PRINCE ASH POV
My mother's ice-cold hand slapped across my face so hard I tasted blood.
"You will not defy the Winter Court!" Queen Morrigan growled, her voice sharp enough to cut diamonds. "The Guardian belongs to us now!"
I touched my bleeding lip, feeling the familiar sting of her disapproval. Around us, the Fae Court watched with hungry eyes, waiting to see if I'd bow like a good prince or stand up for what was right.
"Lily is not property," I said, my voice steady despite the fear crawling up my spine. "She's a person with her own choices."
My mother's laugh was like breaking glass. "She ceased being merely human the moment she became a dimensional bridge. She is Fae now, whether she knows it or not."
"That's not how it works," I argued.
