Page 21 of A Bride for the Winter King
“No!” Our hilarity doubles after that, and Byron shakes his head all the way to the dorms, our reputation as ditsy, harebrained Spring seeds solidified.
There’s nothing funny about my spectacular failure. I’ve let Ayaan, Nell, and Cece down with my big mouth, but it’s better to laugh in the face of death than to admit defeat.
Chapter 9
Fear the Reaper
ELIO
“Ready to serve, my king,” Kiro, my best lieutenant, salutes me. He’s in full uniform for the soldiers’ send off. The golden zipper of his sleeveless white bodysuit grazes his thick chin and marks him as a leader of the Ice City. The runes I carved into his skull burn a vibrant shade of blue on one side of his head, while long white hair covers the other.
“At ease, Kiro.”
“The new recruits are all packed and ready to leave for the Ice City,” he announces.
I walk through the ranks and offer a gracious nod to each of my new reapers. They all stand taller as I greet them, their chins held high.
“Congratulations. When you started this process, there were hundreds of candidates. Be proud of yourselves. You’ve proved your worth and taken your vows, and it’s time to start your new life,” I declare loudly so that the entire platoon hears. “Take a good look at your comrades, because from now on, you are family.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” a man replies. Snowflakes brand his neck, and he’s got more poise than his peers. A leader in the making, perhaps.
Hands braced behind my back, I return to the front of the platoon. “Kiro will accompany you to your new home. The frost mountains are beautiful, and the Ice City is a place like no other. You will need of nothing there—but forever be set apart. The worlds need you, my reapers. You will be hated by most and cursed to the seven hells for doing people a favor. You’ve chosen a hard but rewarding life. Trust me, no one appreciates your sacrifice more than I do.”
My reapers are my pride and joy, and yet, they don’t know me. They can’t. Once they move to the Ice City and get deployed throughout the worlds, they can’t ever return.
They collect souls and serve the realm until they die. They don’t marry or have children.
I pat Kiro’s shoulder. “Help them settle in.”
The bulky man clears his throat, signaling that he has something else to discuss with me.
“Yes?”
“I’ve received word from the Ice City, my king. The grueling haze storm on top of Frost Peaks is back, twice as big as last year. It’s blocking access to the Blueridge mines.”
I catch a wince from surfacing. The weather turbulence that keeps popping up all over Wintermere weighs on my mind quite a bit. “Advise the soldiers to stay outside the storm for the time being. I’ll be in Frost Peaks soon enough.”
“As you wish, my king.” Kiro stands straight in a show of respect and obedience before turning back to his recruits. “Soldiers, put on your masks. On my command.”
I leave them to their travels and return to the castle. A huge part of me wishes I could go with them. If I wasn’t king… I wouldn’t have to pretend to be better than them.
Sara is hyperventilating by the time I join her in the main hall, but she’s earned every bit of that panicked grimace after the stupid blind date twist.
“Almost an hour late! How am I supposed to occupy fifty, half-excited, half-terrified mortals while you sulk? The entire kingdom has been looking forward to the Yule ball, as you well know. They’re waiting for the results of the first round to start the music, and Paul has run out of things to say.” She raises a shaky hand to her brows. “I don’t think that’s ever happened before.”
“Settle down, Sara. I’m here.”
She points her index finger at me, looking more feral than ever. “Get that jaded look off your face, or else?—”
She’s the only Fae that can speak to me like this, the only one allowed to act so familiar—and only when we’re alone. We’re the same, Sara and me. She’s broken beyond repair, too.
“Here.” She crams the bride list into my hands.
I force myself not to flinch, dying to ball the piece of parchment and stomp on it.
“It’s only seven days, Elio. You’ll get through it.” She rests a hand on my arm and gives it a soft squeeze. “And the first one is almost over.”
Seven days and one night…she keeps glossing over that part, but there’s no use pretending with Sara. She knows I’d rather be anywhere but here.
