His Highness the Duke Read Online Free PDF

quickened. Which one? Tradition held that he‘d know the moment
    he looked at her, but he hadn‘t been looking. Desire and hope built within him. He
    grabbed hold of his crystal, feeling its energy pulse against his hand. Finally. A bride!
    He would know her when he saw her, but for now he had to go give thanks to
    the gods. Turning, he walked in the opposite direction of the brides. He wanted to
    shout his good fortune, but instead kept quiet as was tradition. The men who had been
    blessed needed to go to the temple and give thanks. Those who were not fortunate
    needed to drown their sorrows in stout liquor.
    ―It is a good year,‖ Mirek said beside him. ―Many blessings on your union,
    brother.‖
    Bron automatically looked down to Mirek‘s chest. His crystal lay dormant.
    Sadness filled him for his brother, and he knew whatever he said in comfort would
    prove futile, so he said nothing.
    ―I will attend to the campsite before traveling home,‖ Mirek said. ―I will not wait
    for you. Enjoy your good fortune.‖
    27
    Michelle M. Pillow
    Bron nodded once as Mirek pulled away to go with the others who had not
    found mates.
    Alek moved to join him, pausing to receive Mirek‘s words of blessing on the
    way. Alek‘s crystal glowed but there was a strange look in his eyes.
    ―Is all well?‖ Bron asked.
    Alek gave a small laugh, but the effort was forced. ―What could be wrong? Three
    of us have been blessed, as well as all of our princely cousins. For whatever reason, the
    gods have finally decided to smile upon us. It is a good night for all but Mirek. Let us
    give thanks and collect our brides before the gods realize what they have done and
    change their minds.‖
    ―Don‘t even think such things,‖ Bron scolded, worried that his crystal would
    stop glowing because he didn‘t know the face of his woman. He glanced behind him,
    hoping for some jolt of recognition as he caught a glimpse of a couple of the women.
    Nothing came to him and he was forced to join the others at the temple.
    28
    His Highness The Duke

Chapter Three
    Aeron wasn‘t hungry, but she forced herself to partake of the roasted two-
    horned pigs and blocks of Qurilixian blue bread with whipped cheese. The meal was
    laid out on large trenchers, set directly before the brides, and spread over long wooden
    tables. Servants carried pitchers, as if their entire purpose was to ensure that each
    woman‘s goblet stayed filled with a berry wine they called Maiden’s Last Breath . Aeron
    was moderate when it came to drinking, but the sweet taste was delicious and the
    liquor did much to calm her shaking hands.
    ―I don‘t know why I‘m so nervous,‖ she whispered to herself for lack of anyone
    to talk to. ―It‘s not like I‘m about to get married.‖
    Most of the Galaxy Brides‘ women dined in a strange state of excited silence,
    whispering and giggling. Others flirted with the handsome servants. With the straps on
    the gowns, it was hard for the brides to lift their arms, so the servants retrieved
    anything they desired for them. Some even went so far as to offer the women food by
    their own hands, her sister Riona being one of those brazen women.
    Aeron hadn‘t really connected with any of the women on the ship, not like her
    sister. Instead of socializing, she looked over the campground. The bachelors were gone
    and the people she could see all looked the same. It was impossible to tell who was in
    control and who was merely a subject of the realm.
    The married couples dined around the campfire at a distance from the
    prospective brides. Wives fed their husbands in a sensual display of romance. Aeron
    tried very hard not to stare, even as she thought it barbaric. The entire place was chaos
    and it made her extremely uncomfortable.
    ―Are you nervous?‖
    Aeron blinked, looking to her side at the question. She recognized Nadja from
    the ship, but the woman wasn‘t talking to her. The question had been directed at
    another shipmate,