Page 12
Chapter
Three
CORVIN
“No, no, this can’t be happening,” the girl I suspect is Dawn murmurs, hugging herself in my coat that drags on the ground at her feet. She’s tiny, staring at me with huge violet eyes. Ash streaks her cheeks, and smoke still wafts from her hair.
“It can, and it did,” I answer. The moment she emerged from the flames, I knew she was the one we came for.
She flinches farther from me, gaze narrowing, showing me her fiery spirit.
What a fascinating little creature.
Fine-boned, with a pointed chin, and full mouth, she’s blushing beneath the grime from the fire. Dark hair tangles in waves around her face and down to her chest, with a reddish undertone catching in the fire dwindling behind her.
She has no idea what’s in store for her. Though, I imagine she’s terrified about becoming my sex slave or servant, as most humans are when we monsters come to collect. If she keeps staring at me that way, I can fulfill her nightmares, though I have different intentions for her.
That sweet mouth drops open, then closes again, and no words come out. She appears to be moments away from either fleeing or biting me, and I’m hoping for the latter.
Which is an issue, as I shouldn’t admire her more than is wise.
“I’m not yours or anyone’s,” she snaps at me in a shaky voice, still dealing with the hell these humans dragged her through.
Not yet, perhaps. “We’ll see.”
Those eyes toss blades toward me, and while the temptation to play lingers, I’ve already spent too much time in this forsaken village. And I have a command to return her to the courts of Grimvale, where she belongs.
It’s only recently that our scouts confirmed that a survivor of the Ice Fire Court had been discovered in the human realm.
The lost child who should have died all those years ago with the rest of her line. Except, she’s now grown into a woman and is very much alive.
Both royal courts back home believed the third court to be exterminated, until whispers surfaced about a survivor. An heir smuggled out of Grimvale, hidden amongst the humans. All these years, she’s pretended to be one of them, though rumor has it she no longer has her memories. Clever to hide her in a remote village in the Carpathian Mountains, where no one would bother searching for her. But buried secrets rarely stay dead.
“My lord,” the silver-haired Baron speaks up, taking a careful step closer, his posture curling forward. “We were not expecting you. Of course, the honor is beyond measure.” He glances at the girl trembling in my coat, and his lips twist into a frown. “If we had known, we would have ensured you weren’t witness to such things. Dawn is a village stray, and we’re correcting a contamination before it taints the Choosing.”
Dawn glares at the Baron, ready to burn him down. “Just release me, then, and I’ll be gone.”
He doesn’t acknowledge her but holds my stare. “We can arrange for a more suitable Offering. Someone untouched and obedient. Worthy of your realm. Let us remove the girl from your sight.” He lifts a hand toward his guard for a command, but fury shoots through me.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” I bark, already tired of his lies. This is why I hesitated coming on this mission. Humans are exhausting, performative animals. And yet, I’d promised my father I’d remain on my best behavior and leave no casualties. He’d made an agreement with Slate Dante, the king of this territory, permitting me to visit the village. Monsters normally turn up at the Monster City to pick up their brides. But I’d been allowed a special entrance to visit Moonstone Village.
Yet, I’m ready to burn it to the ground with how much it irritates me. “And you were responsible for tying her to a pyre?”
He shakes his head. “We were commanded to do it. She’s a heretic, and—”
“Careful,” I warn, then lick my dry lips, suddenly hungry to spill blood. “Just get out of my damn sight.”
They back away but don’t leave.
My attention sweeps to Dawn, needing to get her out of here.
Her brow furrows, and she’ll settle down soon enough.
I step forward. “We need to—”
“Corvin,” an annoying voice lazily calls my name from behind the run-down house nearby. “If your goal is to panic the humans, congratulations. Mission accomplished.”
I shut my eyes for a few seconds, sighing. “Fuck you, Lian.”
