Page 131 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

“Adeline? I would like you to repeat what you said,” he demands.

“I do not want to marry you, and I have no intention of saying yes when you ask me,” I repeat, a little louder this time.

He hums. “That’s what I thought you said. I was hoping I heard it wrong.”

I place the sandwich on the blanket and change positions, in case I need to get up and away from him quickly.

“Why?” he asks, incredibly calm.

Abort. Abort.

“Why?” he yells.

I flinch and close my eyes for a couple of seconds. “I just don’t think we are going to be a good match. I don’t want to be a princess or queen. Skylar, my friend, would make a better princess and future queen. You should be with her.”

Wrong thing to say. I can see that when he takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. He’s trying to control his emotions, but he’s failing.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t want to be with you. I never have and I never will. I have no desire to become queen of the humans one day,” I explain. “I really think you should be with Skylar. She was born for the role and would love to rule by your side.”

They would be perfect for each other. Both of them have a mutual hate for Fae and want to rule the realm.

“No,” he growls, and I push myself up, getting ready to bolt. “You don’t get to tell me no.”

Prince Archie lunges at me, but before he can touch me, I’m standing up and running for my life through the forest. I can’t go right or else I’ll run into the frozen stream and won’t be able to cross without fear of slipping or falling through it.

“Get back here!” he yells, but I don’t stop running.

I can hear him and the guard’s feet hitting the ground after mine, gaining traction. I pump my legs faster, staying away from the Fae camps while also trying to find my way back to town. Prince Archie won’t do anything if he is in front of all the townspeople. I have to have faith he will try and save face when we get there.

My heart beats faster as nerves and terror run through my veins.

“Adeline!” he screams my name. “Get back here, and we can talk about it!”

I’m not going to fall for that. I know once I stop in the forest that he is going to try and harm me until I submit and tell him I’ll marry him. But I’m not going to do that. I’ll just have to be smart and cautious for the rest of my life. I honestly thought he was going to be okay with it since he is so close to Skylar… but I was very wrong.

Little branches slap my cheeks and arms, cutting into my smooth skin. I hiss as one gets close to my eyes, and I try not to let it slow me down, but I can hear them gaining on me.

“If you stop now, nothing will happen to you!” Prince Archie yells, his voice booming through the forest.

I whip my head to the left, turning when I recognize where I am. If I continue down this path and then make a slight right soon after, I’ll be close to the town. But as I run, I see Fae faces appearing left and right.

Shit.

Zahra’s voice rings in my head about them being protective and willing to do anything.

“Come on, Adeline!” Prince Archie doesn’t sound out of breath, but he sounds closer than before. “Just stop so we can talk about this.”

“No!” I yell, making eye contact with one of the Fae.

I don’t want them interfering with anything and being punished or a war starting. I don’t want anything to happen to them because I decided to tell the prince no to marriage. It wouldn’t be fair.

“No?” Prince Archie shouts back, his voice full of anger. “You’ll regret that.”

“Shit,” I whisper as I pump my legs faster, trying to get to the edge of the forest so I can make my way through to the town.

But as I see the light at the end of the forest, my foot trips over a root, and I fall face-first into the ground, whimpering as pain erupts across my whole body.