Page 79 of A War of Three Kings

“You are fucking him, aren’t you? You are fucking that fae beast.” He continues cackling madly while we all stare at him. “Is that what you were doing, in the Otherworld? Rutting fae while I gallantly waited for you to return?”

“And what were you doing in the capital? How many mistresses do you have?” Keira spits.“I broke it off with you before I went to the Otherworld. I never asked you to wait for me.”

Finan roars with laughter, hardly able to breathe or pull himself off the floor. “She doesn’t even deny it.”

Disgust is painted across Keira’s face as she looks down at him. “No wonder they call you the mad king, Finan. No one is going to believe your stories.”

The storm flares brighter around us, tiny tongues of flames dancing through it. Beyond, the people are in pure panic, but we can only see their silhouettes now.

Keira turns to me. “I can’t believe I allowed such a pitiful man to hurt me.”

“Never again.” I take her chin in my hand and stroke her face before taking a step back from her. “You need to drop the barrier, dear heart.”

Abruptly, the storm falls. Utter havoc is strewn around us. Not a single corner of the pavilion is left untouched. Wine is splattered everywhere and the people stare at us with pale faces, hair matted and clothes in disarray.

“You saw the knife he pulled on her?” I demand.

“We saw the knife,” Prince Niall concedes, his tone defeated, his eyes darting to his brother, unhinged and still laughing on the ground. “Perhaps we should adjourn this meeting for tomorrow…to cool off a bit?” His pleading eyes dart from person to person.

King Finan stands suddenly and dusts himself off, then turns on his brother. “Always playing the diplomat, Niall, and it has gotten us nowhere. The terms are set. They can take them, or we will bring them war.”

The king saunters toward the exit of the tent, then turns back to Keira.

“Iwillget you back, and then we will forget any of this happened.”

King Finan walks out, leaving us in stunned silence. All I want is to charge out there after him and finish the job of choking the life out of him.

“It is safe to say we will not agree to your fucking terms, Desmond,” Edmund snarls in the other man’s face.

Lord Desmond glowers back at the Lord Protector, then sidesteps him. “I don’t care to hear from Appleshield. We already know you are traitors to the crown. Tomas, what do you say?”

The little lord shrivels under that black stare, but doesn’t say a thing.

“Lord Bradford? Lord Adalwolf? It’s not too late for you to return to your king’s side.”

“You want me to ally with that fucking mess?” Lord Adalwolf spits, and Prince Niall cringes. “I’d rather burn with the rest of the North.”

Lord Desmond glances between the lords, pointedly ignoring the women of power in the room. He audibly grinds his teeth. “It is decided, then. The North is in full revolt and desires war, andthat is exactly what I will give it.” He turns on his heel and stalks out of the tent.

Keira collapses against my chest and I all but hold her up by the shoulders. She closes her eyes and presses her cheek against me, as though my arms are the only safe place in the world for her. Everyone is too busy arguing to notice the moment of intimacy between us. Everyone except the Countess Lynna, whose eyes brighten and smile widens at our display.

I think she sees hope in us.

Chapter 20

Keira

Igrip the edge of the parapet, trying to breathe through the nausea. To drag in each gasp of air slower than the last. Bile rises in my throat, but I will not vomit. My body shudders with the effort. Aldrin’s hands are pulling back my hair and rubbing my back in slow, soothing strokes. He is the one piece of calm standing strong within the storm of my mind.

War.

We are going to war.

How did it come to this?

The image flashes in my mind of Finan’s face twisted with fury, his eyes crazed. I can’t get his snarled words out of my head.Innocents will die and it will be your fault.My brain stutters, unable to get past the shock of today’s disaster of a negotiation.

“Slow it down, Keira,” Aldrin murmurs in my ear. “Slow your fretting thoughts down. Focus on your breathing. The way your chest expands with each inhale and every long breath out. On what you can feel, see, and smell. Is the stone of the parapet cold beneath your touch? Gritty as the mortar crumbles away? What can you hear? The boots of the soldiers scurrying on the lowerramparts? The calls of the birds?” He kisses the side of my neck, just beneath my ear. “You are safe here.”

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