Marked (The Coldest Fae Book 3) by Katerina Martinez (novel24 .txt) 📗

could just as easily have chosen to come back and get me on his own. That would probably have resulted in my death, and then everything would be different right now.”

“But he didn’t,” Gullie said, “And that’s why fate wrote you into the Royal Selection. To put you on a path to collide with the Prince, the one with the heart of darkness inside of him.”

“Heart of darkness?” Mel asked.

“That’s the other thing my parents told me… but I don’t want to go into it right now. It’s just… it’s something I have to do or not do. A choice I have.”

Mira’s eyebrow arched. “What’s the choice?”

“If I make it, you’ll know.”

She frowned. “I thought we didn’t keep secrets, here.”

“If I tell you, and then you tell someone else, then everything changes. I can’t risk that.”

“Who am I going to tell?”

Mel nudged Mira with an elbow. “Toross?” she asked, grinning.

I jabbed a finger at her. “Don’t even joke about that.”

“If you’re trying to embarrass me,” Mira said, “It won’t work. I spent years training to be a custodian—my composure never breaks.”

“That’s a lie,” Gullie scoffed. “I’ve watched you melt the hell down before, and it’s hilarious.”

“Silence harpy,” Mira hissed.

“Hey, I thought we were passed that.”

“Well then, don’t make me reinstitute it.”

I waved my arms. “Can we get back on track, here?” I said, “I just wanted to tell you both that the plan is off. There’s something I have to go and do. I need to make that choice. One way or another, all I want is your support… please. Do I have it?”

Gullie floated over to the space between the three of us. “You’ve got me always,” she said.

Mel nodded. “I’ll support you,” she said, “I think I understand what’s happening here, and I know what you’re going through.”

“You do?”

She shrugged. “My family were commoners, and commoners know more about the wild winter than is taught at the castle. I know a bit about fate, prophecies, the moon children. Fate couldn’t have chosen a less prepared person to deal with all this, but that’s where we are.”

I frowned. “Thanks?”

“All I mean to say is, whatever you need from me, just ask.”

I turned to Mira hoping to find agreement, but finding the opposite. She didn’t seem convinced. My keeping the whole thing about the Prince from her was probably throwing her off, and I couldn’t blame her, but I couldn’t take the risk, either.

I knew she would want me to kill him. And if I couldn’t, she would do it herself. It wasn’t that she was evil, but she was a realist, and she carried within her that bitter coldness of the castle fae. It was thawing out, sure, but she still held onto that sense of cold logic.

“I don’t know if you are making the right decisions,” she said. “I fear everything that’s happened is clouding your judgment, and we both know your judgment wasn’t great to begin with.”

“I know,” I said, “But I had a great teacher. I learned a lot from you, and all I’m asking is for you to trust me to make the right decision now. Can you do that?”

“And if we all perish as a result?”

I shrugged. “Were you really planning on living forever?”

She cocked an eyebrow. “What kind of a question is that?”

“A simple one, if you think about it.” I came up to her. “You didn’t follow me all this way not to trust me now, here, with this.”

Mira frowned. “Fine,” she said, “You have my support. But if we all die, I’m blaming you.”

“If we all die, you can tease me about it for the rest of time.”

“Oh, I intend to, don’t you worry. I just hope you make the right choice, in the end.”

I stared at her eyes, then nodded. “Me too…” I trailed off. Then I turned to look at the tent flap. “Speaking of which, I guess there’s no time like the present.” I looked over at Gullie. “Do you mind waiting with Mira while I go and do this?”

“If it’s all the same,” Gullie said. “I’d like to hang out with Mel?”

“Me?” Melina asked.

“Yeah… you said you know a lot about pixies. There’s probably a bunch of stuff you can teach me that I don’t know.”

“But… you are a pixie.”

“I know. But I’m an exception to the rule, trust me. I spent about as much time on Earth as Dee did.” Gullie looked over at Mira. “As long as you don’t mind?”

Mira rolled her eyes. “No, I don’t mind.”

“Are you sure?” Gullie asked.

“You will not offend my sensibilities or hurt my feelings. I have plenty of things to keep myself busy with.”

Nodding, Gullie floated over into Mel’s hair. I, meanwhile, reached into the black box I’d been holding and pulled the dagger out. The weight of it felt good in my hand; light, but sturdy and deadly. I turned it over once, twice, then I held it behind my back.

“Is that part of your choice?” Mel asked.

I side-eyed her. “Do I really need to answer that question?”

“I suppose not… be careful.”

I nodded. “I will.”

Opening the flap, I headed out into the village and made my way over to the Prince’s tent. I was trembling. I hated the weight that had been put on my shoulders, but I had to do something. I still didn’t know what I was going to do, but I knew I had to act now, before it was too late.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

 

 

I found the Prince waiting exactly where I’d left him. Nobody stopped me, nobody asked where I was going, there were no armed guards by his tent. When I stepped inside, he turned to look at me. I scanned his eyes, trying to figure out whether he was Cillian or Radulf as my grip tightened around the handle of my dagger I had at my back.

My heart was pounding, adrenaline surging through me like waterfalls. I knew what I had to do; what choice lay ahead of me. The decision would’ve been