Nicholina’s hateful voice filled my mind. But you should feel lucky you tricked him, oh yes, because if you hadn’t tricked him—such a tricky little mouse—he never would’ve loved you. If he had known what you are, he never would’ve held you beneath the stars.

Goddamn it.

Beau, who’d been listening in silence, watched me too closely to be comfortable. He arched a brow. “I don’t know, Coco. I don’t think she can do it.”

I glared mutinously at the fire. “Don’t start with me, Beau.”

“Why not?” His dark eyes searched my face and missed nothing. “You just said as much yourself. It won’t work. He’ll never love you again. I’m merely concurring with the sentiment.”

“I’m not doing this.”

“Yes, you’ve made that perfectly clear. Better not to try at all than to fail, right?” He shrugged dispassionately. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“Beau!” Célie’s eyes widened in protest. Perhaps she was too naive to see Beau’s manipulation, or—more likely—perhaps she insisted on being the voice of optimism despite it. “How can you say such wicked things? Of course Reid will love her. The bond they share is true. You saw their kiss—it woke him up despite the magic!”

“Oh, Célie, enough with this true love nonsense.” He returned his cool attention to me. “You want truth, sister mine? I shall give you truth. You were right before. Without memories of your relationship, you are only a witch to Reid, and he hates you. You are no longer his wife. As far as he knows, you were never his wife. Indeed, he’s probably plotting creative ways to kill you at this very moment.” He leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially. “My money is on strangulation. He never has been able to keep his hands off you.”

Célie’s eyes flashed. “Really, Beau, you shouldn’t—”

I mimicked his movement with a black smile, leaning toward him until our noses nearly touched. “Let’s sweeten the pot. I bet it’ll be a knife to heart.”

Coco rolled her eyes as Beau shook his head. “Not intimate enough.”

“There’s nothing more intimate—”

“Oh, I disagree—”

“You’re both ridiculous,” Célie snapped, shooting to her feet in a spectacular display of temper. “You want to sweeten the pot? I wager all the riches in my father’s treasury that Reid does fall in love with you again, despite knowing you’re a witch.”

A beat of silence passed as she glared at me. Pink tinged her cheeks.

“I thought you stole all of your father’s treasure?” Beau asked suspiciously.

“Not even close.”

He pursed his lips, considering, while I quietly seethed. They were treating this like a game, all of them. But this wasn’t a game. This was my life. And why did Célie care so much, anyway? Reid had wrecked their own relationship for the sake of true love with me. As if reading my thoughts, she whispered, “The two of you have something special, Louise. Something precious. How can you not fight for him? He has certainly fought for you.”

You’ve lived in fear too long.

Fear has helped me survive.

Fear has kept you from living.

“I think I’d like to accept that wager, Mademoiselle Tremblay,” Beau mused before turning to Coco. “What do you think, Cosette? Does the fair maiden stand a chance of seducing her gallant knight? Shall true love win the day?”

Coco carefully stoked the fire. “You know what I think.”

“It would seem we have a wager.” Beau held out a hand to Célie, clasping her wrist and shaking it. “If Lou fails to seduce her husband, you will give me all the riches in your father’s treasury.” His teeth flashed in a hard smile. “And if she succeeds, I will give you all the riches in mine.”

Célie blinked, the indignation in her eyes winking out. Her mouth parted in awe. “King Auguste’s entire treasury?”

“Indeed. Unless, of course, our fair maiden objects?” He extended his free hand toward me, but I knocked it aside with a scowl. Ass. “As I thought.” He tutted softly. “You are too afraid.”

Paralysis crept up my spine as I looked between them all. Though I opened my mouth to speak—to vehemently object to this foolish game—the words caught, and different words altogether spilled out instead. Honest ones. “I’m not afraid. I’m terrified. What if he does try to strangle me or stick a knife through my heart? What if he doesn’t remember at all? What if he doesn’t . . .” I swallowed hard and blinked back fresh tears. “What if he doesn’t love me?”

Beau wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. “Then I will become a rich man.”

“You’re already a rich man.”

“A very rich man.”

“You’re an ass, Beau.”

He brushed a brotherly kiss across my temple. “Do we have a wager?”

I rested my head on his shoulder as noise sounded from the path, and Reid stormed into sight, right on time. Jean Luc followed at a wary distance. Jean Luc. It was a mark of the last twenty-four hours that I didn’t bat an eye.

“Yes,” I said. The word tasted like hope. It felt like armor. I allowed it to wrap around me, bolstering my spirit and protecting my heart. Reid had fallen in love with me once, and I still returned that love fiercely. It was special. It was precious. And I would fight for it. “Yes, we have a wager.”

Holes in the Tapestry

Reid

The witch called Lou stepped from the crown prince with a smirk as I approached. I did a double take. Whereas before her eyes had shone with grief—with near unfathomable loss—they now sparkled with wicked intent. I frowned as the other witch, Coco, stepped in front of her, breaking my line of sight.

Was she—I stared at them incredulously—was she pulling Lou’s neckline down?

I averted my eyes, furious, but glanced back as Célie leaned over to pinch Lou’s cheeks.

Beside me, Jean Luc broke into a jog. He didn’t seem to notice Lou’s décolletage. He saw only Célie. Spinning her around, he cupped her face and kissed her. Straight on the mouth. In front of us all. Though Célie’s eyes flew open in surprise, she didn’t protest. Indeed, she even wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling against his lips. “You’re here,” she said happily.