Why don’t I care when Dayton’s with Farron, but the thought of him with some random fae makes me angry beyond comprehension? Maybe it’s the same reason why they don’t get jealous about me being with the other princes. I thought about going to dance with them, but every instinct in me screamed to stay here with Kel. Not because I want to indulge his weird desire to keep an eye on me, but because I feel like he needs me.
He’s not acting drunk, but he hasn’t uttered a single word except for a couple grunts. Something is clearly wrong.
I crawl across our alcove to where Keldarion is slumped over the table, a small crystal glass in his large hands. Gently, I touch his arm. “How are you doing?”
“Fine.” He finishes his drink and slams the cup down on the table. “A little longer and we can leave.”
I nod and follow his gaze out to the party. Caspian has emerged from the dance floor, where he’d moved as fluid as a living shadow. His hair is mussed now, a tangle in front of his face. He’s being led by the collar of his shirt by a fae woman. She’s stunning. Her dark hair is long and curled, matching the spiral patterns adorning her red dress that hug her generous hips. There’s a man too, drunkenly hanging off Caspian’s jacket tail. He’s beautiful as well, with light blond hair and full lips. Not to mention it looks like he lost half his clothes.
They head past our willow tree toward a towering structure near the far edge of the courtyard. There’s a staircase made of twisted thorns, resembling the briars in Castletree. As I look around, I realize these are the only thorns in all Cryptgarden. The briars lead up to a plateau where a beautiful throne stands crafted by more briars. He falls onto the crafted seat and pulls the fae woman onto his lap.
I finish my drink and quickly swig back another one that’s on the table. I’ve avoided looking at the Prince of Thorns all night. Yes, after Keldarion mentioned mates speaking in one another’s heads, I recalled reading something similar during my research. But that’s not what’s going on between me and Caspian.
For many, many, many, reasons.
One, I already have a mate. A growly, angry, frosty mate who refuses to touch me. But he’s my mate all the same.
Two, so what if Farron said sometimes people have more than one mate? That’s not me. Because then I would have had another line of light when we used the will-o’-wisps, wouldn’t I?
And three, it’s Caspian. The Prince of Thorns. The fae that betrayed Kel, that is hurting Castletree. There’s no way I could be bonded to someone as cruel as that.
I need to shift my train of thought. I look at Ezryn. “Are you enjoying the party, Ez?”
“No.” His voice is flat and final.
Alrighty then. Caspian is lounging on the throne, wearing only a thin white shirt, with the top laces of his pants undone. The fae woman writhes on his lap.
“He wouldn’t,” I mutter. Sure, there are people having sex all around us, but he’s the prince of these lands. It would be so inappropriate—
A sharp gasp escapes my lips, and my hands curl into fists.
Caspian starts fucking her on his throne in front of everyone. It’s hard to see through the layers of her red dress, but her thighs are spread wide, and he’s got his hands on her hips as she bounces up and down on his lap. I feel it—or rather, imagine how it would feel—as his cock slips into her. A delighted, almost joyful emotion, like when you tell a joke and everyone laughs.
Kel’s staring them down so hard, I’m surprised the entire throne doesn’t turn into a giant ice sculpture. In fact, the drink in his hand is entirely frozen, and ice creeps out beneath his fingers.
“Hey.” I grip Kel’s arm. “Stop staring; you’re acting like a perv. Just chill… Or actually, chill less, okay?”
A shiver runs through my body. Simultaneously, the fae woman on Caspian’s lap cries out. Keldarion and I both look to the throne. Guess we’re both pervs. But it’s the stupid prince who’s putting it on full display.
She’s bouncing quicker now, facing away from Caspian. He reaches around and undoes the laces of her dress, breasts falling free. The blond man beside them leans over and kisses her, groping at her tits. Caspian unlaces the fae man’s pants, and they drop around his ankles. He strokes the fae’s cock twice before guiding it to the woman’s mouth, who takes him greedily.
A shocked sound escapes me, and a powerful wave of lust coils in my core. But another emotion ripples, more powerful than the other. Anger, deep and fiery. This isn’t just the thick air, it’s something else.
It’s like there’s music and a TV playing at the same time, two different sounds, two different emotions cluttering my mind, and neither of them feel like my own.
Kel grips my thigh, fingers trembling. I grasp the sleeve of his shirt to steady myself. Cum spills into the woman’s mouth as the blond man whips back his head. She smiles, and he backs away, almost tentatively presenting his limp cock to the Prince of Thorns. But Caspian waves him away dismissively, instead tightening his hold on the woman’s hips, moving her faster and faster upon his lap.
I swallow, feeling dizzy, hate and lust and something deeper swirling through me, something that cuts at my heart. Sadness. I don’t understand this. I just know I want him to stop. Stop fucking her or I’ll die.
A voice caresses the inside of my mind: As you wish.
Caspian moves the woman off his lap, then tilts his head, the smuggest expression on his face. And even though his body is hidden by the fae, who’s looking slightly confused, I know he’s releasing his pleasure. But he didn’t finish in her.
Kel’s fingertips grip my thigh hard enough to bruise. The idea sends a tingle of desire through me, one I know has no influence from the Below. I lay my hand over his. “Okay, I agree. This place sucks.”
Ezryn shows the most emotion I’ve heard all night as he chuckles, “Heh, he didn’t last long.”
I whirl to Caspian, conversing with the fae woman. He looks past her, down to us, and winks.
Thorns crawl around the woman. Then they fall away, dipping into the ground in a wave of shadows, leaving only Caspian, lacing his pants.
“Where did she go—” I start before a swirl of shadow and thorns weave before us.
Ezryn stands, drawing his sword. I let out a startled gasp, and Kel reaches across the table for another drink. The shadows fall away to reveal her, Caspian’s latest conquest.
55
Rosalina
Why would Caspian send the woman he fucked to our alcove?
I stand, ready to tell her to get out. But she pushes into our willow grove, completely ignoring me and oblivious of the giant man with a sword. She throws herself on top of Kel, grabbing his shirt, and blinking up at him with big doe eyes.
“Keldarion?” Her voice is a low rasp. “I’m here for you.”
I take a single breath, watching in horror as her bare breasts push against Kel’s chest, hands stroking his face.
A fiery beast bursts forth from inside my chest, and I snarl, “Get off of him.”
Thorns break through the ground and wrap around her arms, tugging her back. She clatters over the table, glasses falling to the side, shattering and spilling.
What… What did I just do? The thorns release. Thankfully, it doesn’t appear like any pierced her skin.
The fae woman sits up, unbothered, and doesn’t even glance at me as she searches the room, finally landing on Kel again. “Keldarion, I belong to you.”
Kel’s face remains impassive, but my anger flares.
“He doesn’t belong to you,” I snarl. Spending so much time with these fae princes has rubbed off on me. “Take your eyes off him or I’ll claw them out.”
She behaves as if she doesn’t hear me and clambers toward him.
“You are not wanted here,” Keldarion growls.
The woman pauses, then sits up, blinking. A confused expression crosses her face as she looks around. “So, are you guys round two?” She tilts her head, pouting. “I thought he’d at least let me finish.”
“Get out of here.” My vines sprout from the ground, their razor-sharp tips glinting in the gray light. “Touch my mate again, and I’ll use these thorns to shred you to ribbons.” The briars coil around my arms, awaiting my command.
“Who the fuck are you?” the fae woman stammers, scrambling up.