Chapter 4
Aoife, Two Years Ago
The world was painted in shades of gray. Dark and light swirls surrounded me, and I couldn’t make sense of any of them.
A ringing filled my ears, tinny and hollow.
My entire body felt heavy, like stone. I blinked, the blurs slowly solidifying into what looked like a dirt ceiling, moss and roots hanging down, but nothing made sense.
I didn’t know where I was or what I was doing. How I’d ended up here.
The ringing faded to a voice. A male’s voice that I didn’t recognize.
“Aoife, my queen. You’ve awoken.”
Queen. Aoife.
“Are you okay?” the voice said again. “Can you hear me?”
I blinked, a face coming into view. Dark wavy hair framed a strong jawline and piercing dark eyes. He was rugged, tall, muscled. His skin pale, nose with a slight curve to it. I’d never seen this man before. Had no idea who he was or what he wanted with me.
“If you take a step closer,” I rasped, “I will kill you.”
His eyes crinkled at the corners. “I’m not here to hurt you. I saved you. I broke your curse. You’ve been a statue for thousands of years, but you’re awake now. You’ve come back to us.”
His words conjured a flood of memories. Fairwitch. An execution. A choice. Hope. I’d turned myself to stone with the hope that one day the curse would be broken and I’d come back. If what this stranger was telling me was true, then it had all happened as Castle had promised.
Yes, Castle rumbled around me, the word forming in my mind and confirming that my curse had finally been broken. I was back. I was . . . free.
I winced as I pushed myself into a seated position, and the man grabbed my arm, steadying me as I swung my legs over the stone table where I’d lain, the soft fabric of this ridiculous dress swaying around my thick calves.
“How do you feel?” he asked, his thick dark brows drawing together.
I didn’t bother answering his question. “Where are my people? Where are the Fair Folk? Are they alive?”
“Yes,” he said. “Your people are safe and they’ve been waiting for you for a very, very long time.”
Relief washed over me, and for the first time, I took in the details of the little room.
It was no longer a dungeon like it had been when I’d cursed myself.
Instead it looked more like a cavern, roots and moss hanging from the ceiling, dirt and bramble spread across the floor.
Maybe Castle had hidden me away, hoping Fairwitch would think I’d died so they wouldn’t try to destroy the statue I’d turned myself into.
I couldn’t be sure, but it wouldn’t have surprised me.
“Let’s get you out of here. To the castle. There’s much to discuss.” He helped me off the table, but my legs were weak, and I stumbled into him, pressing my hands against his firm chest as he looked down at me, his expression so serious, so severe.
“Who are you?” I asked. “Why are you here with me? Why did you break the curse? How did you break it?”
Maybe he was my advisor, chosen by Castle.
Or maybe he was to be my personal guard.
He looked like a warrior with his toned arms, and hard chest. The bulge of his biceps were visible through the beige tunic he wore.
I’d prefer one of the Fair Folk to be my guard, but I wouldn’t argue if this was who Castle wanted.
“It’s a long story,” he said, “but we should get out of here first. There are a lot of people eager to see you.”
“No.” I resisted as he pulled me. “I want answers now.”
“You really can’t wait?” There was an edge to his tone that immediately hit a nerve.
“No,” I said, “and as your queen, I command you to give me the answers I seek.”
He tipped his head, studying me, gaze roaming over my body, and I realized how much this dress revealed with its thin straps and plunging neckline.
“Very well. I think Castle wanted me to break your curse. It—I’ve felt this draw to you.
This pull to the castle. Everyone else seemed to have it all figured out, your curse, how to break it.
Castle was trying to help them, I think.
Then it was like it called to me. I just knew I was the one who had to do it. I arrived just in time.”
None of this was making sense. “So how did you break it, then?”
His lips quirked. “True love’s kiss.”
For the first time, I noticed the crown hovering over his head. I reached up and felt a crown hovering over mine as well. Queen. That was what Castle had promised me. Freedom.
Except Castle had said nothing about a king.
I took a step back, stumbling into the stone table where I’d lain, feeling like I’d just been stabbed.
“Whoa there,” the man said as I stared in horror at his crown.
True love’s kiss. I’d heard of it before. It had been used to break many curses, but it also bound the people together.
No, I couldn’t be bound to this man. This stranger. I’d sacrificed everything so that I would never have to answer to anyone ever again. I’d given everything so that me and my people could be free, could live our lives the way we wanted. So that I could be free. Castle promised . . .
I jabbed a finger at the table. “Turn me back,” I said.
He stared at me in disbelief. “Turn you back . . .”
“To stone. Turn me back to stone.”
He shoved a hand through his wavy dark hair, which fell back into place, brushing his shoulders. “If it’s the physical aspect of this that repulses you, I can assure you, we need not consummate anything—”
“It’s not that.” I stepped forward. “If you ever tried to touch me against my will, I would make you regret it. That is not the problem. The problem is that I am supposed to be the one true queen of this castle. I am supposed to be the sole ruler.”
Not beholden to anyone.
His jaw set, and he straightened. “No,” he said simply and spun on his heel, walking toward the open door.
“I will not marry you.” I trailed after him.
“You will,” he said. “Because it has been deemed so. And we will save Fairwitch Isle.”
“Fairwitch . . . what?” My pulse spiked. “Is Fairwitch here?”
“No.” He stomped up a set of stone stairs, and he had to bend slightly so his head didn’t hit the ceiling.
I followed after him, my entire world feeling like it was falling apart all over again. I looked down at my wrists, feeling chains locking around them, the same ones I’d been forced to wear as a slave, the metal rough against my skin, and I squeezed my eyes shut. No, no, no.
I would not marry this man. No matter what it took, I would find a way to be free.