THE PRINCE BENEATH THE BLACK CROWN

Chapter 10:The Wedding Bell

The wedding was supposed to happen in three days. That was what I'd been told. Three days to prepare myself. Three days to decide whether I could survive being married to Prince Riven D'Arcy. Three days to understand why my mother had left me a warning about the Black Crown.

Now I had less than a day.

The carriage moved through the forest at a frightening speed. I sat opposite Riven, watching the trees blur past the window. Neither of us spoke. The messenger's words kept repeating in my mind. There was an attempt on Lady Seren's life last night. Someone had tried to kill me, and I hadn't even known.

I turned to Riven. "Who attacked me?"

"We don't know."

"You said there was an attempt."

"Yes."

"Then someone must have seen something."

"We're investigating."

I stared at him. "You're very calm."

"I've learned not to panic when people want me dead."

"That isn't comforting."

"It wasn't meant to be."

I looked away. The carriage suddenly slowed, and Riven's whole body went rigid. "What is it?"

He raised a hand. "Quiet."

I listened. Nothing. Then a sharp whistle cut through the air and Riven pulled his sword. "Get down."

I barely had time to react before an arrow smashed through the window. I screamed, and Riven grabbed me and pulled me down against the floor. Another arrow struck the door, then another.

"We're under attack!"

The horses panicked, the carriage swerving violently, and I clung to Riven's coat. "Who are they?"

"Assassins."

"How do you know?"

"Because soldiers don't shoot at moving carriages from the trees." He pushed the door open. "Stay here."

"No."

"Seren."

"You told me not to trust anyone. I'm not letting you disappear alone."

His eyes narrowed. "This isn't the time to argue."

"Then don't give me a reason to."

For a second we just stared at each other. Then he sighed. "Stay behind me." He stepped outside, and I followed.

The forest had turned to chaos. Masked figures surrounded the carriage, and Riven moved faster than I'd ever seen anyone move, his sword flashing, one attacker falling. Another charged from behind.

"Behind you!"

He turned just in time, steel meeting steel, the attacker stumbling back. Then a third figure appeared behind me. I froze. He raised a dagger and before he could strike, something burned beneath my skin. The mark on my palm lit up, and the attacker screamed, dropping his weapon and falling to his knees.

Everyone stopped. I stared at my hand the black symbol was shining. Riven looked at me, then at the kneeling assassin.

"What did you do?"

"I don't know."

The man began trembling. "You…" His voice shook. "You're her."

My heart stopped. "Who?"

He looked at me with sheer terror. "The blood of the first…"

An arrow struck his chest and he fell forward. Riven's eyes snapped to the trees. "Everyone back!"

A second wave of arrows tore through the forest, and Riven pulled me behind the carriage. "Stay down!"

"What did he mean?"

"I don't know."

"Riven."

"I said I don't know!" His voice was sharper than I'd heard it, and when I looked at him he seemed almost frightened. Not for himself. For me.

Within minutes the remaining attackers fled, and Riven's guards chased them into the trees. I stepped out from behind the carriage. "What did that man mean?"

He cleaned his sword. "I don't know."

"You're lying."

He looked at me. "I don't have time to explain."

"You never have time."

"Because someone keeps trying to kill you."

I stepped closer. "And you keep refusing to tell me why." His expression softened. "Seren…"

"No." I shook my head. "You warned me about your palace. You warned me about your family. You warned me about Vespera. You warned me not to trust you." I pointed at the dead assassin. "And now someone is trying to kill me before I even become your wife."

He said nothing. "What aren't you telling me?"

He looked at my palm the mark had faded. "We need to reach the palace before sunset."

"Why?"

"Because after sunset, the wedding cannot be stopped."

My stomach tightened. "That's convenient."

"It isn't."

"Then who decided this?"

"My father."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"You're the prince."

"And he's the king." His answer silenced me.

We continued on toward the palace, and by the time we arrived the sun was already sinking. The Black Palace rose beyond the hills, dark towers against a crimson sky, hundreds of candles burning along the walls. The gates opened, and the moment I stepped into the courtyard I knew something was wrong.

There were too many people. Nobles crowded the palace steps. Guards stood everywhere. Servants rushed past carrying flowers and candles. Everything had already been prepared for a wedding. My wedding.

I looked at Riven. "You really weren't told?"

"No."

"Then someone has been planning this for longer than today."

He didn't answer. A woman approached Queen Mirelle, in a beautiful silver gown, her smile warm, almost motherly.

"Seren."

I bowed. "Your Majesty."

She took my hands. "Welcome home." The word made me uncomfortable I had never been here before, yet she spoke as if I belonged. "You must be exhausted."

"I am."

"Come. Everything is ready."

I glanced at Riven. He was watching his stepmother carefully. "Where is the king?"

"He is waiting inside."

"Of course."

Her fingers tightened slightly around mine. "You look frightened."

"I am."

"You don't need to be."

I looked into her eyes. "Why?"

Her smile held steady. "Because you are going to marry the most powerful man in the kingdom."

I almost laughed. "That's exactly why I'm frightened."

She smiled again, but there was something behind her eyes I couldn't quite read. Then the palace bells rang once, twice, three times and the entire courtyard went silent. A servant announced, "The royal wedding will begin."

My heart stopped. Now. Not tomorrow. Not later. Now.

Riven came toward me, dressed entirely in black, a silver crown resting against his dark hair. The Black Crown. I'd seen it before only in paintings, but seeing it on him was different it made him look less like a man and more like the ruler people whispered about. The Prince of Ruin.

He held out his hand. I stared at it.

"You can still refuse," he whispered.

I looked around hundreds of eyes on us. "My family?"

"Will survive."

"And you?"

His eyes met mine. "I'll survive."

"Then why marry me?"

He hesitated. "Because there are things worse than a forced marriage."

"What things?"

He didn't answer. I placed my hand in his, and the doors opened.

The wedding hall was enormous, black roses covering the walls, silver candles burning along the aisle. At the far end stood King Aldric, his expression unreadable, Queen Mirelle beside him. And near the far wall Vespera, watching me. Not Riven. Me. Her lips curved into a small smile, and a chill ran down my spine.

Riven noticed. "Don't look at her."

"Why?"

"Because she's waiting for you to."

I turned away as the ceremony began, though I barely heard the words. My mind was racing the crown, my mother's letter, the assassins, the mark on my hand, Riven's warnings. Everything felt connected.

Then the priest turned to us. "Do you, Seren Valora, accept Prince Riven D'Arcy as your lawful husband?"

The hall went silent. I looked at Riven, and for the first time I noticed something in his expression he wasn't expecting me to say yes. Maybe he was hoping I wouldn't.

I opened my mouth. "I…."

The wedding bells rang not once, not twice, but violently, over and over and every candle in the hall went out at once. Darkness swallowed the room. People screamed.

Then a voice whispered beside my ear. "Run."

I turned. No one was there. The candles reignited, and a dagger lay on the floor at my feet, blood covering its blade. I looked at Riven his face had gone pale.

"Seren."

"What?"

He stepped toward me. "Don't move."

I looked down. A thin red line circled my wrist, like a mark someone had drawn there. Then I noticed the blood on the dagger. It wasn't mine.

I looked toward the altar. King Aldric stood frozen, his eyes fixed on something behind me. I turned slowly. One of the guards lay dead near the doors, and beside him, carved into the floor, three words.

SHE MUST DIE.

My heart stopped. Riven reached for my hand. "Stay beside me."

"Who wants me dead?"

His expression turned cold. "I don't know." Then he leaned closer, his voice barely audible. "But whoever it is…" His eyes moved across the crowded hall. "…they're already inside this palace."

The wedding bells rang again, and this time I understood the warning. Someone wasn't trying to stop my wedding.

They were waiting for it to begin.

Because before midnight, someone intended to kill the bride.