Bride of the Traitor (The Prophecy of Sisters #1) - Hayley Faiman Page 0,32

streetlights for the roads, there is only the moonlight. It’s the darkest I’ve ever seen outside, darker than any pitch black that I’ve ever experienced and I have a hard time believing that Elias could see his hand in front of his face, let alone the road.

“Milady,” a soft voice calls.

Turning around, I drop the drapery and see all three of my girls standing before me. Once again, I’m in the Queen’s chamber, which means I’ve been left alone, guarded and locked away for hours, pitying myself. If Elias is not here, with me, I know that he is with someone and I have a feeling a man like him is with another woman.

I shouldn’t care. I’m not his wife. I’m not his anything. I’m just his captive, or whatever I am. But I can’t deny that my heart clenches with pain at the thought of him fucking some other woman. I hate myself a little for that, hate my heart for feeling anything for him.

Stockholm syndrome is a fucking bitch. I don’t care that these witches think I’m in some other world, they’re all fucking crazy. Completely too invested in this little game that they’re playing. I’ve been dick drunk on Elias, too drunk to realize that I’m fucking up my life each minute that I play into their hands—into his hands.

“C’mon in.” I smile, lifting my hand and motioning to the women.

Jasmine has a large bundle of fabric in her hands and I hurry over to help her rid herself of the load.

“What’s this?” I ask as I help her guide the material over to the bed.

We set down the fabric and she looks down, then looks up to me before taking a step back. “I’ve just been with the royal dressmaker and he’s given me all that he has that would be close to your sizing and suitable for your nuptials,” she stammers.

I blink. My eyes widen before I blink again. I’m sure that I’ve heard her wrong. There has to be some kind of language barrier and I don’t understand her words. Granted, they have funny accents here, but I can pretty much understand everything anyone says, but this must be some kind of mistake.

“My what?” I whisper.

Ellyn is the one to speak first. “Your marriage to King Elias, milady. It will take place first thing in the morning, so we’ve been preparing all evening,” she explains.

“My what?” I hiss.

“Oh, dear,” Jasmine breathes.

“Aren’t you excited?” Katrina asks. “You’re going to be a queen. A true queen. It’s like a fairy tale, and King Elias is so very handsome. Every woman I know fantasizes about him, and all the ones that have had him, long to have him in their beds again. I’ve heard he’s extremely skilled. He is, isn’t he?” she asks.

My entire body jerks at her words. Every woman that has had him wants him again. Oh my God. Her words swirl around in my head, accompanied by the single word, marriage.

“I thought he wasn’t serious, that he was fucking with me. You’re all crazy. Fucking crazy,” I shout.

The three women freeze in their spots, I back away from them until my back slams against a hard stone wall. Ellyn gasps, taking a couple steps toward me. That is, until Jasmine throws her arm out to stop her advance.

Shifting my gaze from Ellyn to Jasmine, my eyes widen and my breaths come out in pants. She shakes her head once, her eyes trying to relay some kind of information to me, but I don’t know what she’s silently telling me. I’m too fucking stressed out to try to read her.

I hear the wind begin to howl outside, then thunder rolls in the distance again and I offhandedly wonder how fucking often it storms here, Jesus fucking Christ.

“These dresses are your options, milady. Now, we must hurry. Tomorrow morn will be here before you know it. His highness was unyielding in his demands. We have no time for hysterics,” she snaps.

My back stiffens and I take a step toward her. My entire body is shaking and without so much as a thought, I launch myself at the poor woman. Wrapping my arms around her back, I bury my face in her neck and begin to cry.

Her arms envelop me and she soothingly shushes me as she runs her hands up and down my back.

“There, there, milady. Everything will be right as rain,” she purrs. “King Elias will see that you are well cared for. He will