Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
OPHELIA
Lady Ashbridge drags us inside with more strength than a mortal woman her age should possess. To my great surprise, I follow without kicking or fighting back. It’s as if she has me under…
Under a spell.
She pushes us into a room, and I land on my hands and knees with a thud. Helena isn’t so lucky. Her cheek presses to the ground, her hands on either side of her face as she forces herself upright.
“Where are we?” Helena looks around in alarm. Her voice is higher than usual; the words nearly squeak out.
“My old bedchamber. And you’ve now met my lovely stepmother.”
This place was once one I loved. My father read me bedtime stories in the corner, and my dresses once hung in the closet. Now, it’s cold and dusty.
“Do not call me that,” Lady Ashbridge snaps. “You will refer to me as Lady Ashbridge, and you will remain here until I decide what to do with you.”
“What in the realms does that mean? Let us go at once, and we’ll not embark on your land again. This was an accident.”
“Do you think I did not witness the fae magic you possess?” She spits the words past cruel lips. “Opening a portal near my home? You are a danger. You have always been a danger. I was a fool to let you run free.”
“Madame—”
“My decision is final.” She closes the door shut with a slam, and with a twist of a key, the door locks from the outside.
Trapped.
I had months of beautiful freedom, even within the dark depths of the palace, but I’m once again stuck in this terrible place.
“Has she always been like this?” Helena asks.
“Yes.” I shake my head. “Or, perhaps not, but it’s hard to say. There was a change after my father died…”
“And now she’s evil? Horrible?” Helena’s laugh is shaky, uncertain, but full of shock. “How does one have such a rapid change?”
“I don’t know.” My words become close to a cry. “I wish I had answers, but how should I know? All I know is that we’re stuck here.”
Helena peers at the brass doorknob. “I can’t pick this without the proper tools. I don’t imagine you have a thick wire hidden somewhere in here?”
That would be the easiest solution, but it is not that simple. All is lost. “No. Of course, I don’t.”
“And your portal magic?”
“Do you truly think that is to be trusted?” I lift my hands in dismay. “The last time I attempted a portal, we found ourselves here… and there’s no water for me to use. Heavens above. But she must give us drinking water, or else we’ll die.”
“Shh…” Helena scoots closer and squeezes my shoulder. “You’re right. You are in no state to perform magic right now. That’s just fine. We’ll find a way out together. We are two powerful fae, and she is nothing but an old widow.”
“Yes. Yes, you’re right.”
“Besides…” Her lips twist. “I may or may not have told the prince to come looking for us.”
“Helena.” I pull away. “You didn’t.”
“What was I supposed to do? Let you run away from your joy? You were about to go alone, and then you would be here with no one to save you.”
I glare. “I don’t need saving.”
“Everyone needs saving sometimes. Stop being so proud.”
“Pride? What do I know of pride? Look around. This is all I’ve ever known. This place. These people. This is my life. I was a fool to think I could start anew.”
“Yet you hold such great pride for yourself. Maybe it’s because you didn’t have people and things to bring you happiness before, but the reason doesn’t matter. You have people now. You have me.”
My shoulders drop. Helena is here before me, close enough for me to pinch. There’s no denying her words. She ran away with me, without a second thought, leaving everything behind.
To keep me safe.
“That’s right… and considering that we are stuck here alone, I shouldn’t stay angry with you. It’s not as if I have a reason to be upset—especially not if the prince is the one to free us.”
“True. Glad you came to the conclusion on your own.”
“I know you were attempting to help.” I wander through the room, searching for any way to escape—anything at all. There’s nothing.
“What’s wrong? What are you looking for?”
“A way out.” I wiggle the window, but it doesn’t budge. “It… it seems Lady Ashbridge has reinforced the room or made it harder to get out. I don’t understand why. Was she… waiting for me?”
“What reason would she have to do that?”
“I don’t know.” I press my finger to the cool window. It’s too high to jump, even if we can break the glass. Helena may be able to fly, but I can’t. “The prince will come.”
“He will. If I know our prince at all, he’s already on the way—with his godly guard in tow.”
“Yes.” I exhale. My warm breath coats the window in fog. “I hope you are right.”
EMYR
Tibalt and I spend the day soaring over the land, but there’s no sign of Ophelia. Perhaps that’s for the best. Helena wanted us to find them, that is true, but…
Ophelia left me without a word. If she wants to go, I don’t wish to stop her. Her happiness is more important than breaking any curse, and there’s no saying that we can break the curse at all if she doesn’t love me.
Gods, but she had seemed so happy, even at the end. I can’t erase how she smiled at me, how she kissed me, and how her pupils dilated in the dark, quiet of my bedchamber when she peered up at me from her knees.
We were in love, and now I’m left with an aching chest as I doubt whether we were truly in love at all.
I only return to the palace because Tibalt forces me to. With his hand on my back, he walks inside. It may seem like a friendly gesture to some, as though he’s comforting me, but I know he’s keeping me from running.
The sun is falling, and with it, the curse will rise as it does each night.
There’s no saying who it will ravage next.
It could even go for her.
Considering that Ophelia and I will no longer be married, I must tell my parents that our land is falling apart, really and truly.
That the high fae are in trouble. The curse is worsening, and the only way to cure it has slipped through my fingers.
I’m the only one who knows how horrendous it is.
I took down as many corrupt high fae as possible, but…
What if there are more? How long will it be before my father hears the news? When will he realize I could’ve told him sooner?
Tibalt’s hand falls away once we step inside. “Shall we do something to get your mind off her?”
“No.” I wring my hands together. “There’s something else I must do.”
“Involving your parents, I presume.” His brows furrow. “Would you like me to be there?”
“No. I must be alone.”
I’ve usually been happy to be on my own, but there was always one being who could help me at my lowest.
Without my guard by my side, I creep to the infirmary. It seems every cursed fae is watching me. I’m certain rumors are already flying around the castle, and before long, the rest of the kingdom will hear the whispers as well.
Corrupt fae cackle, snap, and screech from their cages. My head pounds, and tears threaten to stream down my cheeks. This is my fault. I am the one who should save them.
I hold my head high as I approach the healer. “I would like to see him.”
We both know who I am speaking about without me naming them. I haven’t visited Spark in some time, but with the curse gripping more and more fae… I must act now.
“I assume you have made a choice?” the healer asks.
“Yes. I have.”
It brings me no joy to make this decision, but seeing my old companion in this state is just as joyless. Has he known a moment of rest since he was brought here? He growls as if he despises me, but deep in those dark eyes, there’s great pain.
I press a hand to my chest and rub. Tears prick at my eyes and finally fall. It’s difficult to say whether I cry for my companion or my lost betrothed. Perhaps it is both. Gods. I’m losing both at once, aren’t I?
Spark throws his body at the cage and bites the metal holding him in place, clamping down hard enough that it may hurt his poor fangs. Even though he reaches out with malice and pain, my companion is reaching for me.
He needs me.
I choke out a sob. The healer stands there, saying nothing. Footsteps approach, but I don’t turn my head until someone speaks.
“She is gone,” my father says. “Soon, this will be the fate of every common fae in our palace.”
He says it as if it is my fault, and the dam breaks.
I glare at my father with blurred, stinging vision. “It will not only be the common fae. The high fae have been cursed now, too. There are only a few instances, but—”
“What did you say?” he snaps. “Repeat yourself, if what you say is true.”
“It’s true, Father, and I said exactly as you heard.” I wipe my tears on the back of my dirty hands, holding my head higher. “Why’re you here? Surely you don’t care for my sick friend, or any of these other fae.”
“I am here to tell you that you must be married by the full moon.” His voice is stern; there is no room for argument, even though the rebuttal is poised on my lips. “I allowed you to take your time before, but we no longer have such a luxury. You will marry Minetta. It is final.”
The full moon is mere days away, and I was supposed to marry Ophelia, but she is gone.
“No. I will not. Marrying her won’t break the curse.”
“But it will bring forth an heir who can, with time.” He looks at Spark and shakes his head, turning away. “You have failed. It will be done, or we can consider this another failure.”
“Father—“
“Enough. I know I am the one who should apologize.” His shoulders slump. “I am the one to blame for this curse, not you, but I can no longer allow our people to die—and kill. There must be a wedding, and your bride must bear an heir. We can delay it no longer.”