Page 39 of Within the Hollow Heart

The prince’s eyes pressed closed. The expression put Nickolas in mind of their nanny after she’d been locked with his sisters inside a single room for three days straight. The prince’s tone was not a great deal different from the nanny’s either when he said, “As you may also be aware, there remains just over a quarter hour before your curse sets its course. If you intend to stab a fae prince, I suggest you choose one you are not meant to marry.”

She said, “Let him go. When he and Ian are out of sight, then I will sign, and this will all be over.”

“Spoken like the most eager of brides,” the prince muttered. He gestured toward Nickolas. “You are as free to leave as you’ve been this entire time, Lord Brigham.”

Nickolas opened his mouth to explain that he had, in fact, not been free at all, when a new voice came from the edge of the clearing.

“Not so fast.”

The prince turned away from Jules, who doggedly followed with her well-aimed blade, and glared in the direction of the trees. “Lady Ostwind,” he said. “I would like to remind you that this entire affair is none of your concern.”

Etta tromped closer, sword in hand, Gideon at her back with an armload of documents and, nonsensically, Princess Mireille with three of her courtiers behind them.

Etta pointed at the filigree wall. “That’s where you’re wrong, because everything on this side of the Rive is my concern.”

The prince’s mouth turned down. “We are only on this side of the wall because your…” He cleared his throat. “Because the lady Jules has required it. Had I my preference, we would be nowhere near Westrende.”

Etta drew to a stop less than ten paces from the prince, the others fanning out beside her. “Jules is no mere lady, and you know it.”

The prince’s jaw flexed. “That is her secret to keep. It was never mine to bandy about. And it is her decision whether to proceed with…” His words fell off once more, then he glanced at Jules. “Have you changed your mind about the ceremony or only the terms of Lord Brigham’s release?”

Jules adjusted her grip on the dagger. “It is no secret that I do not wish to marry you. But I have no choice in the matter.”

“Actually.” Gideon stepped forward, every eye in the clearing suddenly on him. He cleared his throat then withdrew the fae book from his jacket.

The prince made a pained sound, but Nickolas found himself stepping closer. The fae surrounding him did not move.

Gideon spoke only to Jules. “The price named was to marry one of your station. It was not specific to the prince of the Riven Court.”

The prince said, “While this is all very dramatic, I will remind you that her time is running out.” Thethere are no other princes presentwas heavily implied.

Princess Mireille sidled up to Gideon and gave a little wave to Jules. Jules’s color had gone off, but Mireille did not seem to pay it mind. She said, “I heard about what happened at the ball and insisted I be allowed to help. Jules is from a neighboring kingdom to my own, and I told Gideon the stories we had heard regarding her father.”

“Namely,” Gideon explained, “that the king had fallen under the sway of a fae queen. The very one, I suspect, who cursed each of the king’s heirs and left only Jules to escape.”

“Frederick was the bravest brother.” Princess Mireille’s gaze searched the clearing until she found Ian holding the bird. “Oh, is that him? He’s darling.” Frederick made a chiding hiss, but Mireille’s attention had already returned to the prince. “Ian told us that while Frederick managed to save Jules from a similar fate, he was injured. The brothers were presumed dead, and the court blamed Jules, but many among the staff refused to believe it.”

The prince said flatly, “Then the palace became plagued by large white birds, five to be precise, determined to ruin every event held at the fae queen’s behest.”

The princess’s grin widened. “Exactly that. Talk began that they were the spirits of the brothers, come to seek revenge. But the sixth brother, it was said, had somehow escaped the queen’s curse. Tales began that he would return one day to vanquish the fae queen. As you can imagine, she took no joy in that.”

“I need not imagine,” the prince replied.

Mireille’s right eye pinched in something vaguely wink-like before her gaze flicked back to Jules. “Gideon told me Frederick was well, and I’m so pleased. But I knew there was more to the story. In fact, Lord Holden revealed just recently that he had heard the fae queen had only named the price of wedding a prince. She wanted you forced away from your kingdom, and there would be no remaining heirs. He says it was your father who managed a betrothal bargain with the prince of Rivenwilde so that you would have protection from the queen.” At the mention of Lord Holden, Mireille had gestured to one of the men behind her, and at the mention of the prince, she’d casually gestured to him as if there was no difference in the men’s stations. To the prince, she said, “It is true, is it not, that you might provide protection from a fae queen?”

The prince’s brow lowered, but he said, “Any I name under my protection would be safe inside my home.”

Mireille gave a single decisive nod as if the entire mystery was sewn up. Nickolas, however, had a thousand questions, not the least of which was what the fae prince gained by agreeing to harbor Jules.But Mireille had opened her mouth as if to speak again.

“All this to say,” Gideon interrupted, “that if Jules renounces her title, she might marry a lord instead. The price would be paid, and the curse broken.”

Jules went stock-still, like a statue among the grass in her pale muslin dress.

But Nickolas was moving again, chest bumping against the swords of two fae guards.To marry one equal to my station, she had said. Her price. If Gideon was right, Jules only needed a lord. It was all that stood between her and a broken curse.Just one lord.Nickolas heard himself say, “I am a lord.”

Everyone turned to look at him.

“I am,” he said defensively.

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