Page 83 of Hollow Court

He let out a light laugh, full of false self-deprecation. “My boy, I’ve become so accustomed to caring for the village, I was halfway here before I remembered you had finally returned from your holiday.”

I reminded myself that everyone in this room had been traumatized enough today without watching me run him through with my sword. But stars if I was in the mood for his games after watching my people writhe in pain and die today, after seeing abject terror on the same small faces that had been filled with laughter only hours ago.

“It means the world to me that you were willing to come to support my people while I was seeing to the trade agreement, making sure that all of Lochlann had enough food in their stores for the upcoming winter.” I managed to keep all traces of sarcasm from my tone. “If you’re looking to help now, you can help bring water to the wounded. Or your wife can…”

I trailed off, making a show of looking for her.

His eyes barely narrowed before he smoothed his expression over. I practically watched the gears turn in his head as he decided how to play this.

Would he admit she hadn’t cared enough to come check on them, when a Socairan had spent hours healing their wounded, or admit he had kept his wife safely away when the villagers were in danger, and again, the outsider had stayed to help?

A surge of pride went through me. Galina was a variable he hadn’t accounted for.

I despised the part of me that was playing games in a room where at least one body was still growing cold, but I despised Tavish more for making it necessary.

“She went up to the castle to check on your betrothed,” he finally said. “Since it was clear Lady Galina was the target of this attack, it didn’t occur to me that she would still be here.”

His words sucked all the air from the room. The only sounds came from where Maisey and Gallagher were washing up their tools, the soft scraping of metal and splashing of water sounding nearly as loud as the explosions had been.

“She’s not one to cower from a threat,” I assured him.

Galina glanced over in surprise, but Tavish didn’t look nearly bothered enough at the implied slight to his wife.

“No, of course not,” he said, a bit too amicably. “I just would have thought you’d be too concerned about her drawing another…incident, when your protective resources are already so depleted. But I admire your boldness, truly…and hers, refusing to falter even when the rebels have made it clear that they won’t stand for this alliance.”

The villagers had been hanging on our every word. With that one utterance, one single statement that I had no doubt would spread like wildfire, he had ensured that they blamed Galina for drawing the attack and me for not protecting them from it.

How very convenient for him.

In fact, all of this was convenient for him.

Once again, I considered his state when he had walked through those doors.

How could he have gotten the message so quickly? He could have been on his way to visit the market, but that’s not what he said happened.

He hadn’t been out of breath when he got here, even though his estate was several hours’ ride away.

Pure murder surged in my veins.

“It was an unusual escalation,” I said quietly. “The rebels have only attacked soldiers before now, and royals, but there were children playing in those fields.”

Children who always played in those fields on market day. They weren’t collateral damage. They were the intended target. Perhaps not to kill, but at least for the scare tactic. What faster way to unite people against a threat?

“An unspeakable tragedy.” Tavish didn’t have a speck of remorse in his eyes.

Of course not. He didn’t care who he hurt in his play for power.

“It would have been,” I agreed, “if not for Galina’s knowledge of medicine.”

It was true. Gallagher couldn’t have saved them all, even though I saw him risking exposing his fae abilities more than once to save someone today. He was barely standing as it was.

Even with Maisey and her father, it still wouldn’t have been enough if Galina hadn’t been mixing such potent salves.

“We’re fortunate she was here,” I went on. “Men who would stoop to hurt children will stop at nothing. If it weren’t my betrothal, they would find another reason to be angry. But don’t worry, because I can assure you our protective resources are anything but depleted. I’ve already had word sent to my uncle requesting additional soldiers, and in the meantime, my men will guard the village.”

“Of course, an excellent plan. Only…” Tavish reached around me, grabbing the ladle from where it rested on the counter. “Are you certain that they areyourmen?”

Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes. He could have been baiting me over the arrests, but this felt like more than that.

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