Page 19 of Ruined by His Alpha King (Reluctant Fae Princes #3)

Seidrik waved a hand over his shoulder, not giving the statement any further elaboration. Perhaps his mask of indifference wasn’t thick enough. Or perhaps Stamel’s presence was too great. Either way, he had to focus on work.

They took a carriage to the outskirts of the kingdom toward the farming areas, stopping twice as Stamel had to aid in hauling flaxsheep back to the nearest open fences.

The reasoning behind it said that if the sheep were in the wrong space, whoever discovered them would likely return them and it’d be safer than letting them roam free where any knave or wildercat could snatch a free meal.

“It would have been so much easier to have flown,” Stamel said as he disembarked the carriage at the edge of the forest.

“There are two options, and one would have me as good as executed, and the other would bring me no end of shame.” Seidrik stared at the forest as the carriage retreated to the nearest village to wait for them to signal.

Seidrik had worried they’d wait around, but the rumors of angry nymphs made the driver far more cautious.

It was a familiar stroll for Seidrik. One he’d made with his mother what must have been a hundred times. One he’d made alone a thousand more. And once, he’d seen Stamel there and changed his future forever. One childish peck of a kiss denied him the lifetime of hiding as a beta he promised himself.

They split the load of honey between them, and Seidrik called out, “Good day, nymphs! I request safe passage through your land for company and to unload myself of all this heavy honey.”

Birds chirping in the trees, insects rustling wings, and the shuffle of the forest floor went quiet for an eerie moment until the distant giggle of playful spirits grew closer. “Seidrik has returned!”

“Awfully familiar, aren’t they?” Stamel laughed as voices and cheers of delight all culminated into silence as a single lily-white nymph drifted before him. “You return.”

Seidrik bowed and held out one of the jars of honey. “Apologies for my absence. I had orders from the king. ”

“You’re not the only absent one returned. Our queen’s princeling has returned from his life journey.” The white nymph that Seidrik had called Cottonbalm smiled wide.

A nymph was permitted to leave their forest once.

There, they would search the world for a new home, or return to their homeland.

Some found love and were never allowed back.

“I don’t recall Her Majesty’s prince. Perhaps an introduction would be in order if deemed appropriate.

” Seidrik remembered his mother’s words well, to never ask anything of nymphs.

“Perhaps. If he wishes to see you, he will find you.” She smiled and took the jar of honey, eagerly fretting with the lid before dipping a finger in for a long taste. “Amberfly. You are too sweet. So, what has brought you with offerings, Seidrik?”

“I sought to relax for a little while,” he’d said as a code for letting his wings out. “And I wished to inquire about mischief with our flaxsheep and bellflower crops.”

“Ah, the young ones are stirring up chaos as punishment.” She shook her head in dismay. “Your men need to keep away.”

“Is it King Alluin’s guards doing so?”

“In full regalia, no less. They tried to impose their rank on a young one.” Cottonbalm laughed, her voice a soft tinkle.

“What are they stealing, my lady?” Seidrik sighed in dismay.

“They were hunting summer pheasants, struck down one of our queen’s prized white ones for sport. Left the poor corpse lay, didn’t even eat it.” She shook her head before tasting more of the sweet honey off her fingers.

“If she wishes, I shall offer my personal apologies in person and ensure that the men will not only be punished but dismissed for such savagery.” Seidrik sighed heavily and stiffened when she sighed.

“She does wish. Come.” Cottonbalm grabbed his sleeve and flew off, making Seidrik stumble until he could fight his jewelfly wings free and fly after her, Stamel doing so in tow with heavy strokes of his blood dove red wings.

“Is this wise?” Stamel’s low voice made Seidrik smile.

“Probably not, but I have to trust our nymphs. They know that if I cease to come around, the honey stops. Alluin would rather chase them off like pests.” Seidrik dodged branches as Stamel flitted above the trees.

Alphas had to glide more than fly. They made long-distance flights easier, where omegas were built for nimble flight and agility.

“And nobody trusts us more than our treasured prince.” Cottonbalm chuckled, breaking out the moniker they used for him due to his jeweled wings. Why the goddess had given him such an ostentatious insect for his wings, he wasn’t sure, but they made traversing the forests easier.

Deep in the woods, they reached a mossy clearing, low-hanging fox ivy draped with their pretty little white star flowers all about, creating glittering patches of light amidst the luxurious natural space.

From rocks and fallen trees, moss sprouted and created a throne of sorts that a poppywillow shaded.

The whiplike branches wound sensually into ornate shapes to highlight the soft blue of the queen’s presence.

She wore twisting vines like many wore their bits of leaves and things, each adornment of her graced with a dark-blue snakecress flowers with their curled winding petals exploding outward.

“Treasured Prince,” her matronly voice welcomed as he landed aside Cottonbalm .

“Your Majesty.” Seidrik bowed low, showing all respect to the nymph queen in her territory.

“It is good to see you.” She stared at him, head tilted before gasping with a shy smile. “And you’ve gotten your horns back.”

Seidrik reached up, fingers unfamiliarly touching the extensions. It had been so long since he’d had the sun elk antlers, and he’d nearly forgotten that Stamel had returned them.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Queen Aster.” Seidrik bowed his head.

“I never forgave Honeythistle for that.”

Stamel, standing behind him, shook his head with a hiss and brought his fingertips to his forehead.

“And yet more I should be angry with him over. You, alpha. Come.” Queen Aster gestured for Stamel to step forward, and Seidrik reached for him. He staggered forward, face a map of confusion. “He will be fine, my treasure. My son traded his name so foolishly and took it back.”

“Honeythistle. Cat paw…” Stamel took a soothing breath as Queen Aster touched his horns, tracing fingertips over their draconic ridges. “I remember.”

“Son!” She whirled in place and frowned. From between a swath of fox ivy, a familiar face in a more-grown body floated into the clearing, as golden as any honeythistle flower.

“More meddling?” She glared at her son who gave Stamel and Seidrik a wide grin.

“Mother, I told you, the sun asked me for a favor.” He kissed his mother on the cheek and laughed, the playful child’s laughter no more, transformed into that of a young male—a prize among nymphs.

“Look at the poor treasure and his mate. Such a state he’s in. What did you trade your name for with him?” She flicked his nose and made him wince, rubbing at it churlishly .

“He heard my name when I gave it to Seidrik. So, he offered to give it back to me for Seidrik’s horns.

They got back to him in the end,” he said, and Queen Aster huffed, gesturing for him to continue to speak.

“Fine! He asked for the horns, and I bargained something else. I asked for the memory back and his trust.”

“You took his trust? Goddesses… Foolish boy.” She flicked her son again and hissed. “What chaos has he endured for it?”

“I tried to kill my brother, thinking him trying to take my father’s throne…” Stamel stared at his hands and sneered.

“And see the regret on him!” Queen Aster gestured at him once more.

“No. No! I don’t. I don’t regret. I—I knew… Something. I—” Stamel shook his head. “It’s fine. I think he explained. I think. Because of what he did, I’ve gotten everything I wanted. What my mind didn’t know my heart wanted.”

Honeythistle folded his arms. As a child, Seidrik knew the boy only as Catpaw, named for the fluffy yellow flower. As a grown nymph, his hair had sleeked out, and he appeared fierce, gleaming and straight as the honeythistle plant ever thought of being.

Seidrik stared at Stamel with confusion but earned a wave of dismissal. “Don’t worry, my treasure.” The teasing tone made Seidrik’s emotions ease, but they reached out to hold hands.

“Besides. It needed to happen.” Honeythistle stared Seidrik down and smiled. “You were afraid my childish infatuation would manifest into love, and I would stray from our people for Seidrik.”

Queen Aster’s face hardened.

“But now he has a mate and is starting his own family. You need not worry about my pining heart.” Honeythistle floated up and kissed Seidrik on his cheek. “You grew up quite handsome, though.”

“Honeythistle!” The queen shooed him away and sighed. “Silly child. Still has so much growing up to do. So, when were you two wed? And how did Alluin take the news, Treasured Prince?”

Honeythistle grinned rakishly and floated off, back from the vines where he came. The queen glanced over her shoulder with a miserable expression. “He brought himself a mate home, too. I’m so very thankful they’re a nymph.”

“Ah, well…” Seidrik cleared his throat.

“We are not wed. Few know of our mating, and King Alluin hasn’t even guessed.” Stamel bowed his head, squeezing Seidrik’s hand.

“Do send an invitation. I cannot leave my forest, but I will watch the spires for the bells they toll for you, as I did for Saria and her mates.” Queen Aster chuckled. “It will happen soon, then? It’s a surprise that Virion was the only one who made it to marriage.”

Seidrik shrugged. “We’re playing things safe at the moment. My gender will have to remain secret until the goddess thinks it wise to speak.”

“If you were trying to hide things, would have been best to stay on your preventatives, no?” Queen Aster covered her lips for a gentle laugh.

“I’m sticking to them strictly.” Seidrik cleared his throat, earning a raised brow from the queen.

She raised a hand and snapped her fingers, summoning another nymph from across the glade. She whispered something to the fuchsia-adorned female, and they left with a playful twirl in the air. “So, have you come about the sun pheasant?”

“I have, Queen Aster. I wish to offer my most humble apologies. We bring amberfly honey and ask what we may do to ease the tensions. Nymphs are reminding my people why we are to respect your boundaries.” Seidrik held the jars out as the fuchsia nymph returned and traded him out for a small, roughly hewn wooden box latched firmly shut.

“You do well to remind your men to stay out of our bounds, or we will move on to more expensive trickery.” She huffed. “And if they keep stealing the climbing cherries, we’ll taint the ground and make sure their manhoods wither.”

“Can you do that?” Stamel stared at her with wide eyes.

“Do you really wish to know? And what will you bargain for that information?” Her eyes went predatory.

“It is none of my business. I have had enough of nymph bargains.” Stamel waved his hands dismissively.

“Good alpha.” Queen Aster turned in place and called out, “Saphonica!”

An indigo-colored nymph flew out a moment later, hands clasped. “My lady?”

“Bring our treasure’s ruby here a climbing cherry for later.

I’m sure he and his mate will make good use of it.

The southern glade is free; my sisters shall keep anyone from pestering you, and please do open that box after.

I think that concludes our business.” The queen floated back and seated herself upon her throne of assorted vegetation and waved with nimble fingers and a coy smile. “Do invite me to the wedding.”

Stamel cut his gaze toward Seidrik.

“No, thank you.” Seidrik pulled back, but Stamel held his hand tight as the indigo nymph, Saphonica, placed a bright-pink climbing cherry in his hand. “Oh, Goddess…”

“Negotiations were harder than expected.” Stamel popped the fruit into his mouth, crushing it with his too-white teeth. Red juice tinged his lips, and he licked gratefully before swallowing .

“Toodaloo, Seidrik and his pretty mate! Don’t worry, most people get fucked over when they deal with nymphs,” Honeythistle called from behind his mother’s throne and earned a chorus of tinkling laughter from around the glade.