“Well, at least we’re right across the hall if you need us,” Mom said.
We walked to our chambers in Cirrus’s old wing of the castle. Liri had insisted Mom have it for her visits. She’d had all the rooms redecorated with colorful artwork and comfy furniture. There was always a fuzzy blanket and plump pillows to sink into. Apparently, the hall had once been lined with mirrors. Now a unicorn mural graced a large portion of the wall in the corridor. Mom loved her unicorns.
Outside my door, Father gave me a hug then stepped back as suddenly as he’d dove in. “We love you, Fraya.”
I blinked several times, feeling undeserving of his embrace.
“You couldn’t have known who Alok really was,” Dad said gently. “Lulu never suspected a thing, and she raised him.”
“I feel bad for her,” I said, not wanting to linger on my feelings.
Dad sighed. “I do too. At least she has close friends at the castle to comfort her. If you need anyone to talk to, you know you can come to us.”
I nodded. “Thanks, Dad,” I said, even though I had no desire to take him up on his offer. He was just being nice, and I was relieved he didn’t bring up my earlier transgression.
After giving my mom a kiss and hug and waving to my parents as they watched me enter my room across from theirs, I found a young female servant filling up the tub with warm water in the attached bathing chamber.
“Gem sent me to fill your tub, Miss Fraya.”
“Thanks.” Gee, I hoped Gem hadn’t woken the poor girl from sleep.
I was too grateful for a rinse to worry overmuch. Once the tub was filled with enough water, I sent the servant back to bed.
Pulling off my leather cuffs, tunic, and bodysuit, I imagined a snake shedding her skin. I shucked it all to the floor before stepping into the tub already scented with jasmine bubbles. Before sinking down into the warm depths, I twisted my hair into a high bun above my head to keep it dry. Grabbing a loofah from the ledge, I gave my body a thorough scrubbing, dabbing gingerly at my neck where Malon had nicked me. Worse than the cut was the memory of Alok’s tongue dragging along my throat and my blind trust in him. I wished I could scrub my feelings for him away with soap.
Once cleansed and dried off, I pulled on a light gray pajama set with skulls and crossbones covering the fabric. Aunt Mel had gotten them for me last Christmas from the mortal world. It was my favorite pair.
I let down my hair, sat cross-legged on my bed, and waited in the glow of a single candle flame.
I wasn’t sure if he’d come. For the past year, Alok had dreamscaped to my bedchamber whenever we came to Dahlquist. We’d stayed up talking for hours, laughing and joking. First nights were for filling one another in on what we’d been up to since the last visit. Final visits were filled with anguish and longing for our next reunion. Back then, we’d never had enough time together.
There was no longing tonight.
I doubted he’d come, anyway. Not after everything that had happened. But still I waited, heart squeezing tightly. As time slithered on, my breathing evened out, and my eyelids grew heavy. The bed beneath me beckoned for me to surrender to sleep. The candle burned low. As the flame sank farther down, a ripple of light appeared at the end of the bed. My spine stiffened as Alok’s outline took shape, filling in with his features until he looked as though he was really there. He still wore the embroidered jacket, which was slightly too big for him, but it wouldn’t be long before he grew into it. His black-and-blue-streaked hair appeared windblown and his eyes bright, despite their dark coloring. My heart beat erratically, anger rising in me. Today, I’d lost a lover and a friend.
I folded my arms beneath my chest. We stared at one another, saying nothing. Alok didn’t move from his spot. I was the one to break the silence.
“Come to say your final goodbye?” I asked, not masking my disdain.
He drank me in with his dark eyes. I braced myself against his pull, concentrating fiercely on the mass of betrayal he’d put me through.
“I’m here to make you a promise.” That voice sent shivers of unease through me. “You will be mine one day, Fraya. This I vow, and as you know, Fae don’t lie.”
I scoffed. “I’d worry more about your personal safety, Alok. As soon as Liri finds out about the trick you pulled, he won’t rest until he’s hunted you down and ended you—same as he did to your horrid father.”
Alok’s projection darkened. My words were cruel, but I didn’t care. There was nothing romantic about Alok’s promise. I heard it for what it really was. A threat. No one fucking threatened me. If he thought I’d let him off gently because of past kisses, then he was out of his mind. I needed him to understand that he was dead to me.
I unfolded my arms and sat up on my knees, glaring across the bed at Alok. “Let me make you a vow of my own. After what you did, you’re the last male I’d ever give myself to. Thank Sky Mother my cousin walked in on us in time to save me from making the worst mistake of my life.”
Alok’s jaw tightened. “You don’t mean that.”
“Oh yes, I do.” I laughed humorously.
Alok’s fingertips skimmed his jawline as he regarded me. Despite my oath, his eyes shone glossy and bright, filled with conviction. “You’ll want me again one day, Fraya. And when that day comes, I will be there for you.”
I didn’t get another opportunity to rebuff him. The candle guttered out, and with it, Alok disappeared in the darkened room, leaving behind his disturbing promises.
Chapter Eleven
Melarue
Flames danced from the crackling fire in the hearth of our Pinemist cottage. Lyklor and I lay naked atop a thick fuzzy rug, steadying our breaths after completing another round of passionate lovemaking. Outside our windows, snow drifted down in lazy swirls.
I could feel the glow in my cheeks. Coming here had been the best decision. We’d never enjoyed the cottage to ourselves until now. Sometimes a bit of cozy tranquility was just the thing. Plus, I’d decided I wanted our child to be conceived in the elven realm.
Lyklor propped himself up on one elbow and grinned his devilish smile. “Do you feel pregnant?”
“I feel hungry.” I rubbed my tummy.
“That’s a good sign,” Lyklor said.
“Right,” I snorted. “A sign we need to fuel up before we head back.”
Lyklor’s face fell. “So soon?”
I twisted my lips to one side in thought. We’d had four blissful days together, but my heart ached to be with both my mates. I missed Ryo and the boys. I missed being a family. And I felt sorta guilty about giving Ryo the slip in Dubai. If he’d left us alone, he would never know we’d snuck off someplace else. I’d find out soon enough.
I ran three fingers over my golden king’s muscled chest. His warm, soft skin felt like silk against mine. If I didn’t stop myself, we could end up entwined together on the rug for another week. Wouldn’t be such a bad thing, but—
“We should at least check in and make sure the twins haven’t terrorized anyone,” I said. Being a mom came with responsibilities.
Lyklor grunted. “With the help of Aerith and Jhaeros, I’m sure Ryo has everything under control. What could possibly go wrong?”
Epilogue
Aerith
Christmas Eve, The Following Year
Frost crystallized against the windowpanes of our Pinemist manor home. A white wintery landscape spread out across the grounds. Inside, the rooms and halls were decked out with garlands, wreaths, giant plastic candy canes, snowflake candleholders, and even a jolly little doll dressed in red called an Elf on the Shelf. Folas had helped portal me back and forth from the mortal world to load up on holiday sale items after last Christmas.
If Mel and the kids wanted Christmas, I’d give them Christmas!
Arrangements had already been made with Hensley and Liri to cover the castle this holiday. It was my baby niece’s first Christmas, and we all wanted her to spend it in Pinemist, especially after last holiday’s debacle. My
family and I hadn’t been to Dahlquist since Alok Elmray’s attempt at the crown. There had been no word of him afterward. Liri had scouts scouring the realm for Alok’s whereabouts. The first place they checked was his mother’s home of Frostweather, where they’d discovered Oreal had remarried a noble Fae of influence and wealth. Alok’s twin, whom Malon had spoken of, was a female who lived with her mother and stepfather. At least she hadn’t been planted at Ravensburg, biding her time the way Alok had. I still couldn’t believe someone so young would try to take over the castle with only his weakened uncle for help. That was youth and Faerie for you. If Alok had any sense, he’d stay hidden permanently.
In addition to hunting for Alok, Liri had taken a special interest in Lark after learning his nephew had killed his uncle Malon. He’d thrown Lark an outrageously extravagant masquerade, even by Faerie standards, at the palace.
“He’s going to spoil the boy,” Mel had grumbled to me later.
“Like you don’t,” I’d countered.
Mel’s eyes had bulged. “Aerith! He had a twelve-foot portrait painted of Lark holding the sword that killed Malon. It’s hanging outside the throne room. He’s having a stone statue made in Lark’s likeness to grace the courtyard. Ugh! I can already see it going to my son’s head.”
“Eh,” I’d said with a shrug. “I’m sure it will be a passing phase. If it lasts too long, Fraya would be happy to knock him off his high horse.”
Mel, not knowing the gender of her child at the time, had expressed her wishes for a good-natured little girl like Fraya who would never cause her mother distress. My sister didn’t know about Fraya and Alok. I wasn’t about to mortify Fraya more than necessary. My daughter had thrown herself into her archery tournaments, becoming something of a celebrity in the elven realm. She’d moved on. Met a nice male Jhaeros and I both approved of, even if we still weren’t ready for her to date. At least this male was an elf and, more importantly, not an Elmray.
Fraya sang in the sitting room, accompanying Fhaornik as he plucked the cords to “Last Christmas” on his ukulele. On my way to the kitchen, I paused inside the doorframe to watch them. Fraya wore leggings and a stylish knit sweater with little white penguins and snowmen lining the snug dark blue fabric. Our blind butler had on a bulky sweater with a reindeer wearing sunglasses. Mine was Santa riding a unicorn.
Fraya matched the song to Fhaornik’s strums. The lyrics caught on my heartstrings as Fraya sang about being kissed and fooled. My daughter lifted her chest and flashed me a reassuring smile as she belted out the repeat chorus with gusto. That was Fraya, my brave, bold, beautiful daughter. She deserved sunshine and rainbows and an adoring male elf to treat her like the treasure she was.
I turned away as Fraya sang out the next set of lyrics.
The scent of baked sugar and molasses drew me to the kitchen, where Mrs. Calarel was busy mixing color into bowls of frosting on the wide counter. She looked festive in her red-and-white-striped apron. Seeing me, she smiled without stopping. Trays of tree-shaped sugar cookies covered the counters where they’d been set to cool off. Inside the cupboard, bags of candies were stacked on a shelf.
Once Mel and her brood arrived, we’d frost and decorate the cookies, followed by sledding on Market Hill, then hot cocoa back at the house. After we’d warmed up, we’d go back outside and pick out a tree from the back property to cut down and cover in ornaments inside the sitting room while Fhaornik and Fraya serenaded everyone with more holiday songs from the human world.
Yep, Mel wasn’t the only one capable of going all out with the festivities. This Christmas, I was all in.
We’d attached a bell to the guest room door upstairs so we’d know when they used the portal access there. I wasn’t close enough to hear them. Jhaeros came rushing into the kitchen looking so dang cute in his fuzzy Abominable Snowman sweater.
“They’re here,” he announced.
We reached the foyer at the same time as Mel and her family. Gleeful greetings, hugs, and kisses were exchanged. Fraya beat me to the baby. At four months, Melody was the cutest little bundle of joy. Wrapped in a soft pink blanket, Fraya hugged her baby cousin to her chest, cooing over her. I pressed a gentle kiss over Melody’s soft head of light brown hair then held out my arms. Sighing, Fraya handed over my niece.
“Who is the sweetest, cutest little girl?” I rubbed my nose against Melody’s.
“Ugh, Aerith, stop,” Mel said, stepping over to me. “Melody is a badass.”
“Who loves pink,” Ryo said with a chuckle. “She cries whenever Mel tries to give her the blue or green blankie.”
Mel looked skyward and groaned. “Hopefully it’s just a newborn phase she’ll grow out of quickly.”
“I don’t know, Mel. You might have a girlie girl on your hands,” I said with a chuckle. I cuddled my baby niece against me. “What do you think, Melody? Will you love pink and purple, glitter and sparkles, mermaids and unicorns?”
“Shh! Don’t give her ideas,” Mel hissed. “They’re extremely impressionable at this age.” She glanced sideways at her mates, who appeared to be poking fun at Jhaeros’s sweater. Lowering her voice, Mel whispered, “Don’t give Lyklor or Ryo ideas either. They got way too excited in the girls’ aisle of the toy store last year. Ugh.”
Hmm, Mel might not like the pink “Little Princess” onesie and headband bow Jhaeros and I had gotten—one of many gifts for our new niece. Oh well. It sounded like Melody would love it, and that’s what mattered.
I happened to like pink, and I was still a badass.
“Where’s Dad?” Mel asked, craning her head around the foyer.
“He was invited to come over for Christmas tomorrow.”
“And not a day sooner,” Mel said under her breath.
Hey, my house, my rules. It wasn’t like Christmas meant anything to our father, anyway. He’d just want to butt in and wrestle Melody from my arms.
“What about Folas and Gayla?” I asked. The blond guard had told me they might not come.
“They’ll be here tomorrow for the day,” Mel said.
My heart surged with happiness. Those two were like family, more so than my father or Shalendra. We didn’t see much of my middle sister. She and her mate lived a day’s travel from Pinemist and were always busy with their wine shop and the special events they organized. Jhaeros, Fraya, and I visited them from time to time.
After decorating—and sampling—cookies, everyone bundled up for the trek to Market Hill. The dads carried sleds while I held on to Melody stuffed inside a pink winter one-piece and hat with little hearts around the rim.
Fraya led our group in a song of “Jingle Bells.” “‘Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh. Through the fields we go, laughing all the way.’”
Reed and Ronin really got into the following “ha, ha, has.” Fraya broke off to sidle up to Lark and demand, “Why aren’t you singing, Lark?”
Dressed in a dark gray peacoat, Lark lifted his regal chin. “The eldest prince of Dahlquist doesn’t go around skipping and singing mortal melodies.”
“Oh, I see.” Fraya rolled her eyes, stopping behind him to gather snow into a ball before pelting him hard in the back.
“Hey!” Lark cried, trying to brush off the snow. Fraya had picked a hard to reach spot. I imagined she’d chosen her aim carefully.
Mel laughed gleefully, clapping her mittened hands. “Way to go, Fraya!”
“Thanks, Mom,” Lark said with a huff.
Mel smirked. “Just keeping it real, dude.”
“Yeah, dude,” Reed chorused, puffing up his chest and strutting over the snow with exaggerated airs.
Ronin snickered. His mirth was cut off by the snowball Lark pelted him with, followed by one to Reed’s head.
The twins didn’t wait around for more. Balling snow in their gloved hands, they returned fire, missing Lark when he ducked out of shot. Soon it was a free-for-all between the kids until they decided to band together and go after the dads.
“Shields!�
�� Jhaeros bellowed, raising his sled.
Ryo and Lyklor didn’t have to be told twice. The inner tubes they’d carried at their sides were lifted in time to block balls of snow that broke apart on impact. The children laughed while Mel cheered them on.
Snuggling baby Melody closer, I watched my family from a safe distance with the widest grin. I wanted to bottle this moment up in a snow globe and hold on to it forever.
###
Right. Let’s take a moment to address the unicorn in the room. The Royal Conquest Saga has unfinished business. Alok made the worst mistake of his life with his betrayal. Keep reading for a glimpse of our exiled prince in the first chapter of THE DARK PRETENDER.
THE DARK PRETENDER EXCERPT
PROLOGUE
Alok
A kingdom of my own.
For a fraction of a moment, a glorified future was within my grasp. I’d held a jeweled crown of Dahlquist in my hands. I was about to take control of the castle.
Just as quickly, I lost it all.
But the worst thing was losing her.
CHAPTER ONE
Alok
Ice crystallized each windowpane in Hailshadow Manor’s chilly front parlor. The wind outside blew falling snow into swirls of white curling ribbon that spooled into the snowdrifts blocking the main road.
Oreal sat straight-backed on a stiff navy sofa with her sister-in-law, Lady Yasmine, drinking beetberry wine from chilled glasses. Both women were tall and thin with sharp features like icicles. Oreal, whom I couldn’t bring myself to call Mother, was six foot three, like me, with hair black as night. While the women gulped their wine, my twin sister and I huddled in front of the hearth, taking in what pockets of warmth the dying embers offered.
Lady Yasmine tipped her glass back, narrowing her eyes at us over the rim. “Look at them shivering like rabbits.” She sneered.
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