Ceremony of Seduction by Cassie Ryan

to keep the unshed tears burning in her eyes from falling. This was one of the happiest days of her life, she wouldn’t ruin it with tears.
    “Step aside, Darius. You’ve hogged her long enough.” Alyssa turned at the sound of her mother’s voice. Annalecia’s face was lined and drawn, as if she’d been very ill. But her voice was strong, her eyes clear and loving. Without hesitation, the queen stepped forward and enveloped her in a hug even more crushing than the king’s. Alyssa hugged her back, burying her face against her mother’s shoulder. How often growing up had she longed for an embrace such as this from parents who loved and approved of her?
    When she released her mother, Stone cleared his throat behind them. She turned to face him, still holding her mother’s hand and noted the mist in his eyes as well.
    “Beloved.” He stepped forward to capture her free hand and bring it to his lips. “I can see you are comfortable enough with your parents. I think you need some time alone with them. And my parents would like news of you, as well. I’ll be back for you after dinner to show you to your room.”
    Almost before realizing she was going to, she jumped into Stone’s arms, fusing her lips with his. She poured all her gratitude for her new life into the kiss, and for the first time, their kiss held tenderness rather than only lust and sexual energy. When she pulled back, Stone’s expression was stunned—his eyes wide, his mouth parted. “Thank you. For bringing me home and for being the only thing I looked forward to for all those long years. Before you, my life was dreary and lonely.”
    Color flashed into Stone’s cheeks and she smiled as she realized she’d made him blush. “The pleasure is all mine, Princess.” He turned her hand over and placed a hot kiss just inside her palm, then curled her fingers inward as if to allow her to hold onto his kiss until he saw her again. “Until later.”
    She watched until he disappeared through the double doors and then turned back to her parents.
    “Are you hungry?” Her mother linked her arm with Alyssa’s, leading her toward a large table in the back already heavy with a wide assortment of strange looking foods.
    Her stomach grumbled in response and her parents laughed. Her father walked on her other side laying his hand lightly on the small of her back, as if he was afraid she’d disappear if he let go. “I think it’s time you ate. You need to keep your energy up for the upcoming coming-of-age ceremony. Being queen is hard work.”
    She stopped dead in her tracks to stare at her father. “Queen? I don’t understand, I just found out I’m a princess and now I need to learn to be queen? What’s the rush?”
    Annalecia guided her to a cushioned high backed chair. “I’m sorry, I know all of this is strange to you. Maybe we’d better start by answering your questions, so you feel more comfortable.” She ran a gentle hand over Alyssa’s hair causing at least some of the panic to recede. “But why don’t we eat first and just get to know each other again. After all, the last time we saw you, you were in diapers.”
    Alyssa pushed aside her fears and questions and grinned across the table at her parents. “I’d like that.”
    A servant poured wine for them and Alyssa blindly took food and chewed, not tasting much of anything. She was too intent on listening to the timbre of her mother’s voice and studying her father’s smile and the way he often ran his fingers through his thick dark hair, mussing it. It was almost as if she memorized everything about them, she could never lose either of them again.
    They asked her about her life with the Cunts and she tried to give an honest picture while still shielding them from the worst of it. Hurt swam in their eyes even as they heard the damped-down version. The feeling of belonging was so strong, she tried to imprint every detail firmly in her mind to replay later.
    Finally, she pushed her plate