here?”
“You promise to not run away when you’re free?” Melody eyed her warily for the first time. Silly mortal child. Three hundred years ago, she would have known better than to trifle with a fairy.
“You’ll get your deal and I’ll get my soul.” She glanced at Isaac. “He’s willing to make that sacrifice for you.” Of course, when it all went wrong she’d blame the fairy. Humans always did instead of looking to themselves. “Are you sure this is the deal you want?”
Melody nodded. “It is. Isaac and I have spoken. His soul for my fame.”
Ella kept her face neutral. Melody didn’t ask for any clauses or even ask what would happen to her brother. What a self-obsessed bitch. Few fairies were quite that self-centered.
“Wait, will it hurt?” Isaac looked at her, and for a moment Ella wasn’t sure if he was playing the game for Melody’s benefit or being serious.
Ella touched his hand—he was so warm that she wanted to curl up against him—and smiled. “It won’t hurt at all. You might even enjoy it.”
“When will I get my wish?” Melody asked.
Ella snapped her gaze back to the starlet. “Once the deal is made, the magic will start turning. Be sure to wear the dress I made to your party.”
Melody handed the key to Isaac. He didn’t flinch, even though the iron must be burning his fingers. With a couple of swift movements, he unlocked the shackles and removed them. The relief was instant. Magic flowed through her veins, filling her. She wanted to dance, but she didn’t have the energy, not yet.
Isaac helped her to stand, clearing a space on the floor with his boot so it was free of deadly nails that could stab her foot and leave iron in her body. Ella beckoned Melody closer. She’d love to be standing on her own but she didn’t want to risk falling down because of her pride. Doing the deal would be taxing enough and she had to do that to even be able to get out of here.
Melody looked at Isaac. “Why are you helping her?”
“She’ll own my soul, and I want her to treat it nicely.” There was an edge in his voice as if he were implying Melody had treated him poorly.
Ella stepped forward, well aware of Isaac’s hand on her back and the warmth of his body just behind her. It was so tempting to lean back against him. But the sooner this was done, the better. “State your request.”
“I want to be famous. I want everyone to know my name.” Melody smiled as if she was already picturing it.
“I want Isaac’s soul. Since he’s agreed to pay the price for you, I grant you your heart’s desire. We have a deal, mortal.” She felt the magic shimmer around her.
Isaac’s grip on her tightened a fraction. No doubt he felt it to.
“Did it work?” Melody glanced around as if expecting a shower of sparks or rainbows or something.
“Of course it did.”
Melody looked at her brother and frowned. “Isaac is still alive.”
“Yes he is.” Ella gave Melody a cool smile. “He’ll come with me to Annwyn, where I’ll relieve him of his soul.”
“What?” She blinked as it she didn’t understand. “Annwyn? You’re taking to him to the land of fairy?” The shrill tone of a child who’d just realized maybe she hadn’t made the best choice crept into her voice.
Was she regretting her deal already? Too bad. “Annwyn is no place for a mortal with a soul.”
“I thought…” Melody pressed her lips together.
“You thought I was going to die. To you, I’m as good as dead.” Isaac’s voice was cold and flat, as if he couldn’t be bothered sparing any emotion on his sister. Ella suspected that beneath the mask he was wounded, badly.
Ella glanced at him, and he gave a slight nod. “The deal is done, and I’m leaving.” And she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to be standing for much longer. She needed to sleep and let the magic heal her and give her strength again. “Isaac?”
“Yes. Enjoy your fame, Melody. I won’t forget the way you sold me to earn it,
“You promise to not run away when you’re free?” Melody eyed her warily for the first time. Silly mortal child. Three hundred years ago, she would have known better than to trifle with a fairy.
“You’ll get your deal and I’ll get my soul.” She glanced at Isaac. “He’s willing to make that sacrifice for you.” Of course, when it all went wrong she’d blame the fairy. Humans always did instead of looking to themselves. “Are you sure this is the deal you want?”
Melody nodded. “It is. Isaac and I have spoken. His soul for my fame.”
Ella kept her face neutral. Melody didn’t ask for any clauses or even ask what would happen to her brother. What a self-obsessed bitch. Few fairies were quite that self-centered.
“Wait, will it hurt?” Isaac looked at her, and for a moment Ella wasn’t sure if he was playing the game for Melody’s benefit or being serious.
Ella touched his hand—he was so warm that she wanted to curl up against him—and smiled. “It won’t hurt at all. You might even enjoy it.”
“When will I get my wish?” Melody asked.
Ella snapped her gaze back to the starlet. “Once the deal is made, the magic will start turning. Be sure to wear the dress I made to your party.”
Melody handed the key to Isaac. He didn’t flinch, even though the iron must be burning his fingers. With a couple of swift movements, he unlocked the shackles and removed them. The relief was instant. Magic flowed through her veins, filling her. She wanted to dance, but she didn’t have the energy, not yet.
Isaac helped her to stand, clearing a space on the floor with his boot so it was free of deadly nails that could stab her foot and leave iron in her body. Ella beckoned Melody closer. She’d love to be standing on her own but she didn’t want to risk falling down because of her pride. Doing the deal would be taxing enough and she had to do that to even be able to get out of here.
Melody looked at Isaac. “Why are you helping her?”
“She’ll own my soul, and I want her to treat it nicely.” There was an edge in his voice as if he were implying Melody had treated him poorly.
Ella stepped forward, well aware of Isaac’s hand on her back and the warmth of his body just behind her. It was so tempting to lean back against him. But the sooner this was done, the better. “State your request.”
“I want to be famous. I want everyone to know my name.” Melody smiled as if she was already picturing it.
“I want Isaac’s soul. Since he’s agreed to pay the price for you, I grant you your heart’s desire. We have a deal, mortal.” She felt the magic shimmer around her.
Isaac’s grip on her tightened a fraction. No doubt he felt it to.
“Did it work?” Melody glanced around as if expecting a shower of sparks or rainbows or something.
“Of course it did.”
Melody looked at her brother and frowned. “Isaac is still alive.”
“Yes he is.” Ella gave Melody a cool smile. “He’ll come with me to Annwyn, where I’ll relieve him of his soul.”
“What?” She blinked as it she didn’t understand. “Annwyn? You’re taking to him to the land of fairy?” The shrill tone of a child who’d just realized maybe she hadn’t made the best choice crept into her voice.
Was she regretting her deal already? Too bad. “Annwyn is no place for a mortal with a soul.”
“I thought…” Melody pressed her lips together.
“You thought I was going to die. To you, I’m as good as dead.” Isaac’s voice was cold and flat, as if he couldn’t be bothered sparing any emotion on his sister. Ella suspected that beneath the mask he was wounded, badly.
Ella glanced at him, and he gave a slight nod. “The deal is done, and I’m leaving.” And she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to be standing for much longer. She needed to sleep and let the magic heal her and give her strength again. “Isaac?”
“Yes. Enjoy your fame, Melody. I won’t forget the way you sold me to earn it,
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