“Thank you,” I say, and he takes me by the arm and puffs me out into the middle of the magickal forest.
Right. No messing about now, then. I suppose I don’t blame him for wanting to get this show on the road. I have, after all, been quite tardy in my duty to him. He probably thinks I will do a runner before we say the “I dos.”
My breath stops as I take in Sebastian, who is waiting for me. He is dressed in full Light King regalia, which is basically a manly suit version of my dress, complete with sword and crown. He is a sight to behold and my stomach cramps as I get lusty feelings for him. Clearly the curse is working already, and I am not even standing next to him yet.
He grins at me and I practically swoon. He looks so happy and I dislike that I am not doing this for the same reasons he is. But, do this I will, so I step forward and he takes my hand. A spark shoots from my palm to his and he looks down with a frown and then with a look of full understanding, he growls at me. “Damn that bastard,” he mutters.
I completely agree, all my feelings of forgiveness going out of the window as I stand next to the man I crave.
Drake clears his throat and indicates to the Faerie in front of us to get started. We step forward underneath a gazebo, covered in black and purple roses, with one cream one directly above our heads. I guess this signifies a Dark union with a Light participant.
I say “I guess” because they are speaking in Faerie and I haven’t a clue what is going on. Really must rectify that. I hate not being in the know. It drives me crazier than my overbearing sire does.
Sebastian turns to me and whispers, “Just repeat what she says.”
I frown at him because that is just leading to trouble. She could be making me his eternal sex slave or even worse, making him my one and only.
“Don’t worry about it,” he says with a laugh and I turn to Drake who shifts his weight uncomfortably. Actually, I see that is impatiently as his eyes dart about the forest and I turn back to Sebastian and nod. I take the leap of faith and repeat what I am supposed to and so does he.
In a matter of seconds, it is over and the Dark Fae presiding over us says, “It is done.”
Sebastian leans down to kiss me and the electricity between us is not the good kind. He curses and then looks up as Drake stands in front of us and I rub my sore lips.
“Well, well, well,” Thrace says. “Looks like I was just a second too late.”
“Looks like,” Sebastian says with a smug smile.
Thrace looks furious at the retort and with tight lips he says, “What are your plans now, Kalen? To get her with child?”
“First things,” Sebastian says as he takes off his crown, “is I resign.” He throws it to Thrace who catches it and stares at it and then at his brother.
“You can’t resign,” Thrace sneers. “You are King.”
“King, no longer,” Sebastian says. “I abdicate, with my wife. You are it, Thrace.”
Thrace turns his look to me and then to Drake, who is staying out of this Light sibling rivalry, but is on alert should someone start throwing magick around.
“If I am King, then she is mine,” Thrace says with a cruel smirk that chills me to my very core.
“No, she isn’t,” Sebastian says. “By law, she is my wife and unless you plan on killing me, by the way, I’d like to see you try, especially with her father standing right here, she will stay that way.”
Thrace hesitates, far warier of Drake than his older brother. I know nothing of Thrace’s power level, but I’d say he could probably give Sebastian a run for his money having practiced for all these centuries in Sebastian’s absence. Drake on the other hand could flatten him.
“How can you stand there and let this happen?” Thrace asks Drake. Quite boldly, I think.
Drake glowers at him and says, “My daughter was to marry Kalen. It was that way all along. Now that he has chosen to return to Earth, it makes no difference. They are united.”
Thrace grips the crown so hard it cuts into his palms. I get a whiff of his highly intoxicating Light Fae blood and my fangs almost drop.
Just as suddenly as his anger had come, it disappears, and he regains his smug look. “Well, now that I am King, I will change the law. You will lose her, and she will be mine.”
I gulp at that as Drake growls and Sebastian steps forward, ready to throw a punch.
Fortunately, Drake stops Sebastian by saying, “You cannot just change an eon’s old law. Your entire Council will have to vote unanimously on any changes you decide to make.”
“I will make them,” Thrace declares. “Mark my words, Kalen. You won’t get away with this.”
I turn to look at Sebastian, who doesn’t look too concerned. Drake on the other hand looks furious. “If you even attempt to lay one finger on my daughter you will see firsthand what happened to your father,” he threatens. “I do not take my fatherly duty to her lightly. You will suffer my wrath.”