Page 48 of The Merman’s Betrothal (Outcast Hearts #2)

F ionn wrenched free of Iomhar and tackled Rory with an enormous, crushing hug.

‘ Jesus Christ, ’ Rory chuckled against his chest as his face was smooshed into it.

Fionn found he couldn’t quite close his arms all the way around Rory’s back. His spines were in the way. ‘ You are even spikier than when I last saw you. ’

Rory glanced up. A flash of vulnerability penetrated his fearless facade. ‘ Yeah. I’ve changed a bit. Do you… Are you okay with this? ’

By this Fionn surmised Rory meant his physical transformation, the fins, spines, and currently reddish hue of his skin. As if something so trivial would deter him now.

Fionn buried his face in Rory’s hair, stroking down his back either side of the long spines that were now beginning to relax.

‘ The fact you are Redfolk was never the problem. I’m sorry I ever conceived that there was a problem.

I was scared, Rory… ’ Fionn moved to whisper in Rory’s ear, cupped his stubbled cheek.

‘ I was scared that perhaps the realest thing I had felt in my life might not be real at all. I couldn’t bear it if your feelings for me were just another hollow ornament fabricated by our frankly archaic royal traditions. ’

‘ Good thing I’ve got this bond to help me translate your absurd way of putting things, ’ Rory replied brusquely, though Fionn felt Rory was just trying to cover the way his throat was choking up.

Fionn nuzzled into his neck. ‘ I love you, Rory Douglas. I am so grateful you came back for me. ’

Self-consciousness poured through the bond as Rory squirmed. ‘ There’s a lot of people watching us. ’

Fionn was content to forget the entire throne room, but it was clear that Rory wasn’t used to receiving so much affection in public. He pulled away, just a little, and realised he would have to face his father next.

Indeed, the Blue King seemed to be patiently waiting for them to finish. ‘ Prince Fionn, I bid you and your… mate… accompany me to the Aft Tower. ’

The Shaman hovered nervously over the king’s shoulder. His DeepSong was squeaky with fear. ‘ Will you break their bond, Your Majesty? The Redfolk can still be reasoned with. We can send double the tribute to make up for this disaster. ’

‘ There will be no need, ’ the king rumbled mildly.

‘ But sire, surely their king won’t allow such an offence to go unpunished— ’

‘ He must. Tradition demands it. ’ The Blue King’s smile twisted strangely. Fionn had never seen him amused before. ‘ Wouldn’t you agree, Liath? ’

The Redfolk who had been left behind went rigid under the king’s stare. ‘ Yes, Your Majesty, ’ he replied stiffly.

The Blue King addressed the whole room, snuffing out the congregation’s background babble of confusion.

‘ We all witnessed the challenge to the Red King’s throne instigated by another member of their royal house.

We all witnessed King Rhiath lose that challenge.

By their own law, he should have been killed at once for losing his crown.

’ The king’s smile widened as he looked at Rory.

‘ Your mercy will have injured him more gravely than any insult. ’

‘ Royal house, ’ Fionn repeated, feeling a matching wave of bewilderment from Rory. ‘ You said a member of their royal house. ’

Iomhar pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘ Spines, Fionn. It is a royal trait for them, just as silver hair is for us. ’

Rory’s spines rustled, drawing the room’s attention to them. ‘ Well, fuck me, ’ he announced to himself.

‘ That is not an invitation, ’ Fionn cut in quickly. ‘ It is a colourful human expression. ’

The raised eyebrows he received told him this was obvious, but Fionn wasn’t about to let anyone start getting ideas about his mate.

The king added a little extra explanation, perhaps for Rory’s benefit.

‘ It is known that some Redfolk crossed over from the fae realm alongside our Bluefolk when the rift first opened many millennia ago. It was thought that they did not enjoy the disposition of this world and so quickly left, where we stayed. It is not inconceivable that some of those Redfolk, including their royalty, had intimate relations with the local population at the time. ’

‘ Million to one though, right? ’ Rory raked his claws though his hair in thought.

His red skin was gradually returning to its usual pale hue.

He seemed quite at ease despite the circumstances.

Fionn supposed he had every right to be: the man had just crashed a royal wedding, thwarted a curse and scared off a king.

And claimed Fionn as his own, at that. He’d gotten exactly what he came for.

Fionn found he had to divert his gaze away from Rory. The confidence rolling off him was too rousing, igniting a lustful fire in Fionn’s belly.

‘ Hey, hang on— ’ Rory’s attention was caught by something behind them. A small knot of guards holding a Minchman between them. ‘ Tell them to let him go! ’

Iomhar and the king turned to follow his pointing arm.

Fionn was gripped by delight upon seeing Neacel, then rage upon seeing him held captive.

Nearby, two more guards were wrestling to get Acha into a harness to restrain her.

And worse still, Fionn recognised the leatherback turtle that the guards had fastened into a net.

The water in the entire chamber suddenly tasted dark and sour.

Fionn glanced at Rory to find his spines were at full-flex and his skin deep crimson once again.

Before Fionn could stop him, Rory darted away to the leatherback and slashed her loose from the net with his claws.

He bared his fangs at the guards, who raised their spears uncertainly.

Fionn intervened first. ‘ They would never hurt them, ’ he assured Rory, sensing there was a chance Rory’s fury could boil over.

Even Fionn felt somewhat triggered by seeing the leatherback trapped in a net once again.

He placed his hands on Rory’s shoulders, blocking his sight of the guards and their spears. ‘ Are these your accomplices? ’

Rory nodded.

‘ I heard there was a whale, too. ’

Rory’s spines settled against his back. ‘ She’s outside. ’

‘ You may release them. ’ Iomhar’s voice cut through the tension.

Fionn reached out and unclipped the half-fastened harness around Acha’s middle. He gave her head a good stroke and she nuzzled into it happily.

Neacel dropped from between his guard escort and sent Fionn a bashful wave.

Iomhar departed from the king’s side to speak to Fionn. ‘ You may have a moment with your friends. Then you are to join your father in the Aft Tower, you understand? ’

Fionn looked past him, to where the king was deep in conversation with the Shaman and several court officials. ‘ What is he unable to say to me here? ’

Iomhar sighed. ‘ He would simply like a private word with you. ’

Fionn didn’t know what to think. His heart felt strangely clenched when he looked at his father. Like he was afraid of hoping for too much.

Rory touched his arm. ‘ Is everything okay? Are you in trouble? ’

‘ I don’t know. ’ Fionn examined the remaining congregation.

The atmosphere had become subdued, full of murmuring and speculation.

Perhaps many of them were as worried as the Shaman about possible retribution from the Redfolk.

Perhaps they were simply stunned that the ceremony had not gone as planned.

Stunned that tradition had been stopped in its tracks.

His thoughts were interrupted by Neacel throwing his arms around both their necks. ‘ I knew you’d make it! ’

‘ Couldn’t have done it without you, ’ Rory said. The leatherback swam a slow lap around them while Acha wormed her way into the middle.

Waiting on the periphery of this huddle, Brudus and Drostan floated awkwardly. Fionn broke away from his friends in order to face them.

‘ Brothers, ’ he said softly. ‘ My heart is glad that I haven’t had to leave you, today. ’

Brudus hugged him first. ‘ I feel I’ve barely known you, big brother, but I’ve always looked up to you. I hated that I wouldn’t get to know you better after this day. ’

Drostan was more reserved. ‘ I have always sought to match your resolve. I am grateful to still have you here as my brother. ’

Strange, these words of love that they hadn’t thought to exchange before.

But then, hadn’t Fionn kept his distance from his brothers, just as he had from everyone else?

Bitterness and jealousy had clouded his view of them when he thought they had been granted lives more worthy than his. But they had seen his worth, all along.

Fionn pulled his brothers into the circle. ‘ I want to introduce you to my mate, Rory, and my friend, Neacel. ’

Neacel broke off from excitedly congratulating Rory. ‘ Hello! ’

‘ These are my younger brothers, Brudus and Drostan, ’ Fionn introduced them. ‘ Brudus patrols the northern Minch and Drostan is responsible for the south. ’

Drostan clasped Rory’s hand in greeting, though his eyes lingered on the Redfolk features. ‘ An honour. ’

They began quizzing Fionn on the chain of events that had led to his soul bond with Rory.

Fionn recounted the story with joy and a few timely interjections from Rory to stop him from giving too much detail at certain points.

They listened with rapt attention and nearly as much awe as Neacel when he described how his feelings for Rory had grown from a spark of respect into a blaze of full-fledged adoration.

Rory nodded along with a red tinge to his cheeks and a warm, heady kind of contentment flowing across the bond.

Fionn was rudely interrupted by a palace attendant. ‘ The king, Your Highness, ’ the young Minchman softly reminded him. ‘ Your presence is requested. ’

So much for enjoying a moment.

‘ Are you ready to face my father? ’ Fionn asked Rory.

‘ Well, I’ve already fought one mer-king today. ’

‘ I do not expect you to fight him. ’

Rory’s hand landed on Fionn’s arm. ‘ Whatever happens, I’m right here. ’

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