Chapter Six
Icracked a lid open, groaning before my eyes were all the way open. I felt around for the ice and wood that would be my rude awakening, and my fist curled around silk.
Grimacing, I pushed up—vision clearing on my surroundings.
I wasn’t in the woods anymore. I didn’t know where I was.
Fresh, sweet-smelling red-and-gold sheets and tasseled pillows covered me, cocooning me in warmth. Long-stemmed candelabras loomed over me, casting soft candlelight on the bumps, cuts, and bruises on what used to be the fairest, most unblemished skin in the east.
My face heated as memories tumbled through my head, each more shameful and scandalous than the other.
Alisdair Shadowsoul ravished me. I wished there was another word I could use. One that didn’t make me sound like that soft little peach torn apart by a beast. But there was no other word, because that’s exactly what he did.
Alisdair took me like an animal against that tree all night long. Pounding me in every position known and unknown—extracting so many orgasms out of me that my well ran dry. His did not.
Nothing slowed him, tired him, or filled him with mercy.
I rolled out of bed, biting hard on my lip. My whole body was one big ache. My only saving grace was that even though I was a maiden, Emiana obviously was not. If it had been her first time too, neither of us would’ve walked for a week.
I waddled across the room, wincing and bobbing side to side. “I’m barely walking now.”
With difficulty, I made it to the wash basin. One touch confirmed what the steam told me. It was wonderfully hot, proving someone had brought it in minutes before I woke. Was this the life of a prin— No, a queen? To have my needs anticipated before I opened my eyes in the morning?
If only Emiana hadn’t let fear and ignorance drive her to ruin my life and run away. She would’ve found herself no less pampered and catered to in Castle Riagin.
Gazing around, I wondered at this life I’d fallen into.
High ceilings painted with scenes of battle looked down on me. All the gaudy golds, diamonds, and silvers adorning the castle hadn’t made it into this room. The simpleness of the small wash basin, black-stain nightstand, and a bed half the size of Emiana’s—made it all the more grand.
Next to the wash basin was a stand with towels, soaps, scents, and oils. Beside that was a tall clothing rack carrying no less than four dressing robes. I chose the longest and fluffiest, wrapping myself up tight.
Of course I was freezing, the bedchamber only had three walls.
I crossed the room, padding over red tiles with flecks of coudarian blue. The wall gently sloped down, giving way to a small ledge that tipped off into the free, cold air.
Slowly, I inched as far as I dared, gazing down, down, down to the sleepy town and thick forest, and rolling mountains spreading out before me.
Amazing. Truly, the most amazing view, and still not worth the sacrifice of a wall.
I scrambled away, heading straight for my bed and warm sheets. I would have to tell Aeris, or anyone, that I needed a new bedchamber. Or even a cot next to a fireplace would do as well. The people of Elva were summer fae. The cold wasn’t meant to live in our bones.
I rounded the headboard, getting the first proper look at my bed, and screamed.
Clapping my hand over my mouth, my eyes were huge, looking upon the—
“Monster.”
Thick, black horns burst from his scalp and curved down to his shoulders.
Long claws sunk into the remains of a pillow, and a large, furry mass slung over his leg.
A tail. Its nose was smashed in, but its maw the size of the basin—terrifyingly long, lethal fangs refused to be contained in its face. It’s hideous, disfigured face.
It was huge. Twice the size of a bear with half the fur. Most of it covered its back, legs, and forearms, leaving its chest bare.
I stilled, fixing on a familiar rune on his stomach.
“Shadowsoul?” I whispered, backing away.
I hadn’t imagined it. All those times it seemed like his claws were smaller, or his fangs were longer. The reason why he looked so close to fae while his subjects were succumbing to the curse. He was using magic to hold the beast at bay. This was the true him, and he looked like...
“Taken.”
I ran.
Bursting through the doors, I collided with a hard body.
“Oh, Queen Ana.” Aeris set me back on my feet. Nose wrinkling, she backed away a pace. “Are you all right? I was just coming to fetch you. Your baths are read—”
“Let’s go,” I ordered, already brushing past and leading the way. “A bath is exactly what I need.”
I spared only one glance back at the monster I’d bound myself to till the end of everything.
“I SEE YOU DID NOT LAST until dawn.”
My face flushed at the burst of giggles that sounded behind me.
We were in my baths again. Aeris combed and braided Emiana’s hair—all traces of white leaving with the sun’s arrival.
I couldn’t believe that even while cursed to wear another’s skin, I couldn’t escape my other curse. My first one.
Since the day of my birth, my hair has turned white in the moonlight.
No one—not my mother, not our neighbors, not the healers knew why, or how, I came to be this way.
I couldn’t even say if it was a curse, because no such curse was known by fae.
But then of course, one did not need magic to be cursed.
There was a reason that although we were all struggling, all poor, and nearly all the children of war wives, I was singled out for chasing, beating, and bullying. Only I was the keva with the strange, color-changing hair. Only I the freak.
But Alisdair said nothing of it, and he said a great many things last night while fucking the sense out of me.
I wasn’t certain of half of the filthy things he called me. I only knew it was filthy because of how it melted my core when he growled the words while drilling me into the snow.
“—try again?”
I snapped to, returning to reality. “Yes,” I replied.
“Of course I’m trying again, and I will every single night until I’m free of this place, and him.
Speaking of, Aeris, there’s another way out of the castle, yes?
Other than the front and garden entrance.
” I took her hand, squeezing it. “Tell me where it is, please. Lord Alisdair can have his midnight run—hours after I’ve left. ”
Aeris smiled at my reflection. “My queen, did you forget your end of the bargain? By night you run, during the day, you reign.”
My hope dimmed. “He meant that? He truly expects the unwanted wife he narrowly killed to play pretend at his side? For what purpose?”
“It is not pretend.” She pinned the final braid to my crown, then snapped her fingers.
A feather fell from her hand and hadn’t yet hit the ground before three attendants were beside us, holding out three tiaras.
“This is a real kingdom, and you are our queen. Your day is full, Lady Ana. In truth, you’re already behind. You shall have to eat quickly.”
I ate nothing, and did not despair for doing so. I wasn’t worried about finding safe food to eat before I starved. I’d be home in Lyrica long before that happened.
“You can take this back, Talulla,” I said, returning the tray to my taste-tester.
She took it, wrinkling her nose as she did. She looked like she was holding her breath.
“What? What is it?” I asked. “Do I smell?”
“Of course you don’t,” Aeris rushed. “Come now, my queen. Your lord awaits.”
She helped me up and tried to tug me away. I stopped short, catching the eye of the woman in the mirror.
It wasn’t me, so I couldn’t marvel at the crown of shiny, copper braids—winding around the glittering gold, diamond-encrusted tiara.
They weren’t my lips plumped and shining to perfection, still carrying his punishing kiss on my lips.
It wasn’t my neck, framed by the intricate beadwork clinging to the slivery-white gown’s collar, and clashing boldly with the red and purple marks on my throat and skin.
It wasn’t me that looked more beautiful than I ever had in my entire life.
It wasn’t me who looked like a queen.
I followed Aeris out through winding hallways and hidden staircases leading down into the bowels of the castle. The further we went, the more the rich décor, jewels, antiques, and heavy tapestries disappeared.
Aeris stepped off the stairs, entering a large antechamber with nothing on its gray walls but flickering torches. Two large double doors loomed over us, calling us inside.
My feet didn’t leave the bottom step. “What is this place? Why are we down here?” I backed away. “Is this a trap?”
“A trap?” She cocked her head too far to the right. “Why would our lord need to trap you, Lady Ana? He already has you.”
Indignation rose up in me hot and heavy, and reality drowned it out. She had an awful and accurate point.
“Not for long,” I warned, and stepped off.
Aeris knocked sharply on the wood. The doors swung open, revealing the scene on the other side.
I turned and left.
“Lady Ana?” Laughing, Aeris chased me down. “Where are you going, silly? It’s this way. This is where our lord, and now you, hold court every morning. The people come to you with their issues and disputes, and you hand down your wisdom.”
“Are you kidding me?” I barked. “That is not what’s going on in that room!”
Aeris dragged me into a large, gray room much like the one we were leaving behind. Torches hung high on the walls, stretching the shadows basking in the windowless space. A long, black rug adorned with the phases of the moon led the path to a stone dais, with two thrones upon it.
Alisdair stretched out across the silver throne—his elbow propped on one arm, and his leg hanging over the other. Standing at his side was Foalan. Propped against the throne that was presumably mine was Bradach.
No trace of the beast I found in my bed remained. His claws shortened, his fangs shrunk, his horns were small ornaments poking from his raven curls, and his handsome face handsome.