I could tell her that I want what the other two kings surely want—or in Antony’s case,wanted: to control Thyra.
For generations, the three kingdoms have been locked in war. The very first female Oracle, who came to be known as the False Queen, started the war when she cursed the Dragonstone Blade. While myths and stories muddy the truth around how the curse can be broken, only one thing is an accepted fact: the curse can only be broken by another female Oracle.
Thyra is the first female Oracle born since the False Queen.
Only by controlling Thyra will I control my fate.
I could tell her all of that. It would be true. She would believe it. And that would be the end of it.
But what I truly want from her is far more personal.
Yes, to save my kingdom would be a noble goal. From what I’ve heard of Maxim and even of Antony, their dedication to their people far exceeds mine. And, certainly, controlling thefate of the three kingdoms would be an intoxicating power—a supremacy I’m certain others would seek.
But for me?Fuck. It’s difficult to care for a people who would rather see me dead and my Lethian blood annihilated. Even less appealing is the weight of responsibility for the lives of countless thousands of fae across the three kingdoms.
I want something far more valuable.
And Thyra has given me a taste of it.
I step toward the water’s edge, fighting the desire to descend into the pond again, close the gap between her and me, and discover the full extent of the pleasure I can sing to her.
I force myself to stop. Wait.
She must come to me. Willingly. Undeniably.
Not because of my power. Not because of the situation she finds herself in.
She must come to me because she wants to.
Standing on the precipice of the pool’s edge, I cast her a challenge: “What do I want from you? Come out of the water, and I’ll show you.”
Chapter Sixteen
Thyra
Ashiver runs the length of my spine, but I’m not certain if it’s anticipation or fear.
The Frost King…Stellen…balances perfectly at the water’s edge, his tall frame swathed in enviably dry clothing, but it’s the challenging curve of his lips that draws me in.
I lean forward, my body aching with treacherous heat.
The more I try to push away this need, the more intense it becomes.
The last few hours of my life were filled with blood, death, and grief. Until a short time ago, I didn’t believe I’d survive.
The melody Stellen sang to keep me alive, heated notes dripped into my ear, has become part of my limbs, my mind, my entire being.
I need to tell him about my blade visions, but doing that means asking for his protection when the visions strike. He’s proven he’ll go to great lengths to keep me alive, so I’m certain he won’t allow my life to be threatened during the visions, butthere’s a vast difference between keeping me from death and ensuring I remain unharmed.
After all, he warned me that in this kingdom, even a queen can suffer unbearable pain.
I need to know what he wants from me. Only then will I understand how safe—or unsafe—I am.
Antony needed me to break the curse. He wanted to end his stepmother’s grip on his life by freeing his kingdom from the darkness that floods their sky every night, bringing the threat of vampyrs. A threat, as it turns out, he was part of.
My failure to get even one step closer to breaking the curse burns as badly as the grief I’m resolutely pushing away.
I pushed my father’s death away because I had to.
