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As she walked away, I was dying to stop her, to tell her everything. I wanted to make her mine. Now, breaking the curse was just a convenient bonus.

What had come over me?

There was no more denying it. I was falling for this human.

And the landing was going to be hell.

CHAPTER 30

The Stolen Bride

Ilay in bed that night, and I thought how close I had come to giving myself over completely to the Fae King, to a man whose name I didn't even know.

Worse still, I feared if I didn't guard it, I would give him my heart too.

I spent the entire day in the gardens. Harry had to collect me as it was growing dark outside. I wondered why Forrest hadn’t come himself.

But the truth was I knew.

He might like me. He might find me attractive. He might even want to marry me, but he didn’t want to be honest with me. He had secrets he wasn’t willing to part with. At least, not yet.

It was the morning of the Full Moon Revel celebrating my engagement to the King of the Island, and my stomach was twisted in knots. Only a few days had passed, but Forrest and I hadn’t spoken since that evening at the hot springs.

Visitors had been arriving in throngs, and the castle halls were so full I dared not maintain my ordinary gardening and library routine. Harry had warned me against it at breakfast.

So, instead I sat at the dining room table, reading Forrest’s Book of Iron. I hoped there might be some section on faerie revels.

Rosie, who had become very adept at reading my moods, nudged a cup of tea into my hand. "Tea for you, mistress. It’s calming. Helps with stomach flutters too."

I accepted the cup and took a small tentative sip. The tea was soothing and sweet with a hint of spice. "It’s good. What’s in it?"

"I made it myself. It’s a blend of chamomile, ginger, lemon, honey, and a few fae herbs."

"Thank you, Rosie."

"It’s no trouble, mistress." She hung her head and thumped one of her big back feet nervously. "I’m sorry about the hot springs. I shouldn’t have pushed you."

I frowned down at her. "No, you shouldn’t have."

"I thought if you could both let your guard down… but it was wrong of me." Her little pink nose twitched, and my heart thawed.

"It’s okay. Just don’t do it again."

She nodded and hopped away, leaving me to my tea and book.

An hour later, when I was on my second cup of tea, someone knocked on the doors to the royal wing. I didn’t get up. They weren’t really my doors to open, and I doubted anyone could enter without permission.

Within seconds, the knocking turned to pounding. I looked up and saw a harried Harry hurrying to open the doors. I gave him a small, encouraging smile before returning to my reading.

An exchange of angry, muffled words broke out which turned to raised voices.

I sighed and pushed back my chair to see what the disturbance was.

When I poked my head into the entry, I saw Harry was holding the oak doors shut with the full weight of his shoulder. Just in case. Meanwhile, whoever was on the other side was not happy.

I frowned. Through a crack several inches wide, I could see several fae gathered. "We must see the king at once!"

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Harry said with agitation. It wasn’t at all his usual kind, patient demeanor.