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“Perfect.”
In one sweeping motion, Ophelia’s arm circled back and came down in an arch that stopped at Ambrose’s chest. Ambrose sucked in a breath. She couldn’t quite fill her lungs with air. Something stung. Burned. She glanced down as warmth began to flood her bodice.
The end of a dagger protruded from her chest. It rose and fell with the effort of her breaths and the sudden shock of her body quickly shutting down. Ambrose stared at the weapon. The hilt was white as bone. A single red stone was embedded in its handle.
Her attention drifted slowly from the dagger to the matching stone on Ophelia’s neck. The hilt was smooth as Ambrose’s fingers gingerly touched its end.
Every single inhale was a rattling effort while her heart tried to ignore the damage done, beating in an unsteady rhythm and pushing more blood down the front of her dress.
Though she tried to hide the fear inside of her, her eyes had opened wide as she stared into her sister’s beautiful gaze. Ophelia’s lips were pressed tightly together, her face somewhere between sorrow and pity.
Ambrose’s limbs felt light, as if she might float away, the room spinning before her knees cracked against the floor. All she could see was the red of Ophelia’s dress and the blood that stained her fingertips.
Both of her hands were found empty as she realized her staff had dropped from her grasp to shattered somewhere behind her. A familiar touch lowered her to the ground. Burke’s face was a blur in her vision coming and going with each heavy blink.
“My deal with Invictus is almost done,” Ophelia was saying as light was flaring behind Ambrose’s eyelids.
Her skin crawled as if it was being eaten away by acid before giving way to a deep numbness that threatened to pull her under. Her mind tried to find peace amongst the panic, she tried to tell herself she’d be with Farah and the rest of her family soon. She tried to have trust in Ophelia that whatever she’d just done was for the greater good.
There was nothing she could do now but accept death as it came for her. There was no way to escape it now.
“How long do I have to keep pretending?” Burke’s voice sounded far away.
“Not too much longer, my love. Help me get her set on the bed.”
Sparks ignited behind her eyelids, white that consumed the black she was falling into. She could make out only the slightest noises now as consciousness failed her.
Only one voice helped carry her into the afterlife. The words stamping themselves onto her soul never to be forgotten even after death.
You chose wrong.
Ace
A few blinks turned the blue eyes, pointed ears, and silver crown into a couple dressed in aqua and adorned with jewelry walking hand in hand toward the event. They shot an inquisitive glance Ace’s way as they heard her shout but continued forward anyway.
Her heart threatened to explode out of her chest as she tried to calm herself. Her hands wiped dirt across her dress as wind licked at the damp sheen that had covered her body in mere seconds.
“I thought I saw…” She trailed off realizing how insane she sounded even to herself.
Shelby’s arms were wrapping around her waist, yanking her free from the garden and standing her upright. “What in the name of the gods are you doing?” He shot a glance back at the closed door.
A blush consumed her face and chest with heat. She was nothing but a child who’d been caught red handed eavesdropping. Both hands were clasped in front of her as she wrung her fingers.
“I wanted to ask you to dance…or something.”
Ugh, and she thought she was going to sound stupid imaging the threat of the Fae king. She sounded stupid rightnow. Looking up from under her lashes, she gave him a shy smile.
“How much did you hear?” he demanded.
“Nothing.” A lump formed in her throat, turning into a knot in her chest as she tried to swallow it down. She took a step backward, edging toward the gate.
“Ace.” Shelby followed her as she turned and started back toward the party.
She shouldn’t have followed him. She shouldn’t have listened in. But now she at least knew what sort of danger she was in. Would Shelby have told her if she hadn’t followed him? She doubted it as the trust between them felt strained.
“I can tell you’re lying.”
The gate closed with a groan behind them, the latches smacking together with a clatter. Ace’s body was stiff as she forced herself to stop running and turned back to look at him. His expression was unreadable.
