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“Why, it’s the law! If an ascending Queen has refused to show that her Thirst is under control in the Quenching Parlor then she must either prove it to the Court with a Public Quenching or she must agree to extend the term of the Lord Regent by one hundred years until she can be deemed old enough and trusted enough to take the throne. I’m sure your little friend, the Royal Records Keeper, can tell you that.” He nodded at Krynn, who stood behind me by Sel.
“That law hasn’t been used in over two thousand years!” Krynn said angrily. “And it was only placed on the books for one very specific case—when Princess Petalla drained two Nobles at a ball before her coronation. And it wasn’t her fault—her Thirst had come on her early and at an unexpected time.”
“Nevertheless, the law is still on the books, which makes it legal and binding.” Mordren’s smirk grew. “And I am invoking it now, since you ran from the Quenching Parlor before you satiated your Thirst last night, Princess.”
“She’s quenched her Thirst—I can attest to that myself,” Sel growled. “There’s no need to put her through a public spectacle.”
“Unfortunately, though I wish I could take your word as Captain of the Palace Guard, I fear your veracity is compromised,” Mordren said coldly. “It’s clear you are under some kind of spell that makes you favor the Princess over all else. You and the Royal Records Keeper too,” he added, nodding at Krynn.
“Under a spell?” I demanded. “What are you talking about?”
“I do believe Lord Mordren is saying that you’ve bewitched them, my dear,” Lady Elgiana purred.
“We don’t need to be bewitched or bespelled to be loyal to the rightful Queen of the Midnight Court,” Krynn said, placing a hand on my bare shoulder. I could feel his outrage at what Mordren was implying. “All those who are loyal to the line of Lolth and who wish to have one of her true descendants on the Throne should feel the same. It’s well known the Dark Fae cannot prosper without a true Queen.”
“We’re not under any fucking spell,” Sel growled. He put a hand on my other shoulder and I felt his rage, simmering just below the surface. He had never liked Mordren and now he would have been happy to break the Lord Regent’s neck.
His feelings alarmed me and I reached up to put a hand over his.
“It’s all right, Sel,” I murmured. “I don’t like it, but I can do it. I mean, all I have to do is drink from someone where everyone can see me—right?”
“You don’t understand, my Lady,” Krynn said softly. “It’s not just drinking blood that you must perform at a Public Quenching.”
“It’s not?” I looked up at him and he shook his head.
“Remember that the Thirst always comes with sexual hunger attached to it,” he reminded me.
“In other words it’s not just biting someone and drinking from them—you’re going to have to perform a suck and fuck in front of the entire Court,” Sel rumbled.
“What? But why?” I demanded. “Why can’t we just go back to the Quenching Parlor and do it there?” I didn’t like the idea of Mordren watching me be intimate with my guys, but it was a hell of a lot better than doing it in front of the entire Dark Fae Court!
“I’m sorry, my dear,” Mordren answered my question before either Sel or Krynn could speak. “But you forfeited your right to a Private Quenching when you ran from the Quenching Parlor last night. Now as a responsible Lord Regent I have had to deem you unsafe to be Queen. So you can either perform for the Court tonight or agree to extend my Regency. By Fae Law, those are your only two choices.”
I looked up at Krynn.
“Is he telling the truth?”
“I’m afraid so, my Lady.” Krynn looked extremely unhappy. But since he was no longer touching me, I couldn’t feel the emotion—only see it on his face.
“Well?” Mordren drummed his fingers on the table. “Which is it to be?”
“Give me a minute,” I said tightly. “I need to think.”
I rose from the table and walked down the steps of the dais it was set on with Krynn and Seldarin following close behind. There were murmurs all around us as the Court watched us go, but I kept my chin high and said nothing until we were outside the vast Banquet Hall and we could talk privately.
“All right—what am I supposed to do?” I asked when we were out in the empty hallway and I was sure no one was listening. “Because I’m damn sure not going to let Mordren rule for another hundred years!” I added, answering my own question.
“Then you either have to let someone fuck you while you drink from them…or fuck someone yourself while you take their blood,” Sel said. “I recommend the latter. If you allow the Court to see you getting fucked, it’s a sign of weakness.”
“Sel is right—you need to prove you’re strong and not subservient to anyone,” Krynn said.
“But whoever you fuck will be publicly shamed,” Sel remarked. “Submission is seen as a sign of weakness in the Midnight Court. It’s one reason those with the Needing are so despised. Sorry, Krynn,” he added.
“No, don’t apologize. You’re speaking the truth.” Krynn sighed. “It’s unfortunate but true—there is a definite prejudice against those who wish to submit themselves sexually.”
“You’d better fuck me,” Sel said abruptly. “I can take the hit.”
“No, you can’t!” Krynn objected immediately. “What if Mordren tries to stage a coup? If the Palace guards see you getting taken like a woman in front of the whole Court, they won’t respect you and follow you anymore—they’ll side with Mordren and there will be no way to beat him!”
