“Christmas,” he growled. “I saw the tree in the great hall.”
She nodded.
“So how did he go from party planner to naked in your bed?” he said through his teeth.
She lowered her chin. “That part just happened.”
He scoffed. “Fuck, Charlie. You’ve got to learn to make better decisions.”
For a moment she was speechless, but when she found her voice, there was an edge to it. “Better decisions?”
“You can’t jump into bed with every being that looks in your direction!”
The words hit her like a slap, and she took a step back. “I didn’t jump into bed with anyone, but if I did, it would be my business. It’s my body. I’m an adult and I’ll do with it as I please.” She’d never defied her father outwardly like this before, but she couldn’t stand one more second of this high-handed conversation.
He growled down at her, baring his teeth, his chest rising and falling with his anger. King Gabriel was an imposing presence. When she was younger, he could stop her dead in her tracks with a hard look. But she stood up straighter now, her power crackling in the air around her. She would not be shamed for what she’d done last night. The memory of it was still a warm sun, glowing in her heart. She wouldn’t change a thing for all the dragmars in Paragon and certainly not because of her father’s censure.
“I have feelings for him, Father, and I don’t regret a thing. You owe him an apology.”
“That won’t be happening.” He scowled. “You do know you can’t keep him, right? He’s not a puppy. You can’t just pluck a human out of his daily life and drop him in Paragon to be your plaything.”
She winced. “Of course not. That’s not how it was.”
“So you left Paragon without our permission, despite our warning to you that it could be dangerous.”
“I was only gone a matter of minutes.”
“And you brought a stranger from another world into our palace even though you knew it could be a security risk.”
“He’s no threat to us or anyone else.”
“When does he go back?”
“Tomorrow.” Charlie gritted her teeth. “What are you even doing here? I didn’t think you were supposed to be back for weeks.”
“Obviously,” he drawled, his disapproving gaze sliding down his nose at her. “The spell worked. We’re in the waiting period until Nathaniel and Queen Penelope feel it can safely be reversed—two weeks. But your mother is already crawling the walls. I came to collect some novels from the library for her and her sisters to distract them from the wait.”
“Tell them I love them,” she said, relieved he would be going back.
“You need to come with me. I’m not leaving you here alone after this.”
She bristled. He couldn’t be serious. “What are you talking about?”
“I come in here to see how you are and find you naked in bed with a stranger—”
“He’s not a stranger!”
“Ruining yourself with someone who shouldn’t even be here.”
“How was I ruining myself?” But she knew what he meant. Traditionally, as princess, she was supposed to remain modest if not virginal to increase her chances of a suitable match. But not only was that philosophy antiquated and misogynistic, she was different. It wasn’t like she had leagues of interested suitors pounding down her doors.
Her father held himself like the warrior he was. Was he actually trying to intimidate her over this? “You know very well how. It’s clear to me that you’re not old enough to make good choices, Charlie. I’m taking you back to Darnuith with me where I can keep an eye on you. Marius can take over here in our absence.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she snapped. “I need to take Liam back.”
He pointed his finger at the ground between them. “Then take him back now! I’ll meet you in the great hall in thirty minutes.”
In all her years, Charlie had never seen her father so angry or felt such hatred for how he was acting. Once, when political ties with Nochtbend were especially stressed, he’d raised his voice like that in a meeting, but she’d never had that anger directed at her, not even when she’d accidentally set the dining room on fire as a child. As he tore from the room, her stomach clenched with grief over the interaction. He was wrong. What had happened between her and Liam was meant to happen. She’d wanted it. It was the best night of her life. And as much as she loved her father, she hated him for ruining it.
