Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: The Fox's Price

The red-haired man was sitting on her bed with his boots on the quilt, eating her pear.

"Hello," said Fenric Quill. "You're late. I've been here an hour, and I've only eaten the one."

Linnea looked at him, then at the ring in her hand.

"You broke into my chamber."

"I walked in. There's a difference. Burglary involves effort, and your guards are very bad at their jobs."

"Kaelen's guards?"

"Kaelen's guards are excellent. I went through the laundry chute." He grinned. "Fifth mark. Fox. Merchant, thief, fond of you already. Pleased to meet you."

Despite herself, Linnea laughed.

She hadn't laughed like that in days, and it hurt a little.

"What does it open?" she asked, holding up the ring.

"Bracken's private desk in the chancery, which he keeps locked even from his daughter."

"I lifted the ring off his finger while he was glaring at the farmers."

"Then why give it to me?"

"Because I want you to like me."

He bit the pear and chewed.

"And because I have a price."

"I knew there'd be a price."

"Of course there is. I'm a merchant."

He swung his boots to the floor, and the grin went wolfish.

"One night, Majesty, all mine. And when it's over, you tell me honestly if I was worth the ring."

"You want a night."

"I want you, with the door shut and nobody else."

Linnea took the pear out of his hand and took a bite.

"I'm twenty-four," she said. "You're twenty-six."

"I want you, Fenric."

"I've wanted you since you grinned at your own hand in the Hall like it had paid you a compliment."

His ears went pink, and then, absurdly, two sharp red fox ears popped up through his hair.

She stared at them.

He clapped both hands over them.

"That's not part of the plan!"

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