“It’s lovely.”
“It is.” His expression hardens, his mask returning. “Now that we’re on Faerie ground, we can finalize our engagement.”
I take a quick step back, my foot thumping on the wood of the bridge. His return to cool and aloof makes all the questions I’ve been ignoring come to a head. I know why I agreed to this marriage—I’ll do anything for Ferndale Falls—but I’m still not sure about him.
“What’s really going on here? You’re a king, you’ve gotthis amazing palace, and you look… likethat.” I flap my hand up and down, taking in his gorgeousness. “Why do you want to marry me?”
He cocks an eyebrow. “To rehabilitate the reputation of my people, I must marry a leader from another realm and prove the stability of my position as king. Hence the year and a day.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you want to marryme.” At his frown, I hurry to add, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not doing false modesty in order to fish for compliments. I know I’m pretty great. But I’m not fae.”
“It’s true that marrying a fae from one of the other realms might seem like a better fit, but…” He runs a hand through his glorious hair, and instead of messing it up, like it would a normal person, it only makes it look even sexier, all tousled and “just rolled out of bed.”
My hand lifts with a mind of its own, eager to touch that raven-black hair, and I clench my fingers and barely stop myself. God, why do I keep reacting to his beauty like a love-struck teen meeting her favorite boy-band crush?
“But?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest and gripping my elbows to keep my besotted hands in place.
“A fae bride will come with politics and alliances and commitments I don’t want to make. I need something… simpler.”
Ah, so I’m something “simple.” I guess that means he’s in no danger of catching any feelings where I’m concerned.
It shouldn’t sting—I only just met the guy!—but it does. He doesn’t even know me, but he already knows he’ll be able to marry me for a year and then walk away, no problem.
“You’re notthatsimple,” a male voice says from behind me. “You’ve got me now, and I automatically make everything better.”
I spin. A small wooden gate in the outer wall stands open, framing a view of the familiar forest of home. A few fern fronds dance as if they’ve been disturbed, but no one shows themselves. “Who said that?”
“I didn’t hear anything.” Severin frowns down at me, his gaze assessing.
“Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky,” a different, high-pitched voice shrieks. A squirrel stands on a low branch right over the ferns, its bushy tail jerking in agitation until it looks like a stop-motion film.
Oh, god. I really am hearing things. I better lock Severin into this agreement while I still can. I’m pretty sure “wife who hallucinates” will make me no longer qualify as “simple.” My town needs his magical protection far too much for me to flub this deal.
He flicks his fingers, and a piece of parchment appears in the air. When I mention that I can’t read the language, he changes it to English. It’s our agreement. We will marry for a year and a day. I’ll get new businesses and magical protection for Ferndale Falls, and he’ll get permission to keep his palace here on Earth.
Using a quill, we both sign.
“So that’s it? We’re engaged?” I picture grand balls and unearthly music and a floating confection of a dress, fancy enough for a Faerie queen.
“Not quite yet. I need one of your hairs.” He plucks one of his own.
I hand him one of mine, and he grips my fingers in his and wraps both strands of hair around our clasped hands. “I, King Severin of the shadow fae, do name thee, Hannah, as my betrothed.”
At his nod, I repeat his words. “I, Mayor Hannah Wylde of Ferndale Falls, do name thee, Severin, as my betrothed.”
Nothing about this engagement has been like the movies always show. Severn might have gotten down on one knee, but he sure as hell doesn’t love me.
But my immediate disappointment melts as magic spirals around us in a tingle of electricity that sets my body humming.
Severin’s gaze meets mine, and his grip tightens.
Awareness thickens the air between us, and I lick my lips.
Is he going to kiss me?
CHAPTER FOUR
Severin
