Chained to the Devil’s Daughter (Mating the Elements #1)

18

Searra

D espite my bellowing conscience, I pulled the bell string to summon Fara. My door opened moments after. Whatever she saw on my face had her wringing her skirts in worry.

“Yes? My lady, what is it?”

I pet my velvet choker so aggressively it might go bald. My pits were damp, my cheeks numb. One could easily mistake my symptoms for anxiety, but I’d never been more sure of something in my life.

“Tor'cha. She must prepare a Naming banquet. Volcanic bonbons, thunder orange duck cakes, the works.”

Fara’s hands flew to her mouth with a squeaky gasp. Fumbling back, she flounced onto a loveseat. “Miss. Are you saying. . . What are you saying?”

“I must follow my instincts, right? Yes, I do. It’s the right thing to do. I know it!” Fara shook her head wildly, jaw on the floor. I laughed. I was downright mad. “Fara, nothing has felt so right in a long time!”

“Eeek!” my attendant squealed, rushing to grab my hands. “This means we haven’t seen the last of her?”

“Yes! It means—wait, huh?”

“Shall I send Smok'in after her?” At my dumbfounded silence, confusion spread on Fara’s face. She released me and tentatively perched on the arm of the couch. “Searra. Tell me what is going on, my friend.”

It was entirely unheard of to hear Fara use my real name. I tittered, but Fara’s desperate glare compelled my mouth to shut.

“Today,” I drew the word out. This was not going to be a popular idea. “I announce Ash’ren as my suitor!” I spoke with a smile and a slight tremor. Having the words out of my mind and into the open air swept me off my feet, lighter somehow, like I was hovering above the plush carpet. Fara’s face paled.

“Oh.” Fara was so pale I readied myself to catch the fainting woman. She blessedly remained upright, though she sank further into the couch. “I—I—is this wise, your highness?”

The crushed yarn carpet slammed into place below me, my heart plummeting into my soles. “What did you think I was going to say?”

“I thought you’d accept Filaris as your wife.”

Oh, I saw the confusion. Every time a suitor was named, certain food was prepared. The same feast would be used to celebrate the day I accepted a suitor’s hand in marriage.

Before I could remind her that Ash’ren was the only one with keys to my heart—which Fara rings well knew—she rushed out, “I know you love him, dearest, but you must accept that your match will not be approved.”

“Approved?” I scoffed, putting space between us. Prickly heat consumed me, but the worst part was the grief of the mere thought of two more flames-ridden weeks without claiming Ash’ren as mine. “I’m the rings-damned queen! Fuc—err, screw their flaming approval!”

“You aren’t, though.”

Joy wilted in waves. “Just whose side are you on all of a sudden?”

A war waged on my kindhearted friend’s features, even as she stood without hesitation. She smoothed the stray hairs on my forehead, her pale eyes leaving no room for doubt. “Yours, of course. Yours. I’m so happy you’re reunited. You deserve to be happy.”

“Yes. That’s more like it.”

“I’ll get your instructions to Tor'cha right away. Have you told Ash’ren of your plans?”

“Not yet. I only just decided.” Fireflies fluttered in my belly, their blinking booties giving me a little heartburn. “I want to surprise him. Is that weird? Do you think he’ll accept?” The little bugs combusted into a forest fire in my guts. “Oh rings, do you think he might say no?”

Fara snorted. “He’s been in your room every night since returning, hasn’t he?”

“Ha! Ah, no,” I glanced away, nibbling my lip. “Not—not every night.” There’d been one night we spent most of our time in the Flamewoods, so that didn’t count.

“The two of you have a love purer than the lovebird goddesses Glacia and Terra. He burned Hell down to reach you, nine years later, and here you are blushing over him like he’d never left. He’s going to accept, Searra.”

Tears prickled. The overwhelming thought of finally having him at my side, legally, of flaunting him through the rings with pride, was a dream I’d never thought would come true. There was the teensy-weensy matter of our promise to take things slow, but what was the point of courtship if not learning to love one another?

“I must ask,” Fara began, my gaze averted. “Why the sudden change of heart? I thought Filaris had convinced you to wait.”

I flinched. Like a coward, I hid my face, opting to walk into the next sitting room to pour a glass of water and stare out the window. I tried to keep a chirp in my tone as I admitted my treachery.

“As you said, I’m not queen yet. If my father escapes the council’s clutches and returns, this might all be for naught. I simply can’t die without. . .” I trailed off, chasing the macabre thoughts down with gulps of ice water. “I can’t spend another flames-cursed minute without him. I want to love him in the light, Fara. He doesn’t deserve all these shadows.”

Fara’s expression had gone dreamy. Hands pressed to her heart, even her voice was swoony. “A person could go their whole life without something so precious.”

“Thank you, Fara. For everything. For the past nine years. For seeing me at my worst and staying.” I pulled the woman into a hug and squeezed until she coughed. “I would’ve gone mad without you.”

“You would’ve run off to that tower and locked yourself inside first, and the two of you would still be there, mad and in love.”

I gulped around my laughter and squeezed harder. “We’re both here now, but still mad.”

Fara pulled away with an exaggerated look. “Oh yes, and people think him mad—wait until they meet the real you.”

I bit my lip and gave a haughty shrug. “I do the best I can.”

Fara gave my hand one last squeeze before excusing herself to meet with Tor'cha.

“Flame-seared okapi!” I called down the hallway.

After some breathless shrieking in the privacy of my room, I steeled myself with a deep breath. No matter how hard I fought it, laughter bubbled forth, but I dared not giggle maniacally in private. That would be concerning.

“This is a good idea,” I mumbled to myself, ignoring the way my smile intensified at the imaginary conversation. “I have good ideas. I’m following my truth. That’s what matters, right? Yes, Searra, good girl.”

I flitted about my room like a nervous butterfly, touching things, making and discarding outfits, twirling, feeling like an utter buffoon. Some small part of me took the shape of Filaris, urging me to use my head, but I merely amplified the sound of my heart.

“I’m following my instincts,” I said aloud to my reflection, in all seriousness. “It’s time I made him mine. Officially.”

Something so risky required a risque outfit choice. Ignoring all the black in my closet, I extracted a silver gown with a plunging sweetheart neckline and lacy sleeves reminiscent of butterfly wings. Holding it against my body, I enjoyed the way the sparkle played on the tones of my skin. When I caught the eye of the giddy woman in the mirror I snorted. “Get it together, Searra. We’re too old for this.”

“Too old for what?” came a deep, familiar voice, and I turned to see Ash’ren sprawled on the tree branch, head propped against the trunk, foot kicking back and forth, glowing eyes watching me with mirth and fire and a heat that was reserved only for me.

“Too old to let demon boys sneak into my room through the window,” I snapped.

He quirked a brow and smirked that cocky smirk that did strange things in my low abdomen. He popped another dragoncherry into his mouth. “Didn’t mean to startle you, princess.”

“Don’t look so smug. It’s daytime. You usually show up here at night.”

“I missed you.”

I couldn’t help my smile, my heart tumble-weeding. “I missed you, too.”

He didn’t move. I returned to my task, deciding the gown in my hand was as good as any. Undressing, I watched him in the mirror, his gaze rapt on my body.

Trying to be sultry, I slid the new gown up my thighs, bent exaggeratedly at the waist. As it rose, I stumbled, falling straight forward. My head hit the mirror dead on.

“Yow!” I yelped. Ash’ren laughed heartily and I sent him a glare.

“Here I was thinking your grace had improved,” he said as he hopped into the room and sauntered my way, too dang sexy for his own good. He took the fabric and settled it on my shoulders. “Good thing I’m here to catch you now, Princess Fawn-Legs.”

My cheeks burned at the stupid nickname. The moment I’d revealed I was indeed the daughter of Devil, heiress to the Bone Throne, I’d fallen face-first into a cool spring and he’d fished me out, laughing. He’d never stopped teasing me since.

“We’re a little too old for name calling,” I huffed.

“I’ll never be too old to tease you, Firefly.” He nuzzled my neck, breathing deeply as though my scent was a drug. “Everything all right?”

I sank into his arms, all reticence burning away in his warmth. This was the right decision. No longer would I hide him in my bedroom. I couldn’t bear it.

“I told you,” I scolded. “I’m too old to be hiding boys in my bedroom.”

“Boys, hmm?” He clucked his tongue. “Where are they? I’m stronger than them. I’ll toss them out.”

I locked my lips tightly shut. I didn’t want to give away the surprise and hand him another reason to tease me. Princess Fawn-Legs, Princess Can’t-Keep-a-Secret ; there were many versions of his playful nicknames, all of which brought out a fiercely argumentative side of my inner child when he spoke them. Who knew what was liable to spew from my traitorous mouth.

Besides, I could keep a secret. Really, I flames-well could!

“I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you, my love bug,” he said, pulling away to tuck my smallest braids behind my ears. “Sure you’re all right?”

“Yes.

“Do I need to—”

“No! You don’t need to make a truth bond!” I playfully flicked his nipple through his tunic, eliciting a shiver that turned his dark look even more feral. “Those are fake. I made them up! Gah, you’re impossible.”

“Impossibly handsome.”

With a roll of my eyes, I stepped away. He surveyed me with a cautious eye that told me he wasn’t convinced. That’s fine. He’d find out soon enough. I was, for real, seriously good at secrets, though. I could definitely keep this one until this evening. . . That wasn’t so far away.

Yeah. I was fantastic at keeping secrets. Even better than I was at keeping promises.