Page 48 of Bound

“You can’t kick your brother out of your marital bed,”Flanna is insisting. “You know that the three of you will never form a triad ifyou don’t open yourselves to each other.”

I pull my hand free and open the small bag I retrieved. “Thetriad is a myth. I’m not going to develop mystical powers from sleeping with mywife. I feel wonderful, I do, and I’m definitely looking forward toconsummating my marriage. I promise I’ll work my hardest to ensure you havesome babies to take care of next year, but I won’t become a Green Man, and Beckwon’t be a Storm Lord.”

“Just because you don’t have faith doesn’t mean othersdon’t,” Flanna says with a superior look in her eyes. “Tell me something, YourHighness, what does this mean for the rest of us?”

I pull out a small gold ring. There’s a sun on the signet,the symbol of the queen. Bronwyn pressed it into my hand as she lay dying. Mysister died trying to retrieve the ring from our mother’s rooms. It’s all Ihave left of our mother, and now it belongs to the rightful queen, my wife. “Itmeans we have some decisions to make. I’m sure even now our aunt is trying toconvince her daughter to start funneling money our way. We’ll need it if we’regoing to bribe the Unseelie to back us.”

I don’t want to talk politics. I have more important thingsto do. I turn the bag over. The rest of the contents tumble to the table,making a delightful clinking sound. I do a quick count and am well-pleased.Flanna reaches out and slaps my hand.

“You’ve been keeping money from your brother,” she accuses.

I shrug. There’s no point in denying it. “He would havespent it on something boring, like food. This was my drinking stash. Now, it’smy get-my-wife-dressed-properly stash. Do you think you can come up withsomething nice for this?”

Flanna seems placated that I’m using the cash on Meg insteadof at the tavern. “I happen to know that the dressmaker in the village isalmost done with a beautiful gown for Liadan. I believe she was planning onwearing it to Beltain. It would have to be shortened from what I understand,but I’m sure she would alter it for her queen.”

The thought makes me smile. If it pisses off Liadan, then somuch the better. “Excellent. I’ll take it. Tell the seamstress to let out thebodice as well. My Meg’s got a lovely set of breasts on her. And Flanna, weshould prepare the village for the influx of Fae coming to pay their respectsto my queen.”

“Beckett told me to keep her presence here quiet.”

I understand what my brother is trying to do, but it won’twork. “Beck won’t be able to contain the rumors. He either bought her or hefought for her.”

“It was an open tourney,” Flanna confirms.

“Then the vampires know about it, too. They’ll think there’ssomething wrong with her. They’ll think that the king is ashamed he had to takea human wife if he doesn’t demand proper respect be paid.”

“That isn’t why he’s keeping it quiet,” Flanna corrects him.“Beck is worried about your uncle’s agents. The pretender closed Tír na nÒgbecause he’s worried Beck will steal onto the plane and assassinate him. He’sbeen waiting for the two of you to fade. After you’re gone, he’ll be able toopen the homelands and reestablish trade and contact. You can’t think Torinwants the borders closed. He’ll be furious when he discovers you’ve married.The queen is now a target.”

I shake my head. “She’ll be a target no matter what. I’msure Torin knows about her even now. I have no illusions on that. He has hisspies as we have ours. It doesn’t change the fact that she will have a hardtime being taken seriously if we don’t treat her that way. The people willaccept my queen, or I’ll cease being their king. Well, I’ll cease being halftheir king, anyway.”

Flanna pats his hand, seemingly giving up the fight. “I willgo and get things started. The village will feast tonight, my son.”

“Yes.” I look at my mother’s ring with satisfaction. “Wewill feast and dance and drink.” And then I will set about seducing my lovely,brave bride.

ChapterTwenty-Two

Beck

I stand looking out the window on the hundred andsecond floor of the Dellacorp building. This is the penthouse my aunt lives in,and it always makes me nervous to be so high in a non-natural structure. Below,the neon lights of the city give the night an ethereal quality. It’s an oddsight, and one I wish I could share with my wife. Meg would be fascinated bythis world. I wonder if there’s a Dallas on her plane. According to the vampirescientists who study the planes, this one and the legendary Earth plane areoddly interconnected. I will have to ask her.

She would likely enjoy the ridiculous lights and soaringheights the vampires live in. It makes my stomach ache, but it might be worthit if Meg likes it.

I can’t risk it. I can’t risk the chance that she could runaway here and probably find someone who will take her in and hide her away.Probably? I’m being too positive. If I brought her here, she would find no endof handsome vampires willing to save her from her unwanted marriage. She’s abeautiful bondmate, and they would consider her a perfect consort. She wouldhave vampires fighting over the privilege of who got to save her from herhusband.

“You are brooding, Beck.” My aunt’s voice cuts through mydark thoughts and pull me into the present. I turn and look at my mother’ssister. She’s graceful and lovely, just as my mother had been. Her raven hairis in a neat knot at the nape of her neck. “I think sometimes you forget whichhalf you are. You are a man of action. Leave the brooding to Cian.” AlanaDellacourt’s face falls as she remembers. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have saidthat.”

I smile at my aunt. The words don’t hurt at all since theyno longer hold truth. Now if my brother broods, I can kick his ass becausethere’s no reason for it. “It’s all right. I wasn’t brooding. Well, maybe Iwas. I was thinking about my wife.”

I hold still, watching for her reaction. I asked Dante tokeep his mouth shut. I want to tell my aunt. I so rarely have good news toshare.

Her face becomes a mask of well-bred horror. “Tell me youhaven’t married that Liadan person. Oh, Beckett. You can’t give up hope. Annulthe marriage. I will find a way to smuggle a bondmate out of Tír na nÒg. YourUncle Don and Susie already have feelers out looking for the best way to do it.We have confirmation that Torin, the bastard, is making deals with othervampire families to sell them consorts. Obviously he would never make a dealwith the Dellacourts, but we have plans.”

I take my aunt’s hand. She’s a slave to fashion, as always,and her nails are painted an emerald green with small jewels on the tips. It’sthe fashion for consorts. “Tell them to stop. I’m not about to…what was theterm Meg used…divorce my wife, though she might beat me when I return home. Asfor Cian, I spoke to him not thirty minutes ago on the tablet Dante gave us.Cian is perfectly clear-headed and more like himself than he’s been in years.He’s just as pissed with me as Meg must be, though he’s trying to hide it, thetricky bastard. I’ll have to watch my step when I get home or he’ll jump me.”

Alana gasps as she understands the implications. Before shecan say a thing, a bundle of feminine energy bursts into the room and runsstraight for me. I brace myself for impact and am not disappointed. SusanDellacourt throws herself into my arms with a resounding thud.

“Beck! I can’t believe it.” My cousin looks up at me withjoyful tears in her eyes. “You bonded! We all thought we were going to loseyou. It’s fate. I know it is.”

“You’ll have to excuse my wife, Your Highness,” ColinO’Neill Dellacourt says with an indulgent smile. He bows formally. I recognizethe sidhe. Colin was one of the refugees to make it out of Tír na nÒgbefore the plane closed. Unlike most of the Fae, Colin settled on the Vampireplane and quickly found himself in the enviable position of consort. “She’sbeen worried about you and Cian. She talks about you all the time. I’ve heardmore stories about your childhood than you can imagine.”