Page 25 of What did you do?

I leaned across the couch and grabbed the old iron scissors from the small wooden table behind the sofa, lost in thought.

“Don’t worry, darling. I have no doubt a good soul like yours will visit Aether in the Elysian Fields.” I pressed my lips against his damp, slightly warm forehead. “I have a feeling I won’t be meeting you there in the afterlife either, after what I’m about to do.”

With a firm grip and the most force my arms could muster, I grabbed the hair on top of his head with one hand and forced the iron scissors into his skull with the other, hitting the exact place I had planted my kiss.

I had to push and fight a bit to get the scissors all the way through, the odd squishes and pops catching my attention as the scissors tunneled farther in.

The more pure-blooded the fae, the harder they were to kill. Most pureblood immortals were immune to illness and recovered from poisons and superficial wounds easily. Shifters of pure blood, like Felix, required a severe and thorough head injury.

Steadying myself, I tugged until the scissors exited the dripping hole in his forehead. I was nearly mesmerized by the slow drips of metallic blood that dripped off the point, shining against the warm sunset rays that came in through the large windows of the office.

Calmly walking toward the door, I patted the pleats of my gown until I found the hidden pocket and placed the textured scroll inside, trading it for the few tolkiens and gems from within its hidden depths.

Soft thunks sounded as I opened my hand and the bloodied scissors and tolkiens crawled across the intricate carpet by the door.

A sharp twinge of regret suddenly rippled through me at the realization that Felix was truly gone from my life forever. I didn’t look back. I didn’t dare. This was what had to happen.

I reprimanded myself for being so weak. This had to be done. For Thanes and me.

I stepped out of the room and into the hallway before clearing my throat and letting out a blood-curdling scream.

By now the new maid would have already shown the entire castle staff her “bonus”: the prized pouch of Felix’s most sought-after and collected treasures.

The ones the entire staff knew he would never part with.

There were no bonuses for the staff.

The elder staff had likely restrained her already.

9

PRESENT DAY

Caly

“They’re scissors.”

“Yes, Eli, I know they are scissors,” I said with an eye roll. “Why are you holding them to me like that? Where did those even come from?” I asked with a nervous laugh. He looked as if he were scheming.

He stood in front of me with the bright light of the unfamiliar castle glinting off of the office supply in his hand. The sharp tips pointed at me as my focus shifted slightly over his shoulder to see Queen Saracen smiling from the hallway.

Eli’s face suddenly looked pained as he reached out to me. His warm fingers gently skated across the back of my neck. Tachycardia overtook me, propelling my broken heart at least 120 beats per minute. I shifted nervously, my eyes volleying between the scissors and his handsome face.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

Time froze. I flinched a little when he dominantly stepped into me, holding the back of my neck firm. A creak of scissors opening. What was he doing? What was happening?

“You have a tag still on your dress,” he whispered. His searching eyes slowly ran over my face. “Hold still, it just looks like we’re talking,” he whispered with a wink, slowly moving his hand down the back of my neck until his fingertips caressed the T1 nerve of my thoracic vertebrae, causing a shiver to vibrate across my skin. “There, you’re good. I don’t think anyone saw it,” he said with a sneaky grin as he handed me the stiff, barcoded price tag from my new dress.

Eli winked, and his eyes roamed my face slowly before he stepped away and returned the scissors to a filigreed cup on a stand by a giant vase of fresh flowers.

“Chef, return to the kitchen. Bring Caly that special tea in the cabinet please,” she snapped in Samuel’s direction before spinning to walk off.

Eli and Samuel immediately caught each other’s gazes. Nothing was spoken, but I couldn’t help feeling a lot was being said by the odd look they shared. Samuel nodded once to Eli.

“Yes, immediately, Your Highness,” the old man said softly with a look in my direction.

“You can’t drink the tea,” Eli whispered softly.

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