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twelve

I changed out of my gown with some difficulty. Lusha didn’t hover as Thea did. I brushed my teeth and then crawled into bed. As I was dimming the oil lamp, I heard a knock on my door that pierced through the quiet night. My heart pounded back in response. Who was here at this hour ?

“Yes?” I called, hoping there would be no answer. A beat later, the door began to unlock, then open. I jumped behind the bed with no other option for defense.

I cautiously peered over the mattress and saw a flash of fiery hair appear in the doorway, before Galen ducked into my room.

“Hello,” he purred. His eyes smoldered as he took me in. “I’m not disappointed to find you in your nightgown, but that green dress… Wow, were you trying to torture me?”

“What are you doing here?” I scolded him, covering myself with a blanket. I didn’t know where to look, where to put my hands.

“It’s alright, I don’t need a thank you for the dresses. Seeing you wear one of them was reward enough. You looked so lovely tonight.”

“Galen,” I sighed. “Thank you for the dresses, but what are you doing here?”

“I had to see you and explain. About tonight… about Isla.”

His typically suave demeanor was less polished tonight. I wasn’t the only one who had overindulged. His lips were stained red with blood berry wine—at least I hoped it was wine.

“Isla is a beautiful girl. And my mother would be thrilled if I chose her as a bride… ”

He paused long enough that I replied, “That’s nice,” with a twinge of pettiness.

“There’s nothing nice about it. I don’t want Isla. I want you .” I remained silent as he approached. “I’ve been having dreams of you,” he murmured. Too close, he was too close.

“In fact, I woke up this morning in a cold sweat. I spent all day with Isla and you never left my mind. You must think me mental; three days you’ve been here.

This is out of character for me, but of course, you don’t know me well enough to know that.

I haven’t been able to function since I saw you stumbling through the woods in that horrid dress. ”

He ran his hand through his glossy hair until it stood on end, making it look like he’d been struck by lightning.

As he moved, his warm scent wafted around me.

“We have a lot to learn about each other. I don’t know who you are in your world, whether you’re a Princess or a peasant, but I don’t care. "

He reminded me of a lynx as he stood there, within arms reach… perfectly still. His eyes were dilated with predatory intent, as if he might spring forward at any moment.

It felt as if the air had been sucked from the room as I tried to form a coherent response.

“If we’re telling truths, I was… jealous tonight.

But that doesn’t change anything. I don’t belong here.

I want to go home. You and I—a faerie and a human—it would never work, even if I find myself attracted to you.

And what about Isla? It sounds as if you’re already engaged to be married. Is that enough reasons for you?”

“She is not my betrothed. My mother is responsible for bringing Isla here—not me. Are you promised to anyone in Aurelius? Is that what makes you want to rush back to your world?” He glanced at my hands still gripping the blanket.

He was looking for a ring. Did he really think I would’ve kissed him if I was engaged to someone?

“There was someone who I cared about, but he and I weren’t meant to be. I don’t want to be promised to anyone, anywhere.”

“You don’t have to promise me forever. You don’t have to promise me anything. Just give me tonight. Are you going to make me get down on my knees and beg ?” He approached carefully, taking my hand and kissing it .

He was persistent, I’d give him that. And damn it , he was beautiful. Those sparkling green eyes, that golden skin, his perfectly sculpted cheekbones. I let out a shaky sigh.

There was an undeniable chemistry that drew me to him—a wild freedom that I wanted to chase.

I was in a foreign world with a different set of rules.

My chastity meant nothing here. The idea of giving into temptation— gods , it would feel like taking off a corset after years of not being able to breathe.

It was reckless… and yet, no one was here to stop me.

It may have been the wine, or the thrill of rebellion, but I let the heady feeling take control.

All the years of doing what I was supposed to, saying no when I wanted to say yes, denying myself simple pleasures for the sake of duty—it all melted away as I stared at the auburn-haired Prince before me.

I closed the space between us and kissed him with everything I had. As our lips met, I could feel a smile spread across his cheeks. He tasted of smoke and wine—of danger. I pulled him closer. This was a mistake and I didn’t care.

I dropped the blanket and then we were body against body. His hands roamed down my back and over my curves; I could feel everything through my thin gown.

His tongue found mine and I opened for him, until we were tangled together. I pulled at his hair, while he lifted my chemise higher and higher, then his hand was on my bare thigh. It sent a current of scalding, hot energy through me.

His kisses weren’t sweet like Deric’s. They were deep and searching… reaching every part of my nervous system.

My breath caught when he began exploring places that had never been touched. I gasped, wrapping a leg around him to balance myself, as he continued to tease me, traveling up… up…

This was moving too fast. I should push him off. I should demand he leave at once. He moved even higher… and then he stopped.

I was shivering.

Why had he stopped? I needed more . I let out a whimper.

Galen’s eyes were simmering embers. “Tell me what you want,” he whispered .

I couldn’t breathe. I could barely speak. “More.”

“More what?” He smiled.

“Please… Touch me.”

“So polite,” he said, nipping at my bottom lip. He pushed my underwear aside and I tensed. “You’re shaking. Are you nervous? Am I the first one to touch you like this?”

I nodded helplessly as his fingers roamed between my legs, causing a throbbing ache deep inside of me. They moved slowly, as if trying to memorize each valley and peak. I took shallow, quick breaths, feeling light-headed.

“Fuck… how lucky am I?” he breathed, gently spreading me open, rubbing the moisture that had formed. Warmth pooled at my core. I laid my head against his shoulder, wanting to sink my teeth into it.

“You’re so wet. I want you just as badly.” He guided my hand to the hardness that pressed against his buttoned pants. I moved tentatively, tracing the shape of him.

He encouraged me to continue roaming, while his breath hitched with every stroke of my hand. But I felt clumsy and unsure compared to him. He knew exactly what he was doing. The room started to spin.

He nibbled my ear and licked down my neck, moving from one sensitive spot to the next, until I felt loose and tight, hot and cold. I was in purgatory, teetering between heaven and hell. It was excruciating… needing more than he was giving me. But I didn’t know what more entailed.

Galen stepped away, removing his top layers, and breaking the spell. This was moving too fast.

“I’m not ready to…”

He closed the distance between us and kissed away my worries. “We’re not going to have sex tonight. I just want to touch you. Let me pleasure you.”

I nodded, dizzy from a potent mixture of excitement, nerves, and alcohol in my bloodstream.

His upper body was sun-kissed, covered in a thin layer of golden hair. Tight muscles ran down his abdomen. He looked built to fight, to hunt… to seduce women. I’d never been presented with anything so tempting and so terrifying.

He gently guided me to the bed, laying beside me. “I’ll take the lead. If at any time you don’t feel comfortable, just tell me to stop. ”

I needed to tell him no . Instead, I wrapped my fingers around the back of his head and pressed my body against his, trembling with anticipation.

We didn’t rush as we laid there kissing, touching… My body temperature slowly rose until I was burning with fever.

Cupping my breasts, he rubbed lazy circles around hardened nipples, then licked and sucked through the fabric of my gown, until the peaks were unbearably sensitive—until I was moaning and arching into his touch.

He moved lower down my stomach, trailing kisses along the way, while he lifted my chemise.

“Sit up,” he commanded, sliding the gown up and off. My underwear was next. With one flick of his wrist, I was naked.

I should’ve felt shy, but instead I felt free and uninhibited. Was this what it felt like to be Fae? Was my faerie blood the reason I was so willing to betray my good sense and bask in this moment?

Galen prowled over me like a mountain lion, pinning me beneath him, caging me in.

My legs were splayed on either side of him as he bent down to lick along the hollow dips of my hips, my belly, up to my breasts, suckling a nipple into his mouth.

Then he kissed me with an intensity that left me panting.

“Your magic sings to me, Marigold. Can you feel it?” Pressure was building beneath my skin, like a volcano aching to erupt. I was molten lava. My blood felt effervescent, as if my veins were filled with sparkling wine.

With one hand still fondling my breast, he brought his other hand lower, tracing it down my abdomen… beneath my navel. He paused for a moment, making eye contact with me… before sliding a finger inside of me. I bucked in surprise. He watched with a grin as I came apart at the seams.

“Relax for me, Marigold.” He ran two fingers down my middle and over the bud of my sex in a rhythmic pattern. My breathing grew fast and shallow. I was clawing at him now.

“Galen… please. It’s… too much,” I said each word between gasps.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“ Gods, no . Do… not… stop.” I lifted my hips, trying to outrun the feeling chasing me. I was writhing, arching, aching, as his fingers continued to play me like a piano.