Page 25 of The Ruthless Fae King
“Lucien!” I scolded him, turning to face him with an angry snarl.
But he was grinning, and I hated that he was enjoying ruffling my feathers.
“I need to speak with you. Can you please put some clothes on?” I asked him.
“You look beautiful. Let’s skip dinner with Prince Haze and have dinner here together, just you and I,” he said suddenly.
I swallowed hard, wanting to look at Piper for advice, but she’d scurried away and was now standing too far away in the courtyard, unable to hear us.
“Tunic please,” I said again.
Maker, please put on a tunic before I beg Piper to leave so I can go inside alone.
He left the door open and stepped inside. I was surprised to see that there was no palace staff. His servants were gone and it seemed to just be him. When he came back out, he wore a black and silver silk tunic that matched his eyes.
“You look handsome,” I told him shyly, figuring I would return his earlier compliment.
He smiled, his eyes smoldering as he looked at me. “Does that mean we will be bedding for more than just making children?”
“Lucien Thorne!” I reached out and smacked his chest, aghast at his inappropriate humor.
He caught my hand and pulled it to his lips, kissing the top. “I’m sorry, you’re an easy target, sugar plum.”
I scoffed at the pet name and tried to remember why I was here. He was still holding my hand; the spot he had kissed was tingling, sending waves of warmth into my gut. I couldn’t tell if I hated his vulgar humor or liked it.
“You’re blushing,” he said.
“I’m warm!” I snapped, and pulled my hand back. “Let’s take a walk.” I moved outside into the courtyard. Piper moved as well, finding a small bench near the rose bushes to sit down on but still have view of us. Lucien stepped into the open air and squinted at the sun. It cast shadows on his pale skin, and a little bead of sweat formed on his upper lip.
I giggled. “You can’t wait to get back to Winter Court, can you?”
He looked over at me. “Far too much sunshine for my liking. Would it kill him to pull some clouds over it for our visit?”
“The lack of a breeze is killing me! Who wants stagnant warm air?” I joined in his complaint and pulled at my dress to indicate how stifling I was.
Lucien stopped in front of me and looked down. We’d barely had time to be together as just us, and I realized now how tall he was. Most fae were tall—I certainly was—but Lucien was a head taller than me and I had to crane my neck to stare up at him.
“What do you want?” Lucien asked pointedly.
I shook myself, mouth popping open in shock. “Excuse me?”
Lucien smiled. “You did not drop by before dinner dressed as dessert so that we could arrive together. You want something. Just tell me what it is so that I can give it to you.”
Dressed as dessert. I wasn’t even going to reprimand that comment, it was far too clever and I was starting to think Lucien wouldn’t stop either way. Truth be told, I was starting to like the way he spoke to me. It was flattering, and made me feel beautiful and wanted.
“I had a little chat about the separation with Prince Haze upon my arrival,” I started.
Lucien’s face instantly went rigid. “Were you able to talk any sense into the buffoon?”
I blew air out through my teeth. “I tried. I told him that if he separated and we fought the queen, she would pick him off last and he wouldn’t have your protection.”
Lucien looked impressed by that answer. It was after all a play on his own answer to me.
Reaching out, I grasped his forearm. “But, Lucien, he doesn’t see you as a reasonable man. All Summer Court sees are the graves they walk by each day and the lingering silence from you on what happened during the Great Freeze.”
Lucien yanked his hand away from mine as if I’d burned him, and then he turned, giving me his back. The temperature plummeted suddenly, and although I was grateful for the reprieve in heat, I knew it was because he was upset. I walked around him and got right up in his face, forcing him to look at me.
“You never even said sorry. You didn’t send a letter, just a bag of gold, which was an insult with no note to accompany it.” My voice cracked as I thought of the night my grandmother died. “You are our king, ourprotector, and in one night you took people from us without a word of why.”
