Page 30 of What did you do?

Tarani turned back to face me, tears brimming her eyes. She reminded me of a fisher cat—small and innocent looking but ready to rip the flesh off my bones.

“How long has he?—”

Tarani cut me off. “Since that horrible woman murdered him.”

I looked at her, shocked, but remained silent.

She looked up to the ceiling, a tear overflowing and swimming down the side of her tanned nose.

I craned my neck to focus on where her angry eyes had landed. More of the classically painted mural encompassed the ceiling. I could see the figures swathed in dark much clearer on the ceiling. Among the darkened areas were large, shadowy-looking figures. Maybe five or so of these ominous shadow monsters fought against the figures in gold. A few worethe familiar billowing, white robes with gold vines artistically draped across their bodies—the Seelie.

My eyes were still captivated by the hazy shadows.

They were terrifying.

The softtap-click-tapof footsteps preceded Eli and the queen as they entered the echoing room, still speaking heatedly to one another.

“Queen Tenebris is the only known Smoke Slayer alive…for now,” the queen stated icily. “It’s quite likely she has something to do with this. I’m unsure as to why, but it doesn’t matter now. What’s done is done. We must act accordingly.”

The murmurs of Eli’s deep voice grew closer. “Mother, that is not how she wants to become a Seelie royal. You know I will never allow you to hurt her, and I refuse to let you banish her from me again.” Eli’s pinned wings twitched ever so slightly, either from fear or anger.

“Banish her?” Saracen shouted in a shrill tone. “Banish her? Darling, how can you not see what a gift we have been blessed with? With Langmure dead, you are the heir to the throne. I can hardly imagine a more powerful duo than a SunTamer and an Artemi. Our dear Calypso, so suddenly left with such overwhelming powers—no matter how little of his powers she now possesses, retaining even a tenth of that fae’s power is more than most of the elevated fae put together. Once her heart is returned, her Artemi powers should be fully restored. Do you know what that would do for Seelie? The depths which we could reach with that type of power?”

Eli shifted uneasily, glancing nervously at me as they came to a halt in front of us. “You want me to marry Cal…because she has some ofhispowers?” His lip curled, and he let out a small animalistic sound, instantly moving closer to me.

It was so foreign to see anyone move to defend me. My chest squeezed at Eli’s movements. I knew it wasn’t practical and Iknew it wasn’t intelligent, but I leaned into the comfort of being the helpless one for one singular second.

I had been strong for so long.

“She will have her own powers as well. Powers greater than you children have ever witnessed. The Artemi went extinct long before you were alive to witness them. You think Chef Samuel is the only one who knows how long you’ve been in love with the girl?” the queen chided Eli playfully, casting a wink in my direction.

A blush burned my face. “When will you empower me as an official Seelie?” I cut in.

“Calypso is one of our own. She is family, and we don’t just leave our family in danger, unprotected.” The queen’s voice softened as her eyes danced between Eli and Tarani.

I focused on my breathing.

Her satiny voice grew louder. “It is no secret that the Smoke Slayers are among the most dangerous, albeit sublimely powerful, creatures the Fates ever created. Besides the Artemi and the old gods, there has never been such power. Imagine a realm, no,a family, that possessed the Smoke Slayer, Artemi,andSunTamer abilities?” She paused, her warm eyes beginning to widen dreamily. “Imagine the bloodline they could create. They would have rights to both the Seelie and Unseelie crown, and quite frankly, anything else they wanted. There could hardly be a more advantageous marriage, and it’s no surprise you two are in love. I knew the moment Aurelius laid eyes on you that the two of you would one day be together.” Her smile was so wide, it nearly closed her eyes.

Princess Tarani shrieked. “You cannot be serious, Mother! She can’t take the crown. Eli doesn’t need her to rule! No one”—she snapped her head to me—“and I do meanno onecares about him more than myself. She will hurt him! How can you even trust her? She’s a liar and a fae killer by profession!” The smallprincess snarled at her mother. “Imagine what she’ll do once she has her full powers!”

She wasn’t wrong.

A haze of black smoke once again danced down my arms and rolled onto the marble floor.

“She’s a liar and a very skilled fae killer becauseI trained her to be. Well, technically Commander Von trained her, but that’s semantics. She has gifted us with half an organ in a show of loyalty, Tarani. What have you given us?” Saracen retorted. “And, darling, it might behoove you to remember just how proficient she is at her particular set of skills.”

Tarani glared at me.

“I don’t want to marry Eli,” I said, looking between all of their faces. What was happening? How was my plan turning to shit every five minutes when I’d had it since I was eight?

Eli scoffed at his mother. “Calypso is my best friend. She doesn’t want to marry me, and Tarani is right, I don’t need Caly to rule. You’re talking nonsense. And furthermore, if I’m not enough for the throne alone, then maybe Tarani should take the crown. She is more capable than me anyway.”

The queen gave a short laugh as she stared at Tarani. “Your sister couldn’t lead a blazing lindwurm into a fire filled with offerings,” she chuckled.

Tarani gasped. “No one could! Blazing lindwurms are obstinate and uncontrollable!”

What in the fae world was a blazing lindwurm? I shook away my thoughts. “I-I was painfully unaware a marriage was an assumed part of our deal,” I said.

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