Page 114 of Drawn in Blood
Ember cut her eyes at him, fighting the smile that was trying to take over. “It will work,” Ember replied. “It has to.”
Fen went searchingthe bedroom for snacks, and Ember and Killian stayed on the balcony, staring up at the stars. She shivered as the wind picked up, and he stepped closer to her, just a step.
“I’m sorry about your mum,” he whispered. “I know this isn’t the way you were hoping it would play out.”
“I dreamed about it for years,” Ember replied, as she stared up at the moon. “I thought I had finally gotten my happy ending, my own real-life fairytale.”
Killian shook his head as his pinky touched the side of her hand gripping the rail. “That’s the thing about fairytales,” he breathed. “They very rarely have happy endings. But you can’t close yourself off, not from us. Something eventually is going to break.”
“What if it’s me?”
Killian grinned. “You’re unbreakable, Starshine.”
She tried to smile, she did, but something about the way he spoke to her, like he actually believed in her, broke her into a million pieces. She thought about the rest of the people on the island—the Vala and Fae and elves and Merrow—how was she supposed to protect them from this? This couldn’t be her destiny. She didn’t even know if she believed in destiny, not anymore.
“I am destined for darkness,” she whispered.
She didn’t like to think about the prophecy, but every night for the last two months, it seemed to rattle in her brain, a reminder of who she was—what she was destined to become.
“They have been planning this since the day I was born,” she continued. “Maybe this is what the prophecy was talking about. Maybe I truly can’t escape my fate.”
“You get to decide what your fate is,” Killian replied. “You can fight it alone or let us help you.”
“I won’t put you two in danger,” she breathed. “This is so much bigger than we could’ve imagined. I won’t let my destruction become yours.”
“Did you know,” Killian said, “that for a star to be born, a gaseous nebula has to completely collapse?” He traced her hand with his pinky, goosebumps now covering her arms.
Ember furrowed her brow. “What are you on about?”
“It’s okay if you need to collapse.” He shrugged. “This is not your destruction, even if it feels like it right now.”
Ember stalkedthrough the doors of the palace; head held high as Collum trailed closely behind her. She had called for him the next morning, to escort her to the palace. She didn’t lie when she told Fen and Killian she had a plan B the night before. She just hadn’t told anyone what it was.
She knew in the back of her mind that there was a chance their plan wouldn’t work. Fen was right. There were too many variables—too many moving parts—and she had no way of knowing exactly how it would all go down. So, she steeled herself to do what she needed to do. If she wanted to win, she had to play his game. She walked down the corridors and stood in front of the door to Helvig’s study, waiting as Collum knocked. Instead of a reply, the door swung open, Helvig sitting at his desk looking more worn out than she had seen him yet. He smiled at her, and she forced a smile back, walking confidently across the floor as her boots clacked against the marble.
“Mo Stór,” a voice sounded from the other side of the room, “I didn’t know you were coming by today.
Ember almost stumbled as she saw her mother walk in through another door, but she kept her back straight and head high. It was good she was here. She wouldn’t have to say this more than once, and she could go ahead and get it out of the way. She gritted her teeth as she forced a smile.
“I wanted to talk to you both,” Ember said, as she made it to the desk Helvig was seated at, twirling the gold ring around her finger.
Helvig smiled as he motioned to the chair in front of him. “You’ve come to a decision then?” he asked, as Aoife walked to stand behind him. The sight of her behind him made Ember’s stomach roll—his loyal daughter there to do his bidding in whatever capacity he required.
“I have.” Ember nodded, swallowing dryly as she willed her chest not to shake. “I will be your donor for however long you need, and I will be your princess.” The words tasted like bile in her mouth, but she smiled prettily, praying they believed it.
“Oh, how wonderful,” Aoife cooed, walking around the desk to kiss Ember on the head. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to physically recoil.
She gave them a small nod and took another breath. “I just have two conditions,” Ember said.
Helvig gave her a nod to continue.
“The first is that we wait until after the ball. I’d like one last night to just have fun with my friends, be a normal teenager for a little while longer.”
Helvig rubbed his chin, contemplating, and Ember held her breath.
“I think we can manage that,” he laughed gruffly. “I remember my first Ostara ball, and you deserve a night to relax.”
Ember let out a shaky breath of relief. She steeled herself for her next demand.
