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Strong hands gripped my shoulders, and Rafael’s ember-bright eyes locked with mine. “Do not forget what we are about to face. And Talia, look.”
He held up my hands and to my horror, my fingernails had turned to sharp points. I screamed. My fingers throbbed. As soon as I snapped out of the foggy thoughts induced by the strange magic here, my knees buckled, and I yelped in pain.
I clung to Rafael, my mouth open in silent agony.
“The curse is moving faster than I expected.” He supported me as we continued to follow the deer up the steps. “My magic should have lasted longer than two minutes. Hold on a little longer, amor.”
I swayed as he called me his love. “Will I die?”
“Not if I get the crown.”
I loved him back. I loved my husband, this man who’d married me in order to kill me.
Sun above, how had I fallen for him?
His strong hand dug into my ribs as my weight sagged toward the floor.
But I knew how.
I’d fallen a little the moment I’d seen him lounging in that opulent armchair in Puerta, his handsome, dangerous face and casual posture enough to stop my heart.
The veins in his arm stood out from the effort of holding me up.
I’d fallen a little more the moment he’d fought off the Hunter to keep me safe.
He bent and scooped my legs into his arms and hurried up the rest of the steps.
I’d fallen when he’d pulled me into his arms as we rode through the hanging gate.
My breaths came ragged and fast as we mounted the stairs.
I’d fallen still more when I’d learned he kept the world’s most beautiful horses.
He walked down the hall after the deer, holding me tightly.
But when he’d raced me that night, a twinkle in his eye revealing a man I wanted to know, I’d taken a running leap. I’d chosen to love him at that moment. Finding him in his cave, shirtless and disgruntled and worried about unforgiveable sins, had only drawn me in. And dancing with him under the stars had nailed my coffin shut.
I spread out one fully clawed hand and stared at it for a long moment. No, there was no turning back now.
We followed the deer down a long hallway toward a beautiful oaken door carved with the same intricate geometric patterns that lined the walls.
The door swung open, but as Rafael attempted to help me into the room, he was knocked backward with such force he slammed into the opposite wall. I hit the ground, clunking my head against the doorframe. When I glanced back at the deer, it was gone. A voice whispered in the hallway, Only her. That was creepy.
Rafael darted to me, his hands finding my face. “I knew they would do this.”
“You won’t leave me?”
“I cannot enter that room. And if you are not dressed for the ball, they will…” He swallowed.
“What will they do?”
“If anyone offends the king, he has their hands removed in front of the guests. And he is very easily offendable.”
Oh. I glanced back into the room. It was unoccupied with a large bed set into the floor and a standing bathtub large enough for three people. Water already fell from a hole in the ceiling, filling the tub. Delicious lavender notes scented the air. Across the bed lay a spectacular blue gown. A warm bath would feel amazing.
“Leave the door open,” he said, hands on the doorframe. “I’ll stay right here.”
I swallowed. Pain coursed down my arms and legs.
