Page 38 of Magic Betrayed

“I thought at first that you might have been meeting with Callum, but he didn’t seem to know you were in town. And after the way they criticized Talia for showing up early without an invitation, I realized there had to be something underhanded going on.”

“You could have just asked me to keep your secret,” Rath said coolly. “Why resort to veiled threats or blackmail?”

“If I remember correctly, you told Callum that lying and backstabbing is just an afternoon’s diversion among the fae,” I replied pointedly. “This is just me trying to speak your language. And don’t think I haven’t noticed you didn’t answer.”

The fae prince laughed softly as he took the right turn onto Classen Boulevard. “I knew you were a delight when you threw your humanity in everyone’s faces at the Symposium. But I find that I like you even more than I dared to hope.” He grinned suddenly—a sharp, wicked expression that communicated nothing so much as evil glee. “Dare I say that I cannotwaitto find out what the Dragon Court will think of you.”

Talking to this fae was giving me a bad case of whiplash.

“You’d better be able to wait,” I grumbled, “because I plan to meet them exactly never.”

“Best of luck with that.”

“Still haven’t answered the question.”

My driver braked for a red light and let his head fall back against the seat with a sigh. “You must remember, little human, no matter how much I resist the stereotypes of my people, I am still fae. We don’t give away information easily, especially not when it exposes our weakness. However, in this case…” He paused, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. “If this is what it will take to earn your confidence… When you saw me before the Symposium, I was in the city for a meeting with Shane Isaacson.”

Notwhat I’d expected him to say.

Shane hated the fae. Even more than I did. Had basically dedicated his life to screwing them over. So what could he and Prince Rath possibly have to talk about that didn’t involve bludgeoning each other to death or swearing a lifelong vendetta?

“He keeps a house here that he uses on occasion. And while he has no love for the fae in general, he and I share a common goal—ensuring that every trace of my mother’s evil is wiped from existence.”

Actually, that checked out. Which made Shane’s reaction to Kira even stranger. I was tempted to ask Rath about it, but that would have felt too much like prying, and I didn’t need that information to decide whether or not to trust him.

“At the time,” he continued, “I was attempting to chase down the location of my mother’s victims. I wanted to offer… something.” He shrugged. “I know it could never be enough, but it would also be wrong to pretend that nothing ever happened.”

“Then you weren’t tracking us.”

He shook his head emphatically. “It was as great a surprise to me as to Kestryl when I saw you all in the park that night. Though”—his lips twisted in a self-mocking expression—“the surprise was clearly a more pleasant one for me.”

I believed him. For better or for worse, he’d been honest with me, and it seemed he was sincere in his offer of help.

“All right.”

He glanced at me with evident surprise. “All right?”

“You can help. With certain conditions.”

“Name them.” The fae prince was tense as a tightly coiled spring—anticipation entirely focused on my answer.

“No pressuring Kes once we find her. If she wants to talk to you, then fine, but otherwise, you’ll stay away and leave her to this new life.” I wasn’t sure yet whether he knew about her magic, but he was likely to find out if he went down this road with us, and I wouldn’t let him take it out on her later.

“I already agreed to that,” he told me. “The reality is, my life is tied to the Fae Court, and therefore to all of her ugliest memories. She has no desire to return, and I’m not here because I believe my involvement will change her mind.”

“Then the other conditions are the same as I gave Callum. No one else gets involved without my approval. We share information and don’t hide things from each other. Also”—my voice turned harsh—“anything you find out about me or Kes or the kids cannot be used to hurt or blackmail us. Ever.”

For the next two blocks, he stared silently out the windshield.

Then… “I already know,” he said softly.

Every muscle in my body tied itself into horrified knots. Kes had been so terrified of what he would do if he knew the truth. So miserable at the thought of him finding out that her magic had been used to hurt him.

“You know…” I didn’t want to say anything out loud until he fully confirmed my fears.

“I know about her magic, Raine.”

“You can’t tell her,” I blurted out, turning to face him and clutching the door handle with whitened knuckles.

---