Page 63 of The Beast King's Bride

“Ash,” Jassin says, drawing my attention back to him. “The king is expecting you.”

“And if I say no?”

“I’m afraid that is not an option.” He seems a bit sick when he says that but the look in his eyes is determined. “I have been instructed to bring you whether you like it or not. It’s for an important matter.”

And just like that, the anger returns, easy like the snap of fingers. “I see. Lead the way, then. We’d better comply with his majesty’s wishes. We wouldn’t want him to be angry, now, would we?”

Jassin is silent all the way through the palace to the king’s study, and I don’t speak either, clinging to my anger as much as I can. It’s exhausting, wanting to give in and admit I like him—in more than just a friendly way, too—and needing to keep my distance.

If I let him, he’ll shatter my heart, convince me to stay, convince me to do anything he desires—and although my body is shouting “yes, yes!” at me, my mind is wary.

Because when he tires of me in bed—and I bet that will happen quickly—then what will he do with me? Throw me to the Empress’ dogs to appease her?

What sort of solution did he expect me to offer? How do you lift a curse? The only curses I know are those cast by bent old witches in the woods of the human lands, small affairs cursing men who left a maiden with child and forsook her to spend their days thinking they are frogs, hopping about.

Never heard of a curse affecting an entire kingdom.

As for lifting those old witch curses, the solutions differ, according to the person telling the story—and stories are never to be trusted. Just like the solutions to the riddles the Faeries pose to humans when they cross through dark territories, the cure can be anything absurd from throwing a chestnut over your shoulder and reciting a prayer backward to sacrificing a cock at dawn and swallowing its still-beating heart.

What would it take to lift a curse from a king and his lands?

I can’t do this. No way.

Still silent, Jassin knocks on the door of the study, opens it, and bows, gesturing for me to enter. The two guards standing on either side of the door pretend not to notice us but I can feel their eyes on me.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I step inside, forgetting that I’m supposed to still be furious as I face the king for the first time in days.

He’s standing by the fireplace, one hand braced on the heavy mantelpiece, the dancing flames gilding his profile, his black hair, his horns, the black silk of his shirt over his shoulders.

Seeing him is a punch to the heart.

He turns as I approach, his braid dancing against his back, a deep crease between his brows. His normally luminous blue eyes are filled with a new darkness. “Ash,” he says and there is a question in his voice.

“You asked for me, so here I am,” I reply and wait. “What is it?”

The crease between his brows deepens more. “Will you take a seat?”

“If I must. Will this take long? I was in the middle of a lesson.”

He bares his teeth in a grim smile. “Is that so?”

“I’ve grown fond of the room you assigned to me. Did it belong to one of your fiancées? Or one of your conquests? To whom do all those gowns belong?”

“I prepared the room for you, in case I found you. Ash… Is that why you’re upset? I had to tell Jassin to threaten force to get you here.”

“I hope you’re pleased with yourself,” I mutter, still trying to digest the fact that he’d had gowns made for me, in case he found me.

“I’m not pleased. You refuse to see me. Why?”

“Did you expect a prize for saving me from your pet dragon? Did you expect me to fall in your arms, in your bed as thanks?”

“What are you saying? You know it isn’t my pet, you…” He sighs. “You’re trying to provoke my anger.”

“Is it working?” I shrug, hating the hollow feeling in my stomach. I will not fall in love with the Fae king. I will not. This is the only way, to push him away, keep him there. So why do I feel so wretched?

“I invited you for dinner every night,” he goes on. “I wanted to see how you are—”

“I’m fine,”, I interrupt him, “don’t worry your pretty, horned head about me. Your cure for the curse is perfectly well. See, now you can sleep well at night.”

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