"It hasn't killed for a very long time, but we are waiting for it to begin again. It flies over the city; its eyes watching us. It used to belong to the evil tyrant, Saul. He used its untouchable power to keep us enslaved. Any rebellion was met with you and your family burned inside your home by its scorching blaze." Leeza closes her eyes, as if remembering something terrible. "Few survived his wrath, and those who did regretted living. Eventually Saul had enough men backing him at the threat of the Cursed that he had Axus in the palm of his hand."

This was too much. A Cursed, like Alvar, had been Saul's pet? How had Alvar gotten rid of Saul? Maybe only Cursed could kill Cursed.

"Are you sure it's the same Cursed that Saul controlled?" I know I need to ask this. Considering...

"Most think so, but who can be sure? No one wants to get close enough to find out if it's wearing Saul's Fe collar. Some say it hasn't killed anyone since Saul left because it desires it's master's return first and some say this is a new one. If the man responsible for possessing the Curse is found out, he'll be killed in his human form, when they are most vulnerable. But even that takes drastic measures to successfully finish."

I want to throw up, but also lean more toward the idea that Alvar destroyed the previous Cursed over him being the one owned by Saul.

The gong sounds again. Leeza breathes a sigh of relief. "It's gone."

"Good," I mutter, but I highly doubt" it" is really gone.

We crawl out of the safe room and Leeza helps me into the spider silk gown. It's too wonderful feeling to question and I rationalize that silk on Earth is made by tiny little caterpillars so, why not spider silk?

Just as I'm finished dressing and Leeza has styled my hair in an ornate up-do, my mother enters the room.

"Wasn't the Cursed sighting frightening?" Mom asks.

"Yes," I murmur. I can't believe it still. Maybe I'd only imagined Alvar's red eyes. Maybe he had some other kind of otherworldly condition and I was jumping to conclusions.

"Emily is here," Mom snorts and crosses her arms. "I can't believe we're stuck with her here. After what she made you think about me."

"Mom," I say. "Please, try to understand. We can't send her back." I know I've done wrong by my mother, but I don't know where to start in order to gain a good relationship back.

Leeza bows to me. "I will fetch your friend if you wish?"

"Yes, please, I imagine she is quite frightened and in need of a familiar face," I say. Wow, I'm starting to talk like them.

"Yes, majesty," Leeza says with a smile and leaves Mom and I alone.

"So—" Mom gives me a mischievous look.

Uh-oh, she's going to ask about the wedding night.

"So what?" I ask, trying to sound calm.

"How did last night go?" Mom asks.

"Mom, it's personal," I groan and roll my eyes at her.

"I know, I know," Mom shakes her head. "But I want to make sure he's taking good care of you."

"He's taking care of me fine," I snap. "And he was perfectly gentlemanly." Oh, but he's quite possibly some kind of monster too! If I'm right he is what his own people live in terror of.

The door opens and Leeza ushers in Emily.

"Oh my—Lucy!" Emily cries upon seeing me. "I was almost afraid they were lying to me when they said you were here." She rushes to me and give me a long hug.

I hold her tight. "I won't I promise." I murmur.

Mom doesn't even look at her. I think she's upset Emily somehow is still in my life.

Emily finally peels off of me. "Lucy, you're glowing," she notices.

I almost laugh.

"They give me a special kind of bath before the wedding to make me glow," I explain.

"The wedding?" Her eyes get huge. "You mean—?"

"I married Alvar last night in order to free you, Em," I murmur.

"Oh god, I can't believe it," Emily's hand goes over her mouth.

"Why?" I blink.

"You married someone you don't even know in order to save me?" Emily's eyes start brimming with tears.

"Yes."

"Wow, Lucy, I—thank you. Thank you so much!" She throws her arms around me.

"You don't even need to thank me," I whisper in her ear. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Mom crosses her arms over her chest.

"I'll go back to my quarters so you two can catch up," she cuts. As she leaves I wonder why I haven't been invited into her "quarters" yet and where they are.

"Lucy," a deep voice says.

We both turn to see Alvar standing in my doorway. His tall lean frame rests against my doorframe. A charming smile on his "Is your friend alright?"

Is he really checking in on me?

Emily turns and I notice her jaw has practically dropped to the floor. "This is Alvar?" She asks, her voice husky.

Back off, Em, that's my husband you're staring at!

"I am Alvar, King of Underlund." Alvar steps toward us and does a polite bow. "You must be Emily."

I practically roll my eyes. Now he's just showing off.

"Y-yes, I am," Emily stutters. Emily is usually so composed. I can't believe she's coming unglued. Emily turns to me her eyes huge. "You married this guy?"

"Yep," I say. I realize by her look of surprise that I feel kind of hurt. Did Emily never think me capable of marrying a man she could be attracted to? Wow. Some friend. Oh, but it feels good to impress her like this.

"Lucy, I am glad to see your friend is safe," Alvar's eyes glint as he speaks the words. Oh my. He's looking directly at me, ignoring Emily's fawning.

Oh dear... I can't take another minute of his gaze without turning red once again.

"Thank you for checking in," as I say the words I can't believe my bravery, "but I need some time with my friend. I will see you tonight?"

"As you wish," Alvar says, he doesn't step toward me, doesn't even try to touch me. He bows and leaves.

"So—your husband... I'm just going to say it—is HOT," Emily exclaims in a sing-song voice.

Well, she can giggle and notice hot guys so it must not have been that difficult of a time on her with the goblis.

"I know," I admit begrudgingly.

"Did you two actually have sex last night? I mean... you married him, right?"

I should have known this question was coming. Emily is always so pressing for details. I wasn't sure how much I should tell her. Maybe I shouldn't tell her anything because last night was supposed to have been legit. Emily likes to talk, what if she talks about it to someone else?

"Em, I don't want to talk about it," I mutter.

"Oh god, he didn't rape you did he? I don't care if he's the king I'm going to cut off his—"

"Em, he didn't rape me!" I interrupt her quickly.

"Oh." Emily bit her lip. "Then did you?"

She just wouldn't stop! "No, Em, we didn't, he's a gentleman and a king." And a monster...

"So you're still a virgin then?" Emily's eyes light up as if she's amused.

"Yeah, I'm still a virgin," I laugh. "But you can't tell anyone," I add, suddenly wondering if I've made a huge mistake telling her. I just don't want her to think the worst of him, and I don't know why seeing as he did force me to marry him and is the reason Emily was kidnapped in the first place.

"Okay, fair enough." Emily crosses her arms. "I'm glad he was a gentleman."

"Me too," I say, then I decide to change the subject. "What about you? What all happened with you?"

"I don't know if I can talk about it," Emily says, her voice dropping in tone and cheeriness. "It was horrible." She shudders.

"Tell me a little more about them," I say. I am queen of this country now. I might as well know what I'm dealing with.

"They are a lot like an ant colony in their social structure. Except the workers are both male and female. All of the males are required to mate with the queen goblin to produce the next generation, but the worker females are infertile and unable to mate," Emily explains.

"Anyway, the goblin queen is this ugly thing that gives out the orders to the rest of them, she has no conscience. The things I saw while with her... The things she did to those who made her angry... she made the queen of hearts from Wonderland look like a saint," Emily closed her eyes. "I thought I was dead for sure. Then she got a message in Arlite that I was not to be harmed and sent to the castle via the sky wave."

"Sky wave?" I am puzzled. Till now I'd never heard about it.

"It's a Arlite powered teleportation device. Really kind of amazing actually. I found myself here within an hour, although I'm told the capitol city is far from the goblin kingdom." Emily shakes her head. "I feel like we're in a weird fantasy movie that we can't get out of. I'm just glad you're here too and I'm not alone."

"Me too," I murmur. "Except you're not the one expected to eventually have sex wit him."

"I'd love to take your place." Emily's eyes light up. "That king is yummy looking."

"Why do you have to be such a ho? Besides, that's my yummy king you are talking about, go find your own!" All of this is said sarcastically, but another part of me is mad at her for not feeling the same as I and another part is angry with her for making eyes at my man—uh what? Did I just think of him as my man? No! Seriously, he's not my man!

"You're so innocent, honey, look at you blush," Emily giggles.

Yes, so everyone tells me. I have no real experience whatsoever in the sex department like Emily does and if I did go there at some point I wouldn't want to appear a complete idiot. Then I wonder about what Alvar does considering he's married me out of political reasons... for all I know he could be sleeping with servants or have a mistress on the side right now and not even expect me to sleep with him. 

It sucks that I don't know this man--who is now my husband--at all. 

Then, because I'm weird, the thought of him having tons of partners makes me wonder if he has an STD. 

I wonder what they use for protection here?

I decide to stop thinking about sex.

Emily sits on the end of my bed. She bounces her hips a couple of times. "This bed is amazing. Here you are living in luxury while I was in the goblin caves."

"You mean gobli," I finally have to correct her. "And they live in caves?"

"Didn't I tell you? They are subterranean. It's so dark down there. Ugh, I couldn't stand it. Couldn't see." She shudders.

"Well, you'll never have to go back down there again," I comfort.

There is a knock on my door.

"Come in," I answer.

Fletch steps into the room and bows.

Emily shrieks and hides behind me. "A goblin!"

"Gobli," I mumble, and then, "Fletch is a close friend of Alvar," I explain to Emily, taking her hand and pulling her forward. "He's one of the good guys." I think.

"I most certainly am one of the good guys," Fletch remarks dryly. "I'm here because I've been ordered to take you to your room, Lady Emily." I note Fletch is wearing tinted spectacles. I wonder if since his people are subterranean he needs them during the day here.

"I can't believe all your mother's ravings were true," Emily murmurs as if she's distant suddenly.

"Ahem," Fletch raises his funny little warty eyebrows. "Would you come with me? I promise I don't bite."

Emily gives me a look and I nod in reassurance. "He really is just going to show you your room. Get some rest, okay?"

She lets go of my hand and nervously smiles a little. "Okay."

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