Page 19

Chapter nineteen

A fter confirming the deal with Soddram, I had Firel draw up both contracts so they were ready for Eren when he woke. I met with my father and the council to prepare our negotiation tactics for our visit to the light court. We were informed that rift creatures had attacked the fairy hives the night previous. The minotaur ambassador had made contact reporting the same situation in their lands. The threat was spreading, and we would have to wage war on the creatures sooner rather than later.

After the meeting, I made my way back to Eren’s room, praying he was awake. I entered the room and saw him sitting up in bed with his head against Evinee’s. They were whispering, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Damn human ears . Evinee shook her head before he pulled away from her. He held her face in his hands intimately while he spoke softly.

My heart sank. I didn’t know exactly what I had walked in on, but I felt like the third wheel. Something was obviously going on between them, but I didn’t have the nerve to ask. We were in such a good place. I didn’t want to ruin it with my human expectations, even if the sight of them together was killing me. Eren caught sight of me and released Evinee’s face gently. She turned around, her face lightly reddened.

“I can come back if—” I started to say, not knowing how to react in this situation.

“No,” Evinee said, standing and moving towards the door. “I was just leaving.”

The door shut behind her, leaving Eren and I alone. Everything in me demanded to know what was going on between the two of them, but I didn’t know if I wanted the truth. I took a deep breath, moving towards the bed. He smiled as I slid next to him.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Like I was just stabbed in the back with a ulyrium dagger. But hey, I’m alive, so I can’t complain.”

I dropped my eyes, trying to hide my insecurity. This wasn’t the time to bring them to light. “Thank you for saving my life,” I whispered.

“I think I am up by four, by the way. You have some catching up to do, princess.”

I let a slight laugh escape. “I’m sorry I interrupted the two of you,” I said without looking at him.

“We were finished. Though I do have to say, I was a little disappointed to wake up and find Evinee here instead of you. I thought you’d be at my bedside.”

“I was all night. I just … I was securing the last house. We have Soddram, along with Ophilia as well. They’ve agreed and are ready to sign the contract as soon as you are able.”

“Look at you, my little politician,” he said, pinching my chin between his fingers.

I closed my eyes, remembering the way he had looked while the life seeped from his body. “Eren, I don’t know what I would have done if—” I said, but my emotions stumbled my words.

He leaned forward, pulling me into him. “I’m right here. I’m not going to leave you. I’m not going anywhere,” he said, holding me while I cried.

“You could have died. If Vena hadn’t gotten to you when she did … I don’t know what I would have done. I just got you back.”

He started laughing as he ran his hands through my hair.

I pulled away to look at him. “What’s so funny?”

“The sex that good, is it?” he said smugly,

I smiled through my tears before hitting him in the shoulder. “Oh, shut up, you narcissistic asshole.”

He grinned widely, pulling me back to him. “I don’t want to leave you either, but I don’t regret my choice. If I had to choose between your life or mine, I’d pick yours every time. There’s no question.”

I wrapped my arms firmly around him. “Let’s stop almost dying, okay?”

“I would like nothing more.” He turned my face up to his and kissed me softly. I melted under the feeling of him. He traced the lines of my face. “Ev told me the queen has been sentenced to death?”

“Yes. My father was just waiting for you to wake up. I suppose she will die this evening after dinner.”

“But tonight is Jestu.”

I laughed. “Always thinking about sex, aren’t you?”

“Well, it is my favorite pastime,” he whispered seductively, dragging his hand ever so slowly up my thigh. My body lit up from the contact. “Why don’t we wait until tomorrow to kill the queen? We can sign the contracts in the morning with Soddram and Ophilia, and then have one large killing fest after dinner. Tonight, I just want to spend it with you.”

“At Jestu, you mean?”

“It is our first as a real couple. I would like it to be a fond memory.”

I smiled, kissing him on the chin. “Vena says physical activity isn’t good for your wound.”

Eren’s face fell with devastation. “She lies. I feel wonderful. I could run the length of the kingdom if I wanted to. Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“Eren, you need to rest. You almost died.”

He cupped my breast, kneading the soft tissue in the most delightful manner. “But I am alive. Shouldn’t we celebrate that?” He kissed me again.

“If it’s okay with you, I would just like to hold you for a bit. I just want to feel your arms around me,” I said, still aching from the sting of almost losing him.

He looked down at me tenderly and nodded. “Of course, princess. Anything you need.”

I curled up against him, relishing in his scent. His head nuzzled against mine while his arms held onto me like I was his lifeline.

We informed my father of what we had decided regarding the queen and what we had planned for the three traitors and the high houses. He agreed that we needed to show strength and that it was a smart maneuver.

After dinner, we made our way to Jestu. There was still only one throne on the high platform. Eren stood off to the side, waiting for me to sit. I pulled him to the chair and then sat on his lap. I was his queen, and he was my king. The alfar needed to see and respect him as such.

As the festivities began, I shifted uncomfortably while others engaged in their sexual explorations. Even though I had overcome my circumstances, it was still awkward to watch others engage in the act. I turned away, shielding my eyes from them. I heard Eren let a slight laugh escape as he nuzzled his nose into my ear.

“Getting any ideas for later?” he asked with a heavy voice.

“I … it’s still weird,” I said, turning to look at him.

“It’s a natural act. One you seem to enjoy very much, I might add.”

“Yes, but not like this. I mean, I’m not judging, but I just—” I stopped, not knowing how to explain myself.

Eren shifted me in his lap to the side and took my face in his hands. He dragged his thumb across my lips slowly, parting them as I welcomed his taste. He leaned his mouth into my ear, biting at the lobe. “Close your eyes and relax. The next hour will only seem like a matter of minutes, I promise,” he said, kissing me softly down my neck.

I obeyed, leaning into the feeling of his lips against my skin. His hand trailed across my jaw and down my chest until he reached the long slit in my dress. His fingers gently caressed the inside of my thighs, making my center throb with desire and need.

I took his mouth against mine, pressing my body firmly into his. He smiled, holding onto me as his hands explored my exposed skin. He pulled the strap of my dress down, kissing along my shoulder to the front of my chest. My breasts ached for his touch.

His fingers tauntingly slid up the length of my thigh until he reached my sex. I shifted, leaning harder against him while I opened my legs, inviting his skilled fingers.

Eren slid his middle finger over my seam and moaned. I was already wet from his affections. My heart began to pound out of my chest as my body heated. I arched my hips towards his hand, begging for him. Eren licked the side of my neck, swiping his finger over my slick opening, stopping just before he entered.

I groaned with frustration. The need for him to be inside of me was unbearable. “Please,” I whimpered.

His lips moved back to my ear. “Please what, princess?”

“Please touch me … I need more … I need you inside of me … please.”

“Which part of me would you like inside of you?”

“Any part … as long as it’s you.”

“Mmm, are you sure? In front of the court?”

I whimpered again, feeling out of my mind. Without thinking I took his hand and placed his fingers right where I needed them. They slid into me so perfectly and my entire body erupted from the pleasure.

I gasped at the sense of relief. I arched my head back, resting it on his shoulders while he moved his fingers inside of me, rubbing against my walls. I gently rocked my hips, wanting more … no … needing more.

“Naughty wife,” he chuckled, removing his fingers. He grabbed my hips, turning me around to face him. I straddled my legs on either side while he slid his hand back under my dress, driving three fingers back into my throbbing sex.

My head fell back, reeling from the sensation while my body clenched around him. Eren slid his other hand to the back of my neck, kissing down my chest until his mouth hovered over the sheer fabric of my dress, taunting my nipple with his warm breath. I went to remove the dress completely, but he stopped me.

“You are mine, remember?” he said in a heavy and seductive voice.

“I haven’t forgotten,” I hissed in a husky tone.

“If you haven’t noticed, I am a bit territorial, which means I don’t want any other male to see what is mine. You’re going to have to keep your clothes on a little while longer.”

I let out a faint laugh pulling back to look at him. “That never stopped you from taking other females at Jestu in front of the court.”

He touched the bottom of my traditional Jestu mask, drawing his thumb across my cheekbone. “They never mattered.”

I looked into his beautiful silver eyes, the need to have him building inside of me. I pressed my lips against his firmly.

“Now,” he whispered, moving his attention back to the three fingers that were buried inside of me, “relax and enjoy.” I placed my hands on the throne’s armrests, bracing myself while I moved up and down, sliding effortlessly against his long fingers.

The sounds coming from me were muted by the music that floated through the air. Everything around me faded as I focused on the pleasure only he was capable of giving me. The pressure inside of me began to build. As if Eren could sense my rising climax, his fingers began to pump harder and faster, driving to the very top with each thrust.

He placed his other hand on my back, bracing me while my body stiffened. Every inch of my skin was aware of him. Every place we touched, every pass of his lips, I savored.

My breathing became irregular. My grip on the chair tightened. I was coming undone. Then, my body exploded. I let go, roaring with pleasure as I came all over his fingers and lap. My pheromones released, intensifying my orgasm.

My body was no longer my own. I couldn’t move. Eren pulled me closer to him, still moving his fingers inside of me, lengthening the pleasurable sensation while I shook and whimpered from the incredible feeling.

Finally, I was able to move my arms, holding onto him while I caught my breath. I pulled back, looking into his eyes. Eren’s pupils were dilated, his jaw tense, and his chest heaved.

“Are you alright? Did I hurt you?” I whispered, feeling my cheeks blush.

“If I don’t bury myself in you soon,” he replied, tightening his grip on me to the point it almost hurt, “I am going to fucking kill something.”

I laughed. He stood, pulling me through the crowd aggressively while we headed for the exit. “Screw the hour,” he mumbled.

Apparently, Eren wasn’t the only one my pheromones had affected. The crowd was ravenous, even more so than usually. I had never seen anything like it.

As soon as we got back to my rooms, I tore at his clothes, needing the feeling of his bare, silky skin against mine. He met my haste and ripped the dress from my body before picking me up and slamming me into the bed.

His tongue slid across the curves and planes of my body until we were tangled together. I closed my eyes, focusing on the feeling of our bodies gliding against one another. Everything around us faded, and I couldn’t tell where I ended and he began. As our fingers laced together, he pulled his head up and looked into my eyes. He smiled, leaning into my neck and giving me everything he had.

The next morning, I woke in Eren’s arms, our bodies intertwined. I could feel his warm breath on my forehead. I trailed my hands along his back, stopping at his new scar. My fingers traced the small, raised area that now adorned his perfect body. I felt him let out a long exhale.

“It’s going to scar, isn’t it?” he asked, leaning his head down into mine.

“Just a reminder that you almost died, that’s all.”

He laughed, opening his eyes heavily. “You don’t mind?”

“Of course not. You’re still perfect. Plus, I think scars are sexy.”

“You’ve been around humans for too long. They’ve ruined your sense of beauty.”

“Watch it, Lyklor. Remember, you’re married to a half-breed. And your children will also have human blood running through them,” I said playfully.

He pulled away, his face more serious than amused.

“What?” I asked.

“You … you want to have more children?” he asked hesitantly.

I paused, taking a moment. “Do you?”

He ran his fingers through my hair. A small smile stretched across his face. “It won’t replace her. Not a day goes by that I won’t think about the child we lost, but yes. I never thought I’d say this, but if they have you as their mother, I want as many children as we can have.”

I smiled at him, a deep happiness flaring inside of me. A hollow pit suddenly formed in my stomach. “The contract …” I said, shame snuffing out my joy.

He shook his head. “I don’t care about the contract. I already have everything I want,” he said, kissing my head softly.

I pulled away again, looking into his eyes. “No one will ever know about the contract. Well, Levos knows, because it was his idea.”

“Oh, it was now, was it? Little fucker,” Eren grumbled, still smiling.

“But he won’t say a word. I promise you. You will be king. You will have the power you fought so hard for. I won’t stand in your way,” I said.

“ We will rule together, side by side, as equals. This is ours. Our kingdom, our court, our marriage … our family.” He pulled me against him, his words replaying in my mind. How he had changed. He no longer cared about the power he could obtain. There were more important things he desired, that he cared for. And I was one of them.

“I trust you, Eren,” I whispered against his skin. I closed my eyes and fell asleep in the arms of my king.

Later that day, Eren and I met with Soddram and Ophilia separately to sign their contracts. Tonight, the court would have their entertainment. We met with the others down in the safe house before dinner to go over the plan. Evinee was quiet compared to her usual outgoing self. I still hadn’t asked Eren about what I had walked in on, and I still didn’t know if I wanted to know.

I tried pushing my jealousy and fear from my mind, but I couldn’t look at the two of them without thinking the worst. I knew this would be something I would have to face eventually, but I didn’t think it would be this soon. He cared for me, I told myself. He made me happy.

That night after dinner had concluded, my father instructed the guards to bring Queen Nora up from the dungeon. The court quieted while they brought her before us. She struggled against her restraints, screaming like a crazy person. Her hair was tangled, and her body was bloodied from the interrogation she had undergone.

Eren and I sat next to my father. Her throne had already been removed from the platform. Nora fell to the floor, crying and yelling while she looked up at my father for mercy. My father looked down upon her without a hint of emotion behind his eyes, then turned to the court.

“As many of you witnessed, Nora Filarion attempted to assassinate Princess Genevieve and succeeded in harming Prince Lyklor. The council has agreed that her actions are treasonous, and her sentence is death,” said my father. The court nodded with their dark and hollow eyes.

The guard pulled out his ulyrium blade to take her head, but my father held out his hand. He stared at her for a long moment before approaching.

She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. “I tried,” cried Nora. “I tried to provide you with an heir. I tried to make you care for me, but instead, you turned to a filthy human. You chose her over me. I was your wife. I was your queen, yet you abandoned me.”

“You killed an innocent woman because you couldn’t restrain your jealousy?” asked my father.

“I killed her because you loved her,” she said in a hateful tone. The court members looked to one another. My father’s eyes stayed firmly on Nora’s face. He bent down and whispered something into her ear before he pulled a small glass jar from his pocket. Inside, a black insect wriggled. He removed the lid from the jar and held it against Nora’s ear. Nora struggled and fought, but eventually, the insect scurried inside. I turned to Eren.

“A benout insect. The same that she used to kill your mother,” whispered Eren.

The king tossed the jar to the floor, turning from her and heading back to his throne. The court leaned forward, watching in awe while Nora scratched at the sides of her head, screaming in a panic.

Within seconds, Nora tore through her skin with her own nails, trying to get the insect out of her brain. Her body collapsed to the floor as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Streams of blood ran from her nose and eyes. Her body flopped on the golden floor like a fish out of water. Sounds of pain and agony escaped her mouth as she fought for breath. Eventually, her body calmed. Her head fell to the side. The white of her eyes was streaked with blood as they stared towards us.

My father raised his hand to the guard to take her body away. Her brother and nephew stayed silent among the other court members, not daring to step out of line against us. The king turned towards me and nodded. I stood with a smile and looked for the next three victims that would die on the floor in front of me this night.

“Lord Beran Sollerum, Lord Nal Yositru, and Lord Yous Gyset, please come forward,” I said with an unwavering voice. The three men stood hesitantly, looking at one another. They knew. Each bowed, gazing up at me with weary eyes.

“Princess Genevieve, how may we be of service?” asked Nal Yositru.

I smiled down at him, taking a step forward. “Lords, it has been brought to my attention that you three have been working with the queen, plotting to assassinate my husband, your future king, and myself during the next battle against the rift. Now, apparently I have not made the ramifications of such an act clear during my time as princess. If you take steps to harm the crown, your life will be forfeit.”

“Your Grace, you are mistaken,” said Gyset in a panicked tone. “We would never plot against you or the crowned prince.”

I looked to Sollerum, whose face was unphased.

“Lord Sollerum, what do you have to say on the matter?” I asked.

He looked from me to Eren. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, you have allowed a serpent into your bed and onto our throne. He is not worthy of you, nor of the position of king,” said Sollerum.

I turned to my husband and smiled.

Eren stepped forward. “Lord Sollerum,” said Eren, pretending to be appalled, “I am offended by your perception of me. What have I done to earn your disrespect and ill will?”

“You are lowborn filth who fucked his way to power,” answered Sollerum, spitting on the floor in front of Eren.

Eren took a moment to gather himself before looking at the court. “I have done what I had to, in order to earn my place among you. However, my actions have never gone against our king or our kingdom. It is an honor to serve Doonak, and I take my responsibilities and my position seriously. It is true, I was born lower class, but I have worked my way to where I am now because I believe in Doonak. Because I am confident that we are the strongest, most intelligent, and capable kingdom in this world.

“As your prince, as your king, I will support our kingdom and continue to expand our reach and our influence during Princess Genevieve’s and my reign. I will not allow any threat to destroy what we have built, even if I must sacrifice my life in the process. I may not be the king you all imagined, but I am the king that you have. I will prove my worth to you, just as I have served this kingdom for the past one hundred and fifty years as its ambassador.

“It is time that we rise above our stations and positions. It is time that we stop looking at each other as competition and look to each other for support and guidance. There are things that attack our world daily that could end our way of life as we know it. Doonak is small in comparison to Urial, but we are far from weak. We need to band together now more than ever to solidify our power and our position among the other races, including the light alfar. But we cannot do this when our own court plots against its crown.

“Doonak needs to be unified. We need to stand as one body, of one soul, and of one mind. Those who oppose us will be cut down,” said Eren, looking to the three heirs in the back of the room. They approached, each wearing a solemn face, taking their places behind their fathers. The lords looked back at their children in confusion.

“I bear no ill will towards any of the houses,” continued Eren. “I wish to serve you to the best of my abilities. I wish to align myself with each of you to help support and create a stronger power to pass down to our children. To do that, the old ways must be forgotten, and we must embrace the enlightenment.” Eren nodded. Ophilia, Soddram, and Hashen slit the throats of their fathers while Helor stood to his brother’s side in support.

The four of them made their way in front of Eren and knelt before him. They each verbally pledged their allegiance and loyalty to Eren, while the court watched his army, influence and strength grow. I stepped in front of Eren and knelt before him with my head to the ground. The crowd behind me begin to whisper.

The true heir of Doonak never bowed to their spouse. They were always above them, but Eren was different. We were different. He was going to make an incredible king.

“I pledge my allegiance to Erendrial Valor Lyklor, future king of Doonak,” I said with confidence. His black leather boots appeared in front of me. I felt his smooth fingers lift my chin. He assisted me to my feet, gazing upon me with love before kissing me in front of our kingdom. Eren then bowed in front of me, still holding my hand.

“I pledge my allegiance to Genevieve Drezmore, princess and future queen of Doonak.” Eren kissed my hand and stood as we faced the four new lords and our court.

“Please stand, my friends,” instructed Eren. They each stood, looking at us for instruction. “I look forward to working with you. Thank you for your loyalty and support.” Eren nodded as they took their seats at the head of their family tables.

My father sat silently, allowing all of this to occur without interfering. He knew Eren had to make a show of force. This was it. He had turned four heirs against their fathers. They had killed their own family members to prove their allegiance.

Eren signaled for a servant to bring us two glasses of wine. He handed me one and then brought his into the air as he held me close at his side.

“To the strong and powerful Kingdom of Doonak,” he said.

“To Doonak,” yelled the crowd, holding their glasses to Eren. We toasted, looking out into the sea of some of the most dangerous beings we would ever face, but Eren and I were unified. Together, we could unify this kingdom. Together, we would make it stronger. Together, we would rule.