37. The Fae King
The door to my study swung open, and Georgia entered. I knew at once that something was terribly wrong. It was so late it was early. Her dress was disheveled and dirty, and her eyes were red and puffy. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
I stood up from my desk and tried to pull her into my arms.
She jerked backward violently. ”Don’t touch me,” she hissed.
Now, I was even more worried. ”Georgia, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
”Of course I’m not okay. She’s dead!” she screamed.
It was the piercing, primal scream of a woman who had lost everything. I had heard it once before. From her mother. The horrible memories of that day threatened to flood me, but I pushed past them. ”Who’s dead?” I asked.
Stars above, if something had happened to her younger sister after I had promised my protection, she would eat me alive, and I would deserve it.
Instead, she hissed out the name of another sister, ”Briar.”
I was taken aback. ”What do you mean?”
She stabbed a finger in my chest and looked up at me with hatred. ”The flowers told me.”
”The flowers?” I echoed. Nothing about this conversation was making sense.
She started pacing around the room, and I made out a word here and there. ”My gran… ancestors… susurrus.” That last word pulled the puzzle together for me.
My heart quickened. Somehow, Georgia had performed a spell and contacted her ancestors. Working with susurrus would have made it relatively simple, but where did she get the idea? Had someone helped her?
Now she knew the terrible truth–Briar was dead.
Unfortunately, there was still more she didn’t know. As I looked at the pain and hurt swimming in her eyes, I longed to tell her everything. But I couldn’t.
Briar was dead, yes. But the changeling who had assumed her place… she was alive and well. She had also ensnared me in a bargain. One that forced me to hold my tongue. One I was regretting immensely right now.
When I had made that bargain, I had been afraid of my curse becoming known. I had been afraid of losing my crown. Now, I had lost something much worse–Georgia’s trust. And I feared, any moment now, I would lose her too.
”How can you be so cruel?” she screamed. ”You let me walk around, believing she was alive, believing that one day we might be reunited. I knew your kind stole brides, but I didn’t know they murdered them.”
She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to see through the free-falling tears. ”Gran said to ask you what happened. Do you know who killed her? It wasn’t- it wasn’t you, was it?”
I stopped cold as horror washed over me. How could she possibly think that? ”No, Georgia! Of course not. That’s not what happened. Your sister was never a stolen bride. She came here on her own.” That much I could say, but it didn’t matter. She didn’t let me finish.
Her cheeks turned bright red, and her eyes changed from sorrow to rage. ”No,” she screamed, balling her fists. ”She was stolen. She would never leave us. Not after our mother-”
”You know I cannot lie,” I said softly, trying to make her see reason, but it was too little, too late.
”You cannot lie, but you can deceive. I will never believe another word coming from your lips for as long as I live.”
I was losing her, and my heart ached. Was there nothing I could say to convince her? ”Can’t you see, like it or not, our fates are intertwined? You are meant to be here,” I said desperately.
She looked at me with cold eyes. ”The only reason I’m here is because you dragged me.”
I growled in frustration. ”That’s not true! You didn’t want to marry that old man from Frost Haven. You were desperate to see your sister again. You would have made your way to these shores with or without me–or died in the attempt.”
She bit her lip then shook her head wildly. ”No, I won’t listen to you. I won’t let you sway me. I might have-”
”Might have what?” I exploded. ”Stayed home, locked away from the ocean waves, sunshine, and everything wild and beautiful. Married some boring, ancient aristocrat?” I gripped her shoulders and stared pleadingly into her eyes. ”Can’t you see?”
She lowered her voice into a deadly whisper. ”I never want to see you ever again.”
Tears pricked the corner of my blighted eyes, but I refused to wipe them. Instead, with a deep breath, I growled, ”Then I release you from our bargain.”
I watched Georgia turn her back and run—away from me, away from everything we had so delicately built together. Like seashells, our fragile pieces shattered so easily.
I hung my head. Why wouldn’t she run? I had stolen her. I had kept secrets from her. I was a cursed, broken man who had nothing to offer her.
Cold, dark, numb despair engulfed me.
Harry found me. ”Is something wrong? I saw Georgia in the hall. She looked upset.”
It took me a moment to hear his words. I was so numb. My soul rot was likely eating my heart as we spoke. ”I told her everything. I released her from our bargain,” I finally murmured.
Harry’s eyes widened, and he shook me by the shoulders. ”Forrest, snap out of it! You have to go after her.”
”And do what?” I murmured.
”Whatever it takes! Get down on your knees and beg for her forgiveness. Not just for the curse, for yourself.”
”For myself?” I asked.
”You ended your bargain for goodness sake. You love her, you idiot.”
I did. Of course, I did. I loved Georgia with my whole soul-rotted heart. I loved her ocean eyes that looked for the goodness in others. I loved her coral lips that spoke such clever words. I loved her hardworking hands that raised plants from the soil. I loved the loyalty that pulsed through her veins–that unyielding defense of her family, friends, and kingdom. Most of all, I loved her wild heart.
To me, Georgia was as bright and beautiful as the sun glinting along the ocean’s waves. I didn’t want to live without her.
Snapping out of my stupid, I said, ”You’re right. I have to do something.”
I ran out of my chamber and down the twisting, turning halls of the castle until I found myself suddenly transported just feet away from the front doors. Blessed faerie circles. I could always count on them to take me where I needed to go.
Just ahead, I saw Georgia with her skirts gathered in her hands, running at full tilt toward the castle doors. People in the hallway were staring at both of us, but I didn’t care.
”Wait!” I cried.
She didn’t stop. She was headed down the stairs now.
She was running from me.
”Georgia, please!”
The realization was like a punch to the gut. I had finally ruined things between us. All of my secrets. All of my lies. If only I could explain. Maybe she would understand. I never meant for any of this to happen. Not like this.
I unfurled my wings and prepared to take to the dark night sky. Only, it wasn’t so dark at all. The sun was beginning to rise.
I should stop. I knew I should stop. There might still be time to find cover before the change became unavoidable.
But hiding would mean losing her.
Maybe forever.
So, I kept running. Flying was too dangerous. I could fall out of the sky like a bird with broken wings. The tremors started, and I had to stop running.
To my surprise, Georgia slowed too, and for a moment, my heart felt lighter. She was going to turn around.
I cried out one more time, ”Please, Georgia.”
But she didn’t turn around.
Instead, he appeared in front of her. The bane of my existence. The blight of the island. The vicious snake I had let into my own Advisory Council. Hawthorne.
Why was he here? Had she called him?
I watched as Hawthorne took Georgia into his arms and held her close. He patted her back soothingly. Then, as if he had known I would be watching, he glanced over her shoulder at me and smirked.
It was evident from the Full Moon Revel that they had met, but I had no idea how deep this relationship went. Of course, Hawthorne didn’t actually like her. I knew that. He loathed all humans, but that wouldn’t stop him from playing with her feelings. He believed fae and human entanglements should be outlawed due to his own unhappy childhood. I had long suspected him guilty of killing his own human mother.
Even if she hated me, I had to get her as far away from him as possible. I started forward on legs that shook and burned like fire, but I wasn’t fast enough.
Hawthorne offered Georgia something in the palm of his hand, and she reached out for it.
”No,” I shouted.
But it was too late, Georgia vanished.
And I fell to the ground in despair. With all of my defenses down, the change overcame me quickly. My whole body shuddered, and I transformed into a frog. Right there in front of the castle doors, for all to see.
Including him.
Not minutes later, a shadow engulfed me, and I looked up to see Hawthorne leering over me. ”Well, well, well, my king.” Acrid sarcasm filled his last word. ”Aren’t we looking a bit green?”
”Hawthorne,” I hissed.
He inspected his fingernails before sneering down at me. ”Save your breath. There’s no need for a fancy speech about saving your crown and kingdom.”
The truth was I didn’t have one. All the hope had left my body. I was adrift.
As Hawthorne lifted his boot, I prepared for a final crushing blow.
Instead, he nudged me hard with his boot. ”You’re not even worth killing. Hop along now. The grown-ups have important matters to attend to.”