Page 38 of The Ruthless Fae King
I smacked his chest and he caught my hand, pulling it to his lips to kiss.
“Do not worry.” He held my gaze. “They are my oldest friends, and although we have had our trials, they will not deny my plea for help.”
I raised one eyebrow. “So you’ll ask for help?”
Lucien scoffed. “No. I’ll wait untiltheyask, pretend to think about it, and then join forces with them.”
I grinned. That sounded like Lucien.
I knew the four princes of Avalier used to go on a yearly retreat when they were younger, something their parents set up to keep the magic races of the realm close. But rumor had it the retreats fell apart when the elf king’s family was murdered by Queen Zaphira.
I sighed. “And so I guess this pushes our wedding further out.” As a royal, you were never done sacrificing for your people. That was something I was about to learn the hard way. No one got married during a war. It was unsavory, spending money on a lavish wedding while men were dying in the fields. It would be at least a year now.
Lucien grasped the bottom of my chin and tilted my face up to look at him. “Go back to your home, gather your things and your family, and come back tomorrow. We will wed immediately.Beforethe declaration of war.”
I gasped, my heart pounding in my chest as a lightness spread throughout my limbs. “But… tomorrow isn’t enough time for a proper royal wedding. You’re king and—”
“And I want my queen, not a seven-course meal and a cake taller than I am. Whatever my staff can put together will be fine with me. The Winter courtiers will be there as witnesses, and whoever else from your court you want to come. I don’t need a big show. I just needyou.”
I just need you.Those words crept into my very heart and filled it until it was overflowing.
I prided myself on being able to conceal emotions well. Something I learned when training with my powers. Emotion and power were linked, so controlling emotions meant controlling power. But in this moment, I could not control the tear that slipped down my cheek, nor the gust of wind that rattled the windowpane outside.
It was the realization that Lucien loved me in a way I’d always dreamed of being loved. Without reservation. Without a care for what others thought, or reputation.
He reached out and swiped the tear from my cheek.
“I don’t read women very well. Is this good crying or bad crying?” He looked down at me with concern.
I laughed, wanting to reach out and kiss him, but in a room full of people I couldn’t. “Good tears. I’ll see you tomorrow for our wedding.”
It was early morning. If I rode fast now, and packed quickly, I could get back here with my family tomorrow afternoon.
There was a fire in his eyes now. “Until tomorrow.” He pulled my hand to his lips again and kissed the top.
* * *
Piper leftall of my things in my rooms at the Winter palace. There was no sense bringing them to Fall Court just to have to bring them back again. We rode fast on horseback knowing we would be lighter without the carriage. Lucien insisted on sending a soldier with me even though we were in my own realm, and I obliged in order to keep him happy.
The snow gave way to orange and yellow trees, and as we passed through the Fall Court village I waved to the workers at the market stalls. By the time we reached my house, I was sore and hungry but I didn’t care. I was the most excited I’d ever been. Though a war loomed on the horizon, so did my happiness.
I jumped down from the horse and asked Piper and the soldier to put it in the barn for me. Then I ran for the small Fall Court palace that I had lived in all my life. I couldn’t wait to tell my mother and father of the upcoming wedding. They would be a little shocked about the quickness of it, but, ultimately I hoped, happy for me. We all knew the Nightfall queen had been silent for too long, and now that we had evidence of her stealing fae powers and absorbing them I knew my father would agree with Lucien that we needed to join forces and strike quickly.
There was a strange carriage in the front yard with over half a dozen men who all wore gray traveling cloaks. My father often had visitors from the realm as he was the acting leader in these parts, and in charge of everything that happened here, but… these men gave me chills as I passed. They kept their faces hidden, and the carriage had a blanket over the door, covering the insignia.
Turning the handle to the front door, I slipped inside past a few of the palace staff and went right for my father’s study.
I could hear murmured talking inside of it, two male voices, one my father’s, and the other…
I yanked the door wide and snarled, “Marcelle.”
The Summer prince spun wearing a deceitful grin. “Hello, darling.”
My father jumped a little at the sight of me. “Madelynn, you’re home.”
The winds had changed in the room and he was doing the nervous tic he always did when he played cards, flaring his nostrils.
“What’s going on? Why are you here, Marcelle?”
