Page 13 of Of Brides Of Queens
“She is as a child discovering the world. Overrun by curiosity. I am very entertained,” whispered Take.
I stilled and took stock of my surroundings.
Bother.
A dismissive distance was what I had intended, but not only had I ventured as close as possible to King See—which wasfarcloser than I’d ever ventured—I was also stooped with my hands on my knees to inspect him.
Bother and drat.
“Do you see me, Perantiqua?” King See asked, relaxed under my perusal. He was more than relaxed. My intrigue stroked and gratified his masculine pride.
And that was why he had called me lover. The mystery was solved. He was a jealous king as well. What should a queen do with one jealous king, let alone two?
I straightened, recovering myself. “As much as ever, King See.”
And more.
He tilted his head, hearing what I hadn’t said aloud. The seeing king tapped a finger on his armrest, and I became aware that his relaxed demeanor was forced. Irritation was caged within him.
“The memory of your tight body will warm me many times,” said King Bring from behind.
Goodness, but yes. Bring had received an unobstructed view of my bent-over form just now.
See’s finger froze in its downward motion at the words, and I understood that jealousy was also behind his irritation.
How strange jealousy was. See’s stoked my feminine ego wonderfully while Bring’s was more of an annoyance. Either way, I had my answer to jealous kings.
A queen did not belong to a king.
I saw the genius of Valetise anew, because she had shown my skin equally to kings tonight. Perhaps they had not all touched intimate parts of me, but this revealing outfit declared that this queen was her own. That she would venture where she liked.
A queen could not belong to a king.
The thought wiped my small smile away with vicious speed. My heart skipped a beat, and my gaze snapped back to King See. There was a stillness to him that made me wonder if, impossibly, he had just connected the same as I.
“Heartbreak,” King Take said on a moan. “I smell it. And what has done this, I wonder? I would do it again and again, you see.”
Change scoffed. “Perhaps she fears a king’s masturbation? Or does she fear a life in eternal servitude?”
“We might never know, brother king, yet I smell jealousy in See’s blood,” Take announced in glee. “Will you wage another war for her, brother? You are led by your loins for the first time. What entertainment we shall have.”
See looked at Take, who pressed back against his throne in mock fright.
“Might we get on with the tribunal?” King Raise seethed, and I gasped at the sting of his power against the side of my face.
Take swung his feet on his throne. “Yes, let us do just that. Change might get beastly otherwise.”
Change snapped his jaws. “Watch your tongue, drainer. I will have it.”
The black around Take’s eyes flooded outward to occupy his forehead and cheeks like a mask. “Take care, brother king. You are inmykingdom.”
That appeared to mean something, and Change made no further threat.
“Let us begin. I have saving matters to attend,” Bring said, though he did not shift his focus from me.
King Raise strode forward from his chair. His intention was revealed as he drew closer to me. And closer until I was forced back, step after grating, rage-inducing step.
Fury floodedmycirculatory system as he painted a clear picture of the differences in our power.
