Heidi narrows her yellow eyes and stares at my finger. “Because of that scrawny little grabber of yours?”
“No, because of what I’m wearing.” I wiggle my fourth finger. “This ring!”
“Ah, yes-yes, pretty thing. If you want to toss it, I’ll take it, oh yes!”
“No!” I snatch my hand to my chest, then lightly caress the silver band and diamond snowflake. I take a steadying breath. “Ever since I came here, I’ve been wearing this ring. I didn’t even think about it. But of course, it’s making the Prince of Thorns sad. I remembered last night that someone else gave it to me. So I need to show him I’m willing to take it off.”
It had happened late at night—or what I’ve started to think of as night. I’d been lying in bed, arms around the winged lion toy. Sleep evaded me, which was unusual. Usually, I easily drift away with thoughts of my sweet prince. But this time, I kept swirling the ring round and round my finger. I haven’t even thought about it at all since coming here. It’s felt like an extension of me, like part of my own skin.
But then I remembered.
Someone else gave it to me. Someone who wasnotthe Prince of Thorns.
I spend the rest of the day sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at the door. Despite Heidi’s cajoling to visit the “bloomies” again, I remain rooted to the spot.
There is nothing more important than the Prince of Thorns.
Ibelongto him.
Holding my hand in front of me, fingers splayed, I examine the ring. It is a pretty thing, as Heidi said, with a delicate silver band adorned with diamond snowflakes, garnet roses, and a beautiful sapphire in the middle.
When someone uses magic, I can feel it in the air, crackling and shivering. When I move my handjust so, the diamonds and sapphire catch the gemlight, and it looks as if that feeling of magic was captured and trapped in the ring.
My thoughts start buzzing again, faster than ever. I squeeze my eyes shut, but it doesn’t help. I canseethings in my mind’s eye, hear voices…
Fae of Winter…visitors from across the realms…
A snow-covered courtyard, filled with people looking at me.
We are gathered here today…
Arm in arm with an older man with shining eyes and the warmest smile I’ve ever seen.
To celebrate the union…
Three figures standing upon a dais. Their faces are shadowed, but I feelsomethingradiating from them. Something familiar. Something lost.
Of High Prince Keldarion of Winter and Princess Rosalina?—
Another figure comes into view. Him I can see clearly. He’s the tallest man I’ve ever seen, with broad shoulders and long, white hair that flows down his back. His eyes shine with starlight, just like Caspian’s.
This is a wedding.
Mywedding.
And thisthingon my finger is a wedding ring.
A feeling of disgust so visceral roils through me that I swear I may vomit. That fae, thatHigh Prince Keldarion…How could I ever wear a symbol of his upon my body? I tug the ring off. He is nothing but a pathetic gnat in my journey to true love with the Prince of Thorns.
No wonder the Prince of Thorns has scorned me so! All this time, I’ve been wearing this hideous thing on my finger. I must get rid of it. Destroy it. Burn it until it melts into a puddle?—
My door swings open, and the Prince of Thorns strides in.
He is resplendent in a cape of purple violet, with eyes of glowing green. Distantly, I remember that I used to think he moved like a cat. Now, he is a panther, every motion thick with a predator’s confidence.
He walks over to me, close, so close, and stares down. “Your maid servant reported that you wished to speak with me.”
I need to give him the ring. Need to tell him…need to tell him…
