The Unseelie King (Maze of Shadows #4)

by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

“You are my roots, my love. Without you, I fear I will blow away in the wind like the seeds of flowers. I—I

Making Valroy suffer Puck’s company for an hour would easily equal the murder of Oberon.

“You know what’s worse than fearing you’ll never be loved?” He stood and cracked his neck. “Knowing you never will.”

Why did I wish to die? Because I do not wish to endure heartbreak again. But here I am at the precipice once more. Because I think I am in love with you, selkie, and I know you will never feel the same way in return. That is my fate. But he said none of those words aloud. It was not worth it.

“Do not say goodbye to me,” he murmured. “I do not think I could take it. This is but a parting until the morrow. I am eternal, my little witch. And I will come back to you someday—even if it is when this world has turned to dust, and I am ethereal once more. Go within my Maze, and embrace it, and you shall embrace me.”

Valroy laughed. Quietly, but he laughed all the same. She wanted to kick him in the ribs but decided that since many of them were broken and two were showing, it was likely rude.

It was exactly at that point, as she began drifting off to sleep that was spurred by sheer exhaustion, that Abigail came to a conclusion. Loving someone did not preclude wishing to punch them in the face.

“I would not ask you to be anything but what you are. I love you more than I can put into words, my little witch. My Seelie. My queen. My adversary. If I want you to love me as I truly am, how could I do anything but give you the same respect?”

“Promise me one thing.” His words were quiet, nothing of his anger remaining in them. “Tell them you defeated me in battle. Or say you played some terrible trick upon me. Do not tell them I…I could not kill you. That I would rather surrender all that I am than to watch you die a second time.” His features contorted in pain. “I could not—I could not survive it.”

“My little witch…my Seelie Queen. No matter what we shall endure. No matter what becomes of us. My sunlight. My glowing blossoms. My living heart. I will not stop until I defeat you. And I will relish every moment I fail. I love you.”