Page 406 of Primal Bonds

“No.” That was do Mar. “Absolutely not.”

Langdon eyed him. “She’s not even of your blood. Why do you care what happens to her?”

“She’s my daughter,” was the terse reply.

Langdon scowled. He’d never understand the fada and their primitive ways. “She’s my granddaughter, the blood of my blood. At New Moon, she’ll be treated as the princess she is.”

Another man stepped forward, the earth fada lieutenant who was Merry’s uncle. “She’s my blood relation, and I say no as well.”

“Those are my terms. Rosana do Rio for my granddaughter.”

“No,” Dion bit out.

Fane cocked his head. “You said yourself that Rosana is free to leave. Why should we bargain with you for something you’ve already granted?”

A wise man didn’t bargain when he held the upper hand. “As you say,” Langdon returned. “Peace, my lady. My lord.”

With a nod at the queen and her mate, he moved back, retreating into the shadows layer by layer until only his face was visible, a pale glimmer.

“You son of a bitch.” Dion stalked forward, matching him step for step. “I demand to see my sister. Now.”

“She’s made her choice.”

Dion swore and tried to grab him, but his fingers slashed impotently through the gray mist.

“Wait!” Marjani sprang forward. “What about my brother?”

“That,” Langdon said, “is not negotiable. His execution is set for the night of the new moon.”

Her honey-colored skin went ashen. “For trespassing?”

“He didn’t just trespass. He was here to kill me.”

“But—”

“More than that, the death of my son requires an equal sacrifice.”

“No! We were only defending ourselves. Tyrus came into our territory, stirring up trouble. Sent assassins after our people.”

“Invaded my den,” growled Jace Jones. “And kidnapped me and my mate.”

Langdon kept his gaze on the cougar fada. “The sentence hasn’t been finalized. You can still take your brother’s place.”

When she opened her mouth, he knew he had her—until her blond mate slapped a hand over her lips. “No!” he whispered urgently. “At least give us time to find another way.”

She hissed and twisted out of his grip.

“Marjani,” her mate said. “I’m begging you. Wait. You don’t have to decide right now.”

She gave him an agonized look. “I’m sorry, Fane. But I can’t—”

“Enough!” The white-hot flame flared in the queen’s palms again. “The earth fada speak the truth. Our own investigations have confirmed that your son attacked the Baltimore fada. His death is no one’s fault but his own. And in the months since, you’ve been seen multiple times in Baltimore. If Lord Adric attacked you, it was because you provoked him into it. Self-defense is not a crime. Moreover, you have no grounds to hold Rosana do Rio.”

He sneered. “I should’ve known you’d take the fada’s side,” he said with a knowing glance at Dion.

The flame in Cleia’s palms burned brighter. Even with the sunglasses, he had to squint to protect his sensitive eyes. He receded deeper into the shadows.

“I’m warning you,” she said in a soft, dangerous voice. “Keep Adric and Rosana, and it will mean war.”

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