The Summer King Bundle 3 Stories - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,114

as a juicy steak and a mountain of mashed potatoes, but this was…this was my chance.

Tears flooded my eyes as I stared at the dagger. Aric was an Ancient. I still remembered how to kill one. Head shot or sever the brain stem. Fae be gone, right there.

I rocked back, lifting the dagger toward one of the torches. The blade was stained red—with my blood. I looked down at the cuts all over my legs and my arms. This was Aric’s weapon, the tool he used on me. He…he’d dropped it the last time he was here.

That was super careless of him, but he’d been…shocked about something. My grip tightened on the dagger as I tried to recall what had led to him dropping this. Even though my head felt less woolly than normal, it was still full of empty spaces. He’d been asking me questions, wondering how I’d survived—

The sound of footsteps outside the chamber forced me into jerky action. I needed this dagger, so I knew to hide it and pray that he hadn’t realized he’d left it behind. Shoving the blade back under the tomb until it was hidden by the shadows, I then took a deep, slow breath, preparing to stand. I knew I’d be dizzy and winded, but I needed to get to my feet. I needed to do everything possible to keep my wits about me and keep that dagger hidden.

Slowly, I pulled myself up, and I swayed like a reed in the wind. My heart was racing from the effort, but also because of my find.

The door opened as Aric entered. Anticipation and dread clashed like thunder within me. He had food, and I was starving, but eating never came without a price. And he wasn’t alone. The same icy female fae as before was with him. My stomach sank.

Bath time.

I thought—no, I knew—he glamoured me when this occurred. Sometimes, I remembered it. Sometimes, I didn’t. But I knew he always fed afterward, and then…then I remembered nothing.

Oh, God, what if I forgot about the dagger? Dread quickly turned to panic. I couldn’t forget the weapon. I couldn’t—

“Did you miss me?” Aric strolled forward, platter in hand. “I missed you.”

I took a step back. The female remained by the door as she usually did, but she carried more than just a tote with her this time. A long, dark bag was draped over her arm.

“You don’t want to admit it, but I know you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, what I’ve been doing.” He placed the covered dish on the slab. The scent of meat reached me. “I’ve been very busy, my pet.”

My pet.

God, I couldn’t wait to tear his fucking head off. It took everything in me not to grab the dagger and do just that.

Twisting toward me, he picked up the chain, tugging on it until I stumbled toward him. Once I was close enough, he curled his arm around my waist, drawing me to his side as if we were lovers.

I wanted to vomit.

“I cannot wait to tell you all about it. You will be so very interested in what I’ve discovered,” he went on. “But first, I’ve brought you gifts.”

Gifts? My hungry gaze found its way to the silver platter.

“Not that,” he murmured, skimming his fingers over the many tiny abrasions marking my arms. I winced at the contact, and his eyes took on a heavy-lidded quality. “At least not the gift I’m most excited about.” He snapped his fingers at the female. “Show her what I’ve brought her.”

Pulse skittering, I watched her lift the bag. The sound of a zipper being lowered filled the chamber. It was only then that I realized she was holding a garment bag. The folds of the bag parted as she stepped forward, revealing what lay beneath.

A gown. It was a gown. One made of some kind of silvery material that reached the floor. As the female fae pulled the garment bag away, I saw that the dress was sleeveless and nearly translucent. It was like spun moonlight, even in the dim lighting of the crypt, and utterly beautiful.

My stomach twisted with nausea. “You expect me to wear that?”

“Ah, she has found her voice.” Aric chuckled, squeezing me like it was some kind of inside joke between friends. “I do expect you to wear this, and I expect you to be honored to do so.”

I stared at him, dumbfounded. He couldn’t be serious.

Aric motioned the female forward, and she obeyed without a word,