Frost (Frost and Nectar #1)(21)

He glanced down at it, looking baffled.

Feeling childish, I shoved my hand back in my pocket. “So, that’s it? It’s just a party?”

“And after the pointless small talk over canapés, I will explain the rules of the tournament.”

I bit my lip. “Tell me something. Why would someone who loathes being undignified invite a television crew to broadcast this whole charade?”

He pressed his hand against the wall, and as he leaned closer, I smelled his earthy, masculine aroma. “Because I’m a man who does what he must. And in this case, my kingdom is starving, with the winters growing longer every year. Faerie is enduring a famine, and for the past twenty-three years, we have been forced to buy food from humans. But I can’t keep taxing my people to death to pay for it all. The network is paying me one hundred fifty million dollars an episode to make this show, and I will be able to settle my debts with the humans.”

I stared at him. “Is that why the fae decided to come out of Faerie? You needed our food?”

“That’s precisely it. We just need to get through this one last winter, and then our magic will return with the help of a queen.” He pulled his hand away and shrugged. “It seems that what humans desire above all else is entertainment, so that is what I will give them.”

“That seems accurate.” My gaze roamed over his pointed ears—so strange to be around others like me, after all this time. “But if you’re so desperate for money, why are you wasting it on me and this whole charade instead of just finding someone you love?”

“Because love isn’t for me, Ava.”

I narrowed my eyes. “We have something in common. What happened? Did someone break your heart?”

He turned and started walking, and I hurried to keep pace with him. “You know, for all the vitriol you unleashed on me about the falseness of human entertainment, I note that you are not immune to its charms.”

“Nice evasion of my question.”

“You seem to know a lot about Chad and his teeth,” he added.

I shrugged. “Guilty pleasure. The romance is bullshit, but it’s fun when they fight. There’s always a crazy one.”

He cut me a sharp look. “And why do I have a feeling the crazy one in your cohort might be you?”

“Because you like forming snap judgments about people you just met? Oh, shit. Do we have something else in common?” I shuddered. “We should probably stop talking before we get involved in a messy emotional entanglement.”

“Right.” A smile ghosted over his lips, just for a moment. “Faster, Ava.”

And with that abrupt order, he’d picked up the pace, his cape billowing behind him.





9





A VA


K ing Torin strode down the hall, moving at a clip so brisk, I had to run to keep up with him. I kicked off my heels and carried them, getting out of breath as I hurried after him.

I felt dazed, my mind flicking back every few moments to Andrew and Ashley. What were they doing right now? Cooking in our kitchen? Fucking in our bed? Planning their wedding?

We’d always planned a forest wedding. Secretly, I’d started the plans on my own, but he’d been on board with the general idea. I knew he’d be popping the question any day, so I’d picked out a gown, the table settings. I wanted to wear a crown of wildflowers, and to have live music.

Holy shit.

How fucking sad was I?

Maybe this little adventure wasn’t the worst thing for me. Beautiful castle. Beautiful people.

Plenty to take my mind off the wedding that would never happen.

I played my new mantra again in my head: Fifty million dollars. That was the most important part of this.

I could feel my long cape trailing behind me as I ran. We hurried through the castle, and he was somehow able to walk at a pace faster than my typical jog. But as I moved, I took in the sights. The beautiful courtyards, ruddy in the setting sun. The tall windows and ornate carvings. A winding stairwell that seemed to spiral on forever.

Just when I felt my lungs were going to explode, Torin slowed and stood before towering oak doors in the vaulted hall. Heaving for breath, I touched my chest. My skin glowed with a faint sweat.

Torin nodded at the doors. “The contestants are through there, but I’ll be entering separately. And remember—” He lifted his finger to his lips, arching an eyebrow.

He really didn’t have much faith in my subtlety.

With that, he turned from me and crossed to a narrow stairwell that led upward.

I slipped on the heels again and pulled open the door. Before me, under soaring gothic arches, I found an ocean of silk, satin, tulle, and taffeta. Many of the women had wildflowers braided and threaded into their hair, and wreaths of leaves on their heads. These gorgeous women chatted to one another to the dulcet sounds of a string quartet. Torin’s footmen mingled among them, carrying gilded platters of hors d’oeuvres.

To Torin, of course, all this was positively dreadful.

I eyed the triangular cucumber sandwiches with a dim realization that I should eat. And the food, honestly, looked amazing: shrimp skewers and cocktail sauce, blini topped with crème fraiche and caviar, and hot dates wrapped with bacon. If I got my appetite back, this deal would be worth it for the food alone.

The women didn’t seem to be eating much, but they weren’t holding back when it came to drinking. Champagne goblets sparkled in their hands. Normally, I’d have been all about a glass of bubbly, but not after last night. Instead, I popped one of the hot dates into my mouth. Oh, gods, it was delicious.