“And the curse?”
“The residents of Castletree would transform into beasts at night. The four princes would be cursed beyond all,” Farron explains. “We are spared on the night of the full moon. Who knows for what mercy.”
“No one knows of this,” Ezryn says solemnly. “At first, we thought she may have been from the Below, or a powerful fae cursing us in an attempt to seize Castletree’s magic. But she never reappeared after that night, and my search has come up empty.”
“And there’s nothing you can do about it?” I ask. “To break the curse?”
“Not exactly. Fae curses can always be broken,” Farron says lowly. “The Enchantress told us we could only break this curse once we find our mates and before—”
“Enough,” Keldarion snarls. “You’ve told her enough.”
“Mate? What the heck is a mate?”
“The other half of your soul.” Dayton smiles poetically. “Born from the same star. Someone your whole being calls to.”
“It’s a fae thing.” Farron gives me a sympathetic smile.
My mind races. These fae princes are powerful, but they’re also desperate. Perhaps desperate enough to give me what I want.
“I’ll help you break the curse,” I say. They all turn to me like I announced I could magically transform into a fox. Actually, they might not think that’s so weird. “I’m serious. If I’m trapped here, I might as well do something useful.”
“Why do you care what happens to us?” Dayton blinks his big blue eyes. “We are your jailers after all.”
“Because when I break the curse, you’ll let me go. That’s the deal. Fae like bargains, right?”
My heart hammers in my chest. One of my father’s many ramblings: never make a bargain with the fae. But I’m already in so deep, it may be my only way out.
They’re silent for a moment before Ezryn murmurs, “It couldn’t hurt to have her assist Farron in his research.”
“You have nothing to lose by letting me try.” I turn my gaze on Keldarion. “And I have everything to gain.”
“Come here,” Keldarion says, and the command seems to work through my body as I stand immediately.
I swallow in a dry throat as I pat down my skirts like I planned to do that all along. Then I walk across the dining room, my steps echoing.
Kel pushes up from his chair as I arrive and stares down at me. Damn, I forget how tall he is until I’m quivering beneath him. He sticks out his hand. “Break the curse and you’ll be free of this castle.”
His words make the back of my neck prickle. There’s something not quite right about them. But I have no other choice.
“Deal,” I whisper, then lace my fingers with his. His large hand feels too warm for a prince of ice and snow.
“It’s a bargain,” he murmurs reverently. “Until you break the curse, or I choose to release you, you shall remain a guest of Castletree.”
A magical force courses through our joined hands. I feel a tingling sensation and watch in awe as a ribbon of blue light wraps around my wrist and his. An exquisite warmth radiates from our clasped hands and an electric spark ignites within my heart. Wind caresses my hair, and I can’t tear my gaze away from his blue fire eyes.
Finally, the spell dissipates, and I look down to see a tattooed bracelet on each of our wrists: interwoven hues of sapphire snowflakes and ruby roses. A symbol of our vow.
Something else on his wrist catches my interest. Black ink in another bracelet tattoo right above ours in the shape of—
Kel drops my hand, and I let out a gasp. Energy courses through me. “It’s a bargain,” I whisper.
“And it’s all for naught.” Kel turns and walks toward the door. “This curse will never be broken.”
22
Rosalina
Onthemorningofmy third day in the castle, Marigold has me in front of the vanity and pins my hair up in a bun with curled pieces framing my face. “Been so long since I’ve had someone’s hair to do,” she states when I protest all the fussing. “Let a woman play!”