Page 132 of The Beast King's Bride

Auria is shaking her head over and over.

“What’s going on?” I stride over to them. “Auria?”

“My lady!” She turns to me, her face pale and wet with tears. “What are you doing here? I thought you left.”

“I came back.” I glance over her shoulder and see Jassin standing there, his face white.

“Ash!” He stares at me over the desk, over…

No. No.

Over the king’s body.

No. I can’t be seeing right. I take a step back, my breath knocked out of me. My sword drops, clanking, to the floor. “What in all the Gods’ names?” I manage, choked. “What… Why is he here, like…”

Like he’s dead.

He’s laid on the enormous desk as if in state, his hands by his sides, his hair brushed back, his face pale and still. He’s dressed in one of his black shirts and leggings, his tall boots polished. Looking so… formal as he lies there.

As if it’s a funeral. As if—

“Ash.” Jassin comes around the desk, around the gathered women. “How did you go through the gate? After what Talen said, I thought you were never coming back.”

“That was what I thought, too. I…” I can’t take my eyes off the king. “Please, Jassin, please tell me this isn’t what I think.”

He glances at the king’s body, swallows thickly. “After you left, things became much worse. Monsters jumped out of the walls, fell from the ceiling, laying siege on us day and night. I knew, then… I knew that Talen had not told me the whole truth about how little time he had left. He had had one year left, you see, but the Empress demanded it as a tithe for bringing you here.”

“The emissary,” I whisper. “I remember that day.”

“He was growing weaker, his wounds not healing, and with the non-stop attacks… This morning he used up the last of his magic to blast the monsters inside the palace to pieces, save his guards, save us all… and has not woken up ever since.”

“But does he breathe? Does his heart beat?”

“If it does, we cannot tell. We held up a mirror to his mouth, but it wasn’t…” His voice cracks. “Wasn’t fogging up.”

No.

I can’t look away. Can’t make myself touch him, afraid to find out that this is real. That he isn’t alive, warm and breathing. I’m scared to touch him and find him cold.

No…

“Ash.” Then Jassin’s voice, his face change. “Who is that?”

“Pete, at your service.” My friend performs a ridiculous bow. “I accompanied Ash back because she wants to save her king, and we…” He falters. “Don’t tell me it’s too late? All this trouble and there’s—”

“Pete, shut up,” I mutter.

Pete sighs. “Right, right. And… who are you?” He shifts his weight on one leg, puts a hand on his hip and… is he seriously flirting with Jassin?

My heart is broken into a million pieces, their sharp shards digging into my chest, and yet I find myself thinking, who knew that Pete likes boys, too?

Jassin gives him a long, unhappy look. “You should take Ash and leave right now.”

“No,” I say. “Jassin, he can’t be dead. There has to be a mistake. Let me—”

“He doesn’t breathe, Ash.” Jassin’s eyes are glassy. “He’s gone.”

“No.” I shake my head. I can’t accept it.

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