Cruel Monsters: An Epic Fantasy Romance by Katherine Bogle

Author:Katherine Bogle [Bogle, Katherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-07-16T16:00:00+00:00

20

Thirteen

It had taken the palace maids nearly three hours to ready me for the reception. After being sent into the bathing room with nearly a dozen different oils and lotions to add to my routine, I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, but there was only so much poking I could take. They did my makeup, wove a beautiful silver circlet into my hair, the delicate metal curling over my forehead, and dressed me in white and silver. While I yearned for the darker colors at the back of the closet, those I knew would help me blend in with the rest of the Dark Fae court, the maids seemed keen on making me stand out.

I sighed, still feeling the ghost of their hands on me as I made my way to the ballroom. Draven squeezed my hand, which laid in the crook of his elbow. I looked up at my Shade, his golden skin and shock of white hair standing out even more than usual in a black suit. He flashed a toothy grin, and my stomach did little flips at the sight of it.

“I don’t know if I’m ready for this,” I confessed.

There would be so many new faces, so many people at a reception I wanted nothing to do with. While the princes were set on me having a choice between being a Dark Fae bride or being a paid servant, the choice seemed to fade away the longer I spent in their world, living in their palace. It wasn’t of their doing, I was sure of it, but their well-meaning father wouldn’t be kept at bay. Then again, Valen said I could always leave.

I nibbled my lip, finding I didn’t like what the voice in my head suggested. I didn’t want to leave them. Not ever.

I felt safe with these men like I’d never felt safe before. Maybe there had been some form of comfort in the life I’d lived outside of memory, I hoped and prayed there had been, just in case my memories returned one day. But I couldn’t imagine leaving them. I was fairly certain it would break my heart.

The reception was supposed to announce my presence to the Dark Fae realm, as if they weren’t already aware. But after my face, hair and body had been so meticulously looked after for this one event, I felt more like a doll being pushed and played with.

“Everything will be all right,” Draven assured me with a confident smile. “If anyone gets too close, I have ways of making them keep their distance.” As if in agreement, his shadows grew in size, shifting like fire at the edges.

I nodded, a bit of weight lifting from my shoulders. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Dray.”

My Shade’s eyebrows pulled up, and his smile faded slightly, despite the joy reflecting in his gaze. “And I, you, little fae.”

I squeezed his elbow, my heart racing as we drew closer to the ballroom doors. Gavriel and Valen should already be inside, along with most of the Dark Fae nobles.

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