Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Xander let out a long breath and rubbed his forehead.
“‘Open your legs, Octavia, and show them your greatest gift,’ he says into my mind.” She looked up at the both of us. “And I do as he orders, partly because I want him to love me and partly because I know he’ll kill me with one flick of his finger if I don’t. But in the end, even if he weren’t blind, he still would never see me. I’m nothing to him.”
Tears spilled out of her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.
“That’s enough, sister.” Xander looked away with unease. “Please don’t cry, Octavia.”
“Oh, but those are the easiest parts.” She moved closer to him. “There are male humans at our castle called studs. They’re kept in the dungeon, fed reasonably well, and when they are allowed outside time, it’s with a green leash around their necks.”
“And why were they imprisoned?” Xander asked.
“Because the poor blasted men were born with huge dicks between their legs.” Octavia displayed a grin that held cruelty on her lips. “Their sole job is to show the bidders how good I am when a big one is inside me. They take me on that stone in front of all the bidders whether I want to or not, and when they’re done, everything on my body aches, my mouth, my—”
“Enough!” Xander rubbed his eyes some more with his hands. “Why haven’t you ever told me this?”
“What would you have done as an unripening prince? Plus, our father’s blood bond is strongest with his princesses. If he found me missing, all he would need to do is call me back. And my body would bring me back whether I wanted it or not. I need you powerful before you can save me.”
“You leave with us tonight.” Xander’s fangs pushed out, peeking under his top lip. “I will not allow you to be treated this way anymore.”
“I cannot go with you now, Xander.”
“You will.”
She leaned her face to the side. “But what would you do now as you’re ripening? Help me escape while the problem still remains? While our half-sisters deal with the same treatment.”
“Half-sisters,” Xander murmured in annoyance.
“Whether you think it or not, most of the people who walk in that castle are our half-siblings. We owe them safety.” She pointed at him. “You owe them protection.”
“I didn’t ask to owe anyone anything!” Xander growled so loud the chains clinked back and forth against themselves. Some of the wooden whips on the shelf dropped to the floor and rolled to my feet. The guards rushed in and jumped in front of Octavia.
Dear Ambi.
I hurried to him and held his waist, worried Xander would attack the guards out of anger. “Calm down.”
Octavia waved the guards away and wiped the tears from her face as they left. “Xander, you have the possibility to be a great king. You’ll be powerful. You’ll do what we all can’t.”
“I’ll die,” Xander muttered. “I’m only ripening.”
“Mother says Camille’s blood will boost your power at a quick rate.”
What?
I let go of Xander and turned to her. “And how does Queen Regina know this?”
“I’m not entirely sure.” Octavia shrugged her shoulders. “She saw your hair and said that you looked like the Quiet King’s first queen, the one that triggered his ripening.”
I bit my lip.
But I thought Ian’s first queen had hair like mine. Was he lying while describing his brother’s queen?
Xander’s voice entered my mind. Ian told you that?
I nodded.
I don’t like him talking to you.
But he could help us, I thought back.
His voice brushed against me the way only a lover’s would. Or destroy us.
An intake of breath sounded across the room.
We both looked at Octavia.
“Dear Ambi.” She held her hands over her mouth. “You’re both communicating in your minds?”
“Yes,” I admitted.
“Just like our father.” Her hands shook as she dropped them from her face.
Xander frowned. “Unlike my father, I can’t talk to hundreds of people.”
“But still. . .horns. . .mind communication.” Octavia’s eyes brightened with hope. “What else can you do, brother?”
Xander pushed his black claws out of his fingers. His gold eyes glowed. The muscles around his arms and chest bulged until his jacket ripped at the seams.
I inched away.
“Marvelous.” Octavia backed up too and pressed her body into the stone wall behind her. “Leeta delivered a message as soon as you both left for Zumaya. Mother was pretty upset that Xander was still taking you home. She hoped that you would fully mate.”
Xander shook his head. “Leeta. . .”
“Are you with child now?” Octavia raised a blonde eyebrow.
“No.” I blushed and felt caught off guard. “At least I don’t think so.”
We’ll have to be more careful when we make love again, I mentally warned Xander.
His fangs erupted. He retracted them quickly and didn’t respond.
Then, something. . .odd and. . insane happened. Something that I would have never expected to ever occur.