Page 62 of Healing Elixirs & Wicked Crows

Shaking my head, I asked, "Why?Why would you do that?"

Anger flared hot within my chest.How dare he make my moment of hurt, of pain, of loss, of almost losing control of everything in my life about him?I stood up on shaky legs and stormed away, not bothering to wait for an answer.He followed me, and I turned on him.

"How dare you turn my pain against me!"I accused, my finger jabbing at his chest with each word.

Elias smirked, which only infuriated me more."There’s my princess.Have I told you how much I love you when you’re angry with me?"

His declaration made my blood simmer, but I paused, tilting my head as I regarded him."You've mentioned a few times how my threats excite you."I tightened my hands into fists and stormed forward, battering his chest as I growled out between my teeth, "It isn't nice to get off on other people's pain!”

He took several of the punches before easily capturing my fists and spinning me away from him.The movement was too quick, and I lost my balance.I fell into his arms and we both hit the dirt with a thump.Within a second, my dagger was tipped toward the edge of his mouth."I'm going to cut that smirk right off your stupid, pretty, little face!"

Elias didn't stop smiling as he lay beneath me."Oh, you say such mean things when you get angry.You love this smirk.So unless you’re going to cut it off to keep as a token, perhaps you can put it away?"

With an agitated groan, I scrambled off him and stood, dusting the dirt and leaves from my dress as he moved to do the same.

Then, as I stared at Elias, his gaze slipped from mine, lifting to something over my shoulder.His entire body went rigid, and fear tightened its fist around my heart.

"Well," a voice behind me mocked, "isn't this just precious?"

With Such Force

ELIAS

“What are you doing here?”I demanded, already reaching for Rosemary to pull her to my side.

“Elias,” Rosemary said as she faced the intruder.“Who is that?”

My mother grinned.Long strands of midnight hair cascaded over slender shoulders, and her lips curled up into a serpentine smile until the hairs along the nape of my neck stood on end.Everything about this woman screamed malicious, danger, beware, and my eyes tracked her stealthy movements as she approached us.

“Oh, my dear, have you forgotten me that quickly?”my mother sang, then she hummed as she tapped the corner of her deranged smile.“Oh, that’s right,” she added.“Your mother took your memories right after she cursed my sons so that their curse could never be broken.”

“Unseelie Queen,” Rosemary answered her own question, her tone low as she stepped closer to my side.That small crease between her brows furrowed, and I could practically see the gears within her mind twisting.

"Your mother was cleverer than I gave her credit for," the queen continued, circling us like a predator."When she realized my sons were bonded to you and your sister, she knew exactly how to ensure the curses could never be broken.She stole away every trace of your childhood bond with my son, every moment that might have helped you recognize him for what he was."

Rosemary frowned, her fingers slipping into mine."Bonded?"

"Oh yes, dear child.Mates.Destined partners.The kind of connection that could have shattered every curse I laid."Her smile turned cruel."But your precious mother made it so you could live side by side with your destined mate and never know him.Ensured that love alone wouldn't be enough to break the curse."The queen's laughter was like breaking glass."Brilliant, really.Cruel, but brilliant."

Rosemary’s body tightened as she stared curiously at my mother.She frowned as she asked, “What curse?Briar’s?”

I stepped forward, positioning myself in front of Rosemary.I didn’t want my mother to try anything.Rosemary tried to come forward again, but I shot her a concerning look and gave my head a slight shake.Her hand, still held within my own, squeezed mine, but she remained behind me.

“You thought you could break it, believed you could just live happily ever after and that I wouldn’t find out?”my mother chastised me.One second, her face had been soft and musical, and the next, hard and cruel.“The moment you began seeking her out, I knew.”Her hard, cruel eyes flicked to Rosemary.The words she’d spoken to me the night I told her who Rosemary was to me still rang in my head.“You will not sully our blood or our name with seelie scum.”

“You would rather see us fail, see us stuck in this damn curse, rather than help us!”I snapped, annoyed at her antics.

“What curse?You’re acting as if you know her, Elias.What’s going on?”Rosemary gave my hand a tug as she pleaded for answers.

My mother tilted her head.“Oh, sweet girl.You have grown so much from the young, gangly girl that I remember.I never did understand what my son, Elias saw in you.”

“Son?What?”Rosemary tugged at my hand, pulling me until she could look up at me.“She’s yourmother?” Her voice rose, breaking.“How could you keep this from me?First the crow.Now this?You knew what she did to my family—youknew—and you still stayed silent.”

"Oh, didn't you know?"my mother cooed, and my heart skipped a beat as I watched the glimmer of evil behind my mother's narrowed glare."Your companion, the male you cling to, is the unseelie prince, my second-born son.You two were quite close, once upon a time.

“See?I doubt your mother knew everything she had done tosaveyou would play out like this.Isn’t it fantastic?”

I should have told her sooner, and as my fingers clutched onto hers for the lifeline that they were, I realized everything was about to change.I risked losing her all over again.