Page 29 of The Shadow Heir

I fisted my hands and pressed them against my upraised knees. Thoughts of my father brought waves of sudden anger. This was all because of a bargain he’d made—a bargain he’d made for love.

Love had ruined my life, not saved it.

But I couldn’t think of him—not now. Fear was poisoning my mind, and I had to be clear-headed to survive the year.

Despite my efforts to avoid thinking of my father, I tilted my head back against the wall and closed my eyes as memories fought their way into my mind’s eye. My father had taught me how to wield a knife and told me to always carry one on my body, hidden in my clothes. Though my blades had saved me from more than one greedy hand in the streets at night, they had done little good in the end. Maybe that was why Father had tolerated my dancing, although it wasn’t a customary hobby for the upper class. Did he know I would be here performing for my life?

My eyes popped open, and I realized I was not alone in the hall anymore.

A woman slipped out of the massive door, her dark hair wrapped in a braid around her head and decorated with mushrooms.

Alba. The princess of this miserable place.

“Oh, it’s you,” she said as she spun around, shutting the door quietly behind her. “He thought the mortals wouldn’t want to talk to you, but he was wrong.” She sounded delighted, and I wasn’t certain if it was at the prospect of her brother being wrong about something or at the fact that the other mortals welcomed me. I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I said nothing. She nodded slowly, then darted toward me and dropped to her ankles, bracing herself against the wall with one hand. “I’m in need of a dueling partner, and my brother tells me you can fight. Interested?”

So alarmed was I by her question that I shook my head adamantly.

“Think about it.” She shrugged and stood. “You know, I hate the way you all have to die, I really do. But for his sake, don’t mess this up.”

I gawked at her as she walked away on silent feet. Her amber dress draped over the stone floor behind her, rippling like liquid gold as she vanished around the corner.

The subtle sound of a throat clearing behind me startled me, and I jumped up.

The prince walked out of the room. He wore no crown and his hair was disheveled. I tore my gaze away and stared at the shining black wall. What would he do to me now that I was out of my quarters when I was not supposed to be?

“You think you’re better than most, don’t you?” he asked, voice resonating in the vaulted hall.

I glared at him. “What?”

He cocked his chin up. “You think you can withstand the shadows, don’t you? You think that your heart is made of gold?That there isn’t darkness in you like there is in everyone else? The hypocrisy of it sickens me.”

I lifted my shoulders, straightening my spine. “What makes you think we’re all wretched like you?”

“Because you are. You’re mortal.” He walked in an arc around me. I spun, trying not to let my cheeks flare under his scrutiny. “You survived tonight, so you should celebrate.” He clicked his tongue.

“Your version of celebration is repulsive.”

His hard expression faltered, but only briefly. “I take it one of my courtiers has invited himself into your room? And you were not pleased?”

I scowled at him. “You are a foul creature.”

“I am not responsible for the way my courtiers treat you. They cannot kill you, and they are forbidden from forming attachments, but that is the only restriction on our behavior toward the mortals.” He took a step forward. “We may be foul in your eyes, but centuries of studying your kind has shown us what you all desire most. My courtiers want to ensure you are not deprived of anything you might want before your last day.”

Without warning, I dry heaved, unable to respond to him for a moment. Finally, I said, “I will celebrate when I’m back home, one year from now.”

He paused, tossing me a quick glance over his shoulder as he lifted one hand, his loose sleeve bunching at his elbow. In his upraised hand, an apple appeared. He pulled it toward his mouth and took a bite. The sound made me flinch.

Mouth half full and dripping with apple juice, he added, “Want some?” He held the fruit out to me.

Without thinking, I slapped the apple out of his hand. It clunked against the wall and then rolled back toward us. As he finished chewing his bite, he lifted his brows and tilted his head at me in an appraising way.

“Interesting,” he said, his voice dropping to a sinister tone. “How do you think it would serve you to offend me?”

I might have overstepped my bounds just then, but I wasn’t backing down now. What difference did it make anyway, if I was set to die in these caverns?

I looked him hard in the eyes. “I’m not going to play your games. I’m not going to bow to your wishes.”

“That’s nice,” he said. He bent down and picked up the apple, inspecting it for any flecks of dust. He found none and took another bite. When he had finished chewing, he spoke again. “There hasn’t been one mortal that came through here that didn’t crack. All of you are rotten from the inside out. There’s nothing good about you—other than that you can be pretty and that you all hate to die so much. My courtiers enjoy watching how hard you fight it.”

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