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“Yes,” Lily says dreamily, “yes.”

“But this other person is not a man. Not a human man, but a cursed Fae King, a fish from the waist down, trapped in a lake—”

“Oh my Gods. More fairytales?” Lily rolls her eyes. “I thought we were having a serious heart to heart.”

“We were. Weare. Lily—”

“I’m done here. You’re all set.”

“Lily—”

She whirls back around to jab an accusing finger at me. “If you’re not careful, you’ll turn crazy, like my friend, Princess Eleana.”

“Eleana? I’ve heard that name before.”

Princess Eleana… the princess Iason gave his other love token to.

“Well,” Lily says, “that girl has become obsessed with swans and herons. She believes that her brothers were turned into birds.”

“The bracelet with the swan,” I whisper.“Last time you told me you like swans. Swans and herons…”“What happened to her brothers?”

“They died. They were killed by the Fae on a hunting expedition.”

I gape at her. “And despite knowing this, you took me and Mina into the haunted woods?”

“I thought… I thought that when the gate was closed, the danger had passed. Goes to show how dangerous the Fae really are.”

“I don’t know,” I whisper. “Maybe not as dangerous as human princes.”

Maybe not as dangerous as falling in love.

12

SELINA

“He gave you the bracelet he’d purchased for another woman?” Adar’s face has twisted into a mask of rage. “Curse him and his ancestors’ bones. Curse him into the ground, curse him wherever he goes, that fucking bastard—”

“Adar.” I place a hand on his arm and he growls at me. “Calm down.”

“The hells I will.” He shoves a hand through his blue hair. The red satin ribbon on his wrist catches the light. “What will you do?”

“Hear his proposal. Explain my worries. Maybe there is another explanation for this.”

“Another explanation? You just told me that he has confused you with another princess. This is the man you want to marry?”

“Apparently it’s my duty.”

“No, it’s not.” He grips my chin, gazes into my eyes. His are feverish bright. “Forget what your mother is telling you. If not him, choose another. You’re beautiful, Selina. Hells, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen or will see again. Finding a man won’t be an issue. Throw that bracelet in his ugly face and kick him out of the palace. He doesn’t deserve a second chance.”

I swallow. “I didn’t say I was giving him one, I was only wondering if it’s a misunderstanding—”

“You love him,” he growls, releasing my face, his face a thunderstorm. “Fuck, you love him, don’t you?”

“No, I…”

“Fuck this.” He slithers away, down the bank, toward the water.

“Adar, wait!”


Tags: Mona Black Fantasy