I don’t know if we’re supposed to exchange promises or if we’re supposed to live together or if we’re supposed to confess our undying love.
I don’t know any of that.
But I do know that as soon as he speaks, it’s going to change my entire world.
He pulls away and looks at me, confused, obviously not understanding why I don’t want to listen to him, but then he blurts it out, anyway.
“I’m the King, Rose. It’s me.”
I look up at him and my heart shatters because I don’t want to face the reality of who he is. The Fairy King is more than a ruler. He’s a legend. He’s the man who lost everything. He’s the man who lost his son, and his wife, and his sisters-in-law. He’s the man who lost everything and continued to rule the world without anyone to have his back. He’s the man whose reputation was tarnished by his best friend and closest advisor. That’s him. That’s Edward. It’s always been him.
But I can’t hide the fact that I realized this hours ago.
I can’t hide the fact that I figured out who he was.
And I know that anything I say after his confession is going to be the wrong thing, so I don’t say anything at all for a long time. Finally, he reaches for my chin and pushes it up, forcing me to make eye contact with him. He looks at me, questioning me.
“Did you hear me, Rose? I said I’m the King. It’s me, Rose.”
I sigh.
“I know, Edward. I know.”
Chapter 13
Edward
I feel sick.
She knows.
She knew.
That’s what she says to me when I tell her my greatest secret. She just says, “I know,” and the look in her eyes says that she doesn’t want to talk about it. My stomach aches and my heart feels like it’s going to burst into a thousand pieces.
Not in a good way.
For a brief moment, I allowed myself to feel like I was important, like I was magical, like this entire moment had been some sort of wonderful destiny, but it was all fake. It was a lie. It was nothing more than a wish.
She wanted me, but it wasn’t because of who I am inside. It’s not because she met me and thought I was incredible, or special, or worthy of being her mate. It couldn’t have been that simple. That’s not why she gave me everything. Nope. It’s not because I’m a good person or a handsome person or a kind person.
I
t’s because I’m the Fairy King.
“You knew,” I say. My voice drips with venom and she tenses beside me. Yeah, she knows exactly how pissed I am right now. I’m not about to hide that from her. We’re mated. Dark faes mate for life. It’s a bond I doubt she even could begin to understand. She might be my fated mate, and we might be bound together now, but that doesn’t change that she deceived me. Tricked me. It doesn’t change the fact that she knew, and she didn’t say anything before...
Well, she didn’t say anything before.
“Of course,” she whispers. “It was obvious.”
“How?”
“You didn’t seem concerned when I mentioned I wanted to get to the King in time to save him. Neither did Luther. You both seemed completely content not to try to rescue him. Besides, you’re the only one who didn’t really have an explanation for being in the dungeon.”
It all makes sense, but I’m not happy about that.
“What about Peter? He never told you why he was locked up.”