Page 215 of A Queen This Fierce and Deadly

“Would you ever use that power on my council?”

He reared back. “Of course not. If you believe I would—”

“I don’t. But I need you to believe it too. Without the Arslan, there’s a good chance we would have lost this war.” I gestured out across the sea toward the hybrid kingdom. “Regner would have invaded once more, and this time, he would have killed any hybrids who remained. Your power is both beautiful and terrible. I’m sorry youhad to use it. But I’m not sorry you did.”

He let out a shaky breath. After a long moment, he attempted a smile. “I think I traumatized Madinia.”

I laughed. “A little fear is probably good for her.”

“She wielded that grimoire and gave humans their power back,” Rythos said.

“That’s not all she did,” a hoarse voice said.

I turned, my eyes meeting dark brown. Finley.

The web had disappeared from his face. His eyes were slightly shadowed but alert.

It was bittersweet. I could see that in the way Rythos stared at the empty place on Finley’s temple where the web had been. If Cavis had lived…

He would be free now. His life would be his own.

“All of them?” Rythos asked.

Finley nodded. “All of the spiders I’ve seen. Your brother let us go,” he told me. “But I want to apologize.”

He’d been a quiet boy when I’d last seen him. Now, he seemed like he’d aged a decade overnight.

“I don’t want your apology.”

He flinched and I sighed. “Because there’s nothing to apologize for. Now, we have to find a way to move on. To make the best of the lives that were spared.” I clasped the hourglass hanging around my neck. “And to cherish every moment.”

37

Lorian

I stared down at Conreth in the healer’s bed. Ten days was a long time for the fae to fight for their lives. Especially when that person was their king.

And yet, the only reason my brother had survived was likely because of his own personal ward and the amulet he’d worn around his neck. I’d insisted on bringing him here, to Lyrinore, where I could be sure no one would make an attempt on his life while he was vulnerable.

His skin had always been pale, but now, it seemed as if all life had been drained from him. He was so still, so silent, he appeared almost dead.

An invisible hand must have clamped around my throat. Because I was suddenly finding it difficult to breathe.

“Why, Conreth?”

He was the fae king. He had no heir. He knew exactly how important it was that he stay alive. Hence his reliance on Renit. And yet, he had saved Prisca’s life.

And nearly died himself.

“Because before I was the fae king and you were the Bloodthirsty Prince, we werebrothers.” Conreth’s eyes opened, hazy with pain. “Since you’re fretting at my bedside, I assume Regner is dead?”

My throat tightened. “I’m not fretting,” I muttered. “That power would have killed Prisca.”

I half expected him to defend his actions with the fact that we’d needed her time magic to kill Regner. I braced myself for those words.

“I would never have allowed your mate to die. Not if I could stop it.”

I angled my head, raised one brow, and stared at him.

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