Chapter Twenty-Eight

Kadie

Wood popped in the fireplace, spraying sparks in the air. My gaze rested on Grisselle, who sat eyeing the chessboard. She took deep breaths as if to calm herself. I hesitated in the doorway for long moments, wondering if I should disturb her or not, but at last, she looked up at me and waved me in.

“You don’t have to stand in the doorway,” she said. “I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just that things around me feel as if they’re falling apart.”

I nodded. “I understand completely. Look, I’ve had a chance to think about the offer you made the other night. I mean, I’d like to take you up on it. If I share what information I know, then I want your word and promise that you won’t kill me.”

Excitement and fear raced through my blood: fear that she’d decide I wasn’t worth it and have me sent back to the Bone Yard; excitement for what my life could be if she let me live. I’d be trapped here, but at least I’d be alive.

And if I decided I wanted to visit the human world, I was sure I could convince Grisselle to let me. She needed me just as much as I needed her.

“Kadie? Are you sure?” She floated to my side, her hands clasping mine. “If you do this, then you’ll be here with me, forever. You will be like the sister I was supposed to have. And you’ll have to understand that sometimes I will have to ask you to do things you might not agree with, but whatever those things are will be for the betterment and survival of our kingdom. If you go through with this, then I promise to name you as my Heir. You will be my everything. Together we will rule all of Faerie one day. You will answer to no one but me, and I will never kill you so long as you never betray me. I’m putting my trust in you.”

She didn’t have to say the threat laced through her promise. I didn’t really have a choice. I could be her confidant, her sister, her heir, or I could turn her down and lose my life as quickly—as horribly—as Demetria had lost hers. But it wouldn’t be enough to simply agree to her offer. I had to make her believe I wanted it. I had to make myself believe I wanted it.

“I won’t betray you. I’ve had enough of that in my own life. We both deserve better than what we’ve been handed over the years.” I squeezed her hand back.

“Then let us make this official.” Grisselle produced a silver dagger.

My heart leapt into my throat and suddenly I couldn’t breathe. “What’s that for?” I took a step back.

“If we are to be sisters then we will do it in blood. You will become of my blood and I yours. We shall be blood sisters.” She took the blade and slid it along her palm.

I watched the crimson fluid bubble up in the wound. She handed the knife to me. I squeezed my eyes shut. Please don’t let me regret this. My hand trembled as I opened my eyes once more. I pressed the cool metal of the dagger against my skin and sliced. A sharp pain flared in my hand, and I cringed.

Grisselle clasped our wounded palms together, letting the blood intermingle. “From this day forward, we are sworn sisters bound to one another. Your thoughts will be my thoughts, and mine will be yours. We shall always know where the other one is. We swear in this moment our allegiance to each other. I will protect you and watch after you like a sister and you must do the same for me. Do you swear, Kadie, by your blood?”

Not like I had a choice.

I wet my lips. “Yes, I swear upon my blood.”

Even as the words left my mouth, I realized what I was doing to myself—how I was making myself a more certain prisoner in a way I might never escape. But I would do it, and I would do it to survive.

“Then you are, as of now, a Winter Princess and Heir to the Winter Throne.” Grisselle pulled her hand from mine, then kissed my brow. Her lips were as cool as ice cubes against my warm skin.

I snaked my arms around her and gave her a hug. It was done. I’d secured my safety. Grisselle embraced me back, rocking me back and forth.

“I’m glad we’re sisters now,” she said. “Now come. Sit with me and tell me all you know of Salome, her family, and Gareth…”

The queen asked lots of questions about Salome’s grandma after I explained how she seemed to know a lot about Faerie. I told her some of the stories Doris had read to us when we were younger, and how Salome was only allowed to go certain places, but never far from their property. I even explained about Gareth and how he was always at the right place at the right time whenever something happened with Salome and how the only places I ever saw him in the human world were Perky Joe’s and anywhere Salome was.

I didn’t know what kinds of information she’d find important, but she absorbed every detail I gave her: odd things I’d noticed about Salome over the years, the people she hung around with, her family and what roles they played in her life.

The odd thing was that the more I opened up to her, the easier it felt to tell her whatever she wanted to know. Like I could trust her, even though I knew I shouldn’t. I shuddered as I wondered whether the blood bond she’d forged between us would have deeper consequences than I’d realized.

When I finished, she thanked me and hugged me, telling me I’d given her all the information she needed and tonight we’d have a celebration in my honor, to introduce me to her kingdom as her heir.

As I stood in my room getting ready, I slipped into the beautiful red gown she’d laid out for me. There were snowflakes sewn into the hems of it, made of white lace. I then put on the ruby jewelry she’d given me, as well as the small crown, which fit atop my dark hair perfectly.

Rena, Etienne’s maid, handed me a pair of red satin slippers. “You are ready for dinner now.”

“Thank you. Where’s Etienne?”

She frowned. “In his room, getting dressed.” She took a step back from me. “Kadie, I can’t help but think you’ve made a mistake. Etienne’s worried about you.”

I laughed, hoping she couldn’t hear my anxiety. I couldn’t afford for Grisselle to ever doubt my commitment. This was my life now. It was the price I’d pay for staying alive. “There’s nothing to worry about. I’m fine. Besides, look at everything the queen has given me. She and I are friends now.”

Rena nodded. “I see. Well, if you don’t need me now, I’m going to go back to check on Etienne.”

“I’m good, thank you.”

Soon a pair of guards came to escort me to the dining room. I noticed they were leading me back to the original macabre part of the castle. However, when I got to the dining room door, Grisselle awaited me.

“Ah, you look beautiful, sister. Red is definitely your color.”

I looked at the ground. “Thank you.”

“Are you ready to be introduced?”

“I-I think so.” My nerves seemed to twitch beneath my skin like a fish flopping on land.

Doors opened to reveal a less dark room. I noticed Grisselle didn’t have any bones in there tonight, nor did she have any disturbing tortures set up to watch. Relief flooded over me.

When we entered, everyone stood: humans, royals, servants. Grisselle clutched hold of my arm and smiled down at me.

“Good people of Winter, I want to introduce you to our newest Winter Royal, Princess Kadie. You will treat her as you treat me, and you will obey her. She has been vital to me over these past few days and is like a sister.”

My gaze drifted across the crowd. I saw the surprise etched on some of the Fae lords’ and ladies’ faces, like they couldn’t believe the queen had given me a title.

And as terrible as I felt knowing Grisselle could harm me at any moment, that strange warm feeling came over me again, the same I’d felt when sharing with her my secrets about Salome. There were benefits to being her prisoner. There were benefits to earning her favor.

No more would I have to serve those bastards. Now they’d have to listen to me. But more importantly, I saw the resentment and horror on Crazy Chick’s face, and I smiled. She’d been trying for years to get in with the royals, constantly throwing herself at Teodor and the other princes, but I was the one granted this. I was the one the queen had chosen.

“They will respect you, you will see…” I heard Grisselle say, even though her lips never moved.

“Wait, how did you do that?” I whispered.

“We’re blood sisters now, which means I will always be able to hear your thoughts, and when I allow it, you’ll hear mine as well. We’ll be able to communicate without everyone else butting into our conversations. Just think the words and I’ll hear them.”

“Like this?” I thought.

“Yes, exactly. Now, come along, let’s not keep our guests waiting.” Grisselle guided me over to the head of the table, where we took our seats.

Immediately servants began to fill our goblets and plates. Some of the humans eyed me warily, but I kept a smile on my face. Were they sickened by the choice that I had made? Did they think I’d sold out? Or were they jealous? I was sure that if any of them were given the opportunity as I was, they would’ve taken it, if only to stay safe. I wouldn’t let them make me feel bad. It wasn’t like this had been my first choice. I’d tried every other option first. But the idea of staying alive won out. And I’d do anything to preserve myself.

As I took a bite of broccoli, my glance fell on Etienne. He watched me closely, never taking his eyes from me. I studied his chiseled face, loving the way his pale blond hair stuck up in messy tufts. How his sea colored eyes undid me. Ever since I’d met him, he’d tried to protect me, but now I didn’t need him to. We’d be on more even ground now, both of us Winter Royals. Grisselle already said I could have any man I wanted, and I wanted him.

I smiled at him, and he nodded in return before switching his attentions to the food on his plate.

Just then, Teodor burst in, carrying a gust of cold air with him. He stalked toward the head table and bowed.

“I bring news from Summer.” His jaw twitched as if he was nervous, which was odd for him. Nothing ever bothered him, so whatever he was about to say would be the nail in someone’s coffin.

Griselle lifted a goblet filled with crimson liquid to her lips then set it down on the table. It turned her lips scarlet, making me think of vampires.

“Well, what’s this news you’ve interrupted my feast for?” She narrowed her eyes.

“Summer has crowned a queen.”

She leapt to her feet, knocking over her cup. Blood soaked the tablecloth as she clenched her fists. Through our bond, I felt her hatred and anger burning like acid thrown on my skin. A cloud of blackness swirled in my mind, her emotions going wild as if they’d been sucked into a cyclone.

“What?” She growled and swept her arms over the table, knocking plates, cups, food, everything off. “Everyone out! Now! Teodor, gather the princes and go to my quarters.”

Etienne climbed to his feet and hurried to my side. “Get to your room. Don’t unlock the door for anyone.”

“What’s going to happen? She won’t hurt you, will she?”

“I don’t know. But if something goes wrong, Rena will come for you.”

“But I don’t understand.”

“If Summer really crowned a queen, it means Winter is losing or will lose its grip on Faerie.”

And if that happened, it meant Grisselle might lose everything, which in turn meant I might lose my newly found safety.