I clench my jaw, hoping she can’t see the blush burning my cheeks. Not that I’m ashamed. Why wouldn’t I want to check in on my charge? I only wanted to know if he’d lived or died.
Nimue sighs. “Now all my efforts stand in peril because of you. Dorian Ariko has claimed sanctuary at the church, which is valid for fourteen days. And if you think hard enough, dear daughter, you can probably guess what happens next.”
I shrug. “The terms of sanctuary end and you send the Sisters of the Black Eel to try and kill him once more?”
“Not quite, for he’s already one step ahead. You may have noticed a certain sign outside the church. One that boasts a public spectacle featuring the handsome Brother Dorian’s hunt for a fae bride.”
“I noticed,” I say, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot before I remind myself to stay still. Aloof. Unconcerned.
“Did you notice the timeframe of the pageant? It ends just as his sanctuary expires and concludes with a wedding. If he marries a fae or half-fae bride, his citizenship is guaranteed. The Alpha Council will not sanction an assassination on a legitimate citizen, which means we only have ten more days to fix this mess you made. Andyouare going to do it.”
I stare blankly. “Me.”
“Yes.”
“You’re saying you want me to…kill him.”
“It seems you aren’t slow.”
Anger ignites within me. “I’m not going to kill him, Nimue. I’m not one of your assassins. Punish me if you like, threaten me all you dare. There’s nothing you can say that will convince me to do this. I’m not a heartless killer like you.” At least, that’s what Father believed. He believed it so much that he tried to help me. Tried to prevent this very fate I so stupidly brought upon myself.
Nimue rises from her throne and slithers over to me. When she speaks, her voice is cold. “I am a killer, my love, but that duty has been appointed to me by the Alpha Council. Each monarch has a part to play, and some of our roles are bigger than others. Queen Nyxia is known as a powerful cursemaker, responsible for doling out punishments in high-level legal cases. Queen Esther oversees scientific advancement in the Star Court. Your father is responsible for keeping trade routes safe for merchant ships. I too have my place. I dole out assassinations sanctioned by the Alpha Council. It’s not something I can argue with. Can you?”
I shudder at what she’s implying. The shipwreck wasn’t simply a reckless attack, but an assassination attempt approved by the Alpha Council. The very council my father belongs to. The vote would have had to be unanimous for such a risky assassination to be approved.
If my father believed Dorian needed to die…there must be a good reason.
Nimue’s face softens as she stops before me. “The boy is not innocent, my love. He’s already taken his father’s place in a church that hates the fae. He’s been inducted into the Order of Strength just like his father was. You must know that if he takes a fae bride, he will be cruel to her. She just might be his next victim.”
I swallow hard, my breaths growing shallow as I fight to process everything she’s said. She was right about one thing—I’ve lived a sheltered life. Even though I’ve learned much since running away, I still don’t know a ton about humans. Could I have saved a madman?
I shake the question from my mind and focus on one far more imminent. “You still haven’t told me how this gets me free of you.”
“If you do this one thing, this one kill, I’ll let you go. Kill Dorian Ariko, and I’ll release my claim on you. You won’t have to join the Sisters. You can return home to your father. Better yet…” She pauses dramatically and tilts her head to the side. “I can make it so you never have to kill with your kiss again.”
I’m stunned silent. Dread and longing fill my heart in equal measure, clashing into shivering convulsions as I consider such an impossible offer. There must be some trick. I try to will myself not to rise to her bait, not to ask the question poised on my lips. But it’s no use. My curiosity bubbles up my chest to my throat, fueling my words. “Can you truly take away my magic?”
“I can make it so you never again have to fear your own kiss. I can enchant your lips so that your next kiss is the last that results in senseless, automatic death. From then on, you can kiss with love, with passion, with joy, and never harm a soul. But only if you do this one thing.”
I run a hand through my hair, my eyes unfocused as I step away from her. “I…can’t. If he’s claimed sanctuary, he probably won’t step foot outside the church.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. You’re going to walk straight into the church and up to Dorian Ariko with permission.”
“How?”
“You’re going to compete to be his bride.”
11
My body goes still as I stare at Queen Nimue with wide eyes. I couldn’t possibly have heard her right. “Excuse me?”
“You will join the pageant and compete for his hand. The contest begins in three days, and you will deliver your kiss by sunrise seven days later.”
I stammer, searching for words that will help me make sense of this ridiculous plan. “You want me to compete to be his bride—”
“Only as long as it takes to deliver your kiss.”
“But you expect me to infiltrate the pageant and…what? Kiss him and make it obvious I killed him?”
