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I hold myself tightly, shivering, trembling, and watching.
Using the shadows around me to hide my appearance is something I’ve practiced since I was a child. It’s a pretty classic move in my homeland, but it doesn’t work well when there are other shadow fae around you. They too can use shadows to their advantage and are trained to see through that haze.
Here, no one can see me when I slip into shadows. I’m entirely invisible so long as I’m not in direct light.
Twelve hours after I first hid from Rev— the fae prince I have to kill or spend eternity in constant torture—I have yet to be seen as I sneak through the Luminescent Court Palace. Of course, a good portion of that time was through the night, but the celebration did not end as the sun rose. In fact, though the event is over, many linger, drinking and eating and playing merrily well into the day.
There are still fae running here and there, laughing and stumbling around nearly the whole palace. There are servers still bustling, their expressions serious. There are guards standing stoic in their stationed places.
No one has looked my direction as I pass through the halls.
My trembling has not stopped, not for one moment since I learned the identity of my mark. He was sweet and kind and—from everything I can tell—good.
I don’t know if I can follow through with my mission.
But I also know that I can’t give up. So long as I’m still trying, I am free from the Night Bringer. So basically, I can’t leave this palace—ever—unless I end his life.
For now, the palace is lively enough that my sneaking around won’t get me in trouble, even without my ability to hide. But there are some places I’m not allowed to go without a proper escort.
I sneak down a quiet hall, heading who-knows-where, passing a giggling young couple. In the next hall, I find an older fae male dancing alone to no music at all. Finally, I pass a group of children playing a game on the steps.
On the next floor, there is a pair of guards stationed at one hallway. I wonder if this is exactly what I’m looking for—the royal family’s living quarters.
I stand there watching, trying to force my mind to keep to the mission logical, calm, but my body doesn’t listen. I can’t stop shivering no matter how hard I try.
A group of whispering young females in elaborate dresses pass me. I press my back to the wall of the stairs, hiding tightly within my shadows. They don’t notice me. But the guards certainly notice them.
Their swords cross, blocking the hall. “Sorry ladies,” one of the guards says. “You are not permitted entrance to this part of the palace.”
One of the girls gasps, pressing a hand to her chest. Another takes a step toward the guards casually. Her head tilts innocently and she bites her lip. “Oh, well, you see—we were invited by Prince Reveln.”
My stomach twists stupidly.
The guard’s lip quirks like he finds this amusing. “Very well, what is the password?”
The girl’s mouth falls open. “Password?”
Both guards smile.
The girl considers for a moment. Then she places her hand on her hip. “Lumi!” she says confidently. “That was his childhood pet’s name.” She smiles proudly.
“Incorrect.”
The girl pouts.
“Phoenix?” another of the girls asks, this time not even hiding the fact that they’re just guessing now. The guard lifts one brow as he considers them.
“Fairy bells!”
They giggle.
“Ladies,” the quiet guard says firmly. “Prince Reveln does not wish for visitors at the time. If he did, we would have allowed you entrance.”
I find a form of sick joy watching the girls grumble as they saunter back down the stairs where they came from. And now, I have my chance to make my own way to the prince, knowing full well it will not be nearly as pleasant of a trip as those girls were hoping for.
Several minutes pass quietly. The guards’ swords return to their casual stance, but their muscles remain tense. I watch closely. Patience is not my best attribute, but I’m capable of it when I must be.
Finally, they relax, though their eyes remained focused. I’ve felt pretty confident in my ability to hide behind my shadow magic, but this will be my first real test. Remaining undetected from half-drunk fae passing through almost public areas isn’t a challenging task.
Passing two trained guards protecting a very narrow hallway—is.
I hold my breath as I tiptoe forward, holding onto the shadow magic covering me as tightly as I can manage. Now is a time I’d love the encouraging whispers of the shadow sprites. I imagine their voices, telling me I’m lovely and strong. Telling me that I belong with them.
I will be back to the Whisperwood, and I’ll be free. I just have to do the worst thing I can possibly imagine first.
The guards don’t so much as blink as I pass them, my imaginary sprites cheer me on.
One long deep breath later, and my focus clears to allow me to study the hall. The walls are made of solid white marble, sparkling incandescently. The ceiling domed, adorned with elaborate columns covered in antlers. There are several doors down this massive hall, simple ivory with golden handles. Each one as nondescript as the rest.
Patience, I decide. I don’t know which room to enter, and though gaining information from several sources may be beneficial—not today.
I have to see him again, find out if he really is as good as he seemed. Maybe there is something more to the story. Maybe he has some dark secret. Maybe the world is better off with him dead.
Or maybe...maybe there’s some way out of this. Maybe I can find a loophole, a way out of the bargain. I just have to hope I can get lucky.
A clinking sound alerts me to someone coming down the hall. I slip to the side, checking the magic that keeps me unnoticed. A fae with tall antlers rounds the corner, carrying a covered tray. He stops in front of one of the doors on the left side of the hall and taps on the door three quick times. The door opens, exposing a bare-chested young male. Not Rev.
“About time!” he exclaims, and opens the door wide for the antlered delivery fae. A moment later, the fae leaves empty-handed and then a door across the hall opens.
“Chimmie?” a deep, but soft, male voice calls.
“Yes, master Reveln?” The fae stops, facing the open door.
“Are you serving breakfast soon?”
“Yes sir, I’ll bring it right up.”
“Thank you,” he says, then shuts the door softly.
Finally, I think, even though I know I’d gotten very lucky. Now that I know where Rev is, I can feel the ache stirring in my gut. Longing, I realize. Eagerness to be near him. A fae prince I don’t even know.
I close my eyes to the truth stirring in my gut. I’m drawn to him. My magic is drawn to him.
No, I’m simply curious, I tell myself. He’s a cute, sweet boy I want to get to know.
And then kill.
I shake my head. I am so messed up its insane.
Just keep thinking it, I tell myself. Convince the magic you’re going to do it.
But what if I convince myself while I’m doing that? Where does the Night Bringer’s magic end, and I begin? I take another long breath. Stay calm. Keep moving. Keep doing.
I count to twenty and then knock on Rev’s door—three quick raps.
“Wow,” a muffled voice calls. The door swings wide “That was fa—”
My heart squeezes as I look at him, and he looks right through me.
“Chimmie?” He pauses, frowns and then swings the door closed. I set my foot between the frame and the door at the last second, causing it to bounce back. I slip through the opening to Rev’s room before he grumbles and pushes it closed the rest of the way.
My heart pounds rapidly as I realize I did it. I sneaked into Rev’s room. I’m officially a spy. First an assassin—now a spy.
My stomach aches. Is this wrong?
I look around Rev’s room, standing right in the middle of the gold throw rug while Rev flops onto his bed and stares up at the ceiling. In this moment, I can pretend we’re here together. That he invited me, unlike those other females, and we’re here together. Awkward, shy, but together.
It’s a silly fantasy.
I don’t know what to do now. The magic inside my chest stirs uncomfortably, and the thorns on my wrist dig into my skin, sharper than before—most definitely not my imagination—but I haven’t failed yet. They’re waiting, wondering.
Kill, the magic hisses. A reminder of what it wants. What it expects.
Claim me, it instructs.
This magic isn’t mine until I complete the bargain.
Death would be a mercy. A mercy the Night Bringer will not give me.
I can’t do it. I can’t give up. I can’t...
I can’t not do it. But I can’t kill him either.
Rev gets up from his bed suddenly and walks over to a desk in the corner of the room. My back is pressed to the wall as he passes. His room is brightly lit, making it more of a challenge to keep hidden. I require shade and shadows to hide.
Rev sits at his desk and shifts through a few books. He flips through the pages of one whose spine reads “The Art of the Bargain.”
I blink. I’d like to read that book, though it would be an impossible task to take it from him now. It does give me another idea. In a place this big there must be other books. Perhaps even an entire library. There could be history books here. Though, that’s a silly thought given the circumstances.
My eyes flick up to the shelf behind him. To a black heeled shoe sitting there. My shoe.
I suck in a breath, more audible than I should have allowed, and Rev pauses. His eyes narrow as he turns toward the corner I cower in.
“Hello?” he says.
My heart pounds. I could expose myself, I think.
Yes, then press a blade through his heart.
I suppress a groan.
How could I kill him? My... I swallow. I can’t do it.
Do not give up, the magic hisses. Keep trying. That, I can do, I tell myself. I can keep to the shadows of this bright court’s palace and...look for him. Look for my chance. As long as I haven’t given up, he won’t come for me. Maybe I can spend the rest of my life here—a nomad, hiding in a court where I don’t belong. I’ll keep trying to kill a fae I suspect I’m supposed to love. Forever. Never succumb to defeat but never win either.
That’s a fate I don’t want, but perhaps I could live with it.
Rev stands and takes a step toward me. Then, there’s a knock on the door.
With a frown, he crosses the room and swings the door to Chimmie. The antlered server brings in his tray of food and sets it on the coffee table by the couch. I slip out the door before it shuts behind them.