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“Do you think it’s really happening?” I broke in, cutting off their teasing of me. “The curse is lifting?”
Bradach’s grin faded. “I don’t know.” His jaw worked, but nothing came out. “We still can’t talk about it, so as excited as everyone is, they haven’t gotten their wish yet.”
That was true. The curse was still abound on the furry faces, beaked noses, and tails trailing out of passing pants.Curse liftingandcurse liftedwere not the same things.
“Is it everyone’s wish?” I asked. “Could there be others like Meallan and his wolf tribe who would want the curse to stay?”
“No.”
“Absolutely not.”
Eadaoin and Bradach weren’t slow with their denials.
“We believe the formerly bound women will still keep their magic after the change disappears,” Bradach said, “so there’s no reason for anyone not to want this. Only Meallan thinks he needs to be a wolf to be a king.”
I frowned.
“What’s wrong, my lady?” Eadaoin asked. “Are you worried someone will try to kill you? We’ve doubled your security, and I promise, I will never leave your side.”
“No, no, no, that’s not it. It’s just... something doesn’t make sense.” Once I finally voiced it, the uncertainty settled in my bones. “About the beast curse, about the melting snow, about all of it.
“Bradach, I know you don’t like to talk about this, but you were there before Wind and Wild. Before everything. Do you know the origin of the beast curse?”
He peered at me through hooded eyes. “You know I cannot say, my lady.”
“Can you alsonotsay how to break it?”
“I cannot.”
“But you do know how.” I put my hand under his chin, drawing it up without touching him. We stared into each other’s eyes. “Don’t you?”
He didn’t speak, and he didn’t have to. I knew the answer.
Yes.
“There’s more to all of this, isn’t there? More to the curse, more to Wind and Wild, more to—”That rose in the tower.
“I cannot say, but I don’t need to. The ice melting is a good thing,” he said. “It’s what we’ve been waiting for. Soon, we’ll be free.”
“That’s good, but—”
My attendants walked in, loaded down with baskets holding face paints and all the tools made to transform the famed beauty of the east into a creature even lovelier.
“Are you ready, my lady?”
“Ready,” Emiana said, rising from the water. “I will allow you to attend me, but will endure nothing pink, red, or orange. You, bring me spiced cider, and you, send the bird man away.” I glared at the smirking beast. “Or I’ll have him flogged if he comes near me with another bucket!”
Bradach rose up. Winking at me, he bowed before leaving—taking all six feet of dripping wet, naked, and gorgeous with.It’s a shame he can’t mask those disgusting feathers and wings like his brother can. Shamer still that he’s so insolent. And more’s a shame on top that I couldn’t bed him without his brother’s marking revealing the affair.
I hummed, slipping into the robe they held out and claiming my seat before the vanity.There must be a way to rid myself of that mark, and these blasted marriage runes. Affairs aside, I can’t stay faithful to the beast king. As surprisingly great a lover he is, one day I will need daughters to continue my line—claiming the throne of the true high empress. I cannot have his filthy blood sullying them.
Sighing, I closed my eyes as they spread the tightening and shadow-reducing cream. I could confess to myself that I would rather go the route of removing the mark and finding a secret lover. Alisdair Shadowsoul was proving to be a kindred spirit and powerful ally. Everything that mattered had been stripped from me, and then he came along, promising to give it back and then some.
I did not want to kill him, so for his sake, he’d better free me from the marking scent, so I won’t have to.
Emiana faded from my mind, but she didn’t leave behind shock or horror. Honestly, it was a relief to finally know her true intentions. She was happy to go along with the wedding and all that came with it, because Alisdair was prepared to hand her the highest power in the land. Of course she didn’t love him, and of course she was willing to kill him. This was the same woman who wanted her father and all of his allies dead.
The only good news to come from that horrible train of thought was that she wouldn’t try to harm Alisdair untilaftershe was crowned high empress, andaftershe decided she was ready to have kids. I had until then to remember my fucking name.
