Aerin swallows, her head spinning. She would hop on his dick right here if she could. But now is not the time for such things. So instead, she leans up and kisses him softly one more time.
“I am a part of you, Malice.”
He nods against her forehead, his eyes fluttering shut. He seems to be placated by this.
Aerin steps away from him. “Are you under control?”
“Yes.”
At his word, Aerin drops the wall of magic and the room re-emerges. From one disaster to another Aerin shakes off the feelings Malice brought forth, shoving them down until she is the carefree Princess once more.
“Go fix the door, will you?” Aerin says to Malice, careful not to make it an order. He obeys anyway. Aerin meets Emrys’s gaze. He is standing near the open exit. Khortland and the Human sit, dressed now mercifully, on the bed. It doesn’t escape Aerin the way her Paramyr keeps himself between them and the Human.
Aerin’s sources told her Khortland is rumored to fuck Humans occasionally. She always wondered what it is about them that entertains him; maybe it’s just their meekness. But this is more than a simple exchange of pleasure; it seems like Khortland actually cares for the Human.
Khortland starts a slow clap, pulling Aerin from her thoughts. He stands, still positioned purposefully in front of the Human, blocking her from Aerin’s view.
“Quite a show,” he says lowly. “If you wanted to prove to me how you’ve grown up, you could have just asked to meet for a drink.”
Aerin knows Khortland, and she knows this bravado is all an act.
“Oh, shut up.” Aerin grins, crossing the room and throwing her arms around the Fae. He hugs her back.
“I missed you,” he murmurs into her hair.
Aerin pulls back, looking at his white-blonde hair and dark eyes, the sharpness of his cheekbones and the smile lines that form in his left cheek when he smirks at her.
“Now, what the hell are you doing here?”
“Well…” Aerin trails off, glancing at the Human behind him. She is pretty, in a Human way. Humans are soft all over, short with rounded edges, where Fae, Shifters, and Mer are sharp, tall, and lean. She has brown hair that cascades down to her waist in waves and large brown eyes. She swallows under Aerin’s gaze but meets it.
Looking back at Khortland Aerin says, “I need a favor,” before pulling away and glancing over her shoulder. Malice lingers by the door, which is back intact and shut tightly. Aerin nods at Emrys who glances at Khortland warily before shifting. The Human lets out a shrill sort of noise in surprise when the white Wolf takes form. Emrys doesn’t snarl but his stare is unnerving and menacing all the same, even to Aerin.
“I need a reason to be walking around Valtara with a Wolf.”
“Gods, what have you gotten yourself into?” Khortland asks, rubbing his hand through his hair again.
She shrugs, smiling. Her Paramyr gives her a look, one that tells her he knows she is full of shit.
Aerin has known Khortland is her Paramyr, her mirror soul, the one Fae she could become bonded-mates with and enhance his magic, rather than suck it away like a leech, since she waseight. Though, they weren’t aware of their title as Paramyrs until eighteen. Once revealed, their fathers declared they would become bonded-mates. It is to be a large celebration, a show of strength between the Fae Royal families.
Separately Aerin and Khortland decided they would never become bonded-mates, despite their Paramyr status. Though, their autonomy does not matter to the Kings.
Even without binding, Khortland is exactly as a Paramyr is described: Aerin’s mirror soul. Closer than her closest friends, they know one another intimately, even though they’ve never shared a bed or even a kiss. Those who fantasize about having a Paramyr forget looking in a mirror can be painful as often as it is comforting.
“I’ll keep your secret if you keep mine,” Aerin offers, looking again at the Human whose gaze flits back and forth between the Wolf and Khortland.
Khortland glances over his shoulder at the Human, sighing.
Her Paramyr nods, just as Aerin knew he would, before holding out his hand to the Human. She’s pulled to her feet, easily accepting his embrace.
36
EMRYS
An uneasy feeling seeps into Emrys’s bones. He tries to abate it by keeping his eyes on his Alpha. Aerin stands beside a podium in the center of the courtyard, which forms the foreground of the Zeneith Royal Village. Malice stands back, looking as alert and menacing as ever. Aerin leans up on her toes, whispering something into Khortland Hale’s ear. The Prince barks out a laugh, Aerin smiles, photos snap. The press is crowded into the courtyard, held back by a line of Zeneith Royal Guards.
Hidden in the shadows in his Wolf form, Emrys is flanked on either side by guards. He shakes out his fur. The guard to his left flinches. Emrys isn’t fully on board with this plan, but Aerin assures him it will work. Malice begrudgingly agreed as well.
