Page 66 of Snow White

I burst through the crowded tree circle and into the glistening glen. I hiss when I see that I’ve lost most of my skirt in my rush. Cuts decorate my arms and legs, but I barely feel them.

My gaze focuses on the creatures in the circle of toadstools. I brush the lingering tree branches off my dress, straighten my back, and stride forward as if I don’t have a care in the world.

Feign it, even if your knees are shaking and you’re about to collapse.

My hands don’t tremble as I cross them in front of me. I link my fingers and incline my head to the glowing beings at the center of the toadstools.

It takes a heartbeat for the fae to look at me. His eyes spark, containing the entire night sky. He looks me over from head to toe, his dark hair cut short, making his eyes even more disconcerting. The magical shield drops, and he gestures for me to enter. I keep my head high as I enter the circle. A seat forms across from him, and I take it as if it is my due. The lesser beings bow to him, but no one knows where he came from. The rumors are that there is a portal to a land full of his kind, where light and dark fae are divided by a mystical boundary.

The fae king looks me over. A cruel smirk lights his unnaturally angular features, offsetting the ethereal glow of his skin. I have no doubt which side of that boundary he was born on. I sit calmly, readjusting my nearly non-existent skirt as if it were a glittering gown. Everything about the fae is meant to disarm.I need to focus. I am here for a reason.

One good deed.

The fae king looks me up and down again. “I know why you’re here.”

I lift the teacup that appears in front of me. I know not to drink unless I wish to be enslaved to the high fae. These are simple rules that were drilled into my head as a child.

“You do?” I ask, carefully wording my question to not give anything away. Even one slip could end with the fae owning my soul. That’s assuming I have a soul to bargain with.

The fae king lifts a perfectly shaped tea cake to his lips, smirking as he takes a bite, observing me. It takes all of my control not to snap at him in impatience. My nerves are frayed, and every moment I remain still, I can feel the approaching darkness. With each passing breath, the remains of the Vessel’s heart makes its way out of my system, taking the magic I need with it. I should have headed straight to face her after the magic hit, but instead, I went to the fae king. My priorities have shifted.

Snow.

I don’t know what will happen when my world is consumed in darkness. The clock is counting down in the back of my head, the sound becoming louder and louder. I must protect Snow. It is my one redemption.

The fae king smiles indulgently. “There is little that goes on in this realm that I don’t know about.”

I tense slightly at that. “Oh?”

I need to keep every word out of my mouth in the form of a question. A statement can be used to trap me into a deal for my power and soul with the fae king. It’s that easy to end up indebted to the fae.

“You are here to discuss the young Snow White,” the fae king says, taking another bite of the overly perfect tea cake. Each flex of his jaw as he chews puts me more on edge.

Does he truly have eyes everywhere?The eyes in the trees. The water watching. Have I just fallen into a trap? I barely stop myself from flinching with the realization.

Out of habit, I take a sip of the tea and then tense with horror.Poison.Everything I know and every precaution I've taken is lost in a single moment of carelessness.

The fae king’s smirk widens as the teacup falls from my frozen hand. He stands from his seat, brushing his hands down his midnight jacket. “Alas, you were not the first dark sorceress to make a deal with me.”

All light vanishes from the glowing glen, the sound of massive wings descending. I can do nothing but sit there, the poison in the tea keeping me frozen in place. He mentioned Snow, and I’d forgotten everything, falling directly into his trap.

Into her trap.

Metal claws brush my skin, pulling my hair back over my shoulder. I can’t even shiver. I know those claws, hearing them clink against each other, the sparkling diamonds on the edges able to cut through the chest of any foe.

“Hello, my daughter,” Maleficent purrs into my ear. “Time to go home.”

Chapter Forty-Two

Snow

Hours go by, the wind blowing through my hair and tears keeping my cheeks wet. In the past, I would have frozen solid due to the freezing weather. Now I seem to be absorbing the cold, the chill powering my magic, making it stronger.

The Beast is incredibly fast. I can’t even lift my head from his fur for fear of flying off. He is the most physically powerful being I have ever come in contact with. I use my powers to keep his muscles cool, allowing him to go faster and run longer. The power of his muscles as he grips the earth is magnificent, and I can’t help but admire him. With his speed, I will be with Azura again very soon. Together, we will fight this darkness.

Whispers appear on the wind, and I am able to feel them all around me. They call to me from deep within the woods. Their voices try to pull me from the beast, their power strong and luring. Not as strong as Azura’s, but it’s close.

“Wait, stop. Stop!” I call. The Beast snarls at me, galloping forward. “Stop!”

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