Page 106 of This Prince Is Not Charming

“That wasn’t what I was looking at that night, Ceri,” I said, and she rolled her eyes.

“It is. This faerie is the one who was kneeling before Fairwitch, this pendant in her grasp. And she was also a winning phrase in the game of Birendelle . . .”

We stood in silence, staring at the statue with wide eyes, and my thoughts raced. “Why would Castle want us to find a statue of Aoife the Warrior Maiden?” I asked. “This makes no sense. It’s a piece of stone.”

“What if it isn’t?” Marsten asked, stepping forward with his book.

My gaze dropped to it, and I remembered the story Marsten had told me. “No,” I said. “Come on, you can’t be serious. You’re honestly suggesting that someone kisses the statue and that Aoife the Warrior Maiden is going to come to life? For what purpose?”

“To find our queen,” Siobhan said, violet eyes alight with excitement.

Right as she said it, a golden glowing crown appeared over the statue.

“Oh my godwitches,” Marsten said.

“Our queen. She’s returned,” Meera said.

Panic filled me. Even though Ceri had assured me we’d work this out, that we’d find a way to be together, I couldn’t help but think that being forced to marry some ancient faerie queen might get in the way. “No,” I said. “This is ridiculous. You can’t actually believe your ancient faerie queen has been trapped in a statue all this time. This is . . . it can’t be true.”

“Actually, I can believe it,” Siobhan said, staring at the face of the woman. “Fairwitch claimed they’d killed her, but what if Aoife found a way to turn herself to stone, to keep herself protected until the right time to come back and save us all?” Her eyes widened. “What if her coming back is the key to reversing the curse from Fairwitch?”

Ceri met my gaze. “I think they’re right, Cillian. We at least have to try.”

“I won’t do it. I can’t.” My voice broke. “I don’t want this life, Ceri. I don’t want to be high prince. I don’t want to marry a faerie queen. I don’t want to rule.”

I just want you.

Lor thrashed against his bindings, but I ignored him, holding Ceri’s gaze, full of so much love and sorrow and hope that I didn’t know what she was feeling. Maybe all of it.

“Maybe you don’t have to kiss the statue,” Clio said. “Maybe it’s not even about you anymore. Maybe Castle just wants her.”

“If I don’t kiss her and wake her up, then who does?”

Everyone stayed silent, no one with a solution. Lor was frantic now, thrashing his head enough to cause his gag to loosen. He spit it out, his jaw locked as he said, “I’ll do it. I’ll kiss this faerie queen.”

CHAPTER 46

Cillian

Istepped back, not understanding what was happening. I wasn’t sure anyone did. We all stared at Lor in shock, including the members of the brotherhood on either side of him.

“Absolutely not,” Liadan said, pointing the axe at him.

“That seems like a really bad idea,” Marsten said.

Meera flashed her pearly teeth. “We can’t let him defile our queen with his mouth.”

I shoved a hand through my hair, gaze locked with Lor’s. “What happens if he kisses her? Does that mean he’ll become high prince or will he just free her?”

Everyone looked at each other, no one sure of the answer. I could kiss the statue if it meant breaking some curse, but if it bound me to said statue . . . I looked at Ceri. I couldn’t take that risk. I wouldn’t.

“What did that story say again?” I asked. “The little girl. She kissed the statue and it came to life, and then what?”

Marsten shrugged. “It’s just a children’s story. I think . . .” He opened the book, flipping to the final page. “The little girl found a home with the woman,” he said slowly, “who became like the mother the orphan girl never had. They lived happily ever after. Together.”

I swallowed thickly.

“I’ll do it,” Lor said again, his voice hoarse and low, lower than I remembered.