Cillian is trapped in his small village by his step-uncle, who has usurped Cillian’s inheritance and squandered it on his own two sons. Cillian earns his own living, and does all the family's chores, whlie his step-cousins do nothing. Then Queen Beyta arrives, looking to have Cillian repair Princess Itha's broken glass slipper. A party celebrating the king’s arrival is in two days, and Cillian gets to work. But, the afternoon before the party, Cillian's family overpowers him and locks him in the dungeon so that they might receive the king--and any blessings he might bestow. The queen comes to his rescue, and introduces him at court to the King Malo, Princess Itha, and Prince Pari. The princess wants to show Cillian her "gratitude," but the prince intervenes and claims Cillian for himself. The prince's gratitude, however, isn't anything Cillian is interested in. King Malo intervenes and Cillian fears more punishment, so it comes as a pleasant surprise when he's led to the king's bed. Soon, though, Malo must return to the castle, and Cillian to his village. He once again finds himself at the mercy of his step-uncle and cousins again. Will he ever see Malo again? Was their interlude just a game to the king or something more?

The Glass Slipper

As Cillian sat, he noticed a morose figure at the other end, slumped over the table.


“Good morning, Pari,” King Malo said without emotion. “I trust you didn’t have as good a time as everyone else at the dinner last night?”


Pari looked up with a surly expression but didn’t respond. He turned his attention back to his plate of food, tearing a huge bite form a chunk of bread.


The sound of a girl’s laughter, coming from a hallway opposite the one used by King Malo and Cillian filled the room.


“It sounds like Princess Itha rebounded quite well from having you snatched from underneath her nose by her brother last night,” Malo said, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile. Cillian wondered how King Malo knew about everything going on under his roof, especially being distracted as he was last night.


Itha ran into the room in a long robe, open at the neck, showing her cleavage. Her face was flushed and she was laughing, looking over shoulder down the corridor.


Chapter 15