A Heart of Ice by Hailey Edwards

Author:Hailey Edwards [Edwards, Hailey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BA
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2014-08-29T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

True to his word, Ennis gave me space to meet with the other suitors and time to know my own mind. On the whole, they struck me as good matches. The problem was I held them to a standard I previously lacked. Eyes, voices, mouths were all compared to Ennis and all found lacking.

The male strolling through the courtyard beside me coughed into his fist. “Reine?”

Petals from the green rose he brought me showered my feet as I plucked them. “Hmm?”

“Forgive me.” He took the stem from my hands with a frown. “Your thoughts seem elsewhere.”

“I’m sorry.” I winced at the tattered remnant of his gift. “What were you saying?”

He stopped walking and linked his hands at the small of his back. “May I be blunt?”

Dusting petals off my skirts, I set myself to rights. “Of course.”

“If it’s not too forward to ask…” he cleared his throat, “…have your affections been engaged?”

“I…” I paused with a shredded leaf between my fingers. “Is it so obvious?”

“A female gets a look about her when she’s infatuated.” He stroked my cheek. “You’re aglow.”

Heat rose to meet his fingertips. “It was my duty to meet each of my suitors.”

His hand slid across my jaw. “But you’ve made up your mind.”

“Yes.” The word startled me with its sincerity. “I have.”

His fingers trailed down my throat. “Is there nothing I can do to convince you?”

“No.” A step back set me out of his reach. “I’m certain of my choice.”

“Reine.” His hand clenched then fell to his side. “Don’t make a choice you may regret.”

My gaze touched on the gate, where my guards waited. “What are you saying?”

He caught my jaw, turned my head to him and squeezed. “I’m cautioning you to choose wisely.”

“Unhand me, sir.” My hand went to my ring, ready to twist its stone. “Or you will regret it.”

“Tell me.” His lip curled. “Do you enjoy playing with the fortunes of others?”

I told him the truth. “The only fortune in play is mine.”

“I am the Sicariidae paladin,” he snarled. “I have debts. Wed me or I will be overthrown.”

“Then you will be deposed.” I extended the needle. “Now leave. This meeting is over.”

The male drew a short ax from his belt and pinned me against the wall with his blade at my throat. He bared his sharp teeth, fangs gleaming. “It will be over after you’ve agreed to be my bride.”

“I saw her first.”

The familiar voice made my knees wobble.

Ennis swaggered around the corner with an eager glint in his eyes.

“Who are you?” my suitor demanded.

Ennis bowed with flourish. “I am Ennis of the Theridiidae.”

His eyes narrowed. “Are you the one she chose?”

Ennis cut his gaze to my face and read the truth there. “Yes, I am.”

The paladin released me and aimed the ax at Ennis. “Then you’re the problem.”

He shrugged. “I think of myself as more of a solution, really.”

“Wait.” I searched my memory and came up empty. “You don’t have to do this…Paladin.”

My suitor sneered, “You can’t even recall my name.”

“Leave her out of this.

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