Free The Ice Diamond Cuff (Custodian Novel #4) by Alison Pensy

fell. Fire melts ice .
"Well, in that case, I definitely can't accept it. I would only
destroy it, and it's much too pretty to be kept in a box."
    Zaven's lips quirked. He leaned past Faedra
and retrieved the cuff from its resting place. He lifted Faedra's
hand and held it out in front of him. Faedra narrowed her eyes, she
wasn't sure she appreciated Zaven touching her without her
permission. There was something about the man she just didn't
trust. Zaven's touch was colder than Derian's, but that was hardly
surprising. Zaven was made of ice.
    "Do not compare our ice to that of which you
are accustomed, Princess," Zaven said as he slipped the cuff
bracelet around Faedra's wrist. Faedra could not tear her gaze away
from the piercing ice blue of the ambassador's eyes. "It is much
stronger than you surmise."
    Faedra swallowed. Until now, she hadn't
really digested just how imposing this person was. But standing
almost toe to toe, stretching her neck to look up at him, she
suddenly had a healthy understanding of just how dangerous he could
potentially be.
    "There now," he said, interrupting her
thoughts. "A perfect fit."
    Faedra felt her hand being gently twisted
from side to side. She looked down at her wrist. The cuff glittered
in the light from the chandelier that was hovering overhead. A
rainbow of sparkles danced off the surrounding surfaces as Zaven
continued to turn Faedra's hand from side to side.
    He smiled again, but it didn't reach his
eyes. "Pretty, isn't it?"
    Faedra kept her eyes on his as she gently
pulled herself from his grasp. "It is. Please send my utmost thanks
to your king and queen. It is a beautiful and thoughtful gift."
Faedra held the cuff in her other hand, twisting it around her
wrist, delighting in the beauty of the design. It was breathtaking,
and the best thing was, it wasn't melting. She could feel a
pleasant cool tingle where the ice touched her skin. Yes, she liked
this gift very much.
    "Faen, may I now present you with your
gift?"
    Faedra pulled her gaze away from the
bracelet, excited to see what the king and queen had gifted to her
soon-to-be prince.
    Zaven opened a long box that lay on the
king's desk. Reaching in with both hands, he lifted the gift from
its box and turned to face the Guardian. Lying in his outstretched
palms was a handsome sword fashioned, once again, from ice.
    Faedra watched as Faen's eyes also widened
when they soaked in the beauty of his gift. Faedra couldn't help
but smile. He loved it, it was evident in his expression and in his
emotions.
    Faen carefully extracted the sword from
Zaven's hands and held it blade pointing to the ceiling in front of
his face. After admiring the craftsmanship for a few moments, he
stepped away from the others and swung it around his body a few
times to get the feel of it.
    Faedra couldn't help but feel a girlie
explosion of admiration as she watched the man she loved show off
his sword skills in front of them. Oh, who was she kidding? He
looked damn hot. She could hardly believe she was about to marry
this incredible fae the next morning and go on to run the entire
realm with him sometime in the future. Could she be any luckier?
She doubted it.
    "I take it your gift is to your liking,
Guardian," Zaven said.
    Faen stopped mid-swing. Faedra noticed a
slight flush to his cheeks.
    "Yes, Ambassador. The gift is magnificent."
Faen inclined his head. "My thanks to your king and queen."
    "Fit for a prince," Faedra chimed in, unable
to hide her girlish excitement. Well, it's not every day you get to
marry a prince. Although, it was only because she was a princess
that he would become one, but to her, that was a mere technicality.
He had been her prince since the moment she saw him in his true
form.
    "I shall inform them of your gratitude upon
my return."
    "Knock, knock."
    All heads turned to the entrance of the
king's study. Henry stood in the doorway with Jocelyn, who was
holding the ruby staff.
    "Dad!" Faedra shouted and took off towards
her dad. She