“Unfair.” Reid pouts. “You have magic now?”
“How?” I ask Baris, eyes wide. “How is this possible?”
“Do you not remember the prophecy?” He scratches his chin. “You’ve weakened the curse when you helped Kaden control his beast. With each layer that cracks or breaks, more magic will be accessible. It wouldn’t surprise me as we go along to see more Witches or Fae tapping into the magic that once ran through their veins.”
More magic. More powers. It’s working—we’re going to do this.
Glancing to the window, I scramble to get out of bed. “It’s going tobe night soon. We need to do the next step. Before Kaden’s stuck as a beast forever.”
I can’t come this far—I can’t experience all of that, and risk losing him. Not now.
Reid holds up his hands. “We’ve already been summoned. Before you were dragged away, Mal made sure to add sand with your blood to the potion. Aoife’s been working on it since.”
“Or it’s not to actually break the curse.” At our curious gazes, my father crosses his arms. “I don’t trust her. She could be doing this just to help herself. Or perhaps, none of this helps and she only wants you to think so.”
It’s the same thoughts I’ve had.
“Actually,” Fee says, running a hand through her red-black locks, “he may be on to something.”
Baris grunts his approval.
“I’m not saying she wouldn’t help. But Aoife has never been the easiest to trust. I remember her trying to bring Kaden here after our mother died.” At my confusion, she shrugs. “I’m not sure what happened, but Kaden was a bit lost when she died. He was ready to follow anyone with how his mind was worked up. Oslo finally talked sense into him. We had Reid to watch out for, a kingdom to rule, he couldn’t just run away to the Woodland Kingdom. Aoife never quite forgave Oslo for interfering.”
Why would she want him here?That’s strange.
“So, you do think she could have an ulterior motive.”
Fee nods. “I’m saying to watch out for all possibilities.”
I can do that. If not for Baris’ warnings, or Fee’s apprehension, my own instincts are telling me to tread carefully with Aoife. What kind of woman wants the mate, of someone she loves, to fail?
It’s not hard to forget her smile as I took the petals.She was ready to see me die.
With Fee’s help, I change into riding leathers and a clean tunic. Although I don’t show them, I feel as if I’ve been hurt all over, skin raw and limbs shaking with exertion. But I push through it. We don’t have much time.
Back in the throne room, I notice tiny drops of my blood scattered through the ground. It’s silly, but I try to find the corpse of the Kaden I killed, whose heart was crushed so I may win.
It’s not a good feeling to know I would go to that level to succeed.
Aoife hovers over a giant urn, full of smoke and strange smells. The spell book, the one she broke, lays open, scratches of handwriting on the pages. Some spots are long and done with a flourish, others are quickly written, cramped in the margins.
“I thought she broke the spell?” Reid mutters, annoyed. “As far we know, she’s tossing shit into a bowl and calling it a potion, when really, it could be poison.”
“What do you mean?” I feel Baris at my elbow. He refused to leave my side, but he’s disguised. His hood is up high on his head, and he swoops low, appearing old and forlorn. Hopefully, she doesn’t pay him attention.
“It’s blank.” Reid gestures to the book, speaking out of the side of his mouth. He doesn’t want Aoife picking up on the conversation. “If she broke the spell, why can’t we see anything?”
“But it’s?—”
Baris yanks hard on my elbow.
I shut my mouth. Aoife turns as I trip over my boot, eyes full of ice. There is no happiness at my arrival, or survival. She’s positively cold like a snowy mountain top.
Her eyes briefly scan Baris, not seeing anything of importance, before turning her nose up at Fee. “Serafina,” she greets coolly.
Fee taps her sword with crimson red nails. “Aoife.”
Twin spots of red darken her cheeks at her title being ignored. I’m jealous of Fee’s ability to put the female in her place. I’ve been here days and still can’t seem to.
