CHAPTER 38
My heart stilled as the scent of wildflowers hit my nose.
“I hope you have a good explanation for why my betrothed is standing in the middle of a goblin camp. Or did you bring her here just to torment me, dear sister?” The deep voice spoke again, his tone heavy with warning. “Surely you can tell you’ve frightened her. She’s trembling.”
An arm slipped around my waist and pulled me tightly towards a familiar, hard chest, the motion doing absolutely nothing to steady my shaking limbs. Glancing up, my eyes caught on Arenn’s sharp jawline. I wanted to feel angry, but the heat of his body pressed against mine only stirred up memories of last night.
My cheeks warmed. Thankfully, that was still just a dream. Nothing more.
“You should stop with the dramatic entrances, then maybe she wouldn’t tremble so much,” Seraphina sneered. “Though I can assure you, brother, I had nothing to do with her being here,” she carried on nonchalantly, as if I wasn’t standing right between them. “Apparently, she came here to help the Prince of Drothmore. And you can see by casting a look at the state of my poor goblins that she had more of an effect than he did – or the twenty or so soldiers he brought with him, if you could even call them that,” she scoffed.
“Naughty little human,” Arenn tutted with a playful grin. He tilted his chin down towards me, running a hand along my cheek. “Close your eyes now. Let me take you away from here.”
My stomach dipped. Finding some courage, I yanked myself out of his grasp and whirled around to face him. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” I stated boldly.
Seraphina shook with laughter. “So much for a chivalrous rescue!”
Beneath his midnight waves, Arenn glared at his sister. “You stay out of this,” he growled before returning his gaze to me. “Now please, don’t be difficult. You must close your eyes, or else you’ll be sick, and I’d rather not have to call the servants into my bedchamber at this time in the morning.” He spoke as though he was addressing a small child. It made me feel so small. I hated it.
“I said, I’m not going anywhere with you,” I repeated, anger rising in my chest. “I came here to help Prince Lukas, so unless you can take me to him, I’m not leaving this forest.”
Arenn’s shoulders tensed. “You would be wise not to mention his name again, Princess.” He stalked closer, snatching my wrist with one pale hand. “Like I said last night, I don’t share.”
My chest tightened. No, but that would mean…
Before I had a chance to ponder just how many of my dreams he’d been watching, or how that was even possible, Arenn commanded in a husky, pressuring voice, “Close your eyes.”
No. I didn’t want to. But his voice echoed in my mind. I resisted for barely a second before the compulsion overwhelmed my senses and my eyelids forcibly closed.
The moment they did, a woosh of cool air hit my face, and suddenly there were no more distant goblin screams. The smoky scent of dying campfires vanished, too, replaced by the soothing smell of pine and jasmine. Under my boots, even the forest floor felt suspiciously soft, as though I was standing on a plush rug instead of dried, crunchy leaves.
It was only when Arenn allowed me to open my eyes that I realised we were not in the forest anymore at all. Instead, I found myself in the middle of a familiar quartz-walled bedchamber. Thick willow roots weaved through the ceiling over a large silk bed – the very same bed I’d woken up in on my first visit to the faery kingdom. In the corner of the room was the same ornate chair from which Arenn had interrogated me, although this time there was a black nightshirt and some loose breeches draped over it. The silk bed was also unmade, as if someone had left in a hurry. Then it hit me: the regal engravings that wrapped around the bed posts, the circlet that rested upon the dresser…
This wasn’t just any spare bedroom in the faery palace. This was Arenn’s bedchamber.
My mouth fell open. “You interrogated me, a complete stranger, in your own bed?”
His grip on my wrist loosened as he chuckled. “Would you have preferred a cell? You know, it’s not everyday I get to apprehend a mysterious human girl.” He sauntered over to the chair, collapsed into it, then propped his elbows against the wooden armrests. “Besides, if you actually were an assassin, maybe you’d have begged for your life by attempting to seduce me.” He smiled in a way that was almost feline. “I wouldn’t have said no. I’ve never bedded a human before.”
I almost choked. “You’re disgusting!”
“And yet you still accepted my proposal?” he mused, tilting his head playfully as his silver earrings glinted in the golden light of the room. “You do know what will happen once we marry, don’t you? We will be expected to consummate.”
Warmth flooded my cheeks and I quickly avoided his gaze. I couldn’t let him see what his words did to me, but this room was so small and there was nowhere to hide. If that silk bed wasn’t his, I’d bury my burning face in the sheets and never leave again.
A low laugh sounded from where he was sitting and judging my reaction.
“I was worried that I might’ve been too late,” he started, lifting his hand to prop his chin against it. “I thought that maybe your foolish prince would’ve already had his way with you, maybe even several times. But I can see it clearly now… You’re as innocent as a little flower.”
My knees trembled. “My private life is none of your concern.”
“It will be when we are married.”
“I am not marrying you,” I snapped, my hands balling up into fists beside me. “We were engaged under false pretences. This was clearly all some scheme. You send your sister into the Steel Palace to pose as the King’s healer, who by some coincidental reason seems to be suffering from a faery curse, have her manipulate the generals into sending our armies away, and oh, also have her convince me to pay you a visit, too?” My heart pounded against my ribs as I pieced it all together. “I’m not a fool, Arenn. Did you not think I would work it all out? Now she will have Drothmore and you can have Corlixir. But I’d rather die than ever marry you. Drothmore may have already fallen, but you will never rule my kingdom.”
Arenn’s smile faded. Rising from the chair, he stepped closer until he towered over me. My chest heaved with my quickened breath. He wouldn’t actually hurt me, would he?
“Do not for a second believe that I am on the same side as her.”
I blinked, confusion stuffing up my throat. That was not what I expected.
“I’ll be honest with you,” he continued coolly, “I didn’t even know I had another sister until a few hours after Luminessia.”
“What?” I breathed.
“When she stormed into the palace shortly after you… departed, I assumed she was just some lost faery who’d gone insane after spending too much time outside the realm. But when my mother and father found out she was here, they became hysterical.” A distant scowl crossed his face. “Suddenly all the attention was on precious darling Lyssi. Let’s just all forget that was supposed to be my special night. It’s only the Crown Prince’s Luminsessia,” he scoffed.
“Lyssi?” I questioned.
“That’s her name. Or at least what my mother kept screaming over and over again when she fell to her knees in the middle of the ballroom,” he drawled. “Rather embarrassing, really.”
“But why would they never mention you had another sister?” My fists loosened from where they were clenched as I ran a few fingers through my hair. “How do you know this isn’t some elaborate trick?”
Arenn shrugged, moving to lean against his dresser. “It’s possible… But my father has the power to manipulate people’s thoughts and memories. I’m sure he’d be able to tell if someone else was using his own tricks against him. And in my mother’s case, her reaction seemed genuine, albeit a little dramatic.” He sighed, rolling his shoulders. “These are strange times for all of us, Princess. My mysterious long-lost sister arrives with a secret goblin army, desperate to invade Drothmore. And while she’s not a threat to Faelenna at present, who knows what will happen when she’s bored of her new kingdom.” He picked up his circlet, running his fingers along the woven strands of silver. “I’m still the eldest, so eventually, when my parents retire, this kingdom will fall to me. I trust Elsie and Elara to never challenge me for the throne, but I cannot trust her.”
I studied him carefully. “Would you stop the invasion then? Kill Seraphina to protect your throne?”
His amber irises flicked up to meet mine as he returned the circlet to its place. “I thought you didn’t approve of murder?” he mused gleefully. “You told me yourself last night that you thought I enjoyed sucking the life out of that poor faery.” He prowled closer, my heartbeat quickening with every step. “You called me a monster.”
“How?” I asked breathily. “How is that possible? That was a dream.”
A wild grin dominated his jaw. “It was a dream, of some kind…” He snatched my wrist, running a slender finger down the two crystals that glittered in my forearm. “Ever since you agreed to my proposal, we have been connected. You can enter my dreams. I can enter yours.” He traced around the crystals as I shivered. “Our connection is growing stronger now, too. That’s how I found you in the forest today. Last night, I could barely feel your presence, but this morning I could sense you were close and that you were scared. That’s why I came for you.”
“How romantic,” I replied, the words dripping in sarcasm, “but please don’t enter my dreams anymore.”
“Why?” He grinned. “Are you scared we might do more than share a kiss next time? You know there are no real-life consequences from making love in a dream?” I choked back a gasp. “I know it’s not proper before we are married, but no one will ever know.”
When I shot him a furious scowl, he finally released my wrist. Still, he drew closer, his voice darkening. “You know this connection between us will only grow stronger. Haven’t you felt it already? The pull to always be closer? It will keep drawing you to me… Soon, you won’t be able to stay away.”
“I think I’ll manage,” I retorted.
“We’ll see.”
He held my gaze for a few more heated moments before pulling away and heading towards the door.
“Where are you going?” The words just slipped out.
“Miss me already?” he chuckled. “Do not fear, I won’t be long, little human. There is some business I must attend to before I retire today. For now, though, you should rest. I’m sure you’ve gathered by now that fae tend to be most active at night. You’d be wise to try adjusting to our schedule, especially since you’ll probably be staying with us for a while.”
A knot formed in my throat. I was a prisoner here, even if Arenn danced around the words.
“I can’t sleep in your bed,” I protested, glancing at the sheets that probably smelled exactly like him – so dangerous, yet the butterflies in my stomach seemed to crave those wildflowers.
“Then sleep on the floor.” He laughed cruelly while reaching for the door handle. “Although, you may wake up to me carrying you into bed. The servants will gossip if they believe I am mistreating my betrothed.” Before I could argue that he was doing exactly that, the door locked shut behind him.
And I’d never hated myself more for immediately wishing he’d come back.