Chapter
One
Barbie
Killian tore off his dragon mask and flung it into the gathering crowd.
“I’m fucking done with secrets,” he said roughly. “No more pretending you belong anywhere but at my side.”
Before I could protest, he snatched my fish mask away and tossed it over a building. He tilted my chin up, ignoring the stunned silence that rippled across the courtyard, and the heir of the House of Chaos kissed me.
Shit, that felt good.
As my toes curled and my body arched into his, one truth burned through the haze: every supernatural in the courtyard now knew I was the chaos prince’s true mate, and soon the entire realm would know it, too.
We were mates. Fated.
The new reality felt surreal, yet it tasted like hope. I just had to get used to it and learn to embrace it with an open heart.
I gazed up at him through my lashes, dazed and giddy, yet I still had the presence of mind to let my expressive eyes ask the silent, urgent question:Hey, are you sure this is what you want?
He’s sure, dummy!Sy chimed in impatiently.Now tits up!
Across the courtyard, Queen Lilith watched us, not as shocked as the others, but hellfire crackled in her impossible green eyes. I met her gaze, a stare laden with unthinkable power, and lifted my chin, bracing for whatever shit she’d throw my way.
For my mate, I didn’t mind standing in the warpath. So I boldly claimed him back.
We’re bold!Sy commented from the sidelines with approval.No one takes what’s ours!
Well, Rowan was hers, and Killian was mine.
No argument there, B,Sy said.
My soul sister and I shared everything except the same man. And for that, I was glad. Queen Lilith’s expression shifted in an instant. Instead of charging at me—not that I’d have minded yanking her by that long hair and clawing her face street-fight style—she winked.
She fucking winked, as if watching her former betrothed lock lips with me in front of everyone was some kind of private joke.
A split second later, a sense of danger slammed into me. A vortex tore through the air above, ripping me from Killian’s arms before I could even gasp.
Killian lunged for me, a roar tearing from his throat, but the force of the vortex threw him back. His fingers brushed empty air as I was wrenched away, screaming his name.
My magic lashed out as I fought to claw my way back toward Killian, but the vortex smothered my power. I could siphon any magic but not this. This was something else: a concept, a binding, an unnatural law woven into the bride trial itself.
A moment later, I was swept into the churning throat of the vortex. All around me, other students screamed, their voices swallowed by the storm. We were like hundreds of insects tossed into a violent current, powerless against the pull.
Through the roaring chaos, Headmistress Ethel’s voice echoed as if from the heart of the storm:
“Due to the current threat, we’re bringing forward the second bride trial. It begins now! Steel your hearts, bride candidates. Half of you won’t survive the cull. But your sacrifice will be remembered as Mist of Cinder stands strong.”
Shit!
I couldn’t believe it was happening, not when my lips still buzzed with the heat of Killian’s kiss. I’d wanted to grab him, dig my fingers into that hard muscle and shake him just to be sure:“Did you really just claim me as your mate in front of everyone? Did you really break it off with Queen Lilith?”
Believe it,Sy cut in.It happened. I saw it with my own eyes. Want me to kick you in the teeth to snap you out of it?
Focus!I shot back.We’re not out of the woods yet.
Deep shit,Sy agreed.
