I cup Vivienne’s cheek. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” She smiles and gives me another quick kiss. “I’m fine.”
I search her expression anyway, every part of me coiled to kill anything that so much as breathes wrong in her direction.
The Goblin King is still seated on his throne. My vision turns black with rage as I pull Vivienne behind me and raise my hands, power gathering in my palms, preparing to strike him.
“Wait!” He calls out at nearly the same time Vivienne touches my back and says the same.
“For what?” I grit through my fangs. He is fortunate I have enough control left to form words at all. If my mate hadn’t come running immediately into my arms, he wouldn’t be breathing right now.
“I can explain,” he says quickly, but I’m not interested in excuses.
“How dare you take my wife from my kingdom,” I growl. “How dare you drag her here and keep her prisoner—”
“I’m not holding her prisoner,” he cuts in.
“Oh really?” Vivienne says, stepping out from behind me. “Then, why wouldn’t you take me back to my husband when I asked?”
The Goblin King closes his eyes briefly and lifts his gaze to the ceiling as if appealing to higher powers for patience before he replies through clenched teeth. “I alreadytold youwhy.”
My men tighten their grips on their weapons as Vaelen bristles beside me.
I raise my hands again, ready to end him, but Vivienne grips my arm. “There’s no need to kill him, Auren.”
I stare at her in confusion.“What?”
“Unless he refuses to release me from the bargain,” she adds, crossing her arms. She gives him an imperious look. “So now it’s up to you,Branneth. Or are you still going to insist that I sign your little contract of entrapment?”
“Entrapment?”He grits his fangs. “For the last time, I amnottrying to trick you.”
Now, I’m thoroughly confused. I turn to my wife. “Vivienne?”
“Branneth,” she says his name again, as if it is entirely normal to be on a first-name basis with the Goblin King, “insistsI must sign a contract to nullify the bargain, but I refuse to sign anything he puts in front of me until you verify it.”
“I—what?” I look from her to him. “Where is it?”
The Goblin King flicks his wrist, and the contract appears in his hand. “All she has to do is sign this, and she is free to go,” he huffs. “Which is what I’ve beentellingher since she arrived here.”
“Arrived?” Vivienne scoffs. “You abducted me.”
“You werebroughthere,” he grinds out.
“Against my will.”
“With excellent reason.”
“I disagree.”
“I have noticed,” he says in a low voice laced with frustration.
My anger hasn’t fully dissipated, but confusion is now warring with it so strongly I don’t know which to follow. “Explain yourself,” I snarl at him. “Now.”
The Goblin King drags a hand over his face. “The contract states that the daughter promised in the original bargain must either appear in my court before her twenty-third year to fulfill the agreement, or present written and signed proof of lawful marriage to render the claim void.” He glares at Vivienne. “That is all.”
She folds her arms and tips up her chin. “Or so you say.”
Branneth’thyr draws in a deep breath and exhales slowly as if he’s at the end of his patience.
