Page 121 of A Bargain with the Fae King

He loves me.

My chest aches as his confession settles into my body, resonating into my bones.He loves me. He’s doing this for me.

My heart breaks anew. Shattering to dust in a way I never expected.

He loves me.And I…

“Riven, you can’t!” Ambrose’s protest brings the world back. “We need you. The forest must have a ruler, and the king must be with his people.”

His head turns toward his captain. Ambrose’s eyes are wild, flashing with panic and confusion. As are all the fae’s. Sylvie, especially, stands frozen in horror, hands cupped over her mouth.

“I must make this right,” he replies, his voice calm and steady. “What I did—my choices, my trickery—was horrible. I cannot change the past, but I can start to make things right again.”

From the corner of my eye, I see figures approaching. I turn to find Katiya and the other Unseelie nearing, carrying May with them.

“Take May,” Riven instructs Ambrose. Calm, resigned.

Ambrose opens his mouth to protest but snaps it shut with a grimace. In a moment, he’s beside us, reaching for my sister as the Unseelie pass her sleeping form into his arms.

I run my hand over her head, fine hair slipping through my fingers. A sob bursts from my lips as my vision blurs. My palm slides to her cheek, down to her chest to feel the soft rise and fall with each breath as if she’s truly just asleep, curled up with me on the couch or tucked safely into her bed.

Safe, she’s safe.The words ring through the back of my mind, a distant whisper reminding me that I’ve finally accomplished my goal.

I blink away the tears as I take her small hand in mind. My fingers gentle squeeze around hers.

Safe. Alive.

But the man next to me… I hastily wipe at my face and turn back to him.

“Riven…” What can I say? There are no words.

He takes my tear-dampened hand and squeezes it once.

A promise.

A farewell.

He drops my hand to trail after Katiya and the other Unseelie as they retreat toward their party. Sigurd has backed off, his gaze unreadable as he stares between us all from the sidelines.

“Do you think to come with us, Forest King?” Katiya tosses the words over one shoulder.

Riven halts. Ambrose straightens beside me, adjusting his grip on May. Will they let him go free? Even Sigurd visibly tenses and steps backward.

“You offered yourself for the girl, and we accepted. But we have no need of another hostage. You shall suffer, as we have.”

Another large Unseelie, similar in appearance to the one who’d held May, steps to Katiya’s side, a bow and arrow raised in his hand.

He takes aim at Riven. Draws back.

Terror strikes like lightning.

“No!” I cry.

Everything happens at once.

The arrow releases. Its tip disappears through Riven’s chest, the green metal exploding out of his back in a spray of blood.

Ambrose bellows. Sylvie screeches.

---