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“That’s the unfortunate thing about bargains.” He took back his glass and poured another drink. “We’re both beholden to the terms of our arrangement, even on nights when I have other guests.”
“You can entertain anyone you want at night,” I said lightly, even though the words felt heavy on my lips. “I don’t own your nights.”
Was the shadow moving in his eyes magic or something else? “I’ll keep that in mind. Although, I doubt I’ll have time while I’m negotiating a new trade alliance for the next month.”
“Month?” I said faintly. “It sounds like you’ll be very busy. Maybe…”
“I have other reasons for wanting you there.” And there it was.
Reasons that had something to do with his motive to make the bargain with me in the first place? My pulse sped up, but I tried to look disinterested.
“I’m arranging a marriage.”
It was possibly the last thing I’d expected him to say. My mouth went utterly dry, and I had to force myself to respond. “Oh, and who are you marrying?”
“Me?” His head tipped back, and he howled. When he finally quieted, his eyes sparkled in a way I hadn’t seen before, but pain tainted it. “No one wants to marry me.”
My hand reached for his shoulder instinctively and squeezed. He looked down at it, and I withdrew it quickly. What the hell was that? “What happened to the women you claim are falling all over you?”
“You misunderstand me.” His voice was soft. “There are plenty who would marry me, but only for money or power or sex.”
I flushed. “Sex?”
The smirk was back. “Sex,” he repeated without further explanation, which was answer enough. “Thankfully, I cannot marry anyone to secure an alliance.”
I couldn’t keep my curiosity at bay. “What exactly is your type? Or is no one good enough for you?”
“Jealousy brings out your eyes.” He chuckled roughly at my grunt of displeasure. “To truly secure an alliance, I would have to marry a princess. Not just a courtier. There are only four fae princesses. Two of them are my sisters. The other two are heirs to their own courts.”
“Isn’t that ideal?” I had no idea why I cared. I told myself it was simply curiosity, but the rapidness of my heart suggested otherwise.
“Heirs don’t marry each other. Not anymore,” he added, eyes fading to some distant memory.
“You’re all princes and princess? There’s no king or queen?” I asked.
A shadow passed over his face. “Not for a long time.”
“So, you’re forbidden to marry another heir?”
He licked his lower lip so slowly that I found myself staring.
Not. Going. There.
“It’s not forbidden, exactly,” he continued. “But it would be discouraged.”
“Discouraged?”
He nodded. “Violently discouraged. The last time two heirs married, it ended poorly. The other courts would frown on it, and even if it were an option, Aurora and Titania are both from light courts.”
“I don’t get it. If you can’t marry to secure an alliance…” I was picking at a loose thread on my dress when it hit me. “You’re setting up one of your sisters.”
“Ciara loves London. She’ll fit right in at the Infernal Court.” But he didn’t smile. “She’ll be happy there.”
It sounded like he was trying to convince himself of that. I’d only spent a little time with Ciara. I didn’t know her well enough to decide if he was right. “She knows about this?”
“Yes, which leads me to the reason I need you around.” He lifted his eyes to mine. “She likes you.”
I snorted before I realized he was serious.