Page 60 of The Kingdom of Flames and Ash

“What’s so humorous?” Tavish rasped, digging the tip of the white blade into the man’s throat. Blood trickled down the man’s neck and hit the edge of his dark armor. “You don’t think that I’ll kill you?”

“It’s funny that you think you’ll continue to rule when Eldrin got us back to our rightful land.”

I flinched, but before I could question what he meant by that, he continued, “The sunscorched will never be yours to wed. She’s going to be Pyralis’s bride, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You’ll be forced to watch as a prisoner while—”

Tavish rammed the blade through the man’s throat, cutting off his words. Buidhean’s eyes widened, and Tavish slid the sword in deeper, though he didn’t need to. Tavish quivered with unbridled rage as he snarled, “She ismine. No one else’s. I’ll kill anyone who tries to come between us, including the ashbreath.”

His emotions swirled through our bond with an intensity I’d never experienced before, making my mind race. Tavish was so close to losing every ounce of his self-control, all because the prisoner had just played on his biggest fear. We had two days to find an answer before our world fell apart.

I placed a hand on his shoulder, allowing our connection to spring to life. A bit of his craze ebbed, but not nearly enough. Something had to give, and I feared what it might be if we didn’tcome up with a solution. I loved Tavish, but I couldn’t live with myself if I allowed my sister to die on my behalf.

Tavish kept his eyes locked on the captive as the man died. Finnian and Caelan glanced at each other. Even without a fated-mate bond, the strain on their faces informed me that they realized the same thing I had.

Their king, my mate, was completely volatile.

“Tav, I’m quite certain he’s dead,” Finnian said, leaning in front of Tavish and poking the captive in the chest.

The man didn’t grunt, flinch, or move in any way except from the momentum of the jab.

“I wish I could bring him back to life so I could kill the thornling again.” Tavish bared his teeth and placed his foot on Buidhean’s chest. “Release him,” he commanded.

As soon as Lorne and Finola obeyed and stood to the side, Tavish shoved the man off his blade, allowing him to fall in a heap on the floor. His blood covered the blade, but Tavish didn’t hesitate to put the sword back into its sheath.

He reminded me of the man he’d been when he’d kidnapped me, but with an even darker edge.

Stepping over the dead man’s body, he held out his hand to me and said, “Let’s go find something to eat. You must be starving.” His eyes lightened as they focused on me, revealing the kindhearted man who still resided there.

Food was the last thing on my mind after what I’d just seen. Still, I nodded, wanting to get both of us away from the body.

“We’ll stay here and clean up this mess and meet you after you’ve had time to calm down.” Finnian folded his wings tightly behind him, though he forced a small smile.

“That would be wise.” Tavish nodded, intertwining our hands and leading me deeper into the first floor. A gigantic rectangular table sat to our left in a room lit by vine chandeliers glowing with candles. The table was made of the dark wood that grew inthe Unseelie land and with sizable chairs made of leaves at each place. The floor-to-ceiling windows behind and to the side of the table were all open air, similar to the dining room in the castle back in Gleann Solas, giving us a view of the village at the foot of the castle.

On the table sat a large bowl full of water, which Tavish headed to and placed both hands in to wash off the blood.

As soon as we sat down, Sine hurried in with lemon bursts, honey, and bread. She placed plates in front of Tavish and me and then returned a few seconds later with glasses of water.

I took a bite of the bread and honey and glanced out the window, noticing the villagers already leaving their houses, working on getting the village put back together once again. The cottages resembled the ones back home but were made with the darker wood and the evergreen bristles of the Unseelie land.

We sat in silence as tension continued to radiate from Tavish, so I reached across, touching his arm.You killed him. The deed is done. You can calm down now.

But I can’t.His face twisted in agony.Because we have two days, and we’re no closer to freeing you from this blasted vow. I know you’re going to demand to go and free your sister, but Lira, I’m not joking when I say I couldn’t survive it. Knowing you were with him, married to him, and having—He closed his eyes, and sharp anguish shot between us.

A vise tightened around my heart, making it hard to breathe.Thorn, I…I wasn’t sure what to say. I couldn’t promise him what he needed because I couldn’t lie.I don’t want to turn myself over either, but we can’t risk a war while Eiric is their prisoner. I have to hand myself over to save her, but that doesn’t mean I’ll remain. However, if the vow isn’t dissolved, then—

There was a chance I’d be forced to remain with Pyralis. I couldn’t say those words, but I didn’t have to. He knew exactly what I meant.

The crazed sensation grew once again, his emotions taking my breath away when I heard Father ask from the other room, “What blasting happened? Is the dead man out front the captive my guard alerted us about?”

My stomach tightened, making the few bites of bread sit heavier than before.

“It is,” Caelan answered simply.

“Why is he dead?” Mother pressed. “He needed to be questioned.”

“Well, your royal Seelieness, I assure you he didn’t stab himself in the neck. That was done by our fearless king himself,” Finnian deadpanned.

After a pause, Mom broke the silence. “Without allowing us to question him ourselves? Did he at least provide valuable information?”

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