Curse of the Cruel and Lovely : Allied Kingdoms Academy 3

by J. M. Kearl

  “Astaroth,” I said to get his attention. “Is there an object that creates the protection around your father? Something we can destroy?”

  He didn’t look at me when he answered. “As far as I know it’s a power of his own.”

  “It would be,” I murmured, annoyed, and took another sip of wine.

  His black wisps circled around the stem of my glass tugging lightly. “Do you plan to have me carry you out of here?” Astaroth asked, turning to me. “You won’t do well with faerie wine.”

  “I’m doing just fine.” I didn’t feel that much different. Happier. Sitting next to the Winter Prick didn’t even piss me off. “And it would seem you’re the one who doesn’t do well with faerie wine. I remember the time you stumbled in here completely wasted.”

  “I had a bad day.”

  “What did you tell me?” I quipped. “Quit feeling sorry for yourself. What could have been so bad you came in here looking like a fool?”

  “Be careful, Princess. I won’t tolerate you stabbing me in the back a second time.”

  “Still upset about that? It is less than you deserved considering how many times you have hurt me... Prick.” How did I have such a strange alliance with this bastard?

  The look of surprise on his face made me giggle. He snatched the wine out of my hand. “You’re done.”

  “You know what, I am done. Done with all this. Done with you.” I had to figure something else out. This was never going to work. Why was I letting all these Fae bastards order me around? I was the one from the prophecy and I needed to do this my way.

  Before I could get up, Astaroth’s hand flashed out and clamped down on my wrist. “Enough. Sit through the meal and then you may leave.”

  “I don’t need your permission.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  “Or what? You’ll threaten me? Threaten my family? I’ve heard it all.” One of the guards turned back to look at us. I didn’t care about him either.

  In a swirl of darkness I was whisked away and ended up back in Astaroth’s chambers. His strong fingers dug into my shoulders when he slammed my back against the stone wall. I should have been scared but I started laughing. Oh my unicorn, he was right. Humans did not do well on faerie wine.

  “You are going to spoil everything,” Astaroth snapped.

  I laughed harder. Why was I laughing? It wasn’t funny. My situation—everything—not funny.

  With a low snarl he shoved away from me and wandered to a high-backed chair. With a flick of his wrist the fireplace roared to life.

  “Will you come with me?” I blurted out.

  His gaze lifted from the flames. “Go with you where? You aren’t leaving this room until the wine wears off.”

  The idea struck me like lightning. “I know what I’m going to do now. To bring balance back to faerie, to end all this.”

  “And that would be?”

  “Is your father a coward?”

  His eyebrows lowered. “No. His pride might be his only good quality.”

  I think we had a vastly different idea of what a good quality was. “Great. We go to war, Astaroth. I will gather the lesser faeries. The ones you Fae have treated like trash for years. If what Bastian said was true then they will fight. His reign has been long and brutal. I will tell everyone who I am. They will rally behind me.”

  He shook his head. “No one will believe it.”

  “You did.”

  “Even if you managed to, as a human, amass and lead an army of Fae and faeries, that doesn’t solve the problem of my father. I could have gone to war with him years ago. There are enough who would follow me.”

  “But you have me. I will challenge him on the battlefield. I can’t challenge him here because he’ll just have his guards try to kill me, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “But if we are in battle, he can’t refuse or he’ll look like a coward.”

  His eyes took on new curiosity. “You would fight my father one on one?”

  “I am not Fae. I am the human, magic-born Princess of Delhoon. I am a warrior. I’m not sneaky. I don’t play games. I need to be me. And yes, I would fight him.”

  He smirked. “You won’t be able to penetrate his shield.”

  “I will.” Somehow I would figure it out. “And with you, and Aenea, and Zyacus and Aric and Taz, we can gather fighters. I know Summer will march with us. Perhaps more.”

  Quietly staring at the fire, Astaroth tapped a finger against his lips. Then he rose and put a hand on the hilt of his sword. “I will march with you, Princess. Much of the Night Court will follow me. Most of Winter will be loyal to my father. But if you can get people to follow you, together, we will conquer.”

  25

  Visteal

  I pulled my sleeves back, revealing the tattoos he’d branded me with. “Remove these. There is no need for them anymore.”

  With a dark smirk he said, “No.”

  I glared at him. “We don’t need to fake a betrothal. Your other Chosen’s tattoos are gone. I saw Chrishna’s arms.”

  “They didn’t win so their marks were lifted on their own. Whether you like it or not you still won your place at my side.”

  “I only did it to get a chance at your father.”

  Picking something beneath his black nail, he lifted a shoulder. “You’re mine. That was the deal we made when you put the crown on at your academy.”

  “That was not the deal!” My voice rose. “All you said was wear the crown and my friends would be released. Not once did you ever say I would belong to you.”

  “Oh, but I did,” he cooed.

  “No, I remember exactly what you said. Wearing the crown would give me immense power. Power I couldn’t otherwise have and the ability to fulfill the prophecy. That doesn’t mean…” I suddenly felt sick.

  A slow cruel smile spread across his face. “Being with me fulfills every word of that bargain. And just to make certain we execute the prophecy to exactness, you and I will wed. I have a friend who will perform the ritual.”

  “Why would you even want to be with me. I despise you.”

  “Maybe I like that.” He stepped closer. “Maybe I feed off your hatred.”

  I whirled around and headed for the exit. I was not about to allow this to continue. “I am no one’s property!” Taking hold of the handle I pulled but it wouldn’t budge. I slammed my fist against it. That wouldn’t hold me. Appearus. I fully expected to be in my own room, but a wispy black tendril had wrapped around my waist and I was somehow trapped between here and there. My room was at the end of a long black tunnel where my magic pulled me and his kept me here.

  “You’re still intoxicated. I can’t have you off getting yourself into trouble.”

  I hated him so much it felt like the rage could strangle me. I grabbed hold of the ebony magic around me, a tentacle-like extension of Astaroth. “I will destroy this room and everything in it if you don’t release me.”

  “I’d love for you to try,” he said, daring me to.

  I pushed harder to get away and his hold tightened. “How are we supposed to fight on the same side?” I spit.

  “Because neither one of us has a choice. You’re the key to what I want, and I’m the key to what you want. My father dead, and for you, the survival of your people.”

  “I want to go home.”

  “I’ll allow you to visit on occasion.”

  I realized that I could fight him then and there but it wouldn’t matter. I wouldn’t be able to kill him and even if I had the capability, we wouldn’t win against Winter Court without him and the Night Court on our side. The Winter King wouldn’t even give me a shot at fighting him one on one if we didn’t come with a formidable force that would back him into a corner.

  My magic calmed and I stopped struggling to get away. I needed a new plan and if he fed off my hatred and fury, I needed to calm down. “When will we leave?”

  “Tomorrow evening. We shall go to the Night Court where you and I will be wed, then we�
�ll take you to Summer and perhaps even Spring and Autumn will want to be involved.”

  My mind raced through thoughts with the speed of a hundred horses. I had to find a way out of marrying him. I sat in the chair opposite the Winter Prick and closed my eyes. My mind was still a little foggy from the wine. My mother would be so disappointed with my drinking at a dangerous place… again.

  After keeping a close watch on Astaroth for a while, making sure he didn’t try anything on me, I started to doze. He seemed content simply to force me to stay with him. He sat in his chair, magic still holding me and stared into the fire.

  Head bobbing, I caught myself falling asleep a few times but soon enough I was out. When I woke some hours later, it was dark outside and Astaroth was gone. Appearus. I stood in my room where the boys and Aenea were all sitting in a circle on the floor playing a card game. Seriously? I had been trapped with Astaroth for hours and they were having fun?

  When Zyacus’s gaze lifted, he jumped up and in a couple strides met me in the center of the room. “Where have you been?”

  “With the Winter Prick.”

  Aenea stood. “He told my father you were drunk, so he had to take you away from the dining hall.”

  “Well, he can’t lie, can he.” I sounded much ruder than she deserved but I was on the verge of losing my composure completely. A full-blown meltdown was right around the corner. I didn’t know how to tell Zyacus that Astaroth was going to try to force me to marry him the very next day. My stomach hurt just thinking about it.

  The bottle of wine Aenea kept was still sitting on her bedside table. It was tempting but I needed a clear head.

  “What happened?” Zyacus asked.

  “I figured out how I’m going to kill the Winter King.”

  For the next while we talked strategy and threw around ideas. Aenea was nervous but the boys relished in it. We started talking about fighting and battle before I knew it Taz and Aric started wrestling. It was all in fun, and just what I needed to laugh. Aenea jumped on the bed when the boys almost crashed into her and flew into the wall.

  “Men,” she said, shaking her head.

  With his arm around my shoulder Zyacus pulled me closer. “I’m surprised Nightfrost agreed to this plan.”

  I hadn’t yet told him the other part of the plan. I was nervous. I didn’t know how to get out of it. “There’s something else.”

  Eyebrows raised, he dropped his arm and faced me full on. “Why does that sound bad.”

  “I don’t know what to do,” I blurted out. “He said that when I put on the crown I made a deal to be his, he tricked me, and he said in order to ensure the prophecy is fulfilled I have to marry him tomorrow.”

  Zyacus gulped and he stared at me seemingly stunned. “No,” he whispered, and dropped his gaze, cursing. “No. I’m not letting that happen! I will cut off his head before he has the chance.”

  Aric stopped suddenly and pulled away from Taz. The silence in the room was chilling. Gideon climbed out from under the bed and stared at me. Even Aenea looked worried. The Pixie who’d been sitting at the mantel’s edge of the fireplace still appeared clueless. She smiled, while her eyes darted around the room.

  “Marry Zyacus,” Aric said matter of factly. “He’s a powerful faerie. It will negate any claim Astaroth has on you. The marriage ceremony is one of the most powerful magics we have. It’s binding and protective and can only be undone by the couple.”

  A blush burned my cheeks when Zyacus and I met eyes. We had talked about it the day before but now it was real and time was short. We talked about getting betrothed. An ideal wedding for us would have likely taken place after we graduated from Academy. It would also be a massive celebration as it would bring the two kingdoms together. And Aric just threw it out there like it was not a big ordeal. But most pressing, if we were going to do it, it would have to be tonight.

  “Uh, let’s give them a minute,” Taz said, heading for the servant’s passage. The others followed him and when the painting closed, Zyacus ran a hand through his hair then rubbed his face.

  His reaction made me nervous. I expected him to smile and say, “Let’s do it” or something along those lines. The silence, the frustrated movements… “We don’t have to, Zyacus. It’s always been my responsibility to do this. If that means I marry Astaroth then so be it. At least in the end you and Taz and Aric get to go home, and I hold up my end of the bargain.”

  His eyes snapped up to mine. “No, what are you saying? I want to marry you, Visteal. I already told you that.” His hands slid up my arms to my shoulders. “I knew I wanted to be with you when I saw you on the first day at the academy, when you called me an arrogant ass. You’re the only woman to dare to put me in my place.”

  I laughed remembering very clearly that day.

  “I’m only frustrated that it has to be this way. You know I wanted the betrothal to be perfect, and the wedding would be even better, but this will be us with three friends, one cat and a Pixie having a secret wedding in this godforsaken place.” A warm smile grew on his beautiful face. “But I will marry you anywhere, any time. I would marry you in a barn full of animals as long as we get to be together. As long as you’re mine and I’m yours.” He pulled the wolf ring I made off his finger and slid it onto mine. It magically resized to fit. “I love you and that’s the only thing that matters. Will you be my wife, Visteal?”

  He’d been so worried about a beautiful proposal, but this was better than any grand gesture. I grinned. “Yes I will.” I kissed him hard on the mouth. “And I’m already wearing a white dress.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and spun me around.

  The picture frame burst open, Taz, and Aric ran in hooting and hollering. Apparently, they’d been listening. The pixie went along with them although I wasn’t sure she knew what they were cheering about.

  Aric grabbed Zyacus’s shoulders and then pulled him into a hug. “You lucky bastard. If you weren’t going to, I was going to volunteer.”

  With a tear in his eye, Taz squeezed me.

  “Taz, are you crying?” I whispered, patting his back.

  He laughed and wiped his cheek. “I’m happy for you. I just wish the circumstances were different. You’re my closest friend and my Princess. I always want the best for you.”

  “You know me, Taz. I hate big celebrations.” I wiped my own falling tear. I wasn’t going to cry but seeing him started the waterworks. “This will be perfect, and I love Zyacus. I want to marry him. I just wished my parents could be here and Legacy too.”

  He chuckled. “Don’t worry, you know we’ll plan a huge celebration when we get back whether you like it or not.”

  When Aenea stepped out she hung back quietly. She didn’t know us that well and I didn’t know how she would feel about me marrying Zyacus behind Astaroth’s back. But I suppose if she were going to try to stop us, she would be gone by now.

  Gideon bumped into my legs purring. “Somehow I knew this would happen. I am happy for you.”

  “Does anyone know how to perform the marriage ritual?” It had to be done properly. Everyone looked at each other and no one said yes. “Gideon?” I stooped down to his level. “Do you know?”

  “I do not, Princess.”

  Someone had to. It’s not like we were at home and could find the spell book with directions. I lifted my eyes to Aenea. She was our only hope.

  “I will do it,” Aenea said, folding her arms. “On one condition.”

  “Which is?” Zyacus prodded.

  “Don’t tell Astaroth I was involved. He will be angry you’re doing this behind his back and although I don’t think he’d kill me, he might. He’s unpredictable.”

  “He won’t know. I’ll deal with him,” I said.

  She nodded. “Well, are you ready? We can step out onto the balcony so it’s a little more romantic than this room.”

  “Wait,” I said, catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror. “I want to look like me for this. The real me. Not the blue-haired, half Fae I’m pre
tending to be.”

  “It’s funny you should say that,” Aenea said and walked over to her bedside drawer. She pulled it open and took out a bottle. “My father gave me this two days ago. It’s the potion that will take away your Fae appearance. He said he just had a feeling we might need it.”

  “Is Bastian a seer?” I asked.

  She placed the bottle in my hand. “He doesn’t have visions of the future but his hunches are usually correct.”

  I pulled the stopper and drank it down. Standing before the mirror I watched my face alter. My hair turned dark honey blonde, and my ears rounded. I’m back.

  Aenea peered over the edge of the balcony then turned and waved at us. “There’s no one else around. You can come out.”

  Zyacus’s hand slid into mine and he smiled. Our group stepped outside where the stars glittered above, and the crisp night air stilled around us. There was no wind and the cooing of birds in the forest was a welcoming melody. Zyacus opened his palm where a white flower appeared. He placed it in my braided hair and smiled. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  I grinned and holy phoenix, I could get lost in his blue eyes for hours. He was about to be all mine, forever. I was excited and nervous about that fact.

  Pulling a knife from her belt, Aenea said, “I don’t know if it’s exactly the same in your world but you will be bound together by magic nonetheless. Hold out your palms.”

  The tip of the blade dragged across my skin where blood pooled. She did the same to Zyacus. My heart thundered when she told us to press our palms together. This just got real. Standing face to face our hands clasped before us. Zyacus’s gaze beheld me with confidence and desire, melting away any apprehension I had. His smile still made my knees weak, still made my stomach whirl.

  Words I didn’t know spilled out of Aenea’s mouth. A warm sensation started in our hands and slowly made its way down my arm and filled my body. Magical glittering silver stands swirled around our clasped hands.

  “As husband and wife, you are bound in blood and magic, body and soul, and love and loyalty. Do you both agree to this?”