Page 17 of Bride of the Fae Prince

But now there is a young woman about to pledge her life to me. A woman I took into my arms and danced with, a woman whose cold little fingers I held.

“You’ve left us again,” says Rahk.

I look up. Edvear and Rahk joined me the moment I left the ballroom, but I forgot to acknowledge them. We’re at my quarters now. I force my mouth to twist. But suddenly, I don’t want to walk into that room with them. I don’t want to listen to them talk and speculate.

“You go on ahead. I’ll be in shortly,” I say, and stride on past them, ignoring Edvear’s protest.

I walk the length of the hallway, waiting until the door closes behind Edvear, and Rahk goes to his own room. Then I circle back, cast a quick spell to disguise my steps and smell, so Rahk’s stupid nose doesn’t detect me. Such a thing would normally be second nature to me, but here in the dull, lifeless human air, it’s very uncomfortable, like an ear popping at high altitudes.

The farther I move, the more I wonder how this kingdom hasn’t fallen already. Even the tiny bit of magic I manage is more than enough to slip the guards as I retrace my steps to the ballroom.

The hallway has grown darker. It gives me the impression of a dungeon, with how close the walls and ceiling are compared to the bright openness of the High King’s palace. My skin crawlsfrom the underlying scent of dust and decay beneath even the most decadent whiff of perfume. The sound of chaos filters in through the closed ballroom doors ahead of me. Is she still in there? Would I scandalize her if I tried to speak to her alone? Rumor has it that humans are very strict about their decorum.

The door opens, and I slip into the shadow of a window curtain. A twist of my finger draws the shadows deeper around me. I wince. The negotiations tomorrow had better go well, because I do not want to stay in this stifling and stagnant world a moment longer than I must.

My efforts are rewarded. Two veiled princesses slip out of the door, arm in arm, and hurry down the hallway. The one on the right, closest to me, isher. Even if I couldn’t tell the color of dress she was wearing, her scent and posture are indicative enough of her identity.

“Are you alright?” asks the sister.

Isabelle Louise gives a nod, but her knuckles are white on her sister’s elbow. “Of course.”

The human ability to lie so boldly and without consequence never ceases to amaze me.

“You don’t have to do it. I can talk to Father. You can refuse. Oh! I know. I’ll tell the maids not to hem your gown, and then you’ll trip walking down the aisle—andthenhe’ll be so disgusted he’ll leave. It’ll solve all of our problems.”

A solid plan. Nothing disgusts me more than women who trip.

“I will marry him,” comes Isabelle’s quiet but firm response. “I have one duty. I will fulfill it. Our people need this.”

There’s resignation in her tone, as if she is walking to her own pyre.

I shouldn’t be listening to this, but I cannot help myself. I cannot tear myself away from the shadows as she walks past, cannot stop up my ears as the sister protests.

“There are other alliances—”

“Like Prince Brochfael?” Something about the way she says it suggests this Brochfael fellow—though I cannot help but pity a man with such a name—is even less desirable than a fae. The sister drops the point immediately.

“I shouldn’t have spoken to King Ilbert. He should have been your husband. I didn’t think he would like me—”

“I want you to be happy with him. I am glad he will be good to you,” Isabelle says, and there’s a subtle fierceness underlying her words. “Do not try to convince me not to marry Prince Trenian. He is fae, but that doesn’t make him a monster. I’m sure I will be quite content at his side.”

Her words slice right between my ribs. She has no idea how wrong she is.

“But—but—”

“But what?”

“What about . . .”

“What?”

“Tomorrownight? Aren’t you scared?”

My eyes widen, and if I had been intending on leaving, I certainly can’t leave now. Not until I hear her answer.

She’s quiet for some minutes, and when she finally speaks, I strain to hear.

“I will fulfill my duty.”

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