Page 111 of The Kingdom Cursed By Iron

He’s dropped his gaze, staring at the ground. His voice is filled with sorrow, matching the feeling in my chest.

So this was why my mom had been taken from me so young, why she suddenly started to sicken, with no known cause. Her life force had been running out, depleted by the spell which allowed me to be born.

“And she agreed to that?” I ask.

“She was so determined. I did my best to make it clear what she was giving up, but she didn’t care. She understood the price, and it was worth it to her. But I was sworn to secrecy as part of the deal.”

I close my eyes, and a tear escapes from under the lid, rolling down my cheek.

“I’m so sorry,” he says.

“Don’t be.” I sniff. “It’s almost a relief. All this time I didn’t understand what happened to her. It seemed so senseless. But now I know there was a reason she left us. That she made a choice. That makes it easier, somehow.”

And it’s also easier, knowing that Ruskin isn’t responsible for my mother’s death. That had been the worst of my fears. But I saw how determined she could be when she wanted something. This didn’t really have anything to do with him. He’d only supplied the thing she desired. The natural consequences of that could hardly be his fault, especially when she knew what she was getting into.

“And what about you, what did you ask for in return?”

“I was getting desperate myself. Cebba’s curse had started to show its spread by then, seeping into the kingdom. I knew my time was running out. When I heard your mother was a healer, it gave me an idea that perhaps she could help me. The deal was that she would try to find a cure for my curse. I gave her an alchemy kit, in the hope that might be useful, and she vowed to do all she could.”

So much now clicks into place. Of course Mom’s interest in metallurgy and alchemy wasn’t coincidence. She was looking for something, and all her notes and experiments were about trying to unlock a solution for a man I’d yet to meet.

“When I met you for the first time in that castle, I realized that your mother may indeed have given me the cure. She upheld her end of the bargain, just not in the way I’d expected. Magic often works that way. She helped me by giving me the one person who could cure the curse.”

Fated. That’s what the deal had made us—the girl who existed because of fae magic, and the prince who couldn’t survive without her love. But although the pieces had been lined up, we still had to make our choices. Mom’s, mine, Ruskin’s. All the power in the universe couldn’t force me to fall in love with Ruskin. He earned that all himself.

“Thank you,” I say, squeezing his hand tight, and I feel the weight of our secrets fading away, leaving only us, together, under an open, starry sky.

The sun shines down on us as we wake early. The Unseelie border is still half a day’s travel away and we must pass the familiar landmarks of Amethyn valley and Lake Irnua before climbing the mountain trail. Considering the circumstances under which we left last time, I’m nervous about returning to the Unseelie Court, but in a world turned upside down, I hold out hope for King Lisinder’s directness and love of honor. We may find an ally in him yet.

Lake Irnua comes into view up ahead, its dark waters glistening in the sunshine. A breeze picks up, running through the grass, and my horse shakes its head, throwing off some invisible fly. I hold more tightly on to the reins. I’m still nervous on these creatures. Then the animal emits a disturbed whinny and sets off running, bolting like something’s spooked it.

Air rushes past me, whipping my hair around my face as my horse canters up towards the lake side. Then, just as suddenly as it took off, it stops, throwing me forward out of the saddle.

I hit the ground hard enough to wind me, and the world blurs for a moment. The water of the lakeside shimmers, and in my confusion I seem to see figures standing in front of me, a small crowd of fae who appear to have stepped out of thin air. Evanthe stands at the front of them.

My head clears and I try to scrabble backwards, only to feel the point of some cold, sharp metal pressed against my neck.

“Ella!” Ruskin bellows. I can hear his horse cantering up behind us, though I can’t turn to look at him. The knife behind me keeps me staring ahead, at the woman at the front of the group.

I recognize faces in the crowd behind too. Hadeus—of course. Galaphina’s sister and her friend Vanis, too. Even the crimson-haired best friend of Cebba, Lady Rivera. Evanthe’s freed them all. They are positioned behind her on their horses, eyeing me hungrily.

“Keep your hands off her!” Ruskin snarls. My body aches from the fall, and I’m wondering where on earth these people came from, still trying to wrap my head around how quickly everything has gone so wrong.

They wanted to separate me from Ruskin and Destan. That’s the reason only my horse got spooked, because Evanthe needs me. And I easily fell into the trap. I think back to Cebba’s careful disguise as Fiona and wonder if hiding herself in an illusion—in her case, an illusion of invisibility—is a talent Evanthe has inherited from her daughter’s dark magic. Or maybe it’s something Cebba learned from her mother.

“It’s time to surrender,” Evanthe says. “You have denied my authority as queen, but you cannot escape the justice of this court.” She gestures to the crowd around her. Their weapons are drawn, and many have their palms outstretched, ready to conjure. We’re outnumbered, by a lot, and I get the feeling we’re seconds away from Evanthe’s followers testing out how much damage they can do to us.

I tentatively poke at the blade behind held behind me with my magic, wondering if the lackey holding it will notice.

“This is not your fight, Eleanor Thorn,” calls a voice, and I’m surprised to see it’s Hadeus speaking. “If you give the queen what she wants she may show you mercy, especially as I hear you’re needed in the human realm.”

My stomach flips.

“What are you talking about?” I ask, knowing he’s goading me, but unable to resist.

“I made a visit there recently. It seems your father has become an unhappy guest of your king. I’m sure you would regret never seeing him again.”

My heart sinks. I’d foolishly assumed Dad was safe, and knowing he’s with Albrecht makes me feel physically sick. Ruskin may have placed that spell to protect him from physical harm, but would it stop the king from capturing him? Holding him captive? Starving him?

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