Page 22

Aurora’s taut nerves were temporarily forgotten as she took in the grotto. The space was divided into shallow tiers, on the highest of which she was now standing. Ahead, the lowest tier led directly into the sparkling turquoise water of the fjord. Through the white stone columns, she could see a few women lounging in the water. They all wore transparent gowns that clung to their wet bodies, hiding nothing from the guards who lingered around the perimeter of the grotto.

In the central landings, tables piled with delicately arranged food surrounded large dining tables and overstuffed chairs. Some other women, other brides, sat in small groups, laughing and eating, hands always politely raised above the table’s edge.

Aurora had forgotten about that rule. She mentally listed all the etiquette she’d learned about as she wandered lower. A few critical gazes landed on her, and she bit her inner cheek. I’m doing something wrong—I just don’t know what it is.

“There you are!”

Aurora followed the loud voice and found Maggie rushing toward her. She exhaled for what felt like the first time in ten minutes, relief washing over her. Diana followed close behind Maggie, and Aurora’s brows lifted. She wore pants. Normal, unadorned black pants. Her white shirt had a few frills and was topped by a silver corset that enhanced her narrow waist, but she still stood out.

“Shit, we were getting worried about you. Diana and I thought maybe that giant had split you right in half.” She chuckled.

Aurora’s cheeks heated. Though she was still determined to explore this crush further, she hadn’t failed to consider the possibility. Rhaego was a large man. She couldn’t decide whether to hope the rest of him was proportional or not yet.

“Wait.” She peered between the two. “Have you…”

Diana snorted. “No, but not because he hasn’t been trying hard—that’s for sure.”

“Same,” Maggie agreed. “I don’t know how to say any more clearly that I’d be a lot more likely to fuck him if we weren’t forcibly married, but he doesn’t get it. I did finally break down after he wouldn’t lay off and I let him give me a massage, and boy howdy.” Maggie’s brows rose into her hairline as she exchanged a meaningful look with Diana. “When I tell you he was thorough…”

Diana grumbled, “My imprisoner is still well aware that I’m prepared to chop a finger off if he gets too close.”

“You are a stronger woman than I.” Maggie chuckled. “You don’t think he’s even a little hot?” she whispered with a scrunched nose. “Looks like he got you some non-dress-code-compliant threads.”

“Of course I think he’s hot. Too hot.” Diana sighed with a roll of her eyes. “That isn’t the point. It’s the principle of the thing.”

Maggie popped a yellow berry from the table into her mouth. “Agreed. A few more massages and I might forget what the word principle means, though.”

Diana stared at her with narrowed eyes. “We have got to figure out a way out of here before you get brainwashed.” Her chin lifted. “Don’t you get it? The more we roll over and take it, figuratively or literally —” She shot a judgmental glance at Maggie, who flipped her middle finger, kissed it, and blew the kiss at Diana. She ignored her and continued on. “The more they’ll expect us to take. What happens when this marriage ends? You think you’ll never have to be chased through the woods again?” Her brows lifted imperiously.

Maggie took in a long breath at that, sighing it out. “What’s your brilliant plan, then?”

Aurora had been listening quietly, not quite sure how to join in the husband-hating chatter when she was currently fighting the urge to sniff her own Rhaego-scented hair, but this felt like her moment. She peered over her shoulder to make sure no one else was nearby, but she locked eyes with at least four women all watching intently.

Let’s see if codes work. “Hey, guys—”

“Well,” Diana began excitedly. “I figure if we can all make it to the river—”

“Wait, just listen—”

Maggie laughed. “I’ll just grab my spare paragliding equipment and jump off my cliff, then, shall I?”

“Guys!” Aurora cut in in the harshest tone she could muster. Both women eyed her silently. “Do you want to go swimming?”

The corner of Diana’s mouth lifted, and she stared at Aurora like she’d sprouted a nipple on her forehead. Simultaneously, she said, “No,” and Maggie cheered, “Hell yeah.”

Diana directed an eye roll toward Maggie. “No,” she said again. “Why, so Leering Larry over there can see us all naked?” She nodded toward a soldier on the back wall who was indeed watching them intently. He straightened, gaze shooting away when they caught him staring.

Okay, different approach. Aurora licked her lips.

“Do you remember the movie Shawshank Redemption ?” she tried in a conversational tone.

“The one where—”

“Just,” Aurora cut in, holding up her hand to silence Maggie. The woman had no filter. “Nod yes or no.” They both sent her an odd look but nodded. “Okay so, I was talking about that movie with my husband, and he was very interested by the ending.” She kept her eyes wide, peering between them, until their brows unfurrowed and understanding dawned.

“Oh yeah?” Diana said, arms crossing.

“Yeah, but…” This was harder than she’d thought.

“Good day, humans.” Two Tuvastan women approached, and Aurora’s head slumped forward as she tried to contain her scream of frustration. “Happy luncheon.”

“Happy luncheon,” the three answered in reply a bit more sullenly then was probably appropriate.

They both had vibrant apple-red skin and identical polite smiles. The one who’d spoken had long lustrous red hair as well and the most beautiful golden eyes Aurora had ever seen. She wore a warm golden-yellow gown which only enhanced her striking eyes. The other was equally gorgeous in a diaphanous lavender gown. She wore a bit more jewelry than the other, though they were both weighed down in finery. There must have been a year’s salary on their horns right now.

“I’m Allyna, and this is Edrael .” They exchanged names and some brief pleasantries about the weather. Aurora was so eager to find a way to tear Maggie and Diana away that, oddly enough, she forgot to be anxious about talking to the two strangers.

Edrael’s emerald eyes kept flashing to her as they spoke, though, and Aurora’s tension rose. When the woman asked “So how are your husbands faring?” it felt as though she were only asking her.

Allyna’s eyes lit eagerly as they waited for Aurora to answer.

“Good,” she chirped. All four women stared at her as though prodding her to elaborate with the sharpness of their stares. Aurora swallowed. “He’s really…nice.”

Edrael spoke for the first time, her fangs peeking out. “But you’ve let him mark you. I’d say you’re more satisfied with the blight than you care to say.”

“The blight?” Diana sneered. The same distaste for the term rang through Aurora, but she held her tongue as she waited for Edrael to explain.

“Such a shame,” Allyna said, making her many dangling horn chains sway as she shook her head. “To be cursed as he was and then to be raised in such an unconventional way…” She pressed a glittering black claw under her chin. “He’s handsome as a god, but much too risky to chance for marriage.”

“Just ask Thaciona ,” Edrael added with a meaningful pout.

“Who’s Thaciona?” Aurora’s words were a little sharp, but she couldn’t help it. She didn’t like the way these two were talking about her husband. Like he was some beautiful, pitiful creature they were sad they couldn’t touch. But she was also burning with curiosity. Could these two gossips explain why everyone treated Rhaego so oddly?

“Well…” Allyna leaned in, a glint in her eye. “She never conceived after their marriage ended. Fertile as a minoskep before, then pfft .” She flicked her hand, sending the strands of beads hanging from her elbows clinking.

Aurora scrunched her nose. How could that possibly be blamed on Rhaego?

Before she could question her, Maggie took the liberty. “So…she had a lot of kids before him?”

“No, poor doe. Missed her chance, I fear,” Edrael said sadly.

Maggie spoke out of the side of her mouth, eyes narrowed as if trying to wade through the bullshit. “She didn’t have a kid before or after, and you somehow think that’s his fault? What, is he so well-endowed that he scrambled her uterus or something?”

Allyna blinked at her, exchanging a quick glance with Edrael, who appeared just as shocked by Maggie’s brash words. “Err, no, she never allowed the blight to share her bed, but…”

“So they never even slept together?” Diana chimed in. Aurora knew neither of her friends cared about Rhaego. She hadn’t had the chance to reveal what a good man he was and convince them of it. They were merely detecting the same absurd bullshit she was and calling it out. Aurora had never been more grateful to have a pair of mouthy friends.

The two Tuvastan women had likely believed they’d be enjoying some friendly gossip and tried to get back on track. “Thaciona’s mother had two children,” Allyna argued.

“She’s from a fertile line,” Edrael added, trying to support their odd belief. “She told us herself she felt a pain inside while under a roof with him. A pain right in her womb.”

“Her belly hurt, not her womb. And it pained her because she locked herself in her room and refused to eat,” a sour voice rang from behind Aurora.

She jumped, whirling to face the newcomer. Recognition hit. The woman who’d sat next to her at the Promenade. A week of marriage hadn’t improved her mood, it seemed. The woman frowned at her, giving her a cold once-over before refocusing on Allyna and Edrael, who shrank a little.

“Thaciona has never conceived because she’s a sponge who sucks up all the goodwill her husbands have to offer, then claims them unworthy without ever attempting to join them in heat,” the woman finished, leveling the two with a mulish glare. “This human has allowed him to mark her, and she appears quite whole and hale to me, does she not?”

The two grumbled some excuses about sampling the food and shuffled away. Aurora expected the new Tuvastan woman to soften when they were out of sight, but her stare remained just as icy as ever.

“Thank you for that,” Aurora began.

The woman held up a clawed hand. “I don’t tolerate superstitious gossip, and your appearance has only doubled it. If you want to pay your husband a kindness, abide by our customs. You’re marked, yet you wear no gifts. You oversee his shopping, yet you make a show of affection in the market for all to see.”

“How’d you know—”

“We all know,” she interrupted before Aurora could finish her question. “You’re fueling their inane ponderings with your confusing behavior, and I’d rather not spend my whole luncheon entertaining drivel.”

“ What is your problem?” Maggie barked, exasperated.

“You.” The woman’s stare bore into Maggie until even the defiance in her expression flickered. “ You are my problem. You don’t belong here.”

“We’re definitely in agreement there,” Diana said, throwing a hand on her hip. “If you’d be so kind as to escort us to the city’s exit, we’ll grab our shit and be on our way.”

She let her glare silently penetrate each of them before turning without another word and stalking away.

“Jesus,” Maggie hissed, bewildered. “Everyone here has a swirly twirly horn up their ass. It’s not like we asked to be here,” she added a little more loudly than necessary.

Aurora shoved down the million thoughts and questions now careening through her mind and tried to focus on the task at hand before anyone else approached.

“And what do they mean you let your husband mark you?” Diana asked, eyes scanning her exposed skin for anything out of the ordinary.

Maggie scrunched up her face. “Yeah. You got a new hidden tat somewhere?”

Aurora had no idea what it meant, but she’d be asking Rhaego just as soon as she could. “Why don’t we go swimming, and I’ll tell you all about it.”

Diana let out a big sigh and turned toward the guard who was again staring in her direction. “You know where we can get some pointless see-through swimming tissue paper?”