Page 44 of Of Curses and Courtship

No one is allowed to clean my bedchamber; I work best when it’s in disarray.

My father scrutinizes her for a moment. “It is about time. We will leave you to your work. Come along, Emyr.”

“Yes, father.” I linger just long enough to give Ophelia a soft smile.

She’s especially adorable when she’s twisted in knots, as she is now, still enough that one could believe she has roots coming from her feet. Those lavender wings behind her flap once, twice, and I force myself to look away.

Onto duller things. No matter how sweet she is, I won’t sabotage my wedding—and my kingdom. This is my one chance to bring the sun home.

No one can get in the way.

“You are not takingthis betrothal seriously,” Father hisses.

On and on he goes. Will he ever quit lecturing me? I’ll be married with an heir and a spare by the time he finds another hobby worth his precious time.

He continues. “Being tardy to a meeting with your future wife’s parents is a terrible first impression. Must you continuously embarrass me? And your mother. You have hardly thought of your mother. She is left entertaining while you sleep.”

“I was notsleeping. I was reading up on curses.”

“Perhaps you should do less reading about curses and more breaking of them.”

My father seems to forget he was the one who taught me the power of the written word, though that was hundreds of years ago. He’s too far gone now, taken by fear, and I know there is no reminding him of who he was a hundred years ago.

It’s too bad. I liked him more then, when he had hope of breaking the curse.

When he had faith in my brother.

He’s never extended the same courtesy to me, and perhaps I haven’t done a thing to deserve it.

We weave through the hallways, going to the same drab garden where I last met Princess Minetta. I was already there out of obligation, but it’s nothing compared to the pressure of meeting her parents.

“I’m here,” I say. “What more will you ask from me?”

“You make it seem as though you don’t wish to be here, but you picked your betrothed. That’s more choice than I was given.”

“But, Father, it’s still no choice at all. You made me pick from a lineup, with no warning.”

I don’t need to say more for him to know what I mean. If I had a real choice, I would have preferred to find another way to break the curse. Perhaps it’s impossible. I’ve beentrying for a century, and I’m no closer to freeing my kingdom than I was when I was still a babe.

When I was born, my duty was not to free our palace. It was always supposed to be Carwyn. He was older. Dutiful. Everything I was not.

If I had found a way to break the curse sooner, he would still be with us.

My father is right, even if I wish he weren’t.

“My son.” He stops before the stained glass door and fixes me with a deep frown. “If there were another choice, I would want you to make it. I recognize that my selfish actions led us to this place.”

As frustrating as my father may be, one thing I can’t stand is his groveling.

I shift from foot to foot. “I understand, Father. I didn’t mean to elicit guilt. You can trust me—I’m here, and I take this courtship seriously.”

For it is a serious matter. Perhaps if it weren’t, I could have more fun with it—and with my betrothed.

“Very well.” He pats my back. “What a relief. Come along. Let us meet the others.”

OPHELIA

“I can’t believe you did that to me!” I hold tight onto Helena’s elbow, dragging her from the prince’s bedchamber. “Surely you recognize that you crossed a line. I thought we were friends.”