Page 52 of The Dark Fae Princess
Iland just outside the palace and look up at the tumultuous sky. The thunder is rumbling dangerously, and the ravens have taken flight. I purse my lips as I wonder if Rook is up there with them.
Little sneak.
I should be angry with him, but for some reason, I’m not. I’ve spilled secrets to him, thinking he was a bird and all this time he knew exactly what I was saying. I trust that he’s never gossiped about me. The rumor mill is always hard at work around the palace, so I’m sure something would’ve landed back on my doorstep if he’d blabbed.
I sigh, pushing Rook out of my thoughts to deal with later. Right now, I’m really worried about Anders and what he made me do. I should’ve been more careful and not believed that I was stronger than I was. He totally played me, and I fell for it, thinking I could shake him off. There is absolutely no way on these lands that I can ever be alone with him again to complete the blood oath. I’m going to have to go to Jerrick, tail between my legs, and inform him that I require his Guards’ service at all times. There’s no way around it, I’m going to have to come clean about Anders’s attack.
“Savvie!” my mother’s sharp voice turns my attention. “Where have you been?”
“The rookery,” I say, going to her.
She is striding across from the palace with Theo trailing behind her.
I hide my smile and give my mother a kiss on her cheek as she reaches me.
“Theo,” I say shyly.
He beams at me, but then gives me a desperate look.
Mother sees this exchange and chuckles. “You two need to sort this out. But later. Right now, I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I ask. Does she know about Anders?
“I overheard that silly girl talking to her witch mother,” she starts and then rambles on for a long time about how awful Ambrosia and Maurelle both are.
I lock eyes with Theo as he laughs gently, probably at my bored face.
“And?” I interrupt Mother so we can get to the crux of her worry.
“Oh, yes,” she says and shakes her head. “Sorry, those two really get up my nose. You need to watch your back, Savvie. Ambrosia seriously has it out for you. She and Maurelle were plotting. I don’t know the specifics, but Ambrosia said that she had a plan to get you out of the way. Savvie, I think you need to give this up and come home. You aren’t safe here.” She grabs my hands and squeezes them tightly.
“I’m fine,” I lie. I can’t tell her about Anders right now. It also means I can’t tellanyoneabout Anders because it’ll get back to her. She’ll drag me back to Earth by my hair, and no way am I leaving now. If anything, Ambrosia’s threats make me want to be Queen even more. “I can take care of myself and that diva.”
Mother snort-laughs, but then goes serious again. “Savvie, please.”
“Mother, listen to me. I want to be here. I want to be Queen. Gramps is ready to announce this, he just needs you to agree to it. You know that if you don’t, Ambrosia will be Queen. Even if you don’t care about the Dark Fae, at the very least you must care about giving her that satisfaction. Her utter misery is in your hands.”
Her eyes light up.
Oh, I know which buttons to push.
“You have a point,” she says slowly. “But my priority is you. You aren’t safe here.”
“Who is to say that she would be any safer on Earth, though?” Theo pipes up.
We both look at him, having forgotten he was still standing there. “What do you mean?” Mother barks at him.
“I don’t know much, but I do know that Savvie istheDark Fae Princess after you,” he says to Mother. “Even if Ambrosia becomes Queen here, do you really think that she will accept that Savvie won’t come back here and battle her for her rightful place in the future?”
Mother narrows her eyes at him. “How do you know so much?”
“I observe and listen,” Theo says. “Not just a pretty face.” He gives me a grin.
“Humph,” she mutters and chews her lip. “He has a point,” she concedes reluctantly.
“My only bet is to become Queen. Any action taken against me is then treason. She wouldn’t dare,” I say. Knowing how heavily the Fae take acts of treason, I feel this is definitely enough to stop Ambrosia from trying anything. After. The more we fuck about with this, the more time it gives her to take me out.
Mother gives me a stern look, her hands on her hips. “I know what you’re doing, young lady.”
