Page 46 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

She chuckled. “Oh. Me too?”

“Of course. Your first instinct was to fight, wasn’t it? Look around. That’s not how most people react.”

Naia did look, and only then she realized that there was something missing from the ballroom. “Hang on. Where are the guards?”

River shrugged again, looking almost bored. “Someone must have gotten rid of them.”

“And you knew it and didn’t stop any of that.”

He sighed. “You speak as if it were easy to convince someone not to do something. But I can make this attack stop. If you come with me. To become my wife.”

“Did you plan this? So you could take me?”

“Naia, I’m stopping it.”

She tried to think, to understand what was happening, then suddenly a thought hit her, and she chuckled. “Did you think we would lose and planned to come here and pretend you were saving everyone’s lives?”

“I certainly had no idea what your brother could do, no. Any enemy will be terrified and he’ll be their number one target. I can prevent that.”

She still wasn’t sure if his words were real, still didn’t understand why he was offering to marry her, still didn’t understand anything, so she asked a question. “Where do you intend to take me?”

“The part of the underworld where I live.” His voice was soft, a caress from her ears to her entire body.

For some reason, the thought was exciting and intriguing. Naia swallowed. No, it was terrible. It was probably all tricks and lies. She decided to test him, to understand what he meant by marrying her. “And you’ll honor me as your wife, according to your customs?”

“Naia, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want our customs. I’ll honor you according to yours.”

“Which you know nothing about. Will I be recognized as your wife by your people?”

“Yes.”

He couldn’t lie, so this was a true proposal. But then it meant marrying the enemy. And then again, it could be an opportunity for her to spy on them. Depending on what she learned about the white fae, she could even save her people, she could find her own glory. Yes, that made sense. It was a unique opportunity that she shouldn’t pass, a unique opportunity to do something that mattered, perhaps even to save Aluria.

“Tomorrow morning.” She could barely believe she’d said those words, as if they had come from a different Naia. Then she added, “I have to say goodbye to my brother.”

“You can’t tell him any of this, though. Can I have your word? That you won’t say anything about me or what we just talked about?”

“I won’t. I’ll just write a note that I’m leaving, and that it’s by my own will, that I’m not being kidnapped or anything. It will be good for you.”

“Promise you won’t mention what you saw, won’t mention where you’re going, and won’t mention what I am.”

She was wondering how much she would be able to say, but it made sense that such a thing would be secret. “I promise.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Dawn, then.”

River snapped his fingers and the fae warriors disappeared. His magic was terrifying. He could defeat a small army just by freezing them. She didn’t say anything because she didn’t want to give him any ideas. Then he disappeared, unscented black smoke remaining for a second where he’d been, before dissipating as well. People around her started to move, everyone looking confused and startled. Some people were running out of the ballroom.

Fel rushed to her. “Are you all right?”

“I am.” She was trembling, though.

He glanced at the mirror in front of Leah, then it fell forward and shattered, but he turned away from her before the princess could see him. “I don’t understand,” he said. “I swear I saw many fae surrounding us. Didn’t you see them?”

Naia opened her mouth to confirm what he’d seen, but no sound came. Oh, no. Her promise. River’s magic wouldn’t let her say anything. She shrugged.

Meanwhile, a king yelled that this was a fae attack. Someone said the castle wasn’t safe. People were angry, anxious.

Their father got to them. “Let’s get back to our quarters.”

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