Page 51 of Bound

Flanna grins, showing her gapped teeth. I find myselffascinated by another nonhuman creature. Despite my aching head, I kneel downto get on the same level as the brownie. It seems like the polite thing to do.I feel Cian’s pleasure at my gesture. The bond makes it easy to sense hismoods.

“Hello, I’m Meg. It’s very nice to meet you.”

The brownie bows deeply. “And you, Your Highness. I cannotexpress my joy at this bonding. It has saved us all. Surely Danu herself sentyou to us.”

I look up at Cian, hoping he’ll explain who Danu is.

He merely grins down at me. “I’ll give you a full lecture onthe religious beliefs of the Fae at another time, sweetheart. For now, ourpeople await. They long to meet their queen.”

I’m up on my feet in an instant. “Queen?”

His smile is slow and sure as he leans over and whispers inmy ear. “What do you think they call the woman who fucks the king, my lover? Iknow you’ve been fucking big brother, and I mean to have some of that, too.I’ll have you in my bed by the end of the week. I promise you won’t want toleave.” He drops a light kiss on my cheek and walks to the door. “Get dressed,my queen. We have a party to attend.”

With that, he winks and disappears behind the door. I sinkto the bed and take a deep breath. I thought Beckett was a lot to deal with. Hehadn’t actively tried to seduce me. Cian has just made a declaration of intent.

“He’s a charmer, that one,” Flanna is saying with a chuckleas she walks to the small wardrobe. She goes on tiptoes to open the door andpulls down a sumptuous-looking gown. “I wouldn’t bother trying to hold him off,Your Highness. He’ll be in your bed before you know it. No woman can hold offCian Finn when he wants her.”

“What about Maris?” The name comes straight into my head. Isearch my new memories. The blonde Fae bondmate was named Maris.

Flanna’s eyes widen in obvious surprise. She hands the dressto me. “He performed a true bonding, then?”

“So he tells me.” The dress is sapphire blue with flowingskirts. There’s delicate embroidery around the bodice. It’s like nothing I’veever worn before. This is the dress of a faery princess. “She was his fiancée?”

Flanna nods. “She was engaged to the princes at a very youngage. Their father chose her. She came from impeccable bloodlines. She was verymuch the lady.”

While the brownie’s voice was even, there’s hostility thereas well. “You didn’t think she was right for Cian?”

“I didn’t think she was right for either of them,” Flannacorrects. “Come along, Your Highness. I will help you get dressed while wegossip. It’s a sacred thing in a royal court, and I’ve missed having a queen togossip with.”

I allow Flanna to pull and prod me into the dress while shespeaks.

“Maris was a cold girl, and she would have become an evencolder woman,” the brownie explains. “Beck accepted the betrothal because Beckalways obeyed his father. He convinced Cian to accept it as well, but I knowCian was worried about actually bonding with her. He would never have formed afull bond with her, I promise you that.”

Flanna gets on the bed to button the dress up the back.

“He was pretty out of it. I don’t know that he intended togo so far with me. Beck didn’t.” I watch in the mirror as Flanna puts thefinishing touches on the dress. I don’t recognize myself.

I’m such a long way from Fort Worth.

“Don’t let that worry you,” Flanna says, getting off thebed. “Beck has his reasons. He’s done things he’s not proud of. Give him time.Let him come to trust you.”

Shaking my head, I stand and smooth the skirts one lasttime. Flanna gives me soft slippers for my feet. I don’t tell her I have nointention of bonding with either brother any more than I already have. It isn’tfair, but I don’t intend to give Cian a chance to hurt me. I will get throughthe evening and then sit Cian down in the morning for a thorough discussion ofhow this “marriage” is going to work.

In the meantime, I will get used to my new home. From thesounds of the party going on in the front yard, it seems as though I’m about tomeet the entire village. It’s time to put my game face on and start thatlearning curve.

I allow Flanna to escort me to the door. We walk into theliving room. The music is louder out here. The door is open, and I can see thenight beyond is lit up with torches and a huge bonfire. All manner of Faecreatures dance around the bonfire. Some of them don’t look even vaguely human.I feel my jaw dropping and force it to close.

A cheer goes up when I walk into the yard.

“Welcome, Queen Meg,” they say as I pass.

I plaster a stunned smile on my face as they welcome me.Then there’s only one person in the whole world as Cian Finn walks up to me.He’s so beautiful that I feel my heart seize.

“My queen,” he says, bowing. He holds out his hand. “A dancefor your poor husband?”

I let him lead me. When I’m encircled by his arms, my headagainst his chest, I realize that Cian Finn might be even more dangerous thanhis brother.

ChapterTwenty-Four