Page 18 of The Shadow Heir

As soon as my feet felt the solid earth and the cool night air, I leaped away from the prince, who was almost entirely invisible in the dark. The other man, Felipe, flashed me a bright smile that did nothing to ease the pounding of my heart.

“All set?” Felipe asked, tucking his hands behind his back.

My entire body began to shake, and I looked around for something to steady me, but I only saw the two fae, and I wouldn’t cling to them for support. This was what my father had chosen for me.

For love.

His words in the ballroom had carved a hollow in my chest and filled it with sorrow. He rarely spoke of my mother, and I longed to hear of his love for her. It wasthatkind of love I’d always hoped for. But their love had driven them to make desperate choices, and in the end, it hadn’t lasted. Death had parted them too soon.

My skin prickled, and my heart thumped loudly. These fae really were stealing me away. I could delay no longer. All my efforts to break the bargain had failed.

Deranged visions of Jorge plagued my mind as I imagined him sweeping in with a sword to battle these monsters. But he wasn’t the man I’d thought he was. No one was coming to save me. All I had was the tiny knife strapped to my thigh, high enough that it didn’t show during the spins in my dance.

“I’ll need your blade,” Felipe said.

My shoulders sank, and I crossed my arms.

“She’s a feisty one. She won’t want to give it up,” spat the prince.

His illusory form moved beside me, and I felt the hem of my dress being pushed aside.

I yelped and kicked, and the toe of my shoe connected with his temple. The shadow groaned.

“Don’t you dare touch me,” I yelled, bending to gather my ruffled hem and yank out my knife.

Felipe cackled. “Don’t tell me. She chose to entertain?” He sighed. “Cas, you’re supposed to explain it to them.”

Casimiro stood and swept dark, smoke-like strands of hair from his face. “I did.” His dark eyes glowed a faint blue-white, hot as a smith’s fire. I blinked at the alarming sight.

The other man shook his head and tsked. “I’m sorry if our prince forced you into a choice you’ll regret. He was told to explain things better, but he’s not one to listen to anyone.” The broad-shouldered immortal stepped up in front of me. “I’m Felipe.”

He reached out a hand and traced the edge of my face with a cool knuckle.

I slapped his hand away.

Felipe snorted and walked past me. “Shame. She would have made a fun servant.”

At those words, the prince’s glowing eyes flared brighter, illuminating a hard scowl on his face as he tracked his friend’s movements. Then the light in his eyes dimmed.

“Come on,” the prince said. “It’s almost midnight, and if your birthday expires before you reach my court, you will die. I can chain you if I must, but the ones who choose entertainment are always so proud of comingwillingly.”

I tried to swallow, but my throat had gone dry. I stepped forward.

Casimiro chuckled and nodded his approval. “See, she’s compliant.”

I wanted to hit him, but it wouldn’t do any good, considering an arrow and a dagger hadn’t even fazed him.

“She’s also proud,” Felipe added. “Which will make the games shorter for her.” He spoke over me, like I was a child. “The proud ones never make it.” Now he focused on me as a smile played on his lips. “Remember this: it’s the ones who break quickly, accepting our help, who end up surviving.” He pinned me with a sharp gaze. “Because mortals are made to break, and the sooner you learn that, the better it will be for you.”

Before I had time to reply to his awful words, a strange hissing sound filled the night as a strange black line sawed its way through the very air, as if the world was tearing at the seams. A second later, an open doorway stood in the forest beside us, darker than the night, as if no light at all could penetrate it.

I choked on my next breath as Casimiro strolled through the archway and vanished into the dark. My hands shook at my sides, and my lungs quaked. One year. That was all. I could survive for one year. Iwould. And then I would return to my father. He’d lost his first love, and I couldn’t let him lose me forever too.

As if reading my thoughts, Felipe announced, “Your turn.”

My muscles clenched as I stepped toward the doorway that would take me from this world. Then, with a deep breath, I walked into the darkness.

8

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