Page 106 of Court of Lies and Deceit

Deafening screams of excitement explode across the whole arena as the audience surges up from their seats to leap up and down and pump their fists in the air at this unexpected news.

I just stare at them in stunned surprise, feeling my heart sink in my chest.

Next to me, Isera smirks and gives Orion a smug sideways glance. “Good luck trying to take that back without starting a civil war.”

Fury flashes like lightning strikes in Orion’s eyes. Gritting his teeth, he clenches his jaw and forces out a breath through his nose. Then he flicks a glance out at the crowd.

Black, white, and red banners are waving in the air, filling the arena with snapping fabric. People are cheering and jumping and screaming in excitement.

It seems to dawn on Orion at the same time as it dawns on me.

Isera has fully and completely outmaneuvered him.

His entire court is so restless that they’re crawling up the walls, and the only thing stopping them from turning on Orion in sheer frustration is the distraction that these games give them. The crowd loves Isera. They crave watching her fight again. So now, if Orion tries to refute what Isera just said and deny his people another game, it will surely spark violent riots.

Turning his head slowly, Orion locks eyes with Isera. He is furious. But alsoimpressed. It’s etched into every line of his face as he stares at her.

To be honest, if I wasn’t so angry, I would be too.

Because I realize that this has been Isera’s plan all along.Thisis why she entertained the crowd so much during the games. Why she threw the ice spear at Orion. Why she blew him a kiss. Why she gave the crowd exactly what they wanted. She has been planning this move from the very beginning. Back-upplans behind back-up plans to make sure that she got what she wanted.

Isera has managed to beat the Unseelie King at his own game.

And he knows it.

Dragging in a long breath between his teeth, he holds her smug stare in silence.

“So, about that bargain, then,” Isera prompts, a wicked smirk sliding home on her lips. “Do we have a deal?”

And it seems to be dragged kicking and screaming from the very depths of the Unseelie King’s dark soul as he grinds out one single word.

“Yes.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Draven leaps to his feet, instantly alert when I storm through the front door and into the combined kitchen and living room back at the faction house. Galen is lying on the couch beside him, his hands and leg now looking completely healed. Lyra is on the other couch, also lying down but looking much more alert than before. Exhaustion clings to their bodies, though.

But they both sit bolt upright when Draven shoots to his feet. Alistair, who was about to hand Lyra a cup of tea, has to yank his hand back to stop Lyra from knocking it over in her haste. Tea sloshes over the rim of the cup to pool in the delicate saucer beneath. With his eyebrows drawn down in a scowl, Alistair looks up from the teacup to meet my gaze. Jocasta is nowhere to be seen.

“What’s wrong?” Draven demands as I stalk into the living room.

Isera strolls in behind me, completely unfazed by my anger.

“What’s wrong?” I echo. It comes out like a growl. Slamming to a halt on the floor, I spin around and stab a hand at Isera. “She just bargained away our freedom!”

“What?” Alistair snaps.

Panic and rage crackle through the light and airy room as he whips his gaze to Isera while both Galen and Lyra scramble to their feet. The teacup leaps and then rattles in fear as Alistair slams it down on the low table by the couch so hard that it almost shatters.

“You didwhat?” he demands.

Coming to a halt as well, Isera simply crosses her arms and meets everyone’s shocked and angry stares with a cool expression on her features. “I did what needed to be done.”

“And what is that exactly?” Draven asks. His voice is dark, an undercurrent of threats in his tone.

They all stare between me and Isera in shock and disbelief and anger as I explain the bargain she made with the Unseelie King.

“I’m going to fucking kill you!” Alistair yells. But he sounds more desperate and panicked rather than angry. His chest heaves as he swings his arm around and stabs it in the general direction of the wards. “We were out! We could finally leave. And you… You?—”

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