I hurry down the corridor of the Elven Palace, my heart pounding in my chest.
I hope he’s still there. And I hope he’s alone.
Just as I near the King’s throne room, I hear it — something I know I’m not supposed to overhear.
Someone is crying at the foot of the throne.
I tiptoe toward the door and hide behind an ornate vase, peering around to see who it is.
I gasp when I see her: Princess Katriel.
The proud Eleven Princess sits crumpled at the foot of the throne, sobbing in her mother’s lap.
“Please, Mother,” Katriel begs, her voice trembling with fear. “Don’t make me marry him!”
“We have no choice, Katriel,” Queen Raskina says, her voice sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. She brushes a hand through Katriel’s hair, though her touch looks anything but comforting.
“But he’s cruel to Elves!” Katriel’s voice breaks, a desperate sob shaking her entire body. I shrink back into the shadows, my hands trembling. I shouldn’t be here.
I jump, my heart leaping into my throat as the sound of shattering porcelain echoes through the air. I glance down in horror. The vase. I knocked it over! I scramble to pick up the pieces, my hands shaking so hard I can barely grip them.
“I’m sorry,” I blurt, my voice weak as I try to gather the shards.
Princess Katriel whips around, her tear-streaked face now twisted in anger. “What are you doing here?” she snaps, her voice dripping with venom. Her gaze pierces through me, and I feel like I’m shrinking under her wrath.
“I need to speak with my father,” I say, my voice barely audible. But before I can explain further, Queen Raskina’s cold gaze cuts into me like a knife.
“King Elendir is not here. He’s gone to fight in the War,” she sneers, her lip curling in disdain. “What do you want, Girl?”
My heart sinks. I’m too late. But I can’t give up now. I’ll have to ask the Queen.
I swallow hard, forcing myself to stand, even though every muscle in my body screams for me to run. “May I have a dose of the Elixir for my mother?” I say, my voice shaking with desperation. “She’s very sick.”
The Queen scoffs, rolling her eyes. “We are not a charity.”
“Your Highness, please!” I plead, my voice cracking. Tears blur my vision, and I can barely hold them back. “My mother is dying…the Elixir is her only hope.”
The Queen’s eyes flash with disdain. “Our Elves are dying in battle daily,” she hisses, her voice laced with cruelty. “And you come begging us to save your mother’s insignificant life? You’re a selfish wench.”
The words cut through me like a dagger. My knees almost buckle beneath me. Selfish? All I want is to save my mother. How is that selfish?
Queen Raskina motions to the Elven guards standing behind her, “Guards! Get her out of here.”
“Wait!” Katriel says suddenly, her voice like ice. “We’ll give you some Elixir, sister.” I snap my gaze to her, shock coursing through my veins. Sister? She’s never called me that before.
The Queen’s gaze darkens, but Katriel ignores her, a twisted smile playing on her lips.
"If you marry the Dark Wizard in my place."
The room seems to tilt on its axis. Marry the Dark Wizard? The stories I’ve heard about him: rich, powerful and ruthless to the core. He’s the most feared man in all the realm.
Can I really a man like him? And that’s not all. He’s a wizard.
“If I mate with a wizard…” My throat tightens. “I’ll lose my Elven immortality.”
Katriel’s eyes blaze with fury. “Which is exactly why I can’t marry him,” she snaps. “I’m not losing my immortality to that brute. You do it.”
The Queen watches with a wicked glint in her eye, clearly pleased by her daughter’s cunning. “That’s brilliant, darling,” she purrs, her gaze sliding back to me, cold and calculating.
“Your father promised to marry his daughter to the Dark Wizard. And the Wizard has promised to give us three Sacred Stones in return….”
The Queen shifts her evil gaze to me. “But the King didn’t specify which daughter he would give away.”
“Exactly, mother,” Katriel chimes in. “An illegitimate daughter will do just as well.” The Princess cackles with glee.
Katriel’s voice rings in my ears, but mine falters in silence, my throat constricting with anxiety. My mother’s life depends on these monsters — on a family that never wanted me.
I feel my stomach churn, and I clutch my hands together to stop them from shaking. I barely know anything about the Dark Wizard, but I know enough to be terrified.
The Queen smirks at me. “The Dark Wizard will get his Elven virgin, and with the Sacred Stones, our family will gain immeasurable power.”
I look between the Queen and Katriel, feeling like a pawn in a game I didn’t ask to play.
My hands tremble as though the weight of my entire world rests in them, and in a way, it does. I’m bartering my life for my mother’s, tying myself to a powerful wizard feared by all. Would she forgive me if she knew the price I had to pay?
“I…I can’t just marry him,” I stammer, my voice trembling. “I’ve never even met him.”
Katriel raises a single brow, her lips curling into a sneer. “Do you want us to save your mother’s life, or not?”
My breath catches in my throat, and my world spins. I can’t…But if I don’t…My mother…
“If I marry the Dark Wizard, you swear to give my mother some Elixir?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. The Queen nods, and I know there’s no turning back.
I force the words out, my heart shattering with each one. “Okay…I’ll do it.”
