The Bastard Queen (Viciously Yours #2)

Chapter Sixty: Business First

Stilling, I stopped trying to break Cillian's grip so I could rip the Dwarf in half and turned my head to the door. Standing in the grand doorway of the Seelie Castle cut from gold, marble and glass, stood Oberon. The man was almost an exact replica of his youngest son except for a couple of important details. Oberon had long golden curls framing his face and matched me in height with a body that almost mimicked Cillian's powerful build. What really caught my eye though, was how his Fae coloring was the shiniest shade of gold that I had ever seen. And his nickname as the Summer King suddenly made a lot more sense.

Cillian's arms withdrew from around my waist and he stepped back to a more appropriate distance for a Commander. I bristled a little that he did so when Oberon came thumping down the steps to greet us but I understood his reason for it. It was too dangerous to come out as mates to anyone other than our trusted friends at the moment and it also wasn't proper for a Commander to be so close to his Queen or King. But that didn't mean I had to like it.

The impressive King came to a stop a few steps in front of me and looked me over with shining eyes, "Macha O'Riordan, The Unbreakable Divine. It's a pleasure."

"Oberon. It's nice to finally meet the man who hunted me in my youth."

Our eyes locked in a stare down as the others around us shifted in discomfort. Powerful energy crackled and surged between us silently, the kind that always emerged when two powerful beings occupied the same space. Golden eyes flickered with a teasing glint that I wasn't used to coming from his kind or expecting. So when he held his hand out for me to take, I slipped my right hand against his forearm and gripped it in a warriors hold.

"With only good intentions, I assure you." He laughed, giving my hand on his elbow a pat with his free one. "I was impressed at how well you slipped away from my soldiers. It's not everyday a child of around six hundred can outsmart a group of adult Fae."

I pulled my hand back with a shrug, "I've never really been a child, Babes."

"I can see that." He replied, catching my hand and pressing his lips to my skin.

Ehhhhhhhh.

Odd. Lilly's deep baritone gritted out.

My thoughts exactly.

Eyes narrowing slightly, I discreetly tugged free of his grip and raised a brow but before I could say anything his golden eyes shot to the left.

"Pucky! My boy! How have you been? How was your experience living with the Unseelie?" Oberon boomed, taking a step to the side to ruffle his son's hair.

Puck beamed up at his father, "Great! I can't wait to tell you and mother all about it! But you'll have to let us in first."

"Of course! Of course! Where are my manners? Everyone please, follow me!" The sharp lines of his smooth face caught the sun and caused his golden skin to almost sparkle as he retreated into the Castle.

This jolly motherfucker's up to something.

It could just be the way he greets women? Or a Seelie thing, Quinn did try to hug you. Lilly replied in disdain as he followed me up the Castle steps from an appropriate distance.

The internal untrusting, paranoid, pessimistic bitch in me didn't agree. Maybe...

Thoughtfully humming in suspicion, I strolled to a stop in the middle of the grand foyer and scanned the decor. A glass flooring revealed the bright green field and colorful flowers below us in a whimsical display of nature. Vines of gold crawled along the pristine white marble walls flaring out from time to time with detailed leaves. Decorative vases filled with sunflowers sat on marble pedestals while glass windows and animated paintings lined the walls. A breeze seemed to flow down the halls from every direction bringing along with it the smell of honeysuckle and summer. In short, the Castle was gaudy as hell.