Page 12 of The Ruthless Fae King
Red lipstick was for enticing a man. I’d already gotten him.
Piper puckered her lips, motioning that I do the same. I did, and as she applied the rouge she looked me in the eyes. “Madelynn, my mother gave me some love advice when I got my first brassiere, and I’m going to share it with you.”
I steeled myself. Piper’s mother was the lady-in-waiting to my own mother. She singlehandedly helped my mother manage herentirelife. If she had advice, I wanted it.
“What?” I murmured as she pulled the stick of rouge away from my lips and then spun me in front of the mirror so that I could see myself.
Holy fae.
I looked… like I wanted to lure a husband.
“The advice was, that even when you’re married, you still need to woo your man,” Piper said with a smile.
I chuckled. “She said that?”
She dipped her chin. “So whether you’re engaged, or married, or celebrating fifty years together, you need to woo.” She winked.
“I don’t want to woo him!” I snapped, and then felt badly for it. “I’m sorry. I’m just… he killed those people in the Great Freeze, he admitted it. My gran—”
“Had a weak heart and shouldn’t have been out in the cold. That was years ago and he said he lost control. It sounded like an accident. Is he not allowed to make mistakes?”
I didn’t like that she was sticking up for him, but was that because I was being too hard on him?
“He threatened to break off his own healer’s hand!” I told her.
Piper nodded. “He’s king and the healer was going against his wishes that you not be checked, which you should be grateful for!”
Piper was always so levelheaded. I hated it sometimes.
“Fine, let’s just go to dinner.” I smoothed my dress, trying not to be flustered. I expected Lucien Thorne to waltz in here and be a jerk. To lowball my dowry and beat our servants. I didn’t know what to do withthisman who had showed up.
* * *
My mother saida few favorite courtiers but what she meant was the elders, their spouses, over two dozen courtiers, and their families. The ballroom was filled to the brim with our entire house staff running around filling drinks or setting out food.
“Mother, this is grander than the Fall Festival,” I said under my breath as I walked up to her. She took in my red lip rouge, my dress, and my heeled shoes.
“Madelynn, you have grown into a truly stunning woman.” Her eyes misted over with tears and it caught me off guard.
“Thank you,” I said. “But this dinner party is too much.”
My mother reached up and grasped my chin, shaking it a little. “It’s not every day my eldest daughter gets betrothed. Let me have a little fun.”
I sighed, relenting a little. My mother loved parties, loved decorating and going over the menu with the head chef. This was probably in the works for days.
I raised an eyebrow at her. “How long have you been planning this?”
She pursed her lips. “The winter king made his intentions known a few weeks ago but I had no idea what your father would decide.”
“A few weeks!” I whispered-screamed. They kept this from me for afew weeks?
When people looked over at us, my mother gave a nervous laugh and raised her wine glass, then she glanced at me. “There were many back and forth exchanges. Your father made sure King Thorne and you would be a good match.”
There was no sense arguing about something that was already done. “Lovely party, Mother. Thank you,” I said dryly, and went in search of Piper.
She would share my disdain for a giant betrothal dinner I had no say in. I weaved in and out of the packed gathering of people, giving friendly smiles and thank yous when they offered congratulations. I was just turning away from Madame Fuller, my mother’s and my favorite dressmaker, when I was suddenly standing before Lucien Thorne.
My breath hitched when I saw him in the silver silk tunic with snowflake embroidery at the hem. His eyes went half lidded as he assessed my dress and then settled on my red lips.
