Chapter 17
TAUREN
Dahlia spends the rest of the week both ignoring me and taking Pumpkin out on as many dog walks as the poor creature can manage. With Claren, of course. Not me.
I watch her through the window of my meeting chamber, my shoulder leaning against the glass. She’s walking by a hedge maze, the tired puppy curled in her arms while Claren follows along beside her.
A few nights ago, I loosened her collar enough to allow her to wander the castle grounds freely. She never thanked me, but I don’t expect her to.
After what I put her through in the throne room, I wouldn’t be surprised if she never speaks to me again.
“Has there been any word from Elheart?” Thobas asks the table of demons behind me.
I don’t look back as Kennix replies, “Not yet. We know his messenger arrived back safely, but otherwise we’re in the dark.”
“Are we still moving ahead with the wedding tomorrow?”
Outside, Dahlia laughs at something Claren says, and my lips twitch. She tips her head back, starlight dancing over her features. I press my palm to the glass.
“We should. Elheart may be waiting to see if we actually go ahead with the ceremony,” Kennix replies. “If Tauren marries her, it will force him to act before he takes her virtue. This will be his last chance to claim his bride back.”
“Elheart will not get her back.” I turn from the window to find my half-dozen advisers staring at me.
“Sire?” Kennix breaks the silence.
“Elheart will not get her back once I have married her,” I repeat. “If he does not return Maeve to us tonight, then Dahlia will belong to this court permanently.”
“But we can still use her as a bargaining chip.” Thobas ignores my glare. “If we alert her father of her capture and offer him the same trade, Elheart may be forced to hand over Maeve or risk Sol’s armies.”
Kennix nods. “We could threaten harm against her to hurry the process.”
My molars clash together.
“Threatening to impregnate her should do it. Sol won’t want a half-breed as a grandchild—” Thobas is up against the wall with my hand wrapped around his throat before he can speak another word.
“You will not refer to any of my future wife’s children as fucking half-breeds,” I spit. Kennix hauls me off him before I can kill the old fool. Shrugging him off, I march towards the window.
“Forgive me, sire,” Thobas wheezes, but I ignore him. Dahlia is now sitting on a bench with Claren beside her, Pumpkin curled up in his lap. They look so peaceful. The anger inside me calms with them.
“Tauren,” Kennix says, stepping up to my side. The rest have left the room. He must’ve dismissed them. “Is everything alright?”
“I’m fine.” I keep my gaze on Dahlia. Two young demons approach her. Males. They’re nobles, but I can’t recognise them from here.
“You seem distracted. Is this about Maeve?” Kennix asks.
One of the demons says something that makes Claren slide Pumpkin off him and he stands up, his fists clenched.
I move closer to the glass. “I said I’m fine.” The taller one shoves Claren, and he shoves him back. “Who are those boys?” I ask Kennix, my heartbeat quickening.
Kennix peers through the window as Dahlia stands up, her face with red anger.
My stomach sinks. Kennix doesn’t have time to reply.
When one of the boys raises his fist at her, I sprint out of the meeting room.
My heart is in my throat by the time I make it over to the bench, my gaze fucking murderous. I don’t care whose son that demon is, I’ll end an entire bloodline if that boy dares touches a single hair on her—
I skid to a halt, my jaw slack.
Dahlia is straddling the boy, one fist gripping his shirt while the other slams into his bloody face. “Call me Tauren’s whore one more time, arsehole! I dare you!” she screams.
Claren stands by the hedgerow a few feet away, holding back Pumpkin, who’s barking protectively. The other boy is on the ground, covering what seems to be a puffy eye.
“I’m sorry!” the boy under Dahlia yells. I recognise him now. Tibalt Moltren. I had his father exiled a few weeks ago for eating a young human girl’s soul. I’ve heard reports of his son not taking the punishment well. Seems like tonight he decided to take it out on my princess. Big mistake.
“You better be sorry, arsehole!” she shouts.
“Step away from the boy,” I compel her.
She whips her head up, glaring at me while my magic forces her off him.
My heart flutters. It’s the most she’s acknowledged me all week. By the time she turns her pretty face away again, I’ve already made up my mind.
Whether she forgives me or not, her bratty behaviour stops here.
But first… “Get up,” I snap at Tibalt.
He scrambles to his feet. “Lord Tauren!” he wheezes. His buddy springs up to bow with him. “We didn’t mean any harm. We were just talking—”
“It looked like you were threatening my brother and my bride.” I shove my hands into my pockets, stepping towards them. “Tell me that I do not have demons in my court stupid enough to threaten those closest to me.”
“No, sire!” Gill, the other young demon, sputters. I don’t know much about him, except that his parents like to spend more time guzzling down food in my banquet hall than managing the spies under their command.
“Gill, is it?” I loom over him.
He nods quickly.
“You’re going to take young Tibalt and yourself to the castle infirmary, and then, once you’ve been treated, you’re both going to return to your chambers and stay there for the next month. Do you understand?”
They both nod.
“Good. Because if I hear even the smallest whisper that you’ve been spotted outside your chambers, I will have you locked in the dungeon instead.” I don’t like to throw teenagers in the dungeon, but these boys are old enough to know better. “And, Tibalt?”
The boy looks up at me, shaking. “Yes, sire?”
“If you call my bride a whore again, I will have you dropped off in the same forest I exiled your father to. It was an act of kindness to let the rest of your family stay here under my care after what he did. Do not make me regret being kind,” I snarl. “Now get out of my sight.”
“Thank you, sire,” both boys squeak before scurrying off to the castle. I’ll be speaking to their families later. For now, I have more important matters to deal with.
“Are you alright?” I ask Dahlia. “Did they hurt you?” If they did, I’ll be exiling them both anyway. I don’t care how old they are.
“I’m fine,” she snaps at me before turning to Claren, her voice soft. “How’s your shoulder? He shoved you pretty hard.”
“It doesn’t hurt. I’m more worried about your fists,” he chuckles. “I didn’t know princesses could hit that hard.”
“I have eleven sisters, remember?” She grins at him.
He blushes.
I am not jealous of my baby brother. I am not jealous of my baby brother. I am not—
“Claren. Leave us,” I bark at him.
For a moment it looks like he wants to argue, before Dahlia cuts him off, “Come on. Let’s go. It’s getting late and I’m hungry.” She pulls him towards the castle.
I grab her arm. “I did not give you permission to leave.”
She glares at me. Thankfully, Claren has enough sense to scoop Pumpkin up and head towards the castle, leaving me alone with my vicious bride.
I glance at her bloodied hands. “I think you broke Tilbalt’s nose.”
“He deserved it.” She scowls. “Claren can tell you all about him. He’s a bully.”
“I don’t doubt that.” I pick up her hands and use my cloak to wipe the blood away. “But I don’t want you putting yourself at risk of being hurt again. Next time, you will take a guard with you, or better yet, have me as your escort.”
“What, so you can humiliate me again? No thank you,” she huffs.
“Dahlia, I said I’m sorry—”
“You’re not sorry, or you wouldn’t have done what you did.” Her cheeks flush. “It was horrible, Tauren. There were so many people in that hall. I’ve been getting dirty looks all week.”
Shit. I’m a fucking idiot. I didn’t even think about how my court would react.
“I’ll deal with them,” I growl. I’ll throw them all in the dungeon if I have to.
Making an example of a few will work, though.
“And once you’re married to me no one will dare to provoke you.
My court respects me. They will respect you too.
” If they don’t, fuck throwing them in the dungeon – I’ll kill them all myself.
Dahlia glares at me. “You’re a fool if you think I’ll ever willingly marry you.”
“A fool with magic strong enough to force you down the aisle if I have to.” I tighten the enchantment on her collar, tugging her towards me.
“I’m growing tired of your attitude, sweetheart.
You may hate me, but no matter how much you pout, you are still mine, and I will not tolerate this disrespect.
” I can’t help it, my voice softens. “Dahlia, please. I am truly sorry for how I treated you in my throne room, and I can promise that it will never happen again. I need you to forgive me.”
She rolls her eyes. “Never going to happen.”
My cock twitches at her bratty tone. “Never?” I smirk, tipping up her chin.
“I mean it, Tauren.” She tries to pull away from me, but her collar holds her in place. “Let go of me. I want to go inside.”
The tall hedge maze catches my eye. It’s then that an idea pops into my head – an all-too-tempting idea. “Let’s play a game,” I offer.
“What are you talking about?”
I smirk. “You’re going to go into that maze, and if you can find your way out before I find you, I’ll cancel our wedding.
” There’s no way out of the maze, only a pavilion in the centre, but judging by the hope in her eyes, she doesn’t know that.
“I’ll count to thirty and give you a headstart. Then I’ll come after you.”
“What if you find me first?” Her brow lowers.
“You let me convince you to forgive me.”
She scoffs. “Not happening.”
“All you have to do is let me try.” I cup her jaw, not missing the way her breath catches as I stroke her cheek. “I won’t force you to forgive me. What do you have to lose?”
She thinks for a moment. “I’ll do it if you count to sixty.”