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“You . . . cheated,” I pant.
“I never cheat. But you shouldn’t feel bad about losing. I am very skilled in certain areas.” One arched eyebrow lifts, his tousled hair more messy than usual from where I clawed my fingers through it. “But if you beg, I might give you another chance to prove me wrong.” I suck in a shaky breath. I’m torn between punching him and spending the rest of my life trying to make his lips curl up like that again.
Pouting, I ask, “When is it my turn to test your willpower?”
I have no idea what I’m doing in that department—none—so my suggestion startles me. But something about being around Valerian, about his absolute belief that I am the most beautiful woman in the world, fills me with daring confidence.
His eyes grow heavy lidded, lips parting at the thought, but he murmurs, “Another time. When we have weeks to play, not less than an hour.” I go to argue but he shakes his head, eyes defiant. “You won’t win on this. My mate and her needs will always come first.” Tilting his head, he drags his thumb across my inner thigh, watching with lazy satisfaction as my sensitive flesh prickles with goose bumps. “Now, where were we? Oh, right. Proving what a noisy thing you are.”
Afterward, when he’s proven countless times that I’m hopeless at winning this particular bargain, he leads me from the maze and back into the real world. We sneak around the snoring hobs guarding the human quarters, hand in hand, trying not to laugh as I explain what ILB stands for.
I’ve never seen Valerian so boyish, so hopeful.
It all feels so unexpectedly . . . right.
At my door, he turns me to face him. “Tomorrow, when you enter the gauntlet, remember who you are. Princess of the Summer Court and mate to the Winter Prince and heir. You deserve to be there. Once you pass—and you will, Summer—find me and we’ll travel directly to the Winter Palace.”
“What about the Fae law? The one that prohibits Seelie and Unseelie from being together?”
“Once the bond fully clicks into place, we’ll be powerful enough that it won’t matter. The courts will fall in line.”
“It’s that easy?”
“You have no idea the power caged inside you. After we prove tomorrow that Hellebore holds the missing soulstone and pieces of the Worldslayer, we can destroy the Darken’s soul once and for all and then consummate our bond. You’ll be out of danger, free to announce who you really are, and the courts will kneel at our feet.”
Consummated. Never has such a banal word sounded so naughty. A shiver of anticipation trills through me.
In response, Valerian kisses me so tenderly that I imagine dragging him into my tiny hovel and onto my mattress of pain.
“Titania save me, you’re beautiful.” He winks, running two fingers down the brand marking my arm. “If you thought it was hard being quiet before, just wait until I have you spread out before me with days to draw out the consummation of the bond.”
My, God. This can’t be real life. This can’t be my life.
Groaning, I drag myself away from him and lurch into my room, slamming the door before I can change my mind. I don’t feel his presence leave until after I’m puddled on my lumpy mattress, a hot mess of wobbly limbs and wild thoughts.
Valerian loves me. I love him. We’re mates.
Valerian Sylverfrost, the Ice Prince, loves me.
The gauntlet tomorrow suddenly feels so easy. I’m going to win it, Hellebore will be out of the way, and then I’ll be with Valerian.
Somehow I manage to fall asleep. I dream of Valerian in the hedge maze, his wicked grin and teasing voice. His vulnerable expression right before he kissed me so gently.
But when I speak his name and say I love him, he bursts into a thousand fireflies. I try to catch them, try to put him back together.
Yet the fireflies all end up trapped in little unbreakable jars.
And I’m helpless to do anything but watch as they smash against the glass, trying to get back to me, their glorious light fading until there’s only darkness.
45
The gauntlet starts at dawn. We’re spread out in the sloping meadow behind the palace. Ribbons of pink and orange tangle along the highest branches of the forest in the distance. The Evermore are gathered in wooden stands that flank us on either side, separated by Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Each stand stretches over the length of two football fields.
Even though I know Valerian will be with the other Keepers inside the viewing room of the palace, I search the crowd, last night still fresh in my mind.
It all feels like a dream.
Like a wild, crazy hallucination.
