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I reach out with my thoughts and touch her gently so that she knows I’m there.
As I watch her face, her eyes open a fraction of an inch.
I realize they are waiting for me to react to hearing that my executioner will be Elva, but I still haven’t moved.
“Well, you little imp? What do you say to the council’s decision?” The Queen spits.
The strangest sensation coats my mind. It’s almost as if I know exactly what she wants. She wants me to react. She wants to see Elva in pain.
I won’t help her. I meet her eyes and hold her fiery stare.
“I accept.”
Her face contorts into something so horrible I can’t help but flinch. Luckily she doesn’t notice as she says, “Very well. Arrangements will be made presently.” She stands, composed and cruel. “Akron, escort them back to twoseparateguest rooms.”
He springs to his feet, and we are herded back into the hallway.
No sooner is the room out of sight than a loud crash followed by a series of screams fills the air. Elva’s hand flings out and squeezes my own. Her terror is ice through my veins.
We don’t look back, just continue down the otherwise quiet corridor and up some stairs. We don’t look at each other, and we don’t speak.
I sift through the options, but I know there is only one. I will die, and she will be protected from marrying again. This is what we planned when we spoke our vows.
It’s all right.I repeat the words in my head like a mantra. We stop at a door, and I am forced to watch as the guards shove Elva inside.
It will be all right,my eyes tell her.
We continue to walk in silence. When we stop at my room, the Warlock opens the door, and I enter the guest room. It is lavish but devoid of identifying factors outside the Winter Court crest.
He comes in and keeps his eyes on the floor. “Look, Sprigg, I’ll be straight. Things haven’t gone well with the deals since I fired you.”
I stare at the wall near the bed.
He continues, “I’ll make you a new deal. I don’t know what your relationship is to that Winter Fae princess…”
My wife.
“But if you can kill her, I’d help you get out of here. Just between us, the Winter Court’s power is fading. It’s time for fresh blood to step up.”
I continue staring at the wall, but my mind is racing a million miles a minute. There’s no way I can do this… there is no way I could kill my kin.
But he doesn’t know we are married. Maybe there is a way to use it to our advantage. I move my head to look at him. “I’ll see what I can do.”
He smirks and saunters out the door.
As soon as I’m alone, I viciously tug on Elva’s presence in my mind. I wish I could tell her what happened, but this bond lets me know she’s alive.
It is barely enough. I’d much prefer to have her in my arms for the few brief hours I’ve been given before we are set against each other like two feral dogs.
Before she slits my throat or stabs my heart… A dozen ways to die run through my mind, the culmination of these thoughts causing my palms to sweat.
Falling in love with Elva was inevitable. I couldn’t have stopped myself even if I tried. But it seems Fortuna herself has doomed our pairing. The stars have not aligned for us, and we will suffer for it.
I shake my head. Foolishness had led me to believe that I worthy of the kind of love like Cherie or Adam had found.
I am a plain, right idiot for thinking that love can conquer an entire society's brutal wrath and traditions.
Then, as if invoking the Goddess’s name had summoned her wisdom, a new thought popped into my mind.
