Page 105 of A Cursed Son

“They’d need to know too much. Nobody knows who works for me. I’d say nobody knew who was my wife, but your king and some people in your castle know, and they might have let that truth slip…” He scratches his chin. “Maybe. Maybe they had another way to track you and it was someone hoping to kill or kidnap you.” Setting his eyes on me, he takes a deep breath. “And why Nelsin was incredibly irresponsible. Speaking of Nelsin, we’re going to meet Ferer’s sister. Pretend you don’t know her brother. She’ll make your dress for the coronation, and…” He bites his lip. “Yes. We’ll be safe for a while.”

“You’re worried.” I don’t know why I’m voicing my observation out loud. Perhaps it’s just that I feel a chill down my spine, or just that it’s the first time I sense hesitation coming from him.

“Danger always follows me, wi—Astra.” He blinks. “Why do you hate the endearment?”

“Oh, such a sweet, genuine?—”

“It is genuine. I made an oath to protect you and I take it seriously. I made a mistake, and trusted someone I shouldn’t, but?—”

“Call me wife, then, if it makes you happy. It doesn’t make a difference.”

“True, Astra. It doesn’t.”

Great. Now he’s making fun of my name.

He turns and whistles, and to my surprise I see Cherry Cake emerging from amidst the trees in the river bank.

“We’ll fly low,” Marlak says. “It’s the only way.”

He then carries me across the river, so that we land beside the unicorn, and lifts me onto the saddle. This time I look back to see what he’s doing, and notice that he has to use some air magic, since the creature is so huge. Our eyes meet and I turn away fast, before he can make anything out of it.

By low I guess he means flying right above tree level, where we can go fast, but not be spotted from a distance. Trees and trees flash by beneath us, and then, after about half an hour, we dip into the forest again, where Cherry Cake gallops on the ground, stops, and we dismount.

“We’re getting to Serenade,” he says. “Close enough to the Court of Bees, on the border of the Misty Court and Crystal Court.”

“Where you’re not welcome.”

He chuckles. “It depends. But yes, many people there would love to kill me and try to get a boon from my brother or the Court Council.” Those last words are spat in anger.

That anger puzzles me. The Crystal Court has a council that helps govern it, made up of merchants and other important representatives of their society. I always thought it was a brilliant idea, but it seems that Marlak doesn’t agree. “You don’t like the council?”

“I was too young when I…” He swallows, then lowers his voice. “Left. Too young to like or dislike them. The thing is, there’s nothing keeping them from getting rid of me, and I know they’ve sent assassins before.”

“Unlike your brother. He can’t kill you.” At least that’s what I got from his words, and I want to see if I’m right.

Marlak snorts. “Oh, don’t worry. He can do plenty of other things to me and the people I care about.”

“Has he ever tried to do anything to the Spider Court Princess?”

“That court is powerful and well protected, and I don’t think anyone knew about me and the princess.” He gives me an odd look. “You’re quite interested in it.”

“Not interested. Cautious,” I say quickly, before any unhinged ideas invade his mind. “You claimed that being near you was dangerous. I want to know what I’m up against.”

He exhales and shakes his head slightly. “Crisine and you, there’s no comparison.”

I hate the sweet way he says her name, the flippant way he says the rest. No comparison. I shouldn’t feel anything, but it’s not my fault if there’s a rock in my stomach.

Thankfully he’s too lost in his thoughts to notice any reaction and continues, “And yes, your life is in danger, which is why I insist on you taking control of your magic.”

I can’t stop myself from rolling my eyes. “I bet Crisine is good with magic.”

He’s still lost in thoughts, his mind far away. “She’s fae born and never had anyone telling her that magic is dangerous. You can’t compare.”

Compare. Asshole. “I have no intention to compare myself to a fae princess.”

He stops walking and stares at me, his eyes wide. “Astra. You brought her up.”

“For a valid question.” Not for him to say that she’s so much better than me.

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