Although, even without Addan clouding my judgment, his family made me feel a lot more at ease than these two. Of course, my nerves could be due to the three-story open ceilings, stony-faced guards stationed every few steps around the room, and the way Martainn’s eyes kept dropping to linger on my breasts. Or it could be the fact that I knew my mother had been murdered in this castle.
If I believed in ghosts I’d be screwed. Never sleep again. Not here.
Was this where it happened? In this room? Had my mother’s blood pooled on the floor? Had her screams echoed off these very walls? I swayed on my cushion as all the blood drained from my face.
“Oh dear. Are you unwell?” Alienor’s hand wrapped around my arm to steady me.
“You’re scaring her, mother.” Martainn made a noise of impatience. “You’re overcomplicating things,” he said, sauntering closer. He leaned down and tilted his chin up to look me in the eye. “Paige will be fine. Won’t you? She just needs to trust us.” He reached forward and placed his hand on top of my bent knee. “Isn’t that right, darling?”
Darling. My jaw clenched trying not to vomit, but I managed a tight smile as I turned, breaking contact. “I trust that the two of you have the kingdom’s best interests at heart.”
That was, at least, the truth. I hoped they did. I didn’t believe it, but I could hope they weren’t total assholes.
Alienor’s hand squeezed mine gently, as though rewarding my diplomacy. “Exactly. And on that note, the wedding arrangements are already underway. Even with short notice, it will be the grandest celebration this kingdom has seen in decades. Of course, you won’t need to worry about a thing. My staff and I will handle all the details.”
She waved her free hand in the air as if the complications of a wedding were like butterflies.
“That’s… very kind of you,” I said carefully.
“Kind?” Martainn stood tall. He looked like a proud peacock. “It’s tradition. You’re lucky to have Mother organizing this. No one does it better.”
I wasn’t sure exactly what he meant by it, not when it came to her.
I didn’t trust myself to respond, so I could only nod. I doubted the queen would lift a finger to do anything herself. She probably had an army of staff taking care of every detail, scurrying around like elves at the North Pole in December. As I had no intention of going through with the ceremony, I didn’t feel like wasting energy arguing. If I were marrying Addan, however, I’d want to select everything myself. A dress. Flowers…
If Addan’s family was implicated, if I were forced to choose the prince, I doubted I would give a shit about the ceremony. I’d do my duty, do my best to be a good queen, continue my mother’s bloodline, but I’d be too broken-hearted to care about something so frivolous as a wedding.
Alienor’s voice softened further, as if she were delivering a gift. “While we prepare for the wedding, I would like us to spend some time together, Paige. It’s important that you are fully prepared to take on the responsibilities of queenship—when the time comes, of course. There is no need to rush this transition. Stability is key for our people, as you will someday understand.”
Stability. Continuity. Control. The meaning beneath her words couldn’t have been clearer. She was the one who kept things stable. She’d still be queen. She’d still be in control.
I was an unexpected blip on her ruling radar.
I swallowed the angry knot rising in my throat. I had to remember I was acting. Playing a role. “I understand. I don’t know anything about how to be a queen.”
God. I didn’t want to be in this place, not when I suspected she was behind my mother’s death. But I had to be here. Alone. I had to snoop around. I had to keep their trust, make them believe I was putty in their hands. If I got caught wandering, I could play dumb. She made me out to be a twit, which in my search for the truth, her belief would only help me.
To start, I needed her to dismiss me. Not just from her presence, but as a threat to her power. I needed freedom from suspicion and prying eyes if I was going to sneak around the palace, break into her security system and find out who murdered my mother.
If she thought I was a lost, clueless ding-a-ling from Earth, then I’d roll with it.
Alienor beamed at me, but her eyes betrayed nothing. “Good. You are so much like your mother. She would be so proud to see the woman you’ve become.”
I tried not to let the words mean anything. I failed. The mention of my mother hit me like a blow. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep my composure.
“Thank you.” I tried to call her Mother. Nearly choked on the word. I had no mother. And coming to this planet, learning that I looked like my dead bio-mom? That she died protecting me? That she died because of a conniving traitor, one that could be smiling and patronizing me right now?
Fuck, the thought made it really hard to act all familial. It also made me sad. I’d longed for a real family my whole life. I didn’t want Alienor to be evil. I didn’t want to marry her son, either. But that didn’t mean I didn’t still long for family. If they were innocent, not traitors, maybe we could all be friends.
In fact, I hoped Alienor was half as kind and innocent as she was acting. Even if she were innocent of my mother’s murder, I didn’t doubt that this warm and fuzzy bit was an act. She was a queen. Of an entire planet. She had to be tough as nails. Right?
Her son, however… Did he just fondle his junk in those tight white pants? My nose crinkled before I could stop it.
GAH! He did it again, his erection on full display. Well, at least the prince’s desire for me was not an act. Unappealing, but genuine.
Shit. To be fair, if it was Addan grabbing his erection I’d be panting with lust. The only dick I was interested in was Addan’s, and he wasn’t here. My pussy clenched with longing for him. For my Resonant.
No matter how hard Martainn’s dick got, it would never satisfy me. Hell, I wasn’t letting it anywhere near me. Maybe I’d sleep with a knife.
