Page 168 of Bride of the Fae Prince

I’ve made a mistake.

Faradir’s eyes dilate suddenly. Instinctively, I throw myself backward against the door. Frantically, I reach for the knob, as if I could open it and run for freedom.

Faradir’s forearm slams into the wall above my head. His bare hand closes around my throat, cutting off my scream. I scrabble with my useless fingers at his hold. It tightens, tightens, until I cannot breathe.

“I have tried to be patient with Trenian, and with you, but enough is enough,” he snarls into my face, his incisorslengthening to fangs. “I am your High King, and you belong to me. Your life is in my hands. Submit to your King.”

He loosens his grip on my throat just enough for me to drag in one desperate gulp of air before blackness completely swallows my vision.

“You may be their High King,” I rasp, choking. “But you were never mine.”

His furious blue eyes are the last thing I see.

Chapter 64

The Prince

My thoughts roar soloudly in my head I am nearly blind as I take one of the portal gates to the Nothril Court. When the black-as-night spires pierce the stars and Lulythinar moon above me, I barely hear the words the guards hurl at me, demanding to know on what business I have come.

I don’t answer them. I just open my mouth and bellow: “Prince Rahk!”

My voice echoes off carved stone walls that shine like obsidian. More guards come spilling out of the palace, ready to defend their lord and lady at a moment’s notice.

But they do not lay a hand on me, and I lay none on them.

“Prince Rahk!” I bellow once more.

The main palace entrance swings open. Long, tied back silver hair comes into view first, then polished black armor, the hilts of two swords sticking up over his shoulders, and finally, Rahk’s clenched fists. He shoves aside the guards in his way and hurries down the palace steps to where I wait.

“Ash,” Rahk says, his eyes sharp even as his face remains stoic. Even if we weren’t blood sworn, it’s nice for once to not be wasting time constantly referring to each other by titles.

“Come with me,” I say, and it’s more of a plea than a demand.

Rahk casts one glance back at the palace—which tells me he will likely face retribution from Lord and Lady Nothril if he returns to Valehaven now. That is his only hesitation before he marches with me back toward the gate that will transport us through time and space to Valehaven.

“Where is Stella?” he asks under his breath once the guards are far enough behind us, and there is genuine fear in his tone.

“The Ivy Mask is taking her to the Small Cities.”

“What is the Ivy Mask?”

“No time. I am going to kill Faradir tonight and I need—”

Rahk grabs my shoulder, yanks me back just before I reach the stone archway at the edge of this side of Caphryl Wood.

“You cannot do that,” he growls, the mask falling enough to reveal the sudden fury twisting his face. “You will plunge us all into war if you give up your throne.”

“I don’t care about that,” I snarl back, baring my teeth at him. “There will be war one way or another, but there will be no peace until Faradir is dead. Heripped offOleria’s wings and sold her in slavery to one of the barbarian kings beyond the Veil. I sent my wife away—forever. You know I’m bound by blood to destroy the human lands at dawn if Faradir is not dead. What choices do I have, Rahk? Tell me!”

Rahk’s brow thickens with his horror, but he doesn’t back down. “Get him to break one of his own laws—like you’d originally planned!”

“What do you think I’ve been trying to do these last dozens of years?” I shoot back. “Why do you think I married Stella? My father is not stupid, and the difference between us is that I have things I care about, and he doesn’t. He’s practically invincible.”

“Stop right there,” Rahk demands, putting out his arm to keep me from stepping through the portal to Valehaven. “You’re losing your rationale. The High King—”

“He ripped her wings off!He ripped her wings off.He killed Calver for no reason except that I refused to marry Listhra. He blinded Hylath because I married Stella. Now look what he has done to Oleria. Can you imagine what he would do if he got his hands on Stella? He would shred her to pieces!” My voice collapses in on itself, and I cover my mouth with my shaking hand.

“Keep your love for Stella,” Rahk says, his voice softening just slightly. “That is what makes you strong. But you need to stop believing the High King has all the power in this situation. Thereissomething he wants, the one thing he has protected at all costs. The one thing he would sacrifice his only heir to keep.”

---