“We’re not talking about a misdemeanour.You’re setting her up to be executed.”
“I need her to agree to marry me.”
He shakes his head.“Brownies aren’t allowed to say no.”
“They’re not supposed to scream either.I can’t take the risk that she’ll refuse.”
His jaw tightens.I know he doesn’t agree with this, but he doesn’t have the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders.I need that signature, and keeping her alive afterwards will be more of a torture than her execution.She might not die quickly while I’m pulling out her intestines, but she will die, and that’s more mercy than the Fates have given me.
“Raza will break her in more ways than she could ever imagine,” I say softly.
He exhales, knowing damn well what I mean.We’ve lost too many people.
Too many dreams.
Too many pieces of our soul.
If I marry her and keep her, it will not be a kindness.
There are worse things than death.A great deal many things.
Shaking his head, Jace runs a hand through his curly blond hair.“Fine,” he sayseventually.“I’ll tell the Court we found them near the portal.”
Damning her to an execution.
For the portals to Earth were all closed off by decree of the archangels during the Great Extinction – a war that ravaged this world, along with the rest of the Seven Planesthousands of years ago.If anyone tries to open them, an archangel will destroy the entire city that surrounds it.In our case, given how much smallerwe are, they’ll wipe out our entire forest.
The Court will be forced to demand her execution.
So even with us married, I will stay a ruling king.
Eight
A good brownie never starts a war.
Even if youdon’tmean to.- Arienna
Worst.
I groan.
Idea.
I whimper.
Ever.
Iamnever drinking again.
My headfeelslike it hasa sword rammed through it.A fiery sword.One thathasbeen cursed to inflict even more pain thanispossible.A magical fiery pain thatmakesme wish I was still drunk.
Groping around my bed, I search for a wayward bottle.There’susually one or two cuddled up against me.
Nothing.
Poop.
“I am going to kill you,” Fabia hisses from somewhere beside me.
