Reign (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale Book 4) (26 page)

“You should. You’d live a lot longer that
way.”

“If I did, then more people would end up
dead or in a book.” She gestured to his jacket. “I don’t think even you could
get out of that one.”

“Then I would be famous and live on
forever in a storybook.” Even though he joked, those words chilled her. They
reflected how dangerously close his true power hungry nature was to the
surface.

“You’re already famous. You’re a prince.
What more could you want?”

“Power. Power to protect what is
important to me and power to smite my enemies and destroy those that hurt my
family.” He said the words with a vengeance which made her wonder who had hurt
him in his past.

What had planted the seed deep within
that would change him so easily in the future? That pivotal point was only days
away, and now she was curious. “How many besides me have made it through?”

“Worried about your competition?” he
teased.

“Of course not,” she lied.

His eyes danced, and he grabbed her hand
and pulled her away from the bookcase, leading her down another aisle and to a
side door that she’d completely missed. Even if she had seen it, she doubted it
would have opened during the trial.

Teague paused before the door and gently
rubbed off a spot of dirt on her cheek. Her skin burned from the touch of his
hand and she had to settle her heart, beating out of control. The Grimoire was
right in front of her, inches away, beneath his coat. All she had to do was
grab it and open it, and all of her troubles would be over.

But she couldn’t. She was frozen under
the spell of his touch. She felt her eyes close and her breath catch.

His warm scent rolled over her as he
leaned closer. She didn’t want to move and yet she couldn’t look. Was he going
to kiss her?

She felt a breeze and heard the door open
behind her. He pressed forward, but only to make her pass backward through the
door into the hall. Then he followed.

That was awkward. Her heart sunk at how
she’d let her feelings run so amok. Feelings were weakness. She turned with the
intent to walk quickly down the hallway with her head held high and cheeks on
fire. Walk? Who was she kidding? She wanted to run away in embarrassment.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into
a side corridor before she got too far ahead.

“What?” she snapped, which only made him
smile. A smile that was so much like Jared’s. Every inch of her wanted to reach
out and slap that smile from his face.

He wasn’t Jared. He wasn’t the person she
had fallen for. The person in front of her would eventually curse her family.
She was finding it hard to breathe. Mina tried to pull away from him, but he
wouldn’t release her.

 
“Don’t be distressed, Elle, about the
other girls and who made it. With you here, I’m not sure there is much
competition.”

Chapter 25

Those words, those few little words, sent
Mina soaring for a whole three-point-two seconds before crashing down into
reality with a flop.

Stop
it!
She told herself.
Don’t let him fool you.

Who was she kidding? If she didn’t do
what she’d come here to do, everyone was doomed. Her ancestors, her brother,
her family.

Teague had left her alone after escorting
her to the door of the gathering room. She assumed he had to get back to finish
the testing with the last two girls, although he
had
said there would be a delay since they had to find another
ogre.

Somehow, that thought infuriated her.
They were taking advantage of ogres and making them pawns in a princess test.
So what if the ogres were naturally evil and most of the girls were no real
danger to them? Mina had imprisoned one forever. She’d had no choice. Evil or
not, Royals shouldn’t just use them as bait.

She would really have to have a talk with
Teague again later.

Mina entered the waiting room to find
Dinah and Ever alone. Dinah seemed surprised at Mina’s appearance, but she
masked it quickly. Ever didn’t even look at her. She was too busy reading a
book on a settee.

“Is this it?” Mina asked. “Did the others
not pass?”

“Looks that way,” Ever answered shortly.
“Do you see anyone else? I guess it’s just us…and probably Annalora.”

“What makes you so sure?” Dinah asked.

“Oh, she’ll pass the test all right. One
look at her face and the ogre is sure to drop dead.” Ever delivered the dry
line with a deadpan face and perfect timing. Dinah snorted, and Mina had to
cover her mouth to keep back the giggles.

“No, she’ll pass because the ogre will
hear her complaining a mile off and run before he ever sees her,” Dinah added.

Now Ever started laughing. The jokes
definitely helped to relieve the mounting stress that made the room so
suffocating. “Or she’ll try to sing, but it will be so bad, the ogre turns
himself to stone.”

The tittering laughter continued on,
until a small cough at the door made them look up in surprise.

Annalora stood there in her slim blue
dress, which didn’t look wrinkled at all. “Or Annalora will pass the test,
because she is worthy of being queen, and she will kill anyone who gets in her
way.”

Mina was stunned. “You passed the test
already? How many were there?”

“What does it matter? They’re dumb and
illiterate like you,” she taunted. “What would really help everyone would be to
banish all of the horrible, evil, and dangerous creatures to a faraway land.
Elle, what land did you say you were from? I’m sure there’s plenty of room for
more stinky ogres.” Annalora smiled cruelly, waiting for Mina to respond.

Hateful, spiteful, inappropriate names
were on the tip of Mina’s tongue. She was seriously ready to lash out against
the ignorant girl. But she curbed them. Something about Annalora’s smile seemed
a little too eager. She was ready to start a fight, and Mina knew how to read
between the lines. Responding to her jabs would just be adding fuel to the
fire. The girl thrived on the emotional turmoil she caused others. Mina had
seen plenty of girls like her in her school and on the Internet. They called
them trolls. Man, that thought entertained Mina.

Mina’s silence in response to the subtle
bullying did not by any means signify that she conceded. Only time would prove
who was better. Mina would have to beat the girl in life, and not with words.
After all, Annalora could say as many mean and hateful things as she wanted,
but they would only hurt if Mina believed them, and she didn’t.

But she
couldn’t
let the conversation lead to more questions about where
she was from. She had to let her pride take the hit to protect her home.

“What’s that? You don’t disagree? Well,
when I’m queen that will be one of the first things I do.”

“Well, if you become queen, I will
volunteer to go to this far off land just to get away from you,” Ever
responded.

“Pixies are the bane of society,”
Annalora snarled. “Everyone knows they are the weakest in Fae magic.
Truthfully, I’m surprised you made it this far without cheating.”

“I didn’t cheat.”

The gnome rolled her eyes and answered,
“Quit lying to yourself.”

“I. Didn’t. Cheat!” Ever yelled, her
wings fluttering furiously. The wind picked up, tossing things about. A ceramic
vase flew across the room and crashed into the wall inches from where Annalora’s
head had been just moments before.

The smug smile fell from her face at the
same time the vase crashed to the ground. Ever realized her mistake and quickly
calmed herself, but not before Annalora got in one last jab. “You are one
messed up pixie.”

“Enough!” Dinah spoke out. There’s no use
fighting amongst each other. This is not a battle that will be won by tearing
each other down. Focus on the next test. Only one will be crowned Princess to
rule beside Teague as a Fate. Only one will someday have all the power that is
bestowed upon the queen. And that girl will be one of the four of us. Who among
you is confident enough in your position to be making enemies with one of the
future Fates? I, for one, am not willing to take that chance.”

When Dinah’s insight settled upon the
room, a heavy silence followed. Mina looked at the nymph in admiration. She
would make a wonderful princess. She was patient, kind, and intelligent. The
Fae needed someone like her. If Teague chose her, there’s no way he would be
disappointed, and she would never betray him.

Mina paused to study the three remaining
girls. Ever was already in love with Teague, and she loved him enough to follow
a part of him to the human plane—which meant either she didn’t pass the
next test or she wasn’t chosen in the end. Ever had never once let on about
participating in a princess test. Surely she would have told Mina she was once
betrothed to Jared or Teague. That wasn’t something she thought Ever
could
have kept secret. There would be a
very real possibility—if Teague chose Ever—that they could live a
happily ever after. He wouldn’t turn evil. He wouldn’t seek out Mina’s family
and continually curse them.

But if he didn’t choose Dinah or Ever
that left—Annalora. The vibes Mina got from her were enough to make a
polar bear shudder. It was quite probable that Annalora would be the winner.
She was the only one selfish and heartless enough to send Teague to the dark
side.

The proverbial light bulb switched on in
Mina’s mind. What if she was here to sway Teague’s decision from Annalora to
Ever or Dinah? Mina gently slid off a glass slipper and saw that the diamonds
had started to fall again. That had to be it! Her quest wasn’t to save her
family but to save the prince before her time ran out.

***

Mina paced her room like a grounded
teenager. She would try and rest in a chair for a few minutes, but then she’d
have the urge to move. The slippers sat on the edge of her bed, taunting her.
She was afraid to put them on. What if they sent her spiraling back to the
future before she was ready?

But at the same time she was ready. She
couldn’t help but think of home and Brody. Her heart ached. Prince Charming was
probably worried sick and she hadn’t even dropped a slipper for him to find
her. Inwardly, she cringed at the thought of him alone with the Lara and Daphne
at the ball. Mina should be there with him, not here.

“You seem upset.” His voice came from the
shadows of her room. She almost cringed at how much he sounded like Jared.
Teague moved from the darkness and sat on the one cushioned chair in her room,
flinging his long legs over the arm and clasping his hands over his stomach. He
looked completely at ease, and it didn’t seem to bother him that he was once
again intruding on her privacy.

“I am upset. Really. Locks on the door
would be great.”

“There are locks.” He pointed to the door
and the large iron keyhole.

Mina frowned at him. “I mean locks to
keep you out.”

He laughed. “There is no such thing.”

“I gathered as much. Since you are once
again in my room.”

“This is my room.” He gestured to the
whole castle. “All of this belongs to me. I can go where I please. And right
now, I feel like being right here.”

There was no use arguing. She moved
across the room and sat down on the bed, tucking her feet up under her. Closer
to her shoes.

“Why are you here?” Teague’s words lacked
their usual spite. “I’ve been pondering the question since I met you, and I
can’t come up with a reason. It’s obvious that you aren’t here for the same
reason as the others. You had no clue as to the goings on of the test. And why
were you wandering around in the royal woods the other night?”

Mina felt her insides clench with nerves.
“I’m here to try and save my family.”

“And your family is living in the woods?”

“No.” She measured her words carefully.
“Someone cursed my family, and now they’re in danger. I’m here to find a way to
save them.”

“So you’re here hoping that if you become
my betrothed, I’ll somehow end the curse and save your family?”

“I, uh…uh…no.” The words stuttered out.
“That is not my intention. I’m not a fool, and I don’t have false aspirations.
I doubt I’ll pass the next test. Everything I’ve done so far has been a
complete fluke. But I
am
hoping that
you will find true love and happiness.”

His leg stopped swinging over the arm
rest, and he leaned up to look at her. Surprise was all over Teague’s face as
he pondered her words. Finally, he said, “Thank you. But I can’t help but
wonder why.”

“Why does there need to be a why? You
can’t just accept my well wishes?”

“Not without wondering what’s your
motive? All females cover their motives behind sweet words and false
intentions.”

“No, I’m really hoping that if you find
your Happily Ever After, your reign will be a peaceful and prosperous one for
all races.” Mina truly believed in every single word she said. “And I think
that Ever Farindale is perfect for you. She’s sweet, kind, and would follow you
to the ends of the earth.”