Page 2 of Rage of Her Ravens
My sister cleared her throat, giving me a long look. “Are you sure you felt the bond?”
I nodded. “We can mind-speak.”
She gasped, arching back as if I’d just flashed her mages my breasts. “You’ve already slept with them?”
“What did you expect?” I scowled, flicking a wiry beard-pube off my dress. “They’re my mates.” I turned pleading eyes on my sister. “Are you angry with me?”
She reached across the table and grabbed my hand, her eyes glossing over. “You know I could never be angry with you, sister, even though this puts our truce in jeopardy.” She gave my hand a reassuring, warm squeeze, even as shadows fell across her features. “I don’t want to go to war with Caldaria.”
I squeezed her hand back before pulling away. “Fachnan wouldn’t dare start a war over this.” Though he was still a prince, it was no secret his elderly father was close to death. Fachi had been regent for the past several years, and he was known to be a coward who refused to fight his own battles.
She arched a thin brow. “For you he would.”
I turned up my chin. “You let me handle him.” Soon Fachi would be a king without a queen. Perhaps the humiliation of my rejection would humble him. Despite his vanity, I had cared for Fachi, and I’d thought I could one day love him, but that was before I’d met my true mates, Marius and Derrick Fortis, the Dukes of Elisi.
Fachnan would have no choice but to release me from our betrothal, for mating bonds were rare and held more weight than engagement vows. Marriages had even been dissolved over mating bonds. Luckily, I hadn’t yet married Fachnan. I had put off the Caldarian Prince more than once. Perhaps it had been luck, or maybe intuition, but I’d never been in a hurry to marry him. Now I didn’t have to.
“Where will you live?” my sister asked.
I grabbed a tea cake off the tallest tier, thankful there were no black hairs stuck to it. “With them on their estate,” I said while picking a sugary flower off the cake and popping it in my mouth. My mates had a vast estate east of Delfi, a dukedom that had been gifted to their great-great grandfathers by their sister, my great-great grandmother, making them my cousins thrice removed.
“Not in Thebes?” Mal asked, a wounded look in her eyes.
I took a bite of the cake, buttery vanilla exploding in my mouth. It was so delicious, and I was suddenly hungry. Vigorous lovemaking sure worked up an appetite. “You know they don’t care for court politics.”
“You won’t be able to rule by my side.”
I shoved the rest of the cake into my mouth, crumbs spewing from my lips. “We both know being a queen was never my calling.” Had she forgotten I wouldn’t have been able to rule with her had I married Fachnan?
She frowned, twisting a cloth napkin around her finger. “It could be.”
“I would only make a mess of things.” I wiped crumbs off my mouth with the back of my hand. “Besides, why would I when we already have the best queen who’s ever ruled?”
Mal hung her head. “I’ll miss you.”
When she looked back up at me, pools of unshed tears reflecting in her eyes, I jumped from my seat. Kneeling by her side, I took her hand in mine, not caring about the gravel that dirtied my gown. “I’ll visit often. It will be better this way.” I tried to sound reassuring. “I would’ve been too busy as queen had I married Fachnan.”
She dabbed her eyes with her napkin. “Do you love them?”
My chest ached to see her so sad. My sister and I had been through so much, barely surviving the slaughter of our family. There was a time I couldn’t imagine never being by her side, but we always knew being a ruler hadn’t been my calling. I longed for a family, goddess willing, and I loved the quiet solitude of the countryside, not the bustle and madness of court. “I do.”
She straightened and turned up her chin, looking every bit the regal queen. “Then I suppose we need to have a wedding.”
“Thank you!” I jumped up and threw myself into her arms, laughing when she grunted beneath me. “You’re the best sister ever!”
* * *
Malvolia
My head swam with wineas I sat at the elevated bridal table, nibbling on a buttery roll while looking down at the festivities below. Somewhere across the hall, a quartet of musicians strummed their instruments as guests wearing their most elegant finery lined up to pay their respects to my twin. They brought all kinds of gifts, from colorful fruit baskets to exotic perfumes and silks. I was seated to Marius’s right, my sister on his other side, flanked between him and Derrick. My mage sat on my other side, gorging on bread and wine. No doubt his beard and robe were covered in crumbs. I tried not to look in his direction, lest I vomit wine all over the silk tablecloth. Many times I wondered why I kept him as my mage, but then I remembered that I wouldn’t have overthrown his evil uncle if not for his help.
But enough about my slovenly mage. After only a fortnight, Flora and I had pulled off the wedding of the century. My sweet sister looked content seated between her mates. My new brothers-in-law were so charming and so devoted to my sister, their wings draped protectively around the back of her chair. I couldn’t have asked for better mates for her. She’d smiled more in these past two weeks than I’d seen in our lifetime. As a matter of fact, I hadn’t seen her smile since the night our parents had been slaughtered. I’d risk a thousand Caldarian wars to see my sister so happy.
I frowned at the endless line of Fae. We’d be receiving guests for hours, and we still had yet to eat. I couldn’t expect our guests to eat rolls all night. Judging by how freely the wine flowed, they’d be as drunk as me or worse before my sister and her mates cut into their cake. As big as a carriage, it had twenty circular tiers with white buttercream icing, crimson flowers, and a rich vanilla cake with raspberry filling. It was divine. Flora and I had selected it after sampling far too many cakes.
Pushing back my chair, I stood, stumbling a little before grasping onto the sides of my chair.
Ever the gentleman, Marius stood and latched onto my elbow, his wings snapping open and shielding us from the gawping guests below. “Are you alright?” he asked me in a hushed whisper.