Chapter Thirty-Three
I turn to Emmett, nearly fainting in his arms. When I look back up, Bram is nowhere to be seen.
My mother is sitting in the front row, completely still, staring at her hand, where her pinkie finger, the one that has been absent my whole life, is suddenly back.
I turn to my left, to where my attendants stand, and see Olive staring down at her fingernails. I prod at my teeth with my tongue and find that my molar has returned, which explains the blood in my mouth.
A footman reaches for me, but his hands don’t close the distance. They turn to dust, and the footman collapses in a heap, leaving nothing but a crumpled livery on the ground.
Hysterical screams go up as a dozen footmen float away on the wind.
Suddenly, from all sides of the garden, the Queen’s Guard pours in, weapons at the ready. I expect them to surround Queen Mor, protecting her, but without warning, they attack.
Queen Mor struggles against them, her magic flares, dropping five to the ground all at once. Emmett’s father throws his body over hers. I can’t tell if he’s trying to take her down or protect her. He lets out a strangled cry and pulls back, his white shirt suddenly crimson with wet blood. It’s spreading quickly, and he’s growing pale. He looks down to see a knife with a golden hilt, buried in his stomach.
Queen Mor snaps her fingers and two guards turn to dust, but she doesn’t see the ones behind her. In their hands are thick chains, and the moment the metal touches her skin, it’s as if she deflates, all the magic suddenly snuffed out. She hisses, like the chains are burning her skin, and is quickly taken to the ground. The guards haul her writhing body through the garden and down the path, out of sight.
The crowd is in such chaos, I don’t think even half of the guests saw their queen being hauled away.
Emmett rushes to Edgar. “Father!” he cries into Prince Consort Edgar’s
shoulder. “Father?” Emmett pulls back, his hands dripping with blood.
Edgar wheezes in a wet breath.
“Help!” Emmett screams through the chaos. “Somebody help me!”
Emmett tries to stanch the bleeding with his hands, but it’s no use. “No— please.” He weeps. “I just got you back.”
Edgar reaches up and brushes his son’s face. “You’ve done so well.” He takes a final rattling breath, and then he is gone.
There is screaming all around, complete and utter mayhem. “Emmett—” Ik up, Bram is pull him to his feet. “Please, we have to leave, it isn’t safe here.”
I look to the altar where Marion and Faith are standing, silent and terror-g at her hand, struck. Olive and Emmy have disappeared into the crowd. “Where is Lydia?”whole life, is I call. But no one answers. I scan the crowd and spot my parents. “Have you seen Lydia?” I ask.Olive staring “We thought she was with you,” my father answers.find that my “Go home,” I urge them. “Leave now. Bar the doors and don’t open them for anyone but me, Emmett, or Lydia.”stance. They My mother kisses both my cheeks. “I don’t want to leave you.”othing but a “I’ll follow just as soon as I find Lydia.” A lie.
Emmett is next to me, covered in blood and silent with shock. I tug at his hand.ard pours in, There will be time to mourn Edgar, to figure out how to fight this, but forrotecting her, the moment we’re right back to the night we met. “My sister is missing.”
I pick up the skirts of my blood-soaked wedding dress and flee.ng five to the I sprint off into the relative seclusion of the trees that surround theI can’t tell if orangery, but from beyond the garden I hear the awful metallic banging ofgled cry and steel on steel. Citizens have already arrived at the gates, and there will bet’s spreading
more by the minute.with a golden Lydia.
I search my muddled thoughts. The last time I saw her, we were walkingut she doesn’t down the aisle. Where is Bram? Is he safe? We got what we wanted, but whymoment the is this all going so wrong?denly snuffed The silence of the orangery is unsettling after the screaming from outside.ckly taken to There’s nothing but the quiet rustling of leaves, but then, suddenly, I hear aand down low, familiar voice.
We round the corner and find Bram, the golden circlet on his head,ests saw their surrounded by the Queen’s Guard. He doesn’t see us at first, he’s too busy barking orders.nsort Edgar’s
“The Tower, make sure there are at least six guards at all times. I can get more iron, if need be, but you should have plenty. Secure the west gate, and make sure—” He pauses as he spots us. o use. “No—“Oh, Emmett, Ivy, what a lovely surprise.” He waves off the Queen’s Guard—King’s Guard now, I suppose. “Leave us.”
so well.” He“What is happening?” I ask.
“You got what you wanted.”
Emmett—” IEmmett hesitates in confusion.
Bram just grins. “You think I didn’t know about your little plans and nt and terror-schemes? This is what I like about humans. You think you’re so clever, it
re is Lydia?”really is a joy to watch.” s. “Have you“You knew?” Emmett asks.
“Oh, I’ve known for ages. Your father always makes such a racket in that library of his. It was cute, watching you two.” n’t open them“Why not tell me?”
Bram considers for a moment. “Because I had so many other things to do.
It’s not easy being both a king and a prince. The multitasking! The lies to keep straight! I didn’t see the need to add one more thing to my plate. Not k. I tug at hiswhen you were already doing the work for me.”
“King?” I ask. t this, but for“Keep up.” Bram claps his hands together. “The door to the Otherworld —I told you all about it, how my mother enchanted it only to open for me? I never gave up my crown there. I was here to reopen the doors between our surround theworlds for us all.” c banging ofI’m shaking, horrified and confused. “I thought your father was king.” there will be“That old bore? I killed him like”—he counts on his fingers—“Three hundred years ago?”
“I thought you couldn’t lie,” Emmett says. were walkingBram just laughs again, that same wondrous laugh I’ve heard a hundred nted, but whytimes, so different now. “That was my mother’s idea, probably the best one she’s ever had. It was a rumor she spread about our kind ages ago. It’s very from outside.convenient to have humans think you’re always telling the truth.” enly, I hear aThe room tilts, my knees go weak. Emmett’s as pale as a ghost.
I think of the pictures of Bram scattered across my bedroom floor. on his head,“Where is my sister?” I ask. he’s too busyBram smiles. “Safe. I’m quite fond of her, you know.”
I launch myself at him, ready to claw his eyes out of his head, but Emmett
mes. I can getholds me back as I kick and scream. “Tell me where she is, you bastard! If west gate, andyou’ve hurt her, I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”
Bram’s laughter booms off of the walls. “She’s fine! I swear it.” He takes the Queen’sa step back, and his face falls as he looks between Emmett and me, standing together. “There is the matter of the two of you to solve, however.”
“I told you I—”
“Don’t lie to me!” Bram bellows at Emmett. “I already told you not to lie to me about her.” le plans and“It’s nothing. I love you,” I lie. “I love you, please let’s just go inside, all so clever, itright?” I take a step toward him, but Emmett grabs my sleeve and I hesitate.
“I heard the two of you that night,” Bram says.
The blood drains from my face. racket in thatEmmett steps in front of me. “It was my fault. Don’t blame Ivy.”
Bram laughs again. “I thought about killing one of you, but we weren’t married then, so I’ve decided to let it go.” things to do.“It was a one-time mistake. I’ll be devoted to you, please don’t hurt him,” ! The lies toI beg. my plate. Not“Of course not.” Bram turns back to his King’s Guard, and relief pulses through me. Emmett and I turn to run, but Bram snaps his fingers.
“Not so fast. It won’t do to have the queen of England’s virtue e Otherworldcompromised like this. I can’t very well pretend to be unaware of an affair pen for me? Ihappening under the roof of my own palace. How embarrassing for me. How between ourcould we expect anyone to take me seriously? I need to get rid of one of you.”
“No!” I shout, but Bram snaps again, and suddenly my voice is gone. gers—“Three“Let me finish,” Bram says coolly. “Ivy is tempting, wives are a high- maintenance business, but they do have their purposes. But you, Emmett, have already done so much of the work for me. With your reputation, no one hundredwill question that you’ve disappeared off to some country house to drink the best oneyourself into a stupor.” He nods to his guards. “Seize him.” ago. It’s veryMy knees hit the ground as I wail noiselessly. Emmett struggles against the four guards who surround him, locking heavy shackles around his arms and legs. droom floor.They drag him nearly out the door when Bram snaps again, and they pause. “I am sorry, Emmett. Call it only child syndrome. I don’t like to share.” , but EmmettEmmett digs his heels into the floor, thrashing against the guards. He
ou bastard! Ifdoesn’t look at Bram, but at me. “Be safe. Do whatever he says. I’m sorry. I love you. I love you. I love you.” The door slams behind them, leaving Bram it.” He takesand me alone. me, standingHe glances at his pocket watch. “I’ve got a coup to get to, but we’ll catch up later, yes?”
He waves a hand, and my speech returns to me. I gasp, choking on tears you not to lieand words unsaid. He extends a hand and pulls me to my feet. This close, his gray eyes glint strangely, his pupils blown out like he’s drunk. go inside, all“I am sorry about all that,” Bram says vaguely, then plants a kiss on my cheek.
He exits through the tunnels, but I race out the main door, hoping to see where the guards have dragged Emmett, but he’s nowhere in sight.
I see Marion, Emmy, Faith, and Olive huddled under an oak tree, looking t we weren’tterrified.
“Ivy!” they call, and I race toward them. Together we go to Caledonia n’t hurt him,”Cottage. We push furniture in front of the doors and latch the windows.
I explain everything to them, the May Queen plot, Emmett and me, relief pulsesBram’s confession, and Emmett’s imprisonment.
It makes my head spin to think of Bram here at Kensington Palace, and’s virtuepretending to be a normal nineteen-year-old, then crossing through the portal of an affairto rule over a cruel court as an immortal king. for me. How“What do we do now?” Olive asks from where she’s huddled, wrapped in rid of one ofa blanket by the fire.
“You stay here, stay safe. But I’m going to find Emmett.”
s are a high-
you, Emmett,
ation, no one ouse to drink
ggles against und his arms
ain, and they don’t like to
e guards. He
doesn’t look at Bram, but at me. “Be safe. Do whatever he says. I’m sorry. I love you. I love you. I love you.” The door slams behind them, leaving Bram and me alone.
He glances at his pocket watch. “I’ve got a coup to get to, but we’ll catch up later, yes?”
He waves a hand, and my speech returns to me. I gasp, choking on tears and words unsaid. He extends a hand and pulls me to my feet. This close, his gray eyes glint strangely, his pupils blown out like he’s drunk.
“I am sorry about all that,” Bram says vaguely, then plants a kiss on my cheek.
He exits through the tunnels, but I race out the main door, hoping to see where the guards have dragged Emmett, but he’s nowhere in sight.
I see Marion, Emmy, Faith, and Olive huddled under an oak tree, looking terrified.
“Ivy!” they call, and I race toward them. Together we go to Caledonia Cottage. We push furniture in front of the doors and latch the windows.
I explain everything to them, the May Queen plot, Emmett and me, Bram’s confession, and Emmett’s imprisonment.
It makes my head spin to think of Bram here at Kensington Palace, pretending to be a normal nineteen-year-old, then crossing through the portal to rule over a cruel court as an immortal king.
“What do we do now?” Olive asks from where she’s huddled, wrapped in a blanket by the fire.
“You stay here, stay safe. But I’m going to find Emmett.”
