I licked my lips, my heart still pounding. “Prince Norivun Deema Melustral Achul, first son of the king, Bringer of Darkness, Death Master of the continent, son of Prinavee Territory, and crown prince and heir to the Winter Court’s throne, I hereby accept your bargain.”
A clash of magic billowed around us, and I hissed when the bargain’s mark seared into my skin like a hot brand before it abruptly released.
I pulled free of the prince’s arm and rolled up my sleeve to see a single petal glowing on my skin before it disappeared. The prince rolled up his own sleeve. A shattering heart shone before it vanished.
I frowned. “That was an interesting mark.”
His brow furrowed as he quickly rolled his sleeve back down. “The gods have a wicked sense of humor.”
My frown grew, but then I smoothed my expression and remembered I’d had too much to drink, and that could be the cause of my confusion. And, Blessed Mother. I’d just made a sealed fairy bargain while drunk. With the crown prince of the Winter Court nonetheless. And if I failed to uphold the bargain, I would be subject to the gods’ wrath, whatever hellish consequences those tricky bastards chose to bestow upon me. A horrified laugh bubbled out of me. Cailis would give me a tongue-lashing if she knew what I’d just done.
“Is something funny?” the prince asked.
“No, not at all.” I poured myself another cup of leminai and ruminated over our bargain as I downed it.
I was fairly certain I’d covered all of the important bits, which meant the sooner I got my end of our bargain completed, the better. My head spun slightly as the leminai settled in my belly.
I gripped the bar top, then asked, “So now what, my prince? What do we do from here?”
“From here”—he gave my glass a pointed look—“you stop drinking and go to bed so you can begin training tomorrow.”
“I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.” I poured another glass of alcohol and drank half of it in one swallow, suddenly needing it as the impossibility of fulfilling our bargain hit me. I had to replace our continent’s orem. Every square millee of it. Blessed Mother, what have I done?
I finished the glass, and the room spun even more. I lifted the bottle of leminai for a second time. “Just one more drink. Or two. Or maybe three. Yes, definitely three.”
Prince Norivun crossed his arms, but I didn’t let him deter me. I drank another glass and then another. The room began swaying in earnest, but a blessedly numb feeling swept through me.
So I’d made a bargain to replenish our continent’s orem. It wasn’t that big of an undertaking. Surely. Sighing, I attempted to pour another drink from the mostly empty bottle, but I couldn’t line up my glass with the lip.
A low growl came from the prince when I finally managed on my third attempt, although half of the leminai sloshed over the side.
“Oops.” I brought the glass to my lips and stumbled into him when I tried to set the bottle down. “This leminai is positively divine.”
“That’s enough.” The prince righted me, then took my glass and nodded toward the bed. “You need to sleep this off.”
I hiccupped. “I don’t want to sleep.” I swayed away from him and nearly fell onto the couch when I attempted to swirl toward it. “I’m hungry. Oh! I have an idea. Wouldn’t it be fun to go out? Perhaps an eating establishment? Or a fun salopas? Or somewhere to dance? Are there any enjoyable clubs in Solisarium? I’ve been cooped up for so long. I want to go somewhere.”
“Blessed Mother,” he muttered under his breath, then caught my arm before I could reach my chamber’s door. “You’re not going anywhere like this.”
“Why not?”
He scowled. “Because you’re drunk, and I don’t trust you to keep yourself safe.”
“But your guard will. Remember?” I waggled my eyebrows at him. “Sandus? Or was it Nish? I can’t remember who’s been assigned to me. Please tell me it’s Sandus.”
Prince Norivun steered me back to the sofa. “On second thought, you’re right. You should eat something before you sleep. I’ll ring for food.”
I sat in a heap on the couch and began to hum a tune as the prince pulled the cord near my bed. But when I tried to stand up and begin dancing to the rhythm in my head, my foot caught on the couch.
The prince caught me a split second before my face hit the table.
I had the most ridiculous urge to giggle. “You’re very fast.”
He picked me up, as though I weighed nothing at all, and set me back on the sofa. “And you’re very drunk.”
“I think you may be right,” I whisper hissed.
A reluctant smile tugged at his lips, and then the food arrived, and mouthwatering scents drifted through the room. But for some reason, my fork wouldn’t line up with my mouth when I tried to eat.
The prince sighed. “You’re going to be the death of me, female.” He took my fork and proceeded to feed me. Actually feed me.
I opened my mouth dutifully as his expression turned serious. Smiling, I chewed the bite and swallowed. “You know, you’re very handsome when you’re so stern.”
He forked another bite of grilled acorlis. “Is that so?”
“Indeed. In fact, I think you’re the most beautiful male I’ve ever seen.”
His hand paused from spooning my next bite. “I thought you hated me.”
“Oh, I do, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t noticed how attractive you are.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “And you’re the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen.”
“Really?” I brought a hand to my chest, but another wave of dizziness swirled through me from the movement.
His nostrils flared. “Indeed, you are. I could ravish you right now and thoroughly enjoy every second of it.”
My mouth dropped, and I laughed, because there was no way he was serious. “Then why don’t you?”
“Because you’re drunk.”
“But you’re not a gentlefae, remember?”
“Even I wouldn’t take you in a state like this.”
“Even if I wanted it?” I playfully inched my hand along his thigh toward his cock, that . . . Blessed Mother. Toward his cock that was incredibly hard. His thick length bulged against his leggings. The size of him was . . . My eyes widened. “Are you aroused by me?”
The next thing I knew, I was in his arms as he strode toward the bed. My heart pounded. Is he taking me to bed? Mother Below, the murderer of my family was carrying me to my bed to probably enact this ravishing he’d spoken of, and instead of being repulsed by that thought, a strange thrill ran through me.
I ran a hand up his chest, wondering how in the realm I could get his tunic off fast enough. He truly was a beautiful male, so thick and large, and I hadn’t been pleasured in so very long. I suddenly ached for it. I wrapped my arms around his wide shoulders, then my mouth found his neck. I kissed his smooth skin, then nipped at him.
“Do you promise to pleasure me?”
His nostrils flared, and he inhaled deeply. Another low growl rumbled in his chest. “Fuck.”
Maneuvering in his arms, I wrapped my legs around his waist. He hissed when I rubbed myself on him. I sighed and kissed his neck again. Blessed Mother, this was so nice. I hadn’t been touched like this in ages.