Snow's Lament Read Free Page A

kept out of Naomi’s hands, but my father had deliberately chosen to send it with me. Was he trying to ensure its safety from Naomi or was he trying to tell me something? After the skirmish between us a few months ago, there was no doubt Naomi knew where the pendant was. She’d be coming for it sooner rather than later.
    Belle placed a long, deadly looking stiletto next to the pendant.
The better to prick you with, my dear
, I thought and shuddered. I was far from squeamish, but shedding someone else’s blood was one thing, shedding mine—on purpose—was another thing altogether. The book I found the information in lay open, the script mocking me. I felt like I should know more about this jewel, but Father and I never had the opportunity to talk before I was forced onto Earth. I’d kept it as a memento from him, never thinking it could be more.
    “So…” Robin drawled, “are you going to sit there all day or are you going to stab yourself and see what happens?”
    My mouth twisted to the side. “Maybe I should stab you first to see if the stiletto is sharp enough.”
    He clutched his chest and groaned. “You wound me, lass.”
    “That’s the point,” I said, but sighed as I picked up the wicked looking blade.
    Belle looked a little ill, but Cyndi’s attention was rapt. Stabbing myself might make her forgive me a little bit faster for the makeup thing. Even though she didn’t really have a right to be pissed, I had to admit, looking ridiculous for two days was probably payback enough for what she’d done to me. As long as she didn’t touch my stuff again, we were square.
    I stared at the knife, grimacing when I saw the light shimmer off the shiny surface. Holding up my finger, I poised it at the tip, hoping I could just quickly prick it and be done. It was ironic in an Aurora-ish sort of way. That’s what I get for calling Sleeping Beauty a bitch.
    I took one deep breath…
    And our front door shattered into a thousand pieces, blowing us all back. Shards of wood and metal pierced our skin, but as soon as it began, it was over. I lay crumpled in a heap, the acrid taste of blood in my mouth from biting my tongue. The stiletto blew out of my hand and lay several feet away, so I rolled to my feet, wincing at what felt like thousands of tiny cuts in my skin, and drew my Sig, ready to blast whatever entered my home into tiny pieces.
    “Fire not,” a gravely voice spoke through what seemed like water. A shrill piercing rang through my ears.
    “Rumple,” I screamed, “couldn’t you have fucking knocked?”
    He raised one eyebrow at me like I was the biggest idiot in the room. “No,” he said, his tone clipped.
    I clicked the safety off my gun. “No?” I repeated, murder in my voice.
    “Lower your weapon, Princess. I just saved your worthless life.”
    I dropped my Sig a quarter of an inch. “Pardon?”
    He stepped into my living room, his boots crunching on the remnants of my front door. I’d only seen him once before, but every time I did he took my breath away. Rumple was brilliant, mean, and hands down, the most gorgeous man I’d ever laid my eyes on. Fairytales didn’t always get it right, but I suspected in this case, Rumple had a lot to do with how the tales about him were written.
    Mussed, tawny hair flowed across his shoulders, swaying slightly as he walked in. It was swoony, shampoo-commercial-worthy hair. I wanted to run my fingers through it and ask him how many times per week he washed it.
    I blinked. Shit. Maybe being crazy gorgeous was his superpower. He winked at me as he stepped over the wreckage to help Cyndi up.
    Maybe he could read my mind too.
    A look of concern floated over his face as he reached for my friend. She allowed him to help her and brushed off the wood fragments. He held her hand to stop her and began gently picking the wood off her.
    “You’ll get a splinter if you brush it away.” A look of tenderness crossed his face, leaving me wondering if I’d entered the