Page 91 of A Thieving Curse

She grabbed the front of his shirt, trying to stop him. “Wait, please, you can’t kill him—”

“Where is he, my lady?” Tristan stopped and glared, still gripping her arm. “You know, don’t you?”

“Please,” she whimpered. “He’s not dangerous.”

“I’m afraid she might be enchanted,” Gareth said heavily as he walked up to them. “She claims she loves this dragon-man.”

“Loves?” For a moment, Tristan appeared distressed, before anger shrouded his face. “Don’t worry. My father warned me of dragon enchantments that make people believe lies. Once the dragon is dead, any enchantment should break.” He looked to Gareth. “We need to find it quickly—”

“No! I’m not enchanted! Prince Tristan, please.” Raelyn placed her hand on his chest. “I want to marry you. You don’t need to kill him, just come back with me.”

“You love the monster, you want to marry Tristan—which is it, Rae?” Gareth scratched his head, his posture sagging. “Tristan’s right. We’ll kill the dragon-man, and you’ll be free of whatever hold he has on you. I just wish I’d realized the truth sooner.”

Tristan put his free hand over hers on his chest and met her eyes. “I’ll put my sword through this monster’s heart. Then I’ll come back and marry you, Princess Raelyn, I swear it.”

She trembled. “But…he’s your cousin.”

“Impossible.”

“I can prove it!” Raelyn pulled out of his grip. “You spent winters at the palace. You told Alex he shouldn’t be sad his mother was dying, because she was evil.”

Tristan stiffened. “Alexander has been dead for twelve years.”

“Servants helped him escape.” She grabbed Tristan’s hand. “You were friends once—”

“Please.” Tristan yanked his hand away. “He was a cocky fool. We were never friends. We were rivals. And then his parents’ corruption entered him, and he tried to kill my father, so my fatherkilled him.”

“Your father cursed him! He’s the corrupted one!”

Any gentleness fled Tristan’s eyes. He leaned over her as a muscle in his temple pulsed, and she shrank back.

Gareth stepped closer. “What are—”

“Watch your tongue, my lady,” Tristan said. “I won’t tolerate lies.” He turned and strode into camp.

She looked to Gareth, her lower lip trembling. “Gareth—”

“I’m sorry.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I failed you. If I had found you, you wouldn’t have been enchanted.”

“I’m not—”

“I know you can’t see it.” His look of pity made her feel small. “But you said you love a dragon-man. And youliedto me. My sister would never lie to me.”

Raelyn hugged herself. She had failed. Alex was in danger, her heart felt like it had been trampled on, and the one person she could always count on for comfort wouldn’t listen to her. She blinked back tears.

Gareth sighed. “Come on.” He put his arm around her shoulder and guided her into camp.

She wanted to shove him away, to yell at him for not believing her, but she was too drained and too desperate to be held, so she leaned into his side. “Please don’t do this,” she whispered.

An icy mask shuttered his face. “I have to. You’ll understand when it’s done.”

Raelyn looked up at Mount Klainar, her feet dragging.I’m sorry, Alex.I tried.

31

RAELYN LAID AWAKE, staring at the stars through the trees. In a day, two at most, Tristan and Gareth and their hunting party would be on Mount Klainar. They would find Alexander. They would kill him. Maybe his family, too. And she would be halfway back to the palace, helpless as her friends died because of her.

Unless I do something about it right now.

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