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CHAPTERONE
LIRA
“Lira, you have to marry me.”Sai breathed the words, like a gasp.
I stood in what little remained of my outfit from the gala, the thin shift tangling between my legs in the breeze. The warm wool skirt and other layers were shed in our hasty escape from the Seelie fae.
Sai’s entire team stared at us with varying expressions. Orman leaned against a tree that glowed in the moonlight and grinned like he was interested to see how this would play out. The river glimmered beyond him like spilled ink, cutting through the shadows of the forest. Luz licked their lips, their focus steady on Sai, as Ishir stood rigid, watching. Elisa’s kind eyes darted between the two of us then landed on Neia who’d suggested the idea.There’s only one vow more binding, she’d said.
Mother had vowed the sirens’ powers to King Carrington. The powers I now held. He had plans in place and wished to use my magic, though I didn’t know for what. I was sure of one thing. He wanted to use them to harm the Prasanna Fae—Sai’s people. I’d helped retrieve Prince Shaan’s zevar, the jewel that bound his magic, but that was the extent of my loyalties to the fae courts. I didn’t know where I belonged in this mess even though I’d firmly planted myself in it. However, I had no plans to further entangle myself with Sai, especially after he’d lied to me. A smart person didn’t rush to a stove and press their hands upon it after it burned them moments before. I liked to think I was smart, even if the evidence of getting tangled up with Sai worked against me. I needed to get away from him—not marry him.
“What?” The word came like a gasp.
Sai winced and his expression held the same regret it had back at the palace when I’d cut him off from apologizing. I didn’t want his excuses. Pale tree limbs behind him clattered and the kelpie we’d escaped the Seelie guards on dipped its head towards the river to drink, causing the dark water to ripple. Everyone, Sai included, seemed to wait for me to say more.
“I won’t marry you.”
Yes, it would solve the current predicament. But this man had betrayed me. He’d had sex with me, dragged me into his schemes, and abandoned me into the hands of the Seelie without explaining one damn thing. He’d not even told me he was a prince, and I was foolish enough to think I was falling in love when I didn’t even know him. The shame of that rose hot against my cheeks. He wasn’t that different from my mother in that. She’d always kept secrets and manipulated me. I was tired of being used.
Sai released a heavy breath and ran his hands back through his dark hair. “The Seelie will catch up within the hour. We have limited time, and the only options I can see for you are to go back with them,”—I winced because as horrible as marrying Sai sounded, returning into the clutches of my vindictive mother and the Seelie King felt worse—“try to make it in the human realm on your own, or come with us. Since the sirens’ magic you now possess is vowed to King Carrington, the only thing more binding than that is a marriage vow. It’s the highest sacrament for a fairy. And if you marry a Prasanna royal—if you marryme—you’ll have the protection of our court as well.”
Neia, who stood at his side, nodded, her ebony hair grazing her chin. She had on her annoyed face. If it was up to her, she probably wouldn’t offer me so much time to think.
“But…” I sputtered and clenched my hands into my shift. It was a reminder that I stood here under the moonlight half-naked with little more than my velvet jacket remaining. Elisa gave me a compassionate look, and I waved my hands around. “I don’t want to marry you.”
Sai’s jaw jumped. “We would dissolve the marriage at a later date, of course, but…” His voice held the same tone as when he’d tried to apologize.
“But?”
He wobbled a rock under his boot. “Vows like that leave a trace of magic. We’d always have some of each other’s magic lingering.”
I gaped and looked up at Luz from where they perched in a tree. Orman and Ishir stood beneath it, watching me. “So, my options are return to my mother who wants to use me for producing an heiress, attempt to hide in the human realm on my own—impossible as I now hold the sirens’ magic and my mother can easily trace me—or marry you and be marked for life?”
Neia scoffed. “Is it such a hard decision, really?” Sai shot her a look, and she threw her hands out. “I’m just saying, if I were in this position, I’d marry you. I’m not even interested in men, but it’s an easy enough solution. So a bit of your magic will cling to each other? The entire Seelie court already knows you’re connected in some manner. What’s the difference? It’s not like it’s an actual marriage.”
My gaze caught on Sai’s dark eyes at those words. The glisten over his irises was the only indication that he had feelings about this beyond practicality. His expression remained unaffected, his posture neutral in the pilfered Seelie guard uniform which was nearly ebony in the low light. His eyes, though, said everything. They said too much, in fact, and for a moment I was swept back to the memory of his face warmed in firelight, my heart hammering, me thinking fate had led me to this man. That he was my future.
Then he’d abandoned me.
He’d not trusted Luz’s opinion of me and cast me aside.
“Well?” Neia asked.
“Nei,” Elisa whispered.
Neia’s expression gentled as she spoke to Elisa, but her hands remained fisted. “I’m sorry, but as Sai said, the Seelie will catch up directly. I, for one, would rather not meet my end on one of their swords tonight.”
Ishir took a step forward. “Don’t worry about that. Their swords are cumbersome. Orman and I could take a dozen of them, at least.”
“My concern is,”—Neia shifted her gaze to meet mine—“being that we just robbed them publicly and stole someone while their court watched, it will not be only a dozen guards pursuing us.”
I swallowed and tightened my grip in the fabric. This group had been good to me, Sai’s actions aside. Part of the reason I’d finished the heist was a mixture of Luz talking me into it and the kindness the team had shown me. It was a relief that Elisa and Neia were safe, even if I currently stood under the ire of the latter. Guards catching up would put them in harm’s way again. Plus, I didn’t have other options.
Arguing was pointless. Returning to my mother or attempting to hide in the human world were impossible. The Prasanna lands were supposed to be my refuge. Sai had offered to let me run to his territory where the Seelie couldn’t go. Luz had even mentioned that I could live among the sirens in the Prasanna territory if I wanted. Marriage hadn’t been part of the deal. However, we could undo it later, like Sai said. This was just a technicality.
“Fine.” I met Sai’s guarded expression again. “Yes, okay. Let’s do it.”
“Problem.” Orman scratched his jaw. “Who’s going to marry you two out here?”
