Heart of the Raven Prince (Entangled with Fae, #2)

by Tessonja Odette

“Climb upon the rafters,” says the male, pointing to the obsidian beams overhead, “then jump. We will join you. Then we’ll fly.”

Lordt! These must be the mice…

“Fine, I’ll sing,” I say in a rush.

Really, now…?

At its neck is a black cravat,

Is that Franco?

I stare after the girl in the blue ballgown as she strides down the hall,

I knew it was him!

My stepmother, oddly enough, is nowhere to be seen, and neither is Brother Marus.

Well, he is there looking for a wife… not looking good for you, boo.

I rather enjoyed myself quite well during his brief sojourn, but I’m used to not getting my way.

And his absence didn’t affect your time there in anyway so that doesn’t even make sense….

“We aren’t returning to that rusty old cab. We have rooms at the palace for the rest of the season.”

But you don’t have any clothes though…

“How did you do it?” Clara asks. “When will you girls learn to trust me? You know I have my ways.”

She either pimped herself out or pimped out Ember to Marcus…

Mrs. Coleman smiles at her daughter, then slides her gaze to me. Dread sinks my stomach as her expression shifts into something I can’t decipher. “You’ll see.”

And that’s when I would not have been following them…

Whatever she’s planned, it can’t be good.

So you need to make sure you’re back out of arms reach so you can haul ass…

I get the urge to shove my mask back on, but I can’t bring myself to lift my arms.

Because you’re dumb and weak in every way? Still don’t understand why you would go in that room with them in the first place after you’ve already run from the man. What was the point of running from him in public if you’re walking straight into him private rooms later?

Tears prick my eyes, and a lump sears my throat.

You are the lamest! That’s what you do? You cry? Not storm out the room or anything like that? You cry, like your tears are supposed to move her and change her mind. Girl stop. Knowing the longer you stand there and can hear a command, she can control you.

“Can’t I?” Pressure squeezes my chest as her words ring true. Until I’m free from our bargain, she can force me to obey her, to do anything she wants.

And that’s why you’re a dummy. You’ve had this bargain for 3 years already and should know better than to stay in her presence. You only have two weeks to avoid her but you can’t even be smart enough to do that…

Or will it kill me first? If I were full fae, it most certainly would.

You’ve said that already…

“You will. Otherwise, you won’t live long enough to regret it.”

That’s fine. And all pretense about you getting a dime of my inheritance goes out the window with me…

Stripped of words, all I can do is stare,

Sounds about right. You’re so weak.

I take an uneven step forward. “You can’t go to the ball without me,” I say in a rush. “The invitations—”

Shut up stupid. Y’all have already been admitted. Beside, be smart and just leave after them. 🙄🙄 Idiot.

I follow hard on their heels, but Mrs. Coleman is already closing the doors by the time I make it to her.

Does it matter? This is ridiculous. Like her hands don’t irk and she can’t open the door again. Why is she even still trying to talk to that woman?

“There’s no need to fear me,” he says, tone gentle. But there’s an edge to it. One I can’t place.

You can’t seem to place jack-ish! Shut up!

I consider fleeing but don’t know how he’ll respond.

Who gives a crap? What is this nonsense?

I press myself as close as I can to the door behind me.

Close to the door? Open the damn thing!

“Your stepmother said you were untamed. Is this true?” Normally, untamed would feel like an insult. Right now, it feels like armor. I bare my teeth. “Yes.”

That’s the dumbest conversation and her dumb ass is entertaining it. Why’d you write this dumb ish author?

I consider running again.

Shut up. The fact that you’re only considering it means you’re dumb and not actually going to so why even talk about it…

“Sit and I will answer any question you have,” he says calmly, a model of unwavering patience.

You don’t need to sit for his mouth to work idiot! That right there is him trying to control you and the situation. And you’re likely going to comply.

He still seems stiff, but his effort to set me at ease is clear.

Well duh, that’s the whole point of his act.

Or is there validity to the way my skin crawls when I look at him and the pin on his lapel?

If you have to ask that, you’re doomed anyway.

“My mother died in the rebellion eleven years ago. She was shot by one of your brothers. Died from the iron bullets your brotherhood smuggled into Faerwyvae.” “How?” he asks, tone neutral. “Was she a soldier? Or a bystander?”

Does that even matter? No, it doesn’t. The point is she died because of your church. Admitting she’s a soldier is just saying that that was an expected outcome of war.

Instead, it’s relief I feel—relief at being able to talk about my mother without Mrs. Coleman shutting me up or shoving her own narrative down my throat. For once, I can tell the story the way Father always had.

Telling it to the very people who took her life… and that brings you relief? While it’s bringing you relief, it could be bringing him satisfaction and joy, recalling how a fae died…

want to trust that I’m safe, that he doesn’t see me as a demon to be put down.

Why? Why do you want to trust him? That makes absolutely no sense. Do you also want to marry him now because of that? Ridiculous.🙄🙄

“You loved her.”

No? Really?

“Salvation,” I echo, my blood going cold. “You think I need…salvation.”

Far worse girl, that’s why he kept asking if you’re untamed. He wants to break you, train you into something docile. It’s ridiculous that Franco’s sister places this man. He seems very sinister and since she and Franco can feel emotions, why haven’t they picked up on that? Plot hole.

When we are married, we will be an example for others. Together, we will bring goodness to Faerwyvae.”

He wants to train fae…like pets.

I rise to my feet, a storm of rage blowing through my blood.

Oh whatever. You ain’t going to do nothing with that…

I open my mouth, a thousand arguments burning my tongue. But what can I even say?

Nothing, so shut up. You should have been left the damn room instead of crying on the couch like he was your damn therapist. 🙄🙄

I charge toward it,

Why? You just heard him lock it. What’s the point?

It’s enough to make my chest ache. An hour ago, I was so close to freedom. Not just because of the music and the lighthearted feel of the ball, but because I was naïve enough to think I could outlast my stepmother’s cruelty.

No, you actually could have had you not been so damn stupid. You should have known retaliation would come when you said you weren’t given her any money. Then she randomly introduces you to a man who’s leering at you, THEN suddenly she has rooms in the palace for a month and your sub ass follows.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I reach inside my corset and take out a small handkerchief. I unfold it, revealing my secret treasure—my train ticket to the Star Court.

Is she seriously looking at a train ticket right now? If this ain’t the dumbest ish. She hasn’t tried to break the window, light a lamp so she can see what’s in the room, but she can pull out a damn train ticket…

But what after? If I can drop to a windowsill or balcony on the second floor, I can then drop to the ground with less risk of injury.

He’ll be done caught you before you even leave the room with all this time being wasted…

With as careful and quiet movements as I can manage, I angle my body so my front is against the sill.

Should have closed the window…

Why did I have to think of Mrs. Coleman?

We’ve already established that. Because you’re an idiot with ZERO self preservation skills.

It’s coming from the same direction as Maisie's room.

Oh Lordt… why’d it have to be her balcony…

“I was afraid for a moment,” she says easily. Too easily. “Startled by a sound I heard, but it was nothing truly terrifying.”

Yeah, but what about the pain?

“As for going over the balustrade…well, I need to leave. Are you done panicking? Can I go now?”

So if she’s leaving, why did she panic when Franco said she could leave?

Go stand before the mirror and put on the shoes.”

Nope. Something is up with those shoes…

Whirling toward the princess, I say, “Why do you have a glamour that looks exactly like you?”

Oh, I don’t like this. Not one bit. I’m I going to have to shelve this one too… ugh!

It would likely be the death of me.

I’m so tired of hearing that…

and her bag clutched in the other.

Hope she left you some clothes or does the glamour change her outfit daily?

Two more weeks. I can handle that. Can’t I?

Obviously not.

But I doubt anyone would notice my eyes,

You had a Raven and a pervert paying a whole lot of attention to your uniquely colored eyes last night…

When I still find myself unable to speak, Imogen says, “We’re your new lady’s maids, Your Highness. I’m Imogen Coleman, and this is my sister, Clara Coleman.”

Seriously? How in the hell did Marus assign people to the Prince’s supposed date?