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

by Tessonja Odette

Board the nine o’clock train at Evanston Station, just like my train ticket says.

The train ticket that’s locked in the luggage, right? Time to skip. She’s about to be the most ridiculous yet most likely…

Freedom is finally mine. I can live the life I’ve always wanted.

Says the dummy that’s still in the palace right now…

“Can I ask about your tattoos?”

How about you tell him about your stepmother and Marus…

“Well…before we can be anything, there are issues we should talk about.

Finally!

“I’ll do anything. Besides, I’m looking forward to hearing this grand tale of yours. How you came to bargain with a princess.”

Start with shutting up so she can tell you then…

Then, gesturing for me to give her a moment, she climbs out of bed and crosses the room to the wardrobe.

Clara is going to show up before she tells him any damn thing! Ugh! She’s so frustrating! There’s nothing to hesitate about! She can’t control you anymore, BUT Marus can be Marus so just spit it out!

The blood leaves my face. “You’re Brother Marus’ fiancée. You’re his Miss Montgomery.” “Yes, but I will not marry him,” she says in a rush. “I never intended to in the first place, which is why I ran away and took refuge behind a glamour all this time.

Yeah, just leave out the part where he locked you in a bedroom and told you he would heal your wild untamed fae condition. Or the part where your stepmom made the bargain in order to get her hands on your inheritance… yes, let’s leave out EVERYTHING important that needs to be said and state only the obvious.

A sharp pain strikes my heart, and I gasp for breath. Shit. The promise I made to Marus. One I have no intention of keeping. I promise that if your Miss Montgomery returns to Selene Palace, and I am made aware of her presence, I’ll return her to you…

Yeah, you also said to “talk” to her, nothing else.

A broken promise is akin to a broken bargain. A lie. And for a fae, that means death.

But that’s not what you said…

It’s my first time standing on my balcony like this with my own face.

Which is very stupid considering you pave heard that Franco promised something about his fiancé being returned last night at the ball… such a freaking idiot.

My heart hammers fiercely at the thought of Franco returning.

Idiot…

Imogen stands on the other side, lips lifted into a smirk. “Hello, Ember.”

Dummy…

Nyxia faces me, concern shifting into terror. “Franco, you aren’t making any sense. If this girl is Brother Marus’ fiancée, he deserves to see her. You’re overreacting.”

No, you’re being an idiot. Strange considering you can taste emotions…

Is Nyxia right? Am I overreacting? Nothing makes sense…

Yes, because you are dying. Idiot.

“Talk,” I manage to whisper. “That’s what I promised.”

So then yes, you are overreacting! You didn’t say to talk alone which means you can be standing right there when he does it! OMG! This is THE dumbest retelling I have ever read!

There’s a warning in his tone, but my mind is slipping again. I can’t make sense of what it means. Brotherhood. Death.

Idiot.

I freeze, recognizing my train ticket. The one I’d stashed with my ballgown and shoes. My eyes flash toward the trunk. Imogen snickers. “I called on a locksmith to open that thing days ago when you were off playing princess with His Highness.”

Just like I said she would. But the thing is, what does it matter now? Something stupid like she needs to claim her inheritance so she can get that ticket or buy a new one? 🙄🙄

My stomach roils. I recall how easy the lock was to open last night, needing nothing more than a few quick jabs with a knife handle. Now I know why. It hadn’t been locked at all.

So… why didn’t she notice her ticket was missing? She is quite the damn idiot.

And when you danced,” she says the last word through her teeth, “I felt the same way I do when you play your infernal piano. When you sing.”

That would be called jealousy there Imogen… that’s the name of that feeling…

To take him from me when you knew Mother wanted me to woo him? Did you relish my pain when Gemma Bellefleur stole my beloved last year?

Your prince? Beloved? Girl is delusional just like her mom…

Imogen has never shown a tendency toward physical violence, and I doubt she knows how to wield a knife.

What does the past matter when she has already charged at you with a knife? What “wielding” bs are you spouting? You hold the knife and it automatically becomes a weapon, especially when thrusted in your general direction… idiot.

She lunges again, and I whirl away from her knife hand. But it isn’t that hand that strikes me. It’s her open palm.

Because you’re an idiot for even remaining in the room with her crazy ass.

What does he mean by Franco’s promise? I recall when Marus confronted Franco at the ball last night. He mentioned something about a promise then, but…

But you were too stupid to ask what it was…

My knees quake and I’m unable to find my words.

But of course you are and Franco’s unconscious so there we have it…

“Yes,” I gasp. “For the last two weeks, I’ve worn a glamour that makes me look like Princess Maisie. We had a bargain. She asked me to impersonate her.” Everything comes out in a rush, and I know it’s the queen’s magic that compels me. Still, I maintain a sliver of free will, and with that I avoid revealing too much—particularly

That’s not everything. You failed to mentioned that he’s known from day 1. You idiot.

I also leave out mention of Franco’s involvement with my scheme.

Of course you left out the important part that would save your life because… why not? 🤷🏽‍♀️

Despite how my heart aches from his confounding betrayal, I can’t bring myself to condemn him.

And now you’re dumb ass is going to blame HIM for YOUR stupidity. Of course you are…

Nyxia’s eyes are still on Marus. “If she’s been evading a legally binding bargain and impersonating a princess, she belongs in the dungeon, not a chapel.”

So, THE QUEEN sees nothing wrong with a bargain made with a minor in the first place, NOR the fact that by using that bargain a MINOR was being forced to wed someone? What the hell kind of garbage ass Queen is this?

I step forward. “Then I’ll go. I’ll do anything but marry him.” Her lips lift into a smirk. “No, my dear. It seems marrying him just might be the only appropriate punishment for you.”

Wouldn’t that be the same as letting her be hurt? He clearly doesn’t want her for love. Smdh. This is the dumbest book.

“Make an appointment with my ambassador. I am not your secretary.” With that, Nyxia storms out, leaving me alone with Imogen and Marus.

Garbage…

Where is Franco? What did he promise Marus?

Obviously whatever he promised was fulfilled so it clearly was NOT this or marriage you dumb idiot.

I tighten my jaw, my heart pounding as if it will explode from my ribcage at any moment.

Your jaw should be opening, to say words. Not tightening, wasting time…

“It doesn’t matter. She can’t go unpunished—”

It doesn’t matter that a MINOR was being manipulated by her STEP mother who is supposed to care for her and take care of her? Get this bish off the throne.

“We can’t go up against Saint Lazaro,” she says, voice firm. “Our alliance with them is tenuous.” I shake my head. “It’s tenuous because you’ve given too much freedom to Brother Marus. You’ve allowed his ambitions to grow unchecked.”

Exactly you weak ass bish…

“Are you questioning my judgment as queen?” “Yes.

No, not questioning it, telling you EXACTLY what you did wrong.

Hope that I wasn’t betrayed after all. That, somehow, Franco still loves me.

Idiot. That was blatant proof you weren’t betrayed. 🙄🙄

A lunatic like him won’t last a day without our generous queen saving him from his own youthful folly. He couldn’t even maintain consciousness after threatening me.”

So he doesn’t even realize he was dying? So he’s an idiot too. Book full of idiots.

“Oh, shut up,” Mrs. Coleman snaps. “Your words wouldn’t matter even if we could hear them.”

Well, it’s true…

Mrs. Coleman turns to Marus. “Her father may have been human, but he was just as cruel and sinful as his daughter.”

Wow… So that’s why she’s doing all of this. Her father believed her when she told him how she’d been treated and didn’t even put them in the will. I doubt they were “written out” but never written in to begin with.

“I don’t remember him being cruel,” Clara whispers. My heart softens, and I slowly turn my gaze to her, surprised when I find tears in her eyes. “He was kind. The only time he was upset was—”

Was when he found out y’all were mistreating Ember…

I try to speak again,

Idiot.

I strain against my bindings harder now, wishing my hands were free so I could at least drum my fingers.

How about just hum then dummy? 🙄🙄

“You said she had no magic.” I hear his voice, although I can’t see his face. “She has far more sin than you claimed. If she proves too tainted by fae darkness, I cannot make her my wife.”

Smdh…

“It isn’t what you think!” Mrs. Coleman says, voice panicked. “Just give me a moment to speak with her alone. I’ll get her under control.”

And how do you propose to do that? Cut her vocal cords and cut off her hands?

“Pray that you do,” he says, his voice sounding farther away now. “Otherwise, our deal is off.”

They are both dumb. Her, thinking she can do something about it and him for believing she, a human, could possibly stop a fae’s magic.

“You will marry him, Ember.”

Why does she still think she can control her at this point?

“Do you think that will stop me? There are plenty of establishments that won’t hesitate to take you, legal or not.”

Like the one that allowed a bargain with a minor to begin with?

“Everything you’ve lost has been of your own doing.” “Are you so sure about that?” I snap my mouth shut. She has a point.

No idiot, she does not. For some reason I feel like she killed him and it backfired because he left her nothing.

Guilt threatens to drag me under,

Because you’re an idiot. It’s the wrong time for that shit. I swear… Smdh.

“I was supposed to marry King Aspen,”

Didn’t she just say she WAS a queen, not was going to be? That she was MARRIED to a king, not supposed to be? Sounds just like Imogen with Gemma, thinking the man was supposed to be theirs but they never were to begin with.