Savage Beauty(16)

“You don’t find the living conditions acceptable?” she bristled playfully.

“If you are a Princess of Virosa, why don’t you live in the palace with your sister? She hasn’t been crowned yet, has she?”

“She hasn’t yet, but will be next spring if I don’t stop it from happening. And I live here because I choose to. My sister lives in the palace because she wants the crown, and she can’t come here because I’ve bound her to the palace grounds.”

“What would she do if she could come here?”

“Nothing that would hurt me. She’s already taken everything I loved.”

Including my brother, she didn’t say.

Luna loved William. That much was obvious in the pain that stretched over her face when I brought him up, and in the way she couldn’t bring herself to talk about him yet. But how could she have loved someone so opposite her? It sounded more like William and Aura would have been a perfect match, not Luna and William.

“How do you plan to stop her from taking the crown for herself? Is she not entitled to it?”

Luna smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “My sister believes she is entitled to everything. I will show her that’s not the case.”

“But how?”

She turned to me, a frown on her face. “You ask too many questions, Prince. Some things, as I’ve explained before, are better left unsaid.”

A red haze glazed over my vision. My hand reached out for her as she stood. I didn’t know why it latched onto her forearm so forcefully, or why it felt like I was dreaming. My mind felt foggy and confused. All of a sudden, something snapped in me. I’d taken hold of her, bared my teeth, and wanted to tear her apart, limb from limb.

“Turn me loose before I rip your arm off!” she warned in a low tone.

I finally regained control and let go of her. Swallowing, I tried to fight the feeling of rage settling in my heart. What was happening to me? I felt tired, like I’d just woken from a nightmare and was still disoriented, the fog still settled over me.

“You’re sweating. Are you well?” she asked, looking me over.

I tried to stand, but fell onto the porch planks. She cursed and hooked her hands beneath my arms. “Probably some side effect from the potion. Let’s get you inside. I thought you’d be well enough to leave tomorrow, but we may need to wait another day.”

“Is it fever?” I asked as I stumbled through the doorway with her help. I’d seen people die of bone fever, shrieking from the pain. I didn’t want to die that way. I had my dagger. If worse came to worse, I could end my pain before it consumed me whole.

She slung my arm over her shoulders. “It’s not fever. Your body just needs rest to heal.”

“Did you poison me? Did you kill William?” I slurred. My voice echoed in my head, soft and fuzzy, and then I sank onto something plush as soothing darkness surrounded me. In the distance I heard the sweetest voice, singing something lilting and dark and beautiful.





chapter seven




LUNA

The second night of autumn brought with it the promise of storms. The wind gusted outside, howling against the house. I stepped onto the porch where Phillip was sitting.

“You shouldn’t be out here.”

“I needed fresh air,” he answered. “A storm is coming.”

I smiled. The silver bottoms of the leaves that were still green turned and showed me their bellies. The ones that had turned colors and were dry enough to be plucked by the wind from their branches rained down around us. Breathing in the rain-scented air, I closed my eyes. This would be the season for the spell to end. I could almost taste it.

I stepped back inside and changed into a dark purple, cotton gown. It showed more cleavage than the dresses I usually wore, but Malex was male, even if he was a strange male. If the top of my breasts would help persuade him to play nicely, I’d certainly use them to my advantage.

Finding Malex might be a challenge. The fae Prince could be anywhere. In his palace, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling black marble, in his cave, or making trouble in various surrounding human villages.

I grabbed my broom and stepped outside again.

Phillip raked his eyes over my dress and settled on the flesh it exposed. My body warmed in response. This is William’s baby brother, I reminded myself. I focused on my broom, noting with irritation that cobwebs were clotted on the bristles. Looking at Phillip, he shrugged as if to say he told me he’d cleaned. “Don’t touch my broom again, Prince,” I warned with a growl.

He simply chuckled. “You actually ride it?”

“Of course,” I said dismissively. “It’s the fastest means of transportation through the forest.”

He clapped his hands. “Where are we going?”

“We?” I laughed. “No. I’m going to a clandestine meeting, and you will stay here tucked safely inside the house. I’ll lock it with a spell. Where I’m going, you would be slaughtered. I’ll be back by dawn.”

“What if something happens to you?” He stood, his fingers flexed around an invisible hilt. He wasn’t afraid for himself, but for me. No one had ever defended me before, mostly because I didn’t need anyone’s help.

Fighting back a grin, I told him, “I can take care of myself. You stay here and guard Ember.”