Page 5 of Broken Hearted
Much to my disappointment—or perhaps secret delight—covering up his chest did little to dampen his attractiveness. I was used to the pale complexions of the Winter fae in our realm, but I found Adrien’s bronzed skin particularly appealing and had trouble tearing my gaze from him.
“You look like you are melting,” Adrien said, snapping me out of my trance. “If you like, Elisana can get you something else to wear.”
I shot him a look as I self-consciously pushed back the black hairs sticking to my forehead. Did he know his fiancée at all?
Elisana sauntered over to Adrien and slipped her arm through his. “I already informed her that there was no way any of my clotheswould be large enough for her,” she said as she stroked his arm, a small smirk on her mouth.
“Oh, well, I don’t think that . . .” Adrien glanced back and forth between his fiancée and me, and even more warmth infused my already overheated cheeks.
It was one thing to insinuate I was large in private, but in front of someone else was a whole other matter. I didn’t care that I’d only known her for less than an hour; I hated the woman and was already convinced that would never change.
Adrien cleared his throat. “I’ll instruct my lead housemaid to find you something more comfortable to wear, Isolde. The Southern Kingdom’s climate isn’t for everyone, and coming from the Winter Court, I know this heat must be particularly uncomfortable.”
The smirk quickly dropped from Elisana’s face, and the sour look that replaced it brought a smile to my own.
“That would be greatly appreciated,” I said sweetly, purposefully batting my lashes at Adrien to further infuriate his dreadful fiancée.
A look came upon Adrien’s face as he stared at me, almost as if he was seeing me for the first time. It made me feel a little lightheaded, but maybe it was just the heat playing tricks on me.
“Darling,” Elisana’s shrill voice cut through the air as she tugged on his arm. “Have you had your tea yet?”
He shook his head, his gaze shifting to the woman at his side. “Oh, no, I was just about to do that, but I wanted to make sure Isolde had seen the letter.”
“I have it right here,” she said, holding up a piece of folded paper in her other hand that I hadn’t noticed before. “Why don’t you have your tea, and I promise I’ll get thisissuesorted out.”
Issue? I was an issue now that needed to be sorted?
I brushed my fingers over my faestone dagger, imagining burying it in her instead of Adrien. The mental image was oddly comforting.
“And there is no need to alert Fiona, my love. I’ll make sure to find Isolde something to wear,” she went on. The evil smile on her face should have worried me, but at that point, I’d happily don a potato sack if it meant getting out of those sweaty clothes.
Adrien smiled down at the wench. “Thank you, my love.”
My love? Please.I rolled my eyes as they stared at each other. How did he like this woman, let alone love her?
I couldn’t fathom what he saw in her, but reminded myself that I didn’t care who this Ethereum lord bound himself to. He could be engaged to a broomstick as far as I was concerned. I was here for one reason and one reason alone.
To end the curse and then go home.
Elisana finally released her grip on the lord when Adrien started to leave, but right before he left the room, he turned back. “Isolde, I’m glad you made it here safely. Dawn has been quite worried. I’ll see you for dinner tonight?”
“Oh, no, darling,” Elisana started. “I’m sure the princess would much rather eat alone in—”
“I’m looking forward to dinner with youverymuch,” I said, cutting her off, which earned me a glare that gave me nothing but pleasure.
When Adrien was finally gone, Elisana thrust the folded letter at me, slamming it into my chest. I met her glare with one of my own and had to take several deep breaths to keep my cool. I peereddown at the letter. Even though my name was scrawled across the front, the seal had already been broken. I ground my teeth at the invasion of privacy but pushed it from my mind when I saw Dawn’s handwriting.
My dearest Izzy,
I’m so sorry that I can’t be there to welcome you to Ethereum. I’ve missed you terribly, but the curse that plagues Faerie has also spilled into our kingdom in the northern section of Ethereum, and Zander and I are doing all we can to keep it from destroying the people and the land.
If you are reading this message, it means two things. First, that you have arrived in the Southern Kingdom rather than the Western Kingdom. For that, I am truly sorry, because I surmise that you won’t get as warm of a welcome as you would have if you’ d arrived in Zane’s kingdom.
I glanced up at Elisana, who was impatiently watching me with her arms crossed over her chest and a frown pulling down her features. Dawn wasn’t wrong about that. There’s not much about my arrival that I’d call welcoming so far. Maybe except for Adrien.
As if to punctuate the point, a drop of sweat rolled off my forehead and landed on the page, smudging my name. I swiped the sweat away and continued to read.
Secondly, it means that you have chosen to trust me and haven’t tried to kill Adrien. For that, I will be forever grateful. I want to assure you that I believe with my whole heart that we are doing the right thing and that we will succeed in destroying this curse on our lands once and for all.
