Page 89 of Fae Mates

At my side, Prince Rory beamed, and Prince August grunted with satisfaction. I turned to Princes Bradwell and Caulden, who shot the queen hateful glares.

“My queen?” Pokeweed extended his hand to me. “We must return to the academy at once.”

A footman scurried forward and opened the carriage door with a bow.

Ivory, silk walls covered its interior with gold-edged curtains in the same fabric draped around the windows. A small drinks bar containing glasses of sparkling wine took up the windowsills, easily accessible from the cushioned seats.

I stepped inside and sat on what felt like clouds encased in flower petals. “Why aren’t we exploring the palace together?”

Pokeweed sat beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Is what you said about Gala true?”

As he beckoned his younger brothers inside, I thought back about everything I had told him about Lady Gala. “If it’s about the centaur, McVittie and I saw her in the woods.”

Pokeweed’s lips tightened. “We must stop her before she achieves a heat and causes the male students to fight over her.”

With a grimace, I glanced at my other mates. Being mated to a queen didn’t make a male immune to a female’s heat. Otherwise, King Oberon wouldn’t have cheated his way into the Duchess of Nevermore’s bed. And it hadn’t been difficult for me to seduce the princes when they were enchanted to be loyal to Lady Gala.

The carriage raced down the courtyard, and the driver cracked the whip, presumably to get his new horse to keep up. It was hard to feel any pity toward Queen Titania when she had planned to drag me through all seven levels of the mound.

I bit down on my lip, a knot of worry forming in my stomach. “If Lady Gala is coming into heat soon, would it be wise for you all to be near to her?”

Prince Caulden rose from his seat and sat on my other side. “I’m wholly devoted to you, and so are my brothers.”

Prince August nodded. “You aren’t just our mate but the female who saved us and the country from the clutches of the Duke of Nevermore.”

“Not to mention his unpleasant daughter,” muttered Prince Rory.

Prince Bradwell knelt at my feet. “The more I know about you, the deeper I’m falling in love. You really are the most remarkable creature.”

Pokeweed placed a hand on my thigh, which tingled at his touch. “No truer words have ever been said.” He turned to the princes. “Why don’t we give Queen Unity a demonstration of our devotion?”

* * *

I wished the journey had been twice as long, so my mates could change positions and pleasure me all over again, but we had a mission to prevent a riot at the academy.

The driver jumped down from his seat and opened the door, letting in the dawn chorus and scent of jasmine.

Pokeweed stepped into the courtyard first and helped me out of the carriage with the kind of deference I had only ever seen in Disney cartoons about princesses. The moon hung amidst crimson clouds in an indigo sky streaked with the light rising behind the horizon.

Harsh sounds interrupted the birdsong. At first, I thought some of the frogs had escaped from their lily pads, but the thud of a body hitting the ground could only be Queen Titania.

“Help,” she rasped. “I’m not a beast of burden.”

I turned to Prince Rory. “Where’s Gala’s room?”

“Someone’s coming.” Prince Bradwell pointed at a dark figure floating down from a high tower.

“The headmistress.” Pokeweed strode across the courtyard. “I must tender my resignation.”

Prince Rory snorted, and Prince Caulden wrapped an arm around my waist. “The seeing hag was right about your destiny.”

Prince Bradwell laced his fingers through mine and brought his knuckle to my lips. “Are you happy?”

I glanced at Pokeweed’s broad back. Not only had I freed him from a disfiguring curse, but I had also repaid his kindness and devotion by saving his life. I had won the hearts of four princes who had originally despised me and now had five mates. We had also triumphed over powerful enemies that either wanted us all dead or enslaved. Happiness was too mild a description.

“This has been a fairy tale.” As we followed after Pokeweed, I leaned into his side and placed a kiss on his cheek. “We’ve all got our happy endings.”

Prince Caulden stepped over the prone body of Queen Titania. “Not everyone.” He paused to pull his ankle out from her grasping hand and added. “Some of us got our just deserts.”