Page 86 of Destined for the Fae King

And if not for the soft shove he gives me in Lysandir’s direction, I’m not sure I could have made myself move at all.

Lysandir holds out his gauntlet-covered hand to me, and I take it, letting him lead me into his room. Tharin closes the door behind us, the sound fracturing the hold on my emotions.He’s here. He’s here. But this isn’t my usual bookish prince. Golden plate covers his boots, his arms, and shoulders. Thick, dark material hugs him like a second skin beneath. The breastplate he wears bears a bright red flame. Only his head is uncovered, his hair pulled back in a tight ponytail behind his head.

“You’re going,” I say.

“Yes.” His throat bobs. “My brother seeks vengeance. As do many of our court. Someone must check his more reckless impulses, or he won’t stop until he’s tracked down the Unseelie King himself.”

“And that someone is you.” Of course it is. I pinch my eyes closed.

Something cool touches my face, and I snap my eyes open. He cups my cheek with his armored hand, tipping my chin up. “I had to see you again before I leave.”

Before he heads off to war. To fight. To kill. To do all the things he hates.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault,” I whimper.

“No!” He cups my face between his palms and leans in until our foreheads nearly touch. “No. None of this is your fault. Not Bailey’s death. Not Vasilius’s actions. None of it.”

“But your vision…”

“Myvision,” he echoes. “If anyone were to blame, it would be me. But even then, we cannot know that it would change this. If fate is truly unchangeable, if my visions must come true, then what happened to them, what happens now, may have been inevitable as well.” A tear leaks down my cheek, and he smooths it away. “Do not ever blame yourself, Mira. Please.”

I swallow the tightness in my throat and manage a nod, though I’m not sure I can keep my word. How can I? The guilt still gnaws like hunger that won’t be sated. “But if revealing my future can end this, prevent future death—”

Lysandir jerks his head back and forth, eyes glowing with emotion. “He’s not in a state to hear it. If we were to tell him now, it would only incite his fury. I won’t risk him harming you.”

I gasp. “You think he would?”

“I am not sure.” He swallows thickly.

If not me, Lysandir could be on the receiving end of his anger. He kept the secret longer. He knew what his brother wanted to know but did not tell him.

“He might punish you,” I whisper.

His gaze darts away, and that’s all I need to know.

I tighten my hold on him. “Then we won’t do it. I won’t risk you either.”

“Mira.” He swipes away another tear and then pulls me into a hug against his armored chest. I wrap my arms around him as best I’m able and burrow closer.

“What comes next?” I whisper. “Do you know?”

“My brother asked me to look into the future, to see what would happen if we invade the Unseelie lands.” He pulls in a long, slow breath. “I did, and all I saw was fire.”

I pull back enough just to look up at him. “Fire, as in your victory?”

“I don’t know. It could be but…” He shakes his head. “It’s all I saw when I asked about the Unseelie before too.”

It’s too vague. He doesn’t know. Worse, he’s worried. He doesn’t need to say it. It seeps from him like tears do from me.

“I’m going to get my smell all over you.” I start to pull back.

He doesn’t let me go. “I… I should care. But I don’t. Not right now.” He cups my cheek again. The pleading desperation in his eyes tugs at something deep within me. “Mira…”

I wrap my arms around his neck, stretch up on my toes, and kiss him.

And God, does he kiss me back. The passion, the hunger, steal my sanity.

I want to tear the armor from him piece by piece just to get closer. It’s foolish, reckless. This whole kiss could be a horrible mistake. But he’s leaving. He’s going off to war. He could be injured. He could die. And I would never forgive myself for holding back, for stealing away what could be our last moments because of fear.

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