Page 129 of Of Curses and Courtship

“She doesn’t wish to marry me,” I say, “and I don’t wish tobeg her to, no matter what you heard on this particular evening. It was a moment of weakness, that’s all.”

No one was meant to hear me pleading for her. I have half a mind to fly away, but my wings are worn from a day of soaring in the sky, searching.

“Do you truly believe she does not love you?” Her eyes narrow. “Let us forget what the letter said?—”

“How do you know about the letter?”

“—as I said, you must forget that, and you must also forget that she is gone. You know her. She is the only one who can break this curse. Allow me to repeat myself: do you believe she does not love you?”

“I—”

It feels wrong to claim she loves me now that she’s left, but what’s worse is pretending our love wasn’t real. Itwas. I shake my head, and a fresh tear spills down my cheek.

“No.” My voice breaks. “She loves me. Our love would’ve broken the curse.”

The Moon Fae takes a step closer. “Then listen carefully. I may not be able to break the curse, but I can help you find her—and free her.”

“Free her?” My eyes widen. “Whatever could you mean? Has someone taken her?”

“Yes. I can tell you where she is, but you must move swiftly, you must move alone, and you must not trust anyone but me.”

This is moving far too fast. I cannot save my kingdom—how am I supposed to save Ophelia?

I swallow thickly. “Gods…”

“You will be putting yourself in great danger if you rescue her.”

“Do you think that is why I’m hesitating?” I let out a derisive laugh. “No. If I free her and she doesn’t wish me to, that will make me the villain in her eyes.”

“Then free her just to free her, without the expectations.”

That is the right thing to do, isn’t it?

This Moon Fae may lie. She may lead me to a trap. None of that matters. There is a chance she is telling the truth, too, and I will do what I can to grant my beloved her freedom.

“Fine,” I say. “I will leave at the break of dawn.”

OPHELIA

I bang a raw, red fist against the door. Once. Twice. Three times.

“Please,” I scream, my throat rough and dry. “Let me out!”

We spent a day in the dusty room without food or water. Do my stepsisters know I’m here? They must, and they’re ignoring my pleas. They’ve never shown me any care at all.

No one is listening. No one is coming. Even my stepmother doesn’t ascend the stairs to tell us to stay quiet. It’s as if our pain means nothing to these dreadful beings.

“Stop wasting your energy.” Helena runs an old piece of cloth along the windowsill, collecting dust.

This is what she has been doing with her time. I scream, and she cleans. I suppose it is the only thing that brings her comfort.

“What else am I to do?” I croak. “No one is coming, which means we must free ourselves.”

“Ah, but isthishow we find freedom?”

“I don’t know another way.” I press my fingers to the door. “My stepsisters. They may free us, or else they will go for help.”

“If that is the case, they should have come already.”