Page 9 of The Unseelie Wish
“That is quite true.” Valroy sighed. “I will have to go contend with my wife.” He unfurled his wings from his back before folding them around his front, clasping the claws in front of him like the hasp of a cape.
That was at least one thing that Izael did not have to do—fight with the Seelie Queen.
“Return to your home, Duke.” Valroy looked to be bracing himself for war. It was close enough.
“You must bring her to me when you return with her. Her wish is mine, and our bargain still stands—as is the law of our people. Three days remain to my bargain with Alex, and those three days, I shall have.” Izael tightened his fists, careful not to puncture his own palms with his long nails. “She is mine by right.”
“You lost her once. Who is to say you will not lose her a second time?” Valroy smirked. “No, she will be kept safe in my care once she returns.”
“But the laws?—”
“You may visit her whenever you like.” His smirk turned into a sneer. “Whatever is left of her when I am finished.”
Valroy vanished to the tune of his cruel laughter.
Izael snarled in rage, disappearing as well. Best not to destroy any of the King’s home and ensure his own downfall in the process.
Puck’s intervention might be the only thing that could save Alex from Valroy.
Where is that irritating half-breed?
“I brought donuts!”
Alex screamed as Puck appeared out of thin air next to her, holding a box of Dunkin’ Donuts. She would have punched him if it hadn’t startled her out of her chair and sent her sprawling to the floor. “Fuck!”
Puck cackled. “Sorry.”
“No, you’re not.” Alex grunted. She was still in Abigail’s little home, and the pine floor wasn’t so soft when she hit it unexpectedly like that.
Abigail simply shook her head.
“No, you’re right.” Puck put the donuts down on the table and immediately opened it to shove a powdered confection in his face, not caring about the mess it made. “Donuts are the best.”
Alex got up from the floor and brushed herself off. “Why’re you here?”
He jerked his head at Abigail, sending a few strands of his silver hair in front of his eyes. “She’s my boss.”
Alex arched an eyebrow. “You have a boss?”
“Insomuch as he is capable, yes.” Abigail leaned back in her chair, watching the exchange with mild amusement. “Insomuch as one can put lightning in a bottle. But the question remains—Puck, why are you here?”
The fae lunatic blinked. “I mean, I can’t share some donuts with my favorite ladies? Sheesh. Way to make a boy feel unwanted.” He sat heavily in a chair, talking around the donut he was still devouring, sending specks of powdered sugar flying.
“And it has nothing to do with the fact that our dear Alex is now my guest?” Abigail tilted her head, her expression both dubious and knowing. Alex figured the Queen probably had several hundred years of putting up with Puck’s antics.
“Just because I want a front row seat to the shitshow doesn’t mean I’m up to something.” He had devoured the first donut and was reaching for a second. “You know me, sometimes I like to watch.”
Another comment she wasn’t going to touch with a ten-foot pole. Alex sat back down with a sigh and took a chocolate donut and split it in half. “The donuts were thoughtful.”
Puck smiled beatifically. “See? She likes me.” He batted his eyes at Abigail.
The Queen simply shook her head. “And our dear Duke of Bones did not have anything to do with your arrival?”
Puck shrugged nonchalantly. “He might’ve asked me to come get Alex and bring her back to him. But that slippery bastard can go fuck himself with both his dicks.”
Alex snorted despite herself. She shouldn’t like Puck. She really shouldn’t. But she did. “And are you going to?”
“What, and pick a fight with the boss lady? Fuck no. Besides, I told him I’d take you wherever you wanted to go. I don’t owe him shit.” Puck shoved another piece of a donut into his mouth before starting to work on a third.