Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
After leaving the shadow queen’s office, we met with the others. Skylar, predictably, was horrified by our decision to work with members of the Seven and let their soldiers defend the palace and skeptical of our claim that they want change as much as we do. The queen’s people were more focused on the logistics—everyone figuring the attack will likely come on or very shortly after the princess’s birthday. Plans were already in motion to move the shadow court’s Cursed Horde into place for defense.
Meanwhile, I’m selfishly wrapped up in my broken heart and can’t seem to escape the ache of it.
“Why are you out here alone?” Misha asks.
“I’m not alone now,” I say, but the words come out bitter instead of welcoming. I can’t help it. My heart aches, and there are so many layers to the ache that I can’t begin to untangle them all.
“You’re upset.”
I huff. “Our realms are going to hell. We’re all upset.”
His fingertips graze my arm. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
“How could he manage a takeover?” I ask. “You have legions of devoted people, armies and a whole infantry that will defend you to the death.” I try to meet his eyes but he’s staring at the ground. “Right?”
“Mordeus has armies too,” he says, still not looking at me. “And my court is so small in population compared to the shadow court. Assuming Mordeus is able to recruit more troops once he takes the throne, I won’t be able to compete with his numbers.”
I can’t take my eyes off the male who has stolen my heart so completely, and he can’t look at me. “Tell me about what’s happening with your court. With your magic. Tell me the truth about how this is even possible.”
The silence stretches between us for a beat too long and I flinch.
“You don’t trust me?”
“It’s not that,” he says.
“Then tell me.”
He drags a hand through his already tousled hair. “Over the past year, it’s become increasingly clear to me that something wasn’t right within my court. The glitches in my magic became more frequent and more consequential. Those issues only escalated as the months went on. It was only recently that I returned to the Jewel of Peace, and she told me that I severed the magic of my court when I dissolved my marriage and Amira stepped down as queen. There’s so much about the magical connections between a court and its rulers that we don’t understand, but it seems that since I took the throne with a queen at my side, the magic of the court split between us.”
“But you aren’t the first to end your marriage, to be without a queen.”
“That’s true. Typically, upon the death of one ruler, the magic would transfer to the other, but Amira was still well. I’m not the first Wild Fae king to dissolve his marriage, but the others took a new queen almost immediately. Her power didn’t shift to me and it didn’t have anyone else to shift to either. It’s out there in limbo somewhere, and my own magic gets weaker every day because of it.”
“Right,” I murmur. “Which is why you need a queen, and quickly.”
His brow wrinkles, the silver webbing on his forehead glowing faintly. “Would you please tell me what you’re really upset about?”
“You knew.”
Misha’s chest rises and falls with a deep breath. “Lark had some visions. I know very few specifics.”
My gut twists painfully and I look back to the distant city. As dusk approaches, streetlamps are lit one by one. I can imagine people heading toward their homes, ready to stay in for the night. I’m envious of that—of everyone who has a place to go, who knows where they belong.
“When Konner had me and you came for me, you insisted that you weren’t there for me personally. That you had other reasons. I didn’t believe you because I didn’t want to.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “And now I see what a threat Erith poses. I see that you need the very thing I alone can promise and I wonder if this was ever really about me at all. Or if it was always about what you needed from me.”
“Felicity . . .” The wind howls in the distance, blowing my white hair across my face. “Would you look at me?” He squeezes my shoulders, then he urges me around.
I stare at his chest. I am hurting too much to let myself get lost in those russet eyes.
His fingers skim my jawline. “When I was searching all the realms for the female who tricked and betrayed me, I needed an excuse to want you alive. I couldn’t stand knowing you’d fooled me while still knowing I’d do anything to protect you. I told myself that if you were destined to kill this male who would take over my throne, I was allowed to want you to live. I was allowed to do everything in my power to save you.” He stoops so we’re eye to eye. “But the truth was I wanted you to live because I’d fallen for you, and I was loath to imagine a world without you in it.”