Page 29 of Gilded Curses

Sahira gulped, and despite her every intention not to acknowledge the man sitting beside Orin, her head turned toward Desmond as she waited to see how he would take Orin’s words. For a minute, the two alphas sat, sizing each other up before Desmond broke into that spine-tingling grin again.

Desmond lifted his goblet in a salute toward Orin before taking a sip. “You are not. I also hear there is a new leader in Dragonia.”

How? Sahira inwardly shouted as her nails bit into her palms. How do you know this?

“You hear correctly,” Orin confirmed, looking completely nonplussed by Desmond’s insights into things he shouldn’t know.

“She’s your niece, from what I understand,” Desmond said to Sahira.

She stared back at him as she recalled all the conversations that had swirled through Belda’s pub. They exchanged a lot of information with every newcomer who entered the realm.

Those trapped in the Cursed Realm were thirsty for knowledge of the outside world; they peppered every new arrival with questions. Desmond could have gleaned all this information from those conversations, but that meant the dagadon had been listening to them the whole time.

Every time she believed the Golden Ones couldn’t unnerve her more, they proved her wrong.

“Yes, the new queen is my niece,” Sahira confirmed.

“I bet you’re both very missed,” Desmond murmured.

Sahira didn’t know what to make of his words. Did he plan to try ransoming them to Lexi and Cole? They seemed to have everything they could need in Epoch, but Desmond was a cruel, greedy douchebag, and those types were never satisfied with what they had.

“I trust you all slept well,” Desmond continued as another groan and cheer ran through the crowd.

The change of conversation didn’t throw off Sahira; Desmond liked keeping others on their toes.

“Yes,” Orin said. “After what we’ve been through, it was good to feel safe again.”

Sahira rolled her eyes. Eventually, exhaustion had won out, but she’d spent most of the night tossing and turning as she waited for someone to bust down her door, throw her in a dungeon, or feed her to spiders.

She had her alarms set, but that would only let her know someone was coming and slow them down, but she’d never fend them all off before they captured her. And she was sure none of the others had slept well in this place either.

Orin and Desmond grinned at each other. Neither of them was a lycan, but they were both alphas who enjoyed fucking with the heads of others. This could end very badly for all of them.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“You must be ravenous, Prince,” Desmond said. “I know the dark fae have certain appetites. When we return to the palace, I’ll have some of my men escort you to one of our fine bordellos. Many of my men enjoy frequenting them.”

Sahira stiffened, and while Orin didn’t so much as flinch at the words or falter in his smile, tension radiated from him. Zeth and Elsa were riveted on them, but the brownies continued to examine the crowd filling the stands.

Would he go? He’d only been with her since her arrival here, but they had no promises with each other. He was a dark fae who thrived on sex with different women, and he had no idea what he wanted from her.

Plus, this question was another of Desmond’s games. He was trying to see how much he could push Orin one way or another while testing the bounds of their relationship. Inwardly screaming against all this, Sahira didn’t breathe as she waited for his response.

“That’s a very fine offer,” Orin said while Sahira’s pulse thundered in her temples, “but my appetites have been sated for a bit.”

Sahira released her breath as she tried to remain as casual as possible while inwardly sobbing with relief over his response. As much as she hated to admit she cared for him as much as she did, it would have devastated her if Orin said yes.

Desmond’s and Orin’s eyes locked, and then the dagadon Lord shifted his attention to her. It took everything she had not to look away from his penetrating, nearly colorless gaze. After a tense minute, Desmond laughed and clasped Orin’s shoulder.

“You had to kill time somehow on your travels, I’m sure.”

Orin chuckled. “Yes, I did.”

Sahira buried a flash of irritation over his words. Their relationship, whatever it was, was none of Desmond’s business, but that didn’t matter to the leader of the Golden Ones because he had made it his. Desmond would turn that screw until it snapped; then, he’d use the pieces against them while entertaining himself.

“We have many fine women in our bordellos,” Desmond continued, “and men, too, if that is also your thing.”

Orin nonchalantly drank more of his wine. “I’ve always preferred women.”