Page 60 of A Queen This Fierce and Deadly

“And you fell in love.”

“Love?” He raised one eyebrow. “At the time, I thought it was love. Now, I know it was nothing more than infatuation. Seeing the way you and Lorian are together… it proves I didn’t have anything real with her.”

My chest clenched. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Your love gives me hope, darlin’. There’s something so pure about it—even when you both want to strangle each other.”

I laughed. One side of his mouth kicked up into a crooked smile, but it disappeared just as quickly.

“We were together for months before I realized she was a priestess. I was traveling often, completing various tasks for Conreth. I never saw her in her robes. I completely missed the signs.”

Priestesses weren’t celibate. It wasn’t unusual for them to take lovers. So that hadn’t been the problem.

“She didn’t know you were fae.”

Rythos slowly shook his head. “And then she realized she was pregnant.”

My stomach twisted into a tight coil. But I waited for him to finish the worst of his story.

“For us fae…any children are a miracle.”

I nodded. Their low fertility seemed to be a result of their long life-spans.

“When I learned she was pregnant, I was so ecstatic, I lost control of my glamour. She told me she would never subject herself to breeding with a monster. And she walked out. I gave her a few days, assuming she wouldcalm down and we would talk.”

Grief tightened the corners of his eyes.

“She…”

“Yes. She went to the stone hags, who used their power to…”

Heat seared the back of my throat. I’d seen Rythos with Piperia. He would have made an incredible father.

“I can’t imagine how painful that was.”

“The worst part was…shewanteda baby. She would have done anything to be a mother. Except havemybaby.”

His eyes turned bleak, and I reached for his hand. “I know it probably seems likely that Mona is just another coldhearted priestess. But believing that a group of people are all the same is one of the reasons this continent is the way it is. You don’t have to communicate with Mona if you don’t want to. But…you could find it healing.”

He squeezed my hand. “You’re right about believing people are all the same. I just… I can’t ever see her in those robes, Prisca.”

“I’ll make sure you never do.”

“Then I’ll think about it.”

The door swung open behind us, and Lorian stepped onto the balcony.

“Prisca.” His face was tight with sorrow.

My lungs seized until my voice was barely a whisper. “What is it?”

“I just got a message. The hybrid camp was attacked. Most of them were slaughtered. Some are still moving toward the Asric Pass, but they are being hunted by Regner’s iron guards.”

Most of them were slaughtered.

My knees turned weak. Rythos caught my arm, steering me toward Lorian, who pulled me into his chest. “I’m so fucking sorry, wildcat.”

“Madinia. Vicer.”

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