the other was male. The female didn’t have blue eyes like her brother—she had one blue and one brown.
“Welcome, your highness,” the female spoke.
Her voice was silvery and enchanting. She had long jet-black hair that shaped her pale face. On her forehead she had a
symbol of a star, as did her brother.
Lifting my wrists up, I heard the click as the cuffs were unlocked and removed. I was grateful for the release as the aches
and soreness of my skin burned. The ones remaining on my ankles were also removed.
“We will remove the hold the Shadow King has on your mind. It may hurt, but we will get through this.” She held my hand
in hers gently, turning it over she noticed the small crescent moon marked into my skin and her face fell.
Looking up at me and then at her brother, they seemed to speak directly to each other, just like Nicholas and I would. Her
brother nodded as he poured something into a goblet and then her eyes turned back to me.
“You have a blood mark.”Her voice echoed in the edges of my mind, and I tried not to convey my shock.“Does your
brother, the king, know?”
“Only my husband and I know of this pact.”
“We were only told about your deal —We were not told of the blood pact. This changes everything.”
“My what? — What will you do? I don’t understand.”
My mind raced with questions as I only knew the smallest details of the vow and original deal Nicholas and I had made.
“This means a different spell entirely as you are both connected.”
The vows were the only thing connected by blood as we drank from the chalice. Was that what she was talking about? Did
that connect our life forces somehow? As if we were destined to be together.
“You must trust my brother and me. We will do everything we can to put on a show. If we break this pact, you will die
instantly.”
She closed her eyes for a few seconds, and I could feel this strange ache in the back of my mind. Almost as if something
was poking near the back of my neck. I closed my eyes in response.
“I can see, as can my brother, you are under no spell.”
“No, I told my brother that.”
“Trust me, please, I must do something in order for mine and my brother's safety. This may hurt now, but it will also
keep you alive.”
She stood then, as her brother passed her over a golden bowl, decorated in beautiful intercut patterns of leaves and
flowers.Lilacs. Dipping her fingers into the bowl, they came out as red as blood and she drew a symbol on my forehead and
then placed two fingers either side of my face, drawing a line down each cheek.