Page 135 of The Fallen Fae King

“Oh, let’s,” I say around gritted teeth.

Slowly, Ignatius pulls himself back to his feet, smoothing out his uniform. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“Don’t worry. I saw how persuasive Decima’s fist was. This had better be important.”

“It is.” Decima takes her daughter by the shoulders and pushes her toward me. “You need to spend time with your future bride.”

This again?

When Liviana smiles at me, I don’t return it.

My expression is stony.

I take a pointed step away from the Omega. “I have already told you that I will not bond with the Omega who was destined for my dead brother’s nest. You call it duty, but I call it disgracing his memory.”

“You will be honoring it,” Maximinus insists, firmly, “Every emperor needs their empress, don’t they? And don’t worry, no one here is expecting you to bond her. This is a political marriage for appearances. Liviana will rule at your side. Who you take into your prospective beds will be your own business.”

Livinia attempts to look down demurely at the same time as casting me a sly look.

She’s not after my knot but rather, my power.

I’m not allowing her to get her hands on either.

I ignore Liviana, who attempts to grab my wrist. I dodge her hold, however, and swagger to stand in front of her mother.

Just let the fucker attempt to hit me.

If the Head of the Council was burned to ash for attacking the King, then it would give me an excuse to take over the Council.

I lean close enough for Decima to start to shift, uncomfortable under the onslaught of my pheromones. “You took a Blood Oath that if I sent Freya and Daire to Blood Kingdom as bait to capture the Shadow Vampire King, then if they returned successfully, we could bond. If you break it, then we both know what will happen.”

She licks her dry lips. “Why would I be so foolish?”

I catch her by the throat.

“Mother,” Liviana cries out in alarm.

“Your oath won’t allow you to force me into this political, loveless marriage.” I tighten my hold on Decima. “If you attempt to find a loophole around it, then you will still burn in the deepest part of hell that the Shadow Devils keep warm for all oathbreakers.”

“Who said anything about oathbreaking?” Decima gives a thin smile. “I swore only that you could bond, remember? And you’re free to do what you like with your criminal mates, as long as my daughter sits on the throne.”

I hurl her to the floor in disgust. “Why would I agree to that?”

“Because no one in this kingdom will accept a fae or a wolf on the throne. Did you truly think that they would?” Maximinus gives the smile of a predator who has caught his prey. This was an ambush from the start. “Naïve, boy. The Council will allow you to bond your pets, but if you want agreement on your coronation, then you will accept Liviana as your empress.”

I open my mouth to either shout that I won’t or to possibly blast Maximinus with my flames.

But then, I grimace with pain at the sudden tug on the golden threads.

I glance over my shoulder at the doorway through to my bedroom. When I catch a glimpse of two sets of eyes watching through the crack, I should have expected that my mates would have been eavesdropping.

My heart breaks.

Will they be furious? Kick me out of the nest again?

I reach out through the bond to feel their emotions, but to my surprise, there is only a tingle of calculation.

They’re plotting.