Page 18 of This Is Not True Love’s Kiss

Her. Only one person would’ve dared defy me, would’ve dared go behind my back.

This reflects badly on you. You’re not trying hard enough. You’re not enough.

“Oh, dancing.” Cillian waggled his brows. “Thank the godwitches. This is going to be so much more fun than a town hall. Hey, this reminds me a bit of your wedding. That’s probably the last time you danced with your queen . . .” Nevan elbowed Cillian, who cleared his throat as I exhaled through my nose, trying to breathe deeply and calm myself.

Cillian pressed his lips together. “I should probably go find my wife.”

Nevan raised a finger. “Me too.”

My gaze roamed the room as I searched for Aoife. “Me three,” I said. And when I did, I wouldn’t hold back.

CHAPTER 8

Aoife, one year and seven months ago

“Your Majesty, what are you doing?”

My head snapped up from where I sat in my bathtub, luxuriating in the hot water as I looked at the town dressmaker.

“I’m taking a bath,” I said to Ceri, who was also the wife of my future husband’s brother.

She was nice enough, and she certainly had some wonderful ideas for the dress I was wearing today.

“Oh honey,” another voice said, Marsten stepping forward and flipping his long hair over his shoulder. “Your hair is all wet. I can’t curl it until it dries, and I can’t do your makeup when you’re in the bathtub.”

I threw my head back, letting my hair soak in the water. “Do you know that I used to have to draw Fairwitch’s bath for them? Every single morning and evening because they insisted on bathing twice a day. Castle didn’t warm the water, then, so I had to heat it over a hearth, and if it was too hot, Fairwitch would make me do it all over again. If it was too cold . . .”

“Fairwitch would make you do it all over again,” Ceri said, her brown eyes shining with sympathy.

“His Majesty is going to be annoyed if she’s late,” Marsten said out the side of his mouth, his pink-painted lips matching his pink nails.

Ceri gave a half shrug. “She can bathe just a little longer. It’s her wedding day, after all. What’s the rush?”

Marsten pressed his lips together, and I sank deeper into the brass tub, staying like that until my skin was wrinkled like a raisin.

I finally got out, letting Ceri and Marsten fuss over me, towel me off, get me dressed. The entire time, I stared at myself in the mirror, barely recognizing this woman with her thick hair that Marsten curled into loose waves, with the golden dress Ceri had made for me that had long sleeves and a plunging neckline that showed my ample cleavage. It hugged my thick waist, and clung to my legs, dropping all the way to my feet, which glittered with golden heels. It was beautiful, something I’d never dreamed I’d be able to wear.

“Are you excited?” Marsten asked as he leaned forward to dust a dark shade of pink onto my eyelids.

“I’m . . .” Well I wasn’t sure how I was feeling. When I’d first awoken a few months ago, I’d been horrified that I was to be married, to rule by someone else’s side. I’d felt betrayed by Castle, lied to, chained once more.

But as I’d learned the history of Fairwitch Isle, everything my people had been through since the godwitches cursed them and left for the Otherworld, I’d thought that maybe Castle had a good reason for choosing a mortal and one of the Fair Folk as its rulers. Maybe Lor and I were both needed to truly bring these communities together.

I wasn’t sure I’d ever love Lor. He was too serious, too rigid, too self-righteous. But I could have fun with him. Heat stirred between my legs as I thought of our wedding night. My body was aching for a release, and my rugged, muscled husband might just be perfect for that.

“You’re a lucky woman, Your Majesty,” Marsten said, and my gaze met his glinting one. “That Lorcan Wolfgang is . . .” He fanned himself.

Ceri swatted him. “Will you stop it? That’s Cillian’s brother.”

Marsten shrugged. “What can I say? Those Wolfgang boys are just made different.” He made a sound of satisfaction, and a laugh burst out of me.

“He is very handsome,” I said. “In a rough sort of way.”

Marsten painted my lips with a brush. “Oh, yes. He’s like a tree. And I would definitely climb him.”

“Marsten,” Ceri said again, exasperated, but I just laughed, feeling light, hopeful. Today was my wedding day, and I was going to enjoy it.

Lor and I had a rocky start, but maybe today could be a new beginning for us.