“I—I thought it was safer this way,” I admitted, cringing slightly.
“Safer?” He repeated, raising a brow as he pushed off from the doorframe and stepped toward me. It took everything I had to plant my feet firmly and not scurry back from him.
“I’ve never—” I started to answer, nodding. “I’ve never been around royalty. I’m not sure what to do here.” I hated being this nervous and showing weakness to this Fae prince who’d one day be king—if he didn’t get killed first. That’s often happened in the history of the ever-warring Fae.
Prince Cyrus smiled slowly, exposing too many teeth, like a wolf smiling. The crown on his head caught my attention, with the pink jewel sparkling in the center of the dark gray metal. His eyes were alight with something I could only interpret as cruel amusement—and seemed to be ever present.
“The first thing you should remember is outside these walls—” His blue eyes looked dramatically around his rooms. “You need to call me ‘Your Highness’ or ‘my Prince’, or some similar indication of my station. As you’ll need to always do with my family.”
Fuck. I winced hard. In my nervousness, I’d completely forgotten the most obvious and important thing. Slaves don’t address Fae royalty without their titles. This was a major blunder that could easily lead to me being punished. I hated to make myself small for anyone, but that may be my best bet now.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. Please forgive my mistake.” I whispered, placatingly.
That seemed to please him, his smile immediately back in place. I lowered my head in deference, but he put his index finger under my chin, and slowly raised my head back up until our eyes locked. His eyes smoldered at me like blue fire, while I tried not to cringe while making eye contact with him once more.
“Here however, when it’s just us, I’d like you to call me Cyrus.” He purred as his finger moved to caress my cheek lightly.
“My Prince—I—that wouldn’t be—” I stammered, my eyes wide in shock as I struggled for words.
“Please, Asteria, I’d like us to be close,” Cyrus murmured, his words dripping like honey in my ears. “And we can’t do that if you can’t even call me by my name, can we?”
He had to be using some kind of magic on me, right? Whatever spell he may be weaving, I was transfixed by his eyes and by his mouth as it shaped the syllables of my name.
Me. A lowly human slave.
Why in the Otherworld did he want us to be close, exactly? Emmie and Eris’ words came back to me—beauty drew people in, even Fae. The prince’s beauty meant he likely didn’t suffer for companionship. Why would he want to bother me? There had to be another reason, one I was missing, that could better explain this surreal series of events.
“Of course. Cyrus.” I gave him what he was looking for, thinking it was the safest option. A smile took over his face in response. He walked over to one of the long sofas, took a seat, and reclined back, his limbs spread without a care in the world.
Cyrus waved a hand to the other sofa directly opposite him, offering an invitation to sit with him. I hesitantly made my way over and sat down in his direction. I clenched my jaw, trying to hide how uncomfortable I was.
“Do you know why I asked my father to assign you to me?” He leaned forward, blue eyes drilling into me. “Why I wish you to call me by my name, abandoning all the titles and pretense?”
I shook my head silently, and his returning grin was almost disarming, if I could forget he was Fae.
“I saw you, up on that stage. You were, without a doubt, the most beautiful human I’d ever seen.” Cyrus explained, his lips curling into a seductive smile, as he remembered his first glimpse of me. “But that wasn’t what intrigued me the most—no.”
I tilted my head slightly, wondering what on Adamah could have intrigued a Fae prince about me.
“You were born a human, but your beauty, and your attitude, are incomparable to other humans. I’ve never seen another mortal more Fae-like, standing there, glaring, like the world itself offended you by placing you in that cesspit where you clearly didn’t belong. The fact that you are owned by us—it drives you crazy. Doesn’t it?” Cyrus laughed with appreciation, and I felt my pulse quicken.
Old Gods…
“You want to control your own destiny.” Cyrus stated with confidence as he smiled widely. “So many pathetic humans have lost that fight and gotten complacent in their roles, but not you.”
Uh oh.My stomach sank as my heart began to beat double time. My hand twitches, wanting to reach for the dagger from my father, but I didn’t have a death wish. How in the Otherworld did he know that? Was I seriously that obvious? That can’t be good. Did he intend to punish me? Break me? Until I’m like all the others broken down by our circumstances? Cyrus watched mecarefully as I kept my silence. I absolutely didn’t trust myself to say a word.
“By fate’s decree, Asteria, you were born a human, one of the unblessed. Do you know why we refer to you humans as such?” He cocked his head, curiosity lining his eyes, trying to see the depth of my knowledge.
“Because—” My throat felt scratchy, like the words didn’t wish to come out. “The Fae were blessed by the gods, given magic. But humans were not, so we don’t have any of the powers or gifts,the gods gifted the Fae.”
“Correct.” Cyrus looked pleased as he sat back slightly. “We Fae have magic, beauty, and immortality. While you humans have been left to rot slowly over time, without a spark of magic at the tip of your fingers.” He looked me over, relishing my body, but somehow looking through me, like he could sense the rage that lived inside me. “But you—oh, the gods might not have blessed you, Asteria, but I can.”
My anger at his words raged inside me, a fire roaring out of control. I raged at the damn injustice of the gods, who had seen fit to give the Fae everything and humans nothing. My anger was too difficult to control at the best of times, and I couldn’t afford to risk myself by lashing out. At least in the face of my fury, my fear burned up like ash and floated away in the wind.
“What do you mean?” I forced the words out, uncomprehending what he was getting at here. He couldn’t give me magic or immortality.
“I can give you a life of luxury. A life where you may be owned, but you are also happy. I enjoy having every luxury in life, Asteria, and you are by far the most beautiful and intriguing human I have seen in my many years.” Cyrus said, his fingers flexing, as if he was restraining himself from reaching out and touching me. “I want you as mine. My slave,yes, but I also want you in every way I could possibly possess you. And in return, youwill have every luxury possible. You will never want for anything again.”
