Page 16 of Chosen By the Fae King

I sat there in stunned silence, face burning.

“Sofiya is safe from me. Now get out.”

I stared at him for a long moment before standing and stalking from the room.

Three

Nox

“You okay?” Lorne asked from the doorway.

“Do I look okay?”

Liam laughed as he shoved past my brother and went straight to the liquor. “He looks like he’s had a bit too much fun with the ladies. Well, just most of them,” he winked and handed me a fresh drink before flopping down on the couch beside me.

My friend didn’t mention the frost nymph, so I decided not to bring her up.

Taking a sip of bourbon from the tumbler, I recounted the last couple of hours. One encounter stood out among them all. Though the female had brought out the animal in me, the timing couldn’t have been worse.

We’d been strategic with the selection process, ensuring certain females were selected. Only a handful of names were actually here by chance. It was all part of our plan to make each of them believe they might have my favor, testing their reactions.

Though the trials were more of a necessity than a choice, I’d been curious if I would actually find a suitable match. Touch was a good way to sense emotions and I needed a firm read on all of the contestants before the trials began.

Touch was also something I quite enjoyed. My sister had snipped that it was heartless, but did little to fight me on the idea. She understood what was at stake.

“Dare I ask who has you looking like you just found out your favorite pub is closing, mate?” Liam quipped.

Lorne snorted. “Don't ask dumb questions, Liam. And you, Nox, do not deviate from the plan.”

“I hadn’t planned on it.”

My brother studied my face, sighed, and muttered a curse. No lie, I hadn't planned on anything other than my mission.

I hadn't planned on pale green eyes and a sassy mouth catching my attention back in Greenhollow. The female had challenged me, and I couldn't let it slide. For several reasons.

Pulling a knife on a royal guard deserved punishment. Making Aeryn face the trials should seem justifiable to Greenhollow as that punishment.

Pulling a knife on her king deserved a harsh response. The hellion risked my wrath but did it anyway. Anyone else would no longer be breathing.

More impressed than angered, I intended to find a different way to discipline her, one that wouldn’t extinguish the fire in her veins. She’d need it for what was coming.

And her scent. Gods, her scent. My inner beast would demand a taste. Soon.

“Aeryn doesn't have her powers yet,” Liam pointed out. “Make her sit out. Technically, she wasn't part of the selection.”

“No,” Lorne objected. “Leniency won't do us any favors. It might make us look soft. Besides, she's not the easy target they think.”

“I agree,” I nodded.

What she housed inside would someday be a fearsome power to contend with. Until then, it could only influence her actions.

“Then we keep an eye on her,” Lorne said. “But no one intervenes unless her actual life is on the line. Fair or not, we stay the course.”

Liam grinned. “Who's breaking the news to Sage?”

Damn it. None of this would matter because my baby sister was going to murder us.

Four