Shadowborn Royals - G. Bailey Page 0,38

through next and Gold follows me. The first thing I notice is fresh air. The sweet-tasting fresh air whips around me and it’s warm, and my cheeks heat up. Music drifts to my ears, followed by the sound of women laughing and children’s squeals.

“Tonight is a ball to celebrate the new children in the kingdom. The ballroom is full of women and their children. Did you know my father cannot have any more children after someone poisoned his tea with a flower that curses the male?” Eva tells me as we follow her down the silver and gold corridor towards two large glass doors. “I was only five when it happened. I remember how upset he was…I’m sure he was planning to remarry and produce a male heir. But there was only me.”

“Interesting,” I sourly reply.

She eyes me with humour but I don’t get the joke. “Do you know the rumours of the bastard baby of dawn?”

I shake my head, done with her stupid games.

“Many light fae whisper that the tea wasn’t the reason my father went infertile, that instead, the goddess above set a curse on him because he refused to claim his own bastard born baby who was born at Dawn’s first light,” she whispers to me. For some reason, I shiver. “Many call the bastard baby of Dawn a true heir, that the curse for my father was actually a blessing for her or him. They sing songs about this bastard.”

“Is the bastard child Corvina?” I ask. She could have been born at dawn’s first light for all I know.

Eva laughs like that’s the funniest thing in the world. “No.”

She looks away from me as the glass doors open and she walks inside. I have no choice but to follow, thanks to the bracelet. The room is a huge dome made of pure glass and tiny little lights bounce around the ceiling, reflecting circles onto the floor. Children with white glittering wings and pretty dresses run around chasing the moving spots of illumination. The side of the room is full of sweet-smelling food and I can’t help but admire how lovely this place is.

Compared to the prisons, this is amazing.

“Be right back,” Eva offhandedly says,all her guards follow her, but Gold stays at my side, looking cold and impassive as always.

“I’m debating whether chopping my arm off is worth the chance to escape,” I tell him. “But I do like my left hand,” I muse.

His lips twitch. “I would not advise it. This is the light fae palace, and it is heavily guarded. They would catch you.”

“Damn,” I say with a smile, watching the couples dance to a woman singing and a man playing piano. I think they are human, they don’t have wings nor can I sense anything odd about them. The woman’s voice is enchanting though…a gift if I have ever heard one. “I wish we were here under different circumstances. Maybe we could even dance as they do.”

“I don’t dance,” he grumbles. “Let me show you something.”

“What about Eva?” I question, seeing her with a man with long white hair. I pause as she smiles up at him sweetly and picks up his hand. Like she can sense me looking, she looks over and a cruel smile places on her lips.

I don’t get why she thinks I would care. Focusing on the man, he is elegant and beautiful like all light fae are, yet there is something so familiar about him.

Gold clears his throat, snapping me out of it, and I follow him past the food to another door. We step through it into a dressing room of some sorts. A long wooden plank rests under a massive mirror covering the wall. Two women are in here, fixing their makeup.

“Get the fuck out!” Gold snaps.

They squeal, grabbing their things before running out of the door.

Gold clicks the lock when they leave and I suddenly feel nervous as I turn to face him.We really haven’t been alone for a long time.

“Fuck, I’ve missed you,” he all but whispers, taking two long strides and then I’m in his arms. Any nervousness drifts away when I remember how right it feels to be held by him. He kisses me deeply, picking me up and placing me on the counter before stepping between my legs.

Our kisses get desperate as he pushes my dress up and I undo his trousers, needing to feel him inside me for however long we have left. I’m ridiculously turned on as I take