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“The Darken,” Mack whispers in a low voice, as if he might hear her.
“King Oberon?” I brush back a strand of my violet-streaked hair from my face. “I thought he was dead?”
“Never mind that,” the prince growls, his expression dark. “Why didn’t you tell me what the orc said when I found you?”
I shrug, hating how stupid I suddenly feel. “I thought it was an orc hierarchy thing, like, on How to Train Your Dragon . . .” My words trail away as his face goes blank with confusion. “You know the movie where the dragons took food to the master dragon?”
Yeah, keep digging yourself a hole of stupidity. Mack grinds her elbow into my ribs and I remember Asher is a real-life dragon.
“No offense, dragon boy,” I add.
He gives me a panty-dropping wink. “None taken, human.”
I almost smile . . . until my gaze wanders to the prince and his sour expression. I can’t understand why he’s so angry. Especially if King Oberon is dead.
“This isn’t a joke,” he finally says. “You need to take our world seriously if you’re going to survive it.”
Hot anger blooms over my cheeks. “I’m trying. All I do is study until my eyes cross. I’ve made A’s on all my tests . . . I practice with Eclipsa until my body is black and blue. What more do you want from me?”
His nostrils flare. “I want you to be safe.”
I wasn’t expecting that, and for a heartbeat, I’m speechless.
How dare he claim the high ground. How dare he try to pretend that all of his cruelty is for my benefit.
Jaw clenched, I close the distance between us. “Safe? If you wanted me safe you would have never brought me to Everwilde.” I yank the sleeve of my coat up until his mark shows, moonlight sparkling inside the metallic lines. “And you would have never branded me like an animal.”
Hot tears sting my throat. Tears I’d rather die than shed in front of him. I hate the control he has over me; I hate that his mark embeds my skin; and I especially hate the knowledge that all it would take is one kind smile, one apology, and my anger would melt away like snow beneath the sun.
Mack takes my gloved hand in hers. Asher finds a spot on the wall to stare at.
The prince and I meet eyes. My heart dances strangely in my chest the longer I hold his stare, that inexplicable pull between us growing stronger, the anger and confusion and frustration rising with it to form a chaotic spell of emotions I can’t break free of.
“Why did you bring me here, Prince?” I will those words over the snow and into the black pit he calls a heart.
For the briefest of seconds, the defensive wall he keeps over his countenance lowers—just enough that I think he might finally open up. Might finally give an answer that indicates he’s not the soulless Fae I suspect he is.
The one who loves to watch me hurt.
Instead, his jaw firms up and that infernal cold mask slips over his face, his eyes going hard and cruel.
He shoves the book into my open hand. “Go back to the gym and stay there until morning. By then, you’ll be mine.”
“Yours?” I hiss, but he’s already stalking across the snow, his stupid cape slithering like a shadow behind him. If I wasn’t afraid the book would disintegrate on impact, I would throw it at his miserable head.
Note to self: wear boots that come off easier.
Just like that, the wall of blinding snow disappears, and the fourth year escorts us back to the gym.
Inside, Mack settles in to watch the rest of the movie with a slice of pizza. The higher ups apparently thought a Twilight marathon and deep dish pies shuttled in from a famous pizzeria in Evernell would keep us content.
It works—for everyone but me. While the others stuff their faces and then nod off to Edward and Jacob fighting over Bella, I pore over the book the prince so pompously gave me.
I’m determined to help Rhaegar win no matter the cost.
At some point, Ruby flutters over to my bed and sits atop the book, her little bean pod shoes making scuffing sounds against the old parchment. I lean down to hear what she has to say.
“I can help you,” she offers carefully. “If the prince wins you as his shadow, I can get you out of Everwilde and back to the human realm.” I open my mouth to object and she adds, “I can do it, you know. I may be small, but I’m good with spells. I can make you invisible to sneak you past the guards. . . or make it so anytime the prince looks at you he develops violent diarrhea. Two weeks, tops, and he’ll trade you.”
