Page 134 of The Beast King's Bride

“Ash, no,” Pete hisses. “This woman is insane.”

I ignore him. “And if I do this, will he live? Will Talen live?”

“Ash,” Pete breathes, “no, don’t. Don’t make a deal with them. And for the Gods’ sakes, don’t give up your life for a Fae.”

“Listen to the young man,” she says, cocking her head to the side, a strange, animal-like gesture. “He’s right, even if he’s human, like you. Brief-lived, annoying creatures. Not sure why the Fae are so obsessed with you.”

“Maybe because we are alike deep inside,” I say. “Our hearts are in the same place.”

“Are they now?” She sniffs. “This is a reversed world, human. You are so confused about everything it’s becoming boring.”

“Ash,” Pete starts, reaching for me, but the Empress lifts her hand, murmurs something, and everyone goes still, not even blinking. I’m standing among breathing statues. I suppose I should be grateful she didn’t kill them all outright.

I’m alone with my decision, the risk I’m taking.

But if there is a chance that Talen will live… I’ll take it. No questions asked. This is a deal and it seems she has to abide by it. If I lift the curse, if I do what I am asked to do, then she has to comply and let Talen live.

So I bend and retrieve my sword from the floor. It’s not much more than a long knife, slightly curved, its edge honed and sharp.

“That’s it.” The Empress’ black eyes gleam. “Will you go through with it? No one to stop you, talk you out of it. Will you do it, girl?”

“Yes,” I whisper.

“He sent you away. Hurt you with his words. He never really believed that you could save him.”

“And yet he didn’t want me to go, he confessed as much to Jassin.”

“Your life is more important,” the Empress goes on, her voice like honey laced with poison. “Your world. You had a quiet, easy life with the gold he gave you. Why waste it for a king who doesn’t care about anyone but himself?”

“You’re wrong. He cares. He fought you.”

Her lips part in a faint smile. “And that makes him more important than yourself?”

I take a shallow breath. “It will be worth it.”

He’s a king to his people. He has to fight the Empress, not let her take over this world or ours.

But above all… I love him, and I need him to live. If he dies, I’m not sure I can go on without him, not anymore.

Not again.

So I turn the sword on myself. I place the tip below my left breast, where the human heart lies.

And before I can doubt and question myself, turning slightly to look at Talen one last time—I plunge the sword into my heart.

And I fall.

Into darkness.

The last thing I hear is her roar of rage and it’s a beautiful sound because it means… that she lost.

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