Page 44 of A War of Three Kings

“Keira. We need to talk.”Aldrin’s words break the beautiful moment and dread fills my stomach. “There is too much anger and distrust between us.”

“I don’t know where to start, Aldrin,” I choke out. “You hurt me and I hurt you. I cannot articulate how ashamed I am of the way my family treated you and your people.”

“Start by allowing me to tell you the story of my first visit to these lands from my side. Theentirestory.” He tugs a lock of my hair. “We already know your father and grandmother have twisted events. That they have worked to pit us against each other.”

I flinch and turn in the saddle to look at him. “Gods, do I want to know?”

Aldrin releases his hold on me. “My visit to the human lands was the last thing I did as a king. It was the final catalyst that led to my exile. It was a huge gamble. The people were already unsettled over my insistence that we return to the old ways andnurture the lands instead of living easy in the city. The idea of inviting humans to our realm to help spread our magic across generations made them feel too vulnerable.”

He lets out a shuddering breath, but I don’t interrupt him.

“There were fears we fae would become outnumbered and diminished in our own lands. But if I gained a trade deal with humans that would bring wealth to the Spring Court—well, that would have sweetened the deal. It would have opened many eyes and hearts. If humans wandering our realm became more of a common sight, they would be seen as less of a threat. But we know how that went.”

Aldrin falls silent, and I glance over my shoulder at the scowl on his face and the distant look in his eye. I absentmindedly run my fingers through the warhorse’s mane.

“I want to hear it from you, Aldrin. What happened when you came to Appleshield?”

He gives a small start. “I sent a few diplomats across to request an audience with the human king. They consulted with the priestesses, and I was allowed a meeting with the Lord Protector instead. I didn’t barge into these lands or invade uninvited, as your father would probably have you believe.”

My stomach twists.

“Edmund was keen to speak of trade and the riches it would bring his lands,” Aldrin continues. “But he refused to have fae walking among his people, or to allow humans into my realm. After days of discussion, I convinced him to grant human merchants and diplomats the ability to travel to the fae world, to pave the way for the potential of open migration. We almost struck a deal, but then my sister fell into a trance and saw a vision of you—a red-headed beauty with womanly curves and fire in her eyes, who would fight at my side to heal both realms. Lorrella’s prophecies are never clear, but she became convinced that she had seen the love of my life. My m?—”

Aldrin’s voice breaks, and he takes a moment before he continues.

“I couldn’t get you out of my head, Keira. Something compelled me, the fates, perhaps, and I asked the Lord Protector to seal the deal with an engagement to his second daughter. I thought making you my queen would be a great honor to him. I didn’t know he didn’t have any children yet. The way he reacted, you would have thought I asked for a slave instead.”

I stare ahead at the calm meadows that pass us by, at complete odds with the turmoil roiling in my head. My knuckles are white where I grip the horse’s reins so tightly it aches. “Tell me about the battle afterward, Aldrin.”

He lets out a harsh breath. “I’m not proud of the way we left. Edmund flew into a rage at my marriage proposal and called his guards to forcefully remove us from his lands. We were swarmed in the council room, while my guards outside were ambushed unexpectedly.

“There was such murderous intent in Edmund’s eyes, and his soldiers fell on us with such brutality that I thought they were trying to slaughter us all. I called for a peaceful retreat from my people, but it was difficult. We were harried from the fortress back to the portals. The last thing I wanted was to leave a trail of dead humans behind and destroy all chances of an alliance, but then a human struck Lorrella in the head. The gash was horrible, deep and gushing blood. She was five months pregnant. Cyprien and I lost our minds.”

Aldrin’s entire body tenses behind me and a shiver ripples through him.

I take his limp arms and wrap them around my waist. It takes a moment for him to react, then he holds on to me tightly, as though I am the only thing keeping him upright.

I can only imagine the desperation of being attacked by greater numbers in an alien realm. Of all his careful planningfalling apart when he was so close to achieving what he needed to save his people, all over a misunderstanding. I would have killed them all, if it had been Caitlin struck down by an enemy.

I can see the wrath my father would have fallen into. He is a man who protects his family and his people furiously, without apology or restraint. He would not think twice before burning the world down to save the ones he loves.

I have no doubt he will use everything in his arsenal to destroy Finan, even if we don’t end up going to war with him. Even if it takes his entire lifetime, my father will crush him for wrapping his fingers around my throat.

Maybe civil war is inevitable, with a man like my father holding so much power and a cruel king on the throne.

“Is that what happened to the baby? Is that why—” I can’t finish the sentence. My heart breaks for him.

Aldrin shakes his head in my periphery. “No. No, she made it to full term. But Lorrella never saw another vision after the head wound. Maybe we could have anticipated the birth going wrong and saved her if she still had the ability to predict her own doom. Her sight had saved us in the past. The outcomes of the visions were fluid like that.”

“I’m so sorry, Aldrin.” I clutch his knee and we fall into a deep silence.

He disturbs it when he is ready. “Is there anything else you want to know about that visit here?”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I had a right to know.” Hurt blooms in my chest. I can’t handle the idea of Aldrin being another man who makes decisions for me and keeps uncomfortable truths hidden because I shouldn’t worry my pretty little head about men’s business.

“Honestly?” He sighs. “I didn’t think it was that important. It happened a lifetime ago for me. There was a selfish part of me that didn’t want to scare you away.”

I turn and give him a dark look.

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