"It's not about skills!" Ileus grimaced. "She is not going and that's it!"
Lila felt a pang of jealousy with that way Ileus showed his possessiveness over Anastasia. It was overwhelming and she willed herself to remain calm. On the inside her hatred for Anastasia grew several mounds higher. In order to entangle Ileus somehow, she said in a calm voice, almost to a pleading level, "A very large sum has been assigned from her treasury, Ileus."
Ileus gave a smile that appeared forced and then started walking with Anastasia. He was in no mood to listen to her. Lila followed them. She was not going to leave this opportunity. She had been able to wriggle her way in the palace after numerous security measures. Adrianna didn't know that she was in the palace and Lila had to bribe many guards to know his exact location. When she had entered the antechamber, she gasped at seeing so many royals, but she thought that this must be a normal occurrence in Eynsworth Palace. She couldn't believe that meeting with royals would become a part of her life after marrying the prince. "Please Ileus—"
He snapped. "Leave it Lila. I am very busy and don't pester me." Saying that he walked away.
Lila watched his leaving with Anastasia. Her expressions darkened and she closed her hands in tight fists until her knuckles became white.
While they were walking back to their bedchamber, Anastasia said, "I would like to go and select the gems for the gifts, Ileus." She didn't know why, but she found it difficult to trust Lila.
"You cannot reveal yourself to the general public, sweetheart!"
"I know, but I can go under disguise," she replied, insisting that she wanted to go. "What is the kind of money that is assigned to Lila?"
Ileus looked up at the sky with exasperation. He really didn't want Anastasia to go anywhere unprotected. "The last time this occurred, Mother granted half a bag of gold coins and one bag of silver coins, which means a lot of money! But that much is needed, because jewelry is expensive." He rolled his eyes. "Women," he muttered.
"I am not so skilled, but I can learn. And I am a fast learner. Do you trust me with that kind of money?" she asked.
They had reached the east wing and were now walking on the cobblestone path, which ended in the stairs of corridors that led to their chamber. The five royal guards surrounded them as usual. Ileus stopped and faced her. "Anastasia, I trust you with my life. I won't even take a look if you go and throw that money in River Lifye. It's not about trusting you or not, it is about not revealing your presence to anyone. Now that Lila has seen you, I know there has been a security breach. While I won't point it out to her, I will investigate this matter on my own. I have to warn her that she doesn't expose you. Going to Silver Vales for selecting jewels for ministers of human realm is a job that is not fitting for Vilinski's princess."
Anastasia cupped his face. "Darling, no job is small or big for me. Please let me go there. Disguise me. If you want, come with me."
His wife's persuasion skills were only getting better and better. She looked absolutely cute when she did that with him. "What if you fail in your endeavor?" he asked, trying to throw a deal so bad that it would stop her.
She pressed a kiss on his lips, and he melted. Once again he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up. He walked with her in his arms. She said, "Do you know that there is a myth - if you make a deal with faes, you get trapped for life? We faes are tricksters. We love making deals because we know that we will always win. However, the other person who loses faces dire consequences." She traced his lips. "Sweetheart, that isn't a myth."
"Is that so?" he asked and pressed his swollen shaft in her belly.
"Hmm," she replied lazily.
"Then tell me love, what are you going to do if you fail?" Gods, he couldn't wait to bury himself deep inside her. He rounded a corner as he waited for her answer.
"Let us rephrase the question honey," she said, deliberately mentioning 'honey'.
Ileus hissed, feeling tortured and urgent.
"What punishment are you going to give if I fail?" she said with a smile.
"I think your question is the same as my deal."
"No, there's a difference. Because according to your question, I can choose my punishment, but according to my question, you get the chance to choose my punishment."
"Ah-ha!"
They reached the bedchamber. The guard opened it for them and when he was inside, he kicked it close with a loud bang. "If you fail, I am going to spank you hard, tie you to the bedpost and have sex with you. I won't let you touch yourself. I won't let you touch me and I am going to devour you like a hungry wolf!" His chest heaved at the image of Anastasia tied to the bedposts, sprawled in front of him for his pleasure. His cock twitched.
"Deal," she replied and bit her bottom lip. "And if I succeed, I will do the same with you. Is that okay?"
"What if I don't allow you?" He wanted to tie her. His wolf would go mad otherwise.
"Then I get to create more tattoos on your body."
"Done!" Not waiting for a minute more, Ileus set her to her feet on the carpet and ripped her dress apart. With a flick of his hand, they were both on the bed with him on top of her. He opened her mouth with his tongue and as soon as she allowed him, he delved his tongue inside. With one hand he cupped her breast and with the other he flicked his fingers again. This time his clothes were out. He trailed a line of kisses on her cheeks, her chin and down to the dip between her collarbones. When he went lower, he latched onto her breast and sucked it hard, until it pained. Anastasia's back arched. Her body writhed below him.
Desperate as hell, he left her breast and then trailed a line of kisses to her navel. He sucked and nibbled her over there until heat pooled in her belly. She clenched her thighs. Her juices began to flow out and wet the inside of her thighs. "Oh god!" she cried.
He went further down and then separated her thighs to see her sex. "Gods!" he rasped and dipped his mouth over there. He latched onto her clit and sucked it hard. She cried and moaned and thrashed her head on the pillow. He grazed her over there and the heat inside her belly uncoiled. It whipped and exploded. She saw stars in her vision as she called his name. Not satisfied, he groaned and then went further down to her core. When he started sucking her there, she pressed her legs against his face but he pressed them down and pinned her. Suddenly he cast a spell and her hands were pinned on the top of her head.