Page 44 of The Blood Queen

Hundreds of responses strangle each other as they try to get out of my throat.

Partake of her. Like she’s his to offer, and after he’s heard me tell a few stories, he’s deemed me worthy?

Don’t react.

We need his support. We need all their support.

Play along. Just a bit more.

I force a smile. “Thank you,” I manage through my teeth.

Drest spins on those still near us. “Dance!”

As they make their way to the dance floor, most stumbling in their cups, I beeline for Alyth.

She’s got an amused tilt to her face. “Did my father kiss you?”

“Please don’t.” I grab my stomach. “Christ alive, Alyth, the fae realm is traumatizing.”

She laughs, her face bright and damn near merry. I linger on it, studying her, my own smile holding strong.

“You’re happy,” I guess.

“I feel accomplished.” She sighs. “They listened to me.”

“So we’ve got their support?”

A shrug. “We’ll see how the pieces fall after they sober up. But it’s promising.” She nods behind me. “What had everyone so enamored of you?”

My grin is cheeky. “You. Told ’em all your adventures. Which will hopefully combine with your own performance tonight, and it’ll leave everyone in utter awe of you, as they should be. Ready to follow you into battle.”

I hate the image suddenly. Of her having to ride into battle at all. She will; I know she will. Whether the fae princes agree to stand against the High Blade, Alyth’ll be right there at the front.

My stomach sours, but I keep my face light.

Alyth laughs. It’s a touch self-conscious, her face pinking.

She steps closer to me, hooking her fingers in the neckline of my jacket, using it to align our bodies. We connect, my hands finding her hips, and she groans deep in her throat.

“I wanted to be dancing with you,” she whispers into the side of my jaw.

I nuzzle below her ear, soaking up the smell of her, always wild winds and vivid green life even if we ain’t been out of the palace in more than a day.

Memories overlap. Dancing with Alyth in the goblin market, taken by the music and lack of inhibitions; dancing with her at Mary’s court, surrounded by magic wonder I’d been unable to see until then. This night is a combination of both those moments, and I want to recreate them or build something entirely new.

But I know my Alyth. I know she won’t want us to get lost in each other when there’s work to be done.

“Is it safe to slip out now?” I whisper.

“Slip out?” she echoes, breathy and ever so slightly disoriented.

I grin, nudge her nose with mine. “To the throne room, Alyth. Where’d you think?”

Her eyelids flutter, and she focuses on me with a sudden pretty blush. “Of course. That.” She clears her throat. “Yes. Now. Everyone’s tipping into drunk. We should use that.”

I hear the proof in the party around us. The noise now is slurred voices, and the music’s faster, more laughter and more calls for wine and ale.

I press a kiss to her neck. She shivers, nearly taking me out with the beauty of it. “Let’s see about this throne room so I can take you back to our room.”