The King of Hearts - Jovee Winters Page 0,41

planned to inflict upon her. But… I am a good and loving goddess. Thank you, my boy.”

Then she turned back around.

The gasps and cries from the audience at the invisible roars and rattling of chains made her grin. My words were true, the unknown was always a terror. Our brains were usually capable of concocting much worse horrors than anything that actually existed. Basil was no monster. Merely a minotaur. Though in the minds of mortals, the two were often conflated.

Seconds later my Psyche came out too. Meek and mild and proud. Her chin was raised her, her spine stiff. My heart flooded with pride for it.

Mother laughed as the priest suddenly came out from another corner. And then the audience began to join in too as the full scope of mother’s jubilee suddenly became clear.

And while they all watched mother and mother watched Psyche’s humiliation, I reached out my voice to Psyche. And it was I, not the rat, who recited the vows of matrimony to her. My voice was a whisper in her ear, filled with longing, and truth, and only she could hear me.

She gave herself as a willing partner back to me, and I knew she recognized the tenor of my voice. She believed that it was I marrying her, and not the beast. And while it was true, to the rest of the world, she’d just pledged herself to a monster of horrors.

Once it was over, mother looked back at me and I almost broke character. I almost betrayed myself. I was now a married man and my bride waited on me to whisk her away. But first I had to send mother home.

“I should stay, to watch it eat her.”

I snorted, fighting everything inside of me to scream at her to leave us be, instead I leaned against a white column and with a lazy drawl said, “You could. But I imagine it would be quite messy. Of course, I could stay in your steed. Tell you all the gory details once they’re through.”

I could almost taste the adrenaline tang on the back of my tongue as I waited for her to say something. A reply which seemed, to me, to take an eternity.

She pursed her lips. “Yes, you’re probably right. That nasty beast would probably make a mess of things. Fine. Tell me all about it over supper tomorrow evening. I find I miss my lover and I’ve had quite enough of all these pathetic humans. Tata, darling.” Then with a finger wave, mother was gone.

I suddenly wilted with relief, feeling as though I had no bones in my legs to hold me up any longer.

I looked at the farce of the ceremony, at the laughing and jeering faces of those surrounding my precious love and a fire I’d never known before filled my belly.

I stood, and bellowed, “Enough!” And with a thunderous clap, they were all gone. Sent back to wherever they’d come from.

When the eyes of all were no longer on us, I unshackled the beast and returned it back to the size it’d once been. It scampered off with a quickness.

Now only Psyche and I remained.

I looked down at my body as light cascaded over me. I’d done mother’s task and now her curse was also lifted off of me. I looked as I truly did. Tall. Strong. Handsome. And I wanted so badly to show Psyche who it was that she truly loved. But I knew that if mother ever learned of it, she would kill my wife. I still walked a precarious road.

So, I did the only thing I could. I shielded myself in shadow. Covering every square inch of me in darkness so that none, not even my own beloved bride could see me, then I snapped my fingers and the sash fell from off her eyes.

She gasped, looking around. The whites of her eyes were large and her skin so pale. My heart broke for her.

“Male,” she whispered and my heart sang, for in her fear it was to me that she’d cried. “Are you here? Am I truly safe?”

I could not speak to her here. Mother’s spies could be anywhere. But in my palace, where Uncle’s cloak would shield us, could I open myself to her.

I was so unbelievably gentle when I reached her side and took her soft, small hand in mine. She gasped and went stiff.

“Who. Who is that?”

Wetting my lips, wishing I could show her who I really was but knowing I