeze, staring at her.
"Please," she adds, voice cracking with urgency.
Kirill exhales, jaw grinding, and closes his eyes like he's bracing for a blow. He opens them slowly.
"Of course you can have them," Fiona offers.
Hope flashes across Valentina's face. Then it dies.
Kirill states, "No. Unfortunately, you can't give them the open seats."
Valentina's body stiffens beside me. "Why not?" she demands.
"They saved us," Fiona cries out, looking genuinely confused and hurt.
Sympathy softens Kirill's features for only a moment. He turns to Valentina. "There has to be a cleansing ritual. You know this, Valentina."
Fiona scrunches her face. "What does that mean?"
"It was one of the missing sections in your Royal Doctrine. It's Amendment 666," he informs her.
I stare at him, trying not to snort.
Amendment 666.
Of course it is.
Fiona scoffs. "The same amendment that almost got us beheaded?"
"Yes."
"And what is so special about this amendment?" she asks.
Kirill glances between us, then pins his attention on Fiona, answering, "Seats must be refilled with the same status as those who left."
"Meaning?" Fiona pushes.
"If an individual dies unmarried, another unmarried individual takes the seat. But if a couple dies, then another couple replaces them," Kirill asserts.
Fiona wrinkles her nose. "That's stupid."
"Agreed," I mutter.
Kirill snaps his attention to me. "Don't belittle the rules Fiona's father created. They are to keep balance."
Fiona folds her arms. "So they should get married."
I jerk my head backward and grunt.
Sure, Fiona. And fairies exist, too.
Kirill shakes his head. "No. The amendment states that the evil needs to be cleansed from the seats during a purity ritual."
She admits, "I'm still lost."
"The couple can't be together due to an arranged marriage or a predetermined selection. It has to be a couple who is truly in love and has chosen to marry without outside forces. The seats must go through a rebirth period, and only love can change the energy from negative to positive," he explains.
Valentina blurts out, "We're in love and getting married!"
I whip my head toward her, only to witness her expression dead serious.
You've got to be kidding me.
"We are!" she insists, grabbing my hand. She looks up at me, lashes narrowed, silently promising she'll stab me in the kidney if I don't play along. "Aren't we?"
Every muscle in my body tightens.
Marriage?
Kirill waits, arms crossed.
Valentina continues, "We check all the boxes. We'll take the seats."
I clench my jaw.
The little Minx is going to get it when we're alone.
Kirill chuckles and points at me. "I see. You're joking again. The look on your face is priceless. Well played."
"We're not joking," Valentina insists, tugging my arm. "Tell them the truth so we don't lose the chance to take our seats."
I glance at her, my chest tight, ready to tell her no.
She pleads with her eyes, and my dick turns harder.
Fucking hell, Valentina.
I slowly slide my arm around her, tug her closer, and stand taller. I grin, pinning my gaze on Kirill and declaring, "We're in love, and I asked her to marry me."
Kirill points to her hand. "Where's her ring?"
Valentina interjects, "Getting sized. Brax thought my finger was a seven, and it's a seven and a half."
Seven and a half.
This is getting good.
I affirm, "My bad. The jeweler is fixing it."
Kirill studies us for a moment, shakes his head, then looks at Fiona.
She bites on her smile, trying not to laugh, but she doesn't call us out.
Valentina begs, "We meet the criteria. Please! Let us take our seats!"
Kirill sighs, then gives her an apologetic look. He lowers his voice. "Amendment 666 is important. Sean created it for the sole purpose—"
"Of restoring light to the table and safety to The Underworld," Fiona interjects.
Pride fills Kirill's expression. He praises, "Yes, my queen. You're exactly right. How did you know that when the amendment wasn't in your Royal Doctrine?"
"It's part of Act 7. Balance is essential for safety, and light must always shine upon the table," she recites.
She always was a bookworm.
Kirill puffs his chest, gushing, "I have the smartest wife."
I mutter, "Don't fill her head."
Valentina elbows me hard again.
"Ouch," I grumble.
Kirill scowls.
Fiona adds, "Which is why Valentina and Brax can take their seats as long as they get married on the next full moon."
I swallow hard.
I need to stop this before it goes any further.
Shock fills Kirill's expression. "You aren't buying this?"
Her lips twitch. "Oh, Brax has always wanted to get married, haven't you?"
I clench my jaw.
"Answer the queen," Kirill instructs.
"Yeah. All day long, it's all I think about," I state.
Fiona motions between us. "It's clear they're madly in love."
Really, Fiona?
Way to have my back when I just saved you from getting beheaded!
"It is?" Kirill retorts, furrowing his forehead.
"Of course," she lies.
He continues to look at her like she's insane.
"We are. We'll have our wedding on the next full moon," Valentina declares.
"On the..." I scrunch my face, then blurt out, "That's in three weeks!"
"Yes. Is there a problem?" Fiona sternly questions.
Valentina squeezes my bicep and offers, "No. No problem at all. Brax told me this morning he's dying to marry me sooner rather than later, didn't you?"
I lock eyes with her, then slowly lower my gaze over her.
You're going to pay me with your body every second of every day for going along with this charade.
I meet her gaze and reply, "I sure did, my sexy little Minx."
A flush crawls up Valentina's cheeks, and I almost cum in my pants.
Fiona beams, "Sounds like our problem is solved. I'm tired and want to go home. Congratulations on your engagement and future seats at the table and on the Royal Council." She steps forward and hugs Valentina.
Valentina hugs her back. "Thank you."
Fiona repeats, "Thank you for saving us."
Valentina smiles. "Anytime."
Fiona steps in front of me.
I glare at her.
She teases, "Give me a hug to celebrate."
My jaw tics, but I go through the motions. I'll deal with this problem at a later date.
She steps back. "Thank you as well."
I nod. "Happy to be of service."
"Can't wait for your wedding," she adds, winking.
My face hardens again.
She spins toward Kirill. "Ready?"
His gaze darts between Valentina and me, then he looks at Fiona like he can't believe she's his wife.
Can't say I blame him. I still can't believe it either.
She repeats, "I'm tired. I want to go home."
With a sigh, Kirill hugs Valentina and shakes my hand. "We'll discuss this in more detail back in Chicago."
"What's to discuss?" Valentina frets.
"Nothing," Fiona assures her, then squeezes Kirill's hand.
He glances at her
"Correct?" she asks.
Something passes in his expression.
"Kirill?" Valentina asks in a low voice.
Fiona winks at him.
He takes a deep breath, then points at them. "The Omni will insist on proof your love is real, and you must marry on the next full moon. If there is any doubt, you know the consequences."
Jesus Christ. What the hell is Valentina setting us up for now?
Valentina affirms, "Yes. We understand. There won't be any issues. We'll prove how in love we are, won't we?" She pins a naughty grin on me.
I stay quiet.
Kirill peers closer at me. "And what about you? Will there be any issues? The last thing I want is Valentina dead, so tell me now before this goes any further."
Valentina's anxiety wafts between us.
Fiona interjects, "Nah. He'll make sure it goes smoothly. Won't you, Brax?" Her lips twitch.
I gaze at her.
She arches her eyebrows.
"I'm waiting for an answer," Kirill warns.
I smack my palm against Valentina's ass.
She jumps with a gasp.
I grin at her. "No issues. Can't wait to be tied to this little Minx for eternity."
"See. All good," Fiona chirps, then pulls on Kirill's arm. "Let's go home."
He studies us for another moment, and then his lips curve. "Then I guess congratulations are in order." He kisses the top of Fiona's head. "Let's go home."
She flicks her fingers in a wave, smirking. "Bye-bye, lovebirds. Can't wait to have a double date with our soon-to-be-married besties."
I scowl.
Kirill chuckles and steers her onto the plane.
Once the doors shut, I turn toward my bride-to-be and question, "What the hell did you just get us into?"