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“Thanking the fae implies a debt is owed. It’s a powerful magic that binds you to whoever you give thanks to until the debt is cleared. Think of it like a bargain of sorts. You thanked the prince, so you admitted you owed him a debt.”
“I did no such thing!”
Except, oh gods, I totally did.
My heart sinks into my stomach. What a conniving cad! The magic I felt—it was some sort of binding oath I invoked without meaning to.
I step closer to Das Celyn, pleading with wide eyes. “I need your help to break it.”
They purse their lips. “Can’t.”
“Please. I’ll do—”
“I cannot.” They shrug. “However, you can repay your debt and earn your freedom.” They point to the apron they tossed at me when they entered. “Put your room back together then put this on and meet me in the kitchen. Prince Rainer says you have pent up energy that can be put to good use, and we could use the extra pair of hands.”
“But I can’t leave.” I gesture toward the door.
They smirk, but it doesn’t reach their eyes. “Magic is a fickle thing. You can exit and enter the rooms Rainer allows you to, at the times he allows. Meet me downstairs in an hour.”
My pulse doubles as I realize what this means. If the barrier is gone, if I can exit the room, I can escape.
“The barrier—?”
They laugh darkly. “Won’t be fully broken until you pay your debts. You won’t be able to run, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
The hope I felt comes crashing down. “But—”
“You need to sharpen up if you’re to survive here,” Das Celyn says. “Come downstairs. Earn your keep. Then earn your freedom. You’ll be better for it. Stronger.”
How incredibly unfair that I’ve fought to survive the lord, only to be forced to fight for freedom once again stolen from me.
How can my freedom belong to everyone but me?
Tears fill my eyes. They finger the velvet drapes, eyeing me with obvious discomfort.
“Are you crying? I don’t do tears.” They glance toward the door then back at me.
I sniffle, and they reach into their pocket and toss something onto my bed. It’s an identical jar of the magical healing salve Char used to sneak me, and it only causes the tears to fall faster.
“This is for your other wounds. I’d rather not touch your backside anyway.”
Das Celyn scurries past me, mumbling something about humans under their breath. The door clicks shut behind them, confirming I’m alone, and sure enough, the tears I was trying to hold back overflow, cascading down my cheeks.
After a few minutes pass, and I’m sure Das Celyn is gone, I bolt to the door and throw it open. I hold my breath as I reach forward, and when my hand passes the threshold, I squeal with excitement.
Without looking back, I run as fast as I can down the hallway toward the staircase, only to hit an invisible threshold at full speed.
“Ow!” I yell as I’m knocked flat on my ass.
No.
No!
I bang on the barrier with my fists until someone behind me clears their throat.
Spinning around, I blink through the tears to see the lovely Fern, adorned in gold bangles and gem earrings. With a slinky red number on, her willowy frame looks exquisite. And risqué—in a stunning way that works well for her.
A new sense of hope bubbles up inside of me.
