Curse of the Cruel and Lovely : Allied Kingdoms Academy 3 Page 17

  His lips brushed against mine. There was a question there. We’d kissed a hundred times but when I pressed my lips to his, his tongue lightly touched mine. I pulled on the fabric of his coat and he gripped me harder. Each kiss grew in passion, his hands wandered beneath my jacket and somehow the buttons loosed and he pushed it off me. I lifted my shirt off and his lips lightly pressed from my neck to the rounding flesh of my breast stopping at the fabric of my bralette. Then he laid his cheek against my chest and held me. “We should still wait, my love.”

  My pounding heart hurt a little. “You don’t want me?” I didn’t understand why he’d stop where this was going. I wanted him. I didn’t have to say it. He knew.

  He pushed back and his warm hands held either side of my face. “I do. Gods, I do but we agreed to wait. Do you want to be with me for the rest of our lives?” His eyes had a vulnerability there I had never seen. He kissed me lightly. “If I’m going to have you, Visteal, I want all of you forever. I will not make the mistakes of my father.”

  “Are you asking me to marry you, Zyacus?” My voice trembled a little, but I knew my answer. I knew what I would say. He was the moon to my stars. The spark to my flame. I didn’t care anymore if we were young. I didn’t care what anyone thought.

  “I want to, but not here. Not in the middle of a cold forest in a strange realm. I want a proper ring. I want it to be a day you’ll remember for the rest of your life. Where you’re happy and warm and safe.”

  I smiled. “Zyacus, I don’t care how you propose or where.”

  “I know and that makes you so special and you deserve more than this.” He grabbed my coat and placed it over my shoulders. “Nothing in all the realms can compare to you. You are the sun that chases away the clouds. You are color in a world of gray. You, Visteal, make me feel something real, real love when I thought I’d be reserved to a lonely life with a woman who meant nothing to me.”

  I didn’t know how I could love him more but I did. “When you’re ready to ask me to be your wife, I’m ready to answer.” I buttoned my coat and he pulled a blanket over us.

  “You can sleep. You have a big day tomorrow then we can go home,” Zyacus said. “I’ll keep watch.”

  We talked for a while longer. I made sure he knew why the King couldn’t be killed by a faerie so he wouldn’t try anything in case something went wrong. I hoped it would be simple. I would approach Valefrost with the spear and as soon as he took hold of it, I’d shove a blade through his heart. I’d pictured myself doing it a hundred times. Then we could go home like Zyacus said. I wanted to go home.

  24

  Visteal

  Zyacus and I parted ways for the last stretch. He couldn’t be seen with me crossing the finish line but promised to be there waiting. A swell of excitement and nervousness hit me all at once. The castle came into view. A waiting crowd of a few hundred people gathered outside. I proudly held the Spear of Ice. I checked around myself frequently so no one could sneak up on me but this was it. The time had finally come. I broke into a sprint; Gideon happily ran beside me. When I broke the tree line applause erupted. I smiled and raised the spear above my head. Astaroth came from the center of the crowd, grinning. I’d never seen the man smile with any sort of happiness but he was. I spotted Chrishna behind him. I hoped it wasn’t a huge mistake telling her the truth.

  Preeva yelled, “We have our winner! Saffire Snofury!” More clapping and whistles. Glittering magic burst in the air above. Bastian and Aenea rushed out and met me.

  “You did it!” Aenea squeezed my arm. “You actually did it!”

  A pair of healers approached. “Please remove your coat so we may inspect your arm and remove the kirune.” I slid my arm out, glad that I had made it without having to remove it myself.

  The woman inspected the stitches and nodded then sliced my arm. I winced at the sting and when she dug a pair of metal clamps in. It was only a few seconds before she pulled the kirune piece out and my magic began to build within me. The healer waved a hand over my cut and it closed almost instantly.

  I looked around the crowd for Zyacus, Taz and Aric. I spotted them in the back and grinned. I wanted to wave but I couldn’t, obviously. With Preeva on one side and Bastian on the other, and Aenea behind, they led me through the crowd toward the King and Queen. With each step I chanted, Home, Home, Home. Killing him wasn’t wrong, I rationalized. It had to be done. My mouth was dry as a desert when Astaroth appeared at the bottom of the steps that led up to the platform his parents sat on.

  Astaroth leaned down to my ear, “Drive this dagger through his cold heart.” He slipped it onto my belt and then kissed my cheek. He quickly turned to the King. “Father, may I present Saffire Snofury, my Chosen winner and future bride.”

  The guards hadn’t parted yet to let me through but five steps; that was the distance between King Valefrost and me now.

  The King rose from his throne with an uneasy smile. “Bring me the spear—my son.”

  My heart literally dropped. Son? I thought I was supposed to bring him the spear? Astaroth’s eyes darted to me and then to his father. “My bride retrieved your spear. Should she not bring it to you? It is tradition.”

  “I make the rules and traditions. Bring me my spear, Astaroth. It is a privilege enough that she will be your wife; she doesn’t need to give it to me nor kiss my hand.”

  NO! This was all wrong. This was supposed to be the moment. The one real chance I had to get close to him. I tried to force a smile as Astaroth took the Spear of Ice from my hands. His hard eyes bore into me for a moment. “Don’t move,” he murmured. With trails of black mist following him, he passed the guards and gave the spear to his father.

  The crowd cheered when Valefrost raised it high. “Now let us celebrate inside to welcome my new daughter, Saffire Snofury.” He turned, surrounded by guards and in a procession headed inside.

  Frozen and dumbfounded, I watched them leave with growing panic. This couldn’t be happening. Astaroth appeared at my side and grabbed my arm. I had to do something. I could use the appearus spell and drive the dagger straight to his back. Why couldn’t I? Why shouldn’t I? When I was about to vanish, I felt myself being pulled into Astaroth’s dark cloud and in a flash, we stood in his bedroom.

  “What are you doing? This is my chance. I can use magic to teleport right behind him!”

  Astaroth punched the stone wall, leaving a gaping hole to the outside. “No, you can’t! If you could, don’t you think I’d have had you do that by now?” His voice was scary quiet. “There is a protection enchantment that surrounds him. Only if he allows you inside would you be able to get close to him. He was supposed to let you hand him that damn spear.”

  “I killed that girl in this stupid contest for nothing! I came close to dying myself for nothing!”

  His head snapped in my direction. “Quit feeling sorry for yourself. You killed someone to win, so what?”

  “So what? She didn’t have to die. None of them did.”

  “It was a necessary sacrifice,” he hissed.

  “You’re evil.”

  “Get out of my sight,” he barked. “I need to think.”

  I ran from his room, angry tears blurring my vision. I hated him. I hated everything about this place. I slammed into a guard nearly knocking him down. He hit the wall and then steadied himself. “My apologies,” he said bowing his head.

  I didn’t know where to go. I just ran. I ran until I stood outside alone. Where was Zyacus? Bastian, Aenea, anyone?

  “I take it that didn’t go as planned.”

  I jumped and turned to find Chrishna. She had the same snooty look she always did as she approached. I shook my head. “Nope.”

  “If you are the human girl from the prophecy, you will figure it out, won’t you. I could see in Astaroth’s face he wasn’t pleased. I know for certain you weren’t lying.”

  I lifted a shoulder, staring at the snow-covered trees. It didn’t really matter what Chrishna believed. “How can I get close to him?
It seems impossible.”

  Arching an eyebrow, she put a hand on her hip. “Maybe you should be who you are instead of pretending to be something you’re not. The prophecy doesn’t say a half Fae. It speaks of a human Princess. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. But in the meantime, you better dress for your banquet. I’ll go keep Astaroth company. I assume you won’t be.”

  “Certainly not.” What she said made no sense. Be who I am? Human? They would kill me. At least they’d try and I could never get close to him.

  She smirked and sauntered back to the castle. Nibbling on my lip, I wandered inside. On my way up to the room Aenea and I shared, the Queen and a group of ladies roamed the hall. I almost spelled out of there but she spotted me. With an easy smile, her eyes traveled up and down my form.

  I stopped and waited for her and the ladies to approach. “Saffire Snofury,” she stated. She wore another revealing black dress, and her entire head of silver hair was done in small braids. “I must say I wasn’t expecting you to win. But here you are, my future daughter.”

  I dipped into a bow. “Highness, it is an honor.”

  “I will be sure to send you some ladies to bathe and dress you properly for the ceremony tonight.”

  “You are most kind.”

  She smiled but something about it was off-putting. “And then we’ll plan for the wedding in a fortnight. Bastian will need to prepare for war against Summer Court and can’t be burdened with wedding festivities further out than that.”

  Two weeks? That’s all the time I had to figure out another plan? Two weeks and I’d be standing before Astaroth for a wedding ceremony? And Winter and Night Courts would invade Summer? “I look forward to the day.”

  She bobbed her head and strode on. I needed to find Bastian. I appeared outside his room and pounded on the door. It flew open and he stood on the other side with his hands behind his back. “Come in.”

  I dashed inside and wanted to start throwing things. “What the hell was that? He ruined everything.”

  Calm and collected as usual, Bastian simply nodded. “Visteal, we will find another way.”

  “The Queen just informed me the wedding is in a fortnight and then war with Summer Court.” I balled my hands into fists at my side and was on the verge of crying. Holy phoenix when did I become such a cry baby?

  “I know. I’ve been planning. Our battalions have been poised to strike for weeks.”

  “I can’t do it, Bastian. I can’t marry him.”

  His expression softened. “I don’t know if there will be much of a choice. Perhaps the prophecy of you being the wife of a powerful faerie must come to pass before the King can be killed.”

  I paced the room. “I told Chrishna Iceguard everything. I told her she could marry him not me.”

  “You did what?” he boomed. He hadn’t ever raised his voice to me. Not once, and it stunned me to stillness.

  “I-I used diplomacy instead of killing her for the spear.”

  Bastian grabbed a glass bottle off his desk and hurled it at the wall. It shattered leaving hundreds of pieces to clatter to the floor. “I told you to trust no one! And because you got soft you told her? She could go tell the king right now and we are all dead.”

  I knew it too but maybe I did it subconsciously as a power move on my part. A way to get me out of the marriage. “She wants Astaroth. If she gets him, she’ll keep quiet.”

  “You are either a complete fool who has doomed us all or one clever girl ensuring you get your way. Only time will tell now. If Astaroth is to hear of this. He will kill her.” He sat down in a chair, closed his eyes, and rubbed his forehead.

  “I thought they were… friendly.”

  Bastian didn’t open his eyes when he said, “He will still kill her. She is my wife’s niece. I can’t touch her or I’d do it myself to get rid of the liability.”

  She and Aenea were cousins then? No wonder Chrishna said Aenea couldn’t touch her and why she seemed afraid to defend me against her.

  “What about Summer Court? Should we warn Helios? I don’t want him to hurt my family in any way.”

  “Let me deal with them. I need to present plans to the king soon. Please go seek Aenea.”

  When I found Aenea she was pacing our room where the boys had gathered. Zyacus rushed over and pulled me against him. I let out a long-frustrated breath. “I’m sorry but we can’t go home yet.”

  He kissed my forehead. “I know, but it’s alright. There will be another opportunity.”

  There had to be. If I were the one from the prophecy there would be. I had to believe that.

  “The Queen said she’d send ladies to get me ready for tonight. You three will have to hide somewhere.”

  “We can slip into the servants’ passages,” Aric said, tugging a painting from the wall. “We’ve already done it before.”

  A knock sent the three of them scurrying. The painting closed and Aenea opened the door. Two ladies came in without speaking and directed me to the full-length mirror. I stood there numbly, my mind drifting while they wiped my skin down with damp floral-smelling cloths. One braided my hair while the other held different dresses against me, apparently silently deciding she didn’t like them. She discarded several then stuck with an ivory gown with a gray puff of fur around the neck and wrists. It was much more conservative than the last one I’d worn and I was grateful. After helping me dress the women left as silently as they’d come.

  Careful not to mess up my hair I laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling. “Tell me when it’s time to go.”

  I laid there in another daze, like the one I’d been in during the race. My mind kept replaying driving my sword into that woman’s chest. Kept picturing the blood pouring from her lips. I didn’t want to think about it but the memory barraged me. I’d killed her for nothing. I watched the light leave her eyes.

  While my mind decided to punish me, I kept seeing the moment I stabbed Vyce during the vampire attack. When Senica bit me… I shuttered. I’d buried that day but it wanted to resurface now. The more horrible memories haunted me the worse I felt. A cold sweat broke out. I was going to throw up. I flew up and ran out onto the balcony and wretched over the side.

  Every time I’d killed it had been in self-defense but it still shook me. The worst part was the entire race was only a show to appease the king who wouldn’t let me get near him. I had only participated in it to get to him. It seemed everything I had done was for nothing. That’s what got me the most.

  “Is there anything I can do for you?” Aenea asked.

  I spit the bile taste out of my mouth and slowly turned to face her. “Something to drink would be nice.”

  She disappeared into the room and returned shortly holding a clear bottle. I pulled the cork and took several gulps. “What if this is all for nothing?”

  “It isn’t, Visteal. You have to keep believing.”

  I shook my head and stomped past Aenea back into the room. A bottle of faerie wine sat next to her bed on the floor. I snatched it up and swigged a few mouthfuls down.

  “Slow down or you’ll be drunk for the ceremony.”

  “Good. I don’t think I can handle another fake, shitty Fae banquet sober.” Carrying the bottle with me I crossed the room and pulled open the painting, to find the boys gone. “Where did they go?”

  “They must be wandering around.”

  Even Gideon had gone with them. I took another long slug and set the bottle down. It was only a matter of minutes before I felt a little lighter. A little warmer, and found myself smiling. I liked faerie wine. “Let’s go, Aenea.”

  She sighed and walked me down the hall. “You’ll be expected to sit with Astaroth now.”

  I perked up a little. “Next to the king?”

  “No. I saw them setting up earlier. You’ll be seated at your own table with Astaroth still on the raised platform but quite far from him actually.” We rounded a corner and hit a set of stairs. “You should arrive with your betrothed as well. We’ll wait for him to arr
ive.”

  “Ugh, please don’t call him that.” We stopped outside the dining hall.

  Aenea gave me a hard stare and glanced around. A couple guards were nearby. “Get your act together.”

  I felt a little woozy but I could hold the facade. I could pretend like I liked Astaroth couldn’t I? “I might need a little more wine.”

  “My betrothed has gotten into the wine already?” Astaroth said, strolling up behind us.

  “Of course. I’m to wed you.” The words could be taken as celebratory but I was certain my tone didn’t match.

  One of the guards snickered. Once Astaroth reached us, he offered me his elbow. I hooked my arm in his. He waved a hand and the doors to the dining hall burst open. “Now put on a smile and act like you’re delighted to be with me.”

  “I’m not that good of a liar,” I said.

  “Don’t fool yourself. You’re as much of a snake lying in wait to strike as the rest of us.”

  My eyes drifted to the King sitting on his throne and I realized how true Astaroth’s statement was. Applause drowned out the chattering that had been going on as soon as we stepped into the room. When we approached our table, Astaroth pulled out my chair for me. It was the only kind gesture he’d ever shown me.

  I sat and scooted forward then grabbed the glass of blush pink liquid in front of me. I brought the lip of it to my nose and inhaled. It smelled like wine. Goody. I took a few gulps and stared into the crowd. I didn’t even bother to look over at the King and Queen. There was a wall of guards between our table and theirs. It was obvious he didn’t trust me. He hadn’t separated himself from Astaroth before.

  Preeva walked amongst the tables going on about the story of the Snofury family and how they’d been connected to the royal Court of Winter for millennia. I stopped listening. My head swam from the wine, and all I could think about was what Chrishna said about being myself.