Page 67 of Black Hearted
I stared into Zander’s eyes, and I knew Adrien had told him what Isolde thought she’d seen. Fear spiked through me. If anyone could bend the impossible to her will, it was my mother.
“Lock down the castle,” I commanded through gritted teeth, my voice strained between contractions. “Only essential staff and family.”
“Darling, I’m sure it’s fine—”
“Zander, you don’t know what my mother is capable of. Lock. It. Down,” I roared as another spike of pain ripped through me.
He nodded and left to carry out my orders.
I loved my mother, but if she tried to harm my husband or babies, I wouldn’t hesitate. I would remove her head without a second thought.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lorelei
Zane and I traveled another hour on foot before we made camp under a rock shelf at the base of a mountain. The protruding rock created a natural roof over our heads, which was fortunate because the burning rain was back. The curse was clearly using the land to try to stop us, but although it was slower going without our horses, we were still making good time. If the map my mother had given us was to scale, we’d reach the Tree of Transformation by nightfall tomorrow.
I sat by the fire Zane had built, watching as he pulled out smoked meat and dried fruits to prepare a plate for me. We were still tied together—a precaution Zane insisted on. After the vine dragged me away, I thought I was done for, separated from him forever, hauled across the forest until my skull was smashed against a rock or tree trunk. But Zane had chased after me—his voice panicked as he screamed my name. The way he fought for me revealed his true character, and it made me want to build a life with him. I felt safe with him.
It was a cruel irony to find such a man just days before I was fated to die.
Turning away from Zane, I pulled out the letter again, scanning its contents for what felt like the hundredth time. I prayed I’d misread it or overlooked something—though deep down, I knew there was no hope of that.
When you drink the contents of the vial, your life force will be the price paid to end the curse. This is the ultimate sacrifice.
The words were clear. There was no mistaking them. I would die so that hundreds of thousands could live. This wasn’t just about saving the seelie in Faerie anymore. It was about saving all the souls in Ethereum, too.
“Tell me about your realm,” I said, rolling up the note and slipping it back into my pack. When I looked up, I found Zane watching me intently.
“Ethereum is actually a lot like Faerie,” he said, “in that we have four distinct kingdoms that take on seasonal characteristics, just like your courts here.”
I perked up at that. “Oh? And which season would your land most resemble?”
Please say Spring. Or at least not Winter.
“My land would most closely be associated with Fall.”
I relaxed slightly. Fall wasn’t bad. The Fall Court was stunning with its palette of burnt oranges and vibrant reds. I had particularly loved the cuisine when I visited a few years ago—sweet potato casserole, chicken pot pie, butternut squash soup. And the apples!The juiciest I’d ever eaten. Their cinnamon-and nutmeg-spiced desserts were divine too. My mouth watered just thinking about it.
Yes, Fall was acceptable. Not that it mattered since I was about to die.
“What are the people like?” I asked, trying to push aside my morose thoughts.
Zane smiled then, his expression softening. “Amazing. Diverse. We have unseelie as well as seelie fae, and we all work together for the good of the land. Obviously, we have our challenges. Rebel factions pop up from time to time, but for the most part, we live in peace. I was able to hire workers from all four kingdoms to build a train track that links the whole realm. It’s an ongoing project, but it’s already been invaluable for moving refugees to safety.”
In Faerie, the various courts lived in relative peace with one another, but rarely worked together for the good of the realm as a whole, as Zane described. In fact, I couldn’t think of a single time in history when the courts had banded together like they were now to fight against the curse. For the most part, we kept to ourselves. But now, refugees from the other three courts were living in the Spring Court, the only land still untouched by the curse’s sinister effects.
When this was all over, I didn’t know what our realm would look like anymore. Even if the land was restored to its former glory, I suspected things would be different. Hopefully, for the better.
“Well, I’ll take you there when this is all over,” Zane promised. “My castle chef makes the best chocolate berry cake in the whole realm.”
I gave him a weak smile, but his words only saddened me. I’d never see his realm. I’d never taste that cake.
“I’m tired,” I said, feigning a yawn.
He nodded, handing me my plate of food, and we ate quickly.
Zane tried to spark a conversation, but despite my best efforts to remain engaged, my thoughts grew heavier, pulling me into silence. He seemed to sense my mood and stopped trying to talk.
