Page 35 of A Touch of Iron
“Freedom, you say?” She nodded. “If you steal me away from the Unseelie King, it would be seen as an act of war. Are you prepared for that?”
“Yes.”
15
VIOLET
After my chat with the Seelie Queen, Ansel and I quietly exited the throne room. I knew better than to give the Queen an answer on the spot, instead stating I’d get back to her via Ansel.
“What are you going to do?” he asked as we walked down the hallway outside the throne room.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Not that it matters to you.”
He grabbed my arm. “Of course it matters to me, Vi! I just want to protect you.”
There was a lot I wanted to say in that moment, but I decided to keep quiet. I didn’t want his form of protection. “Fine. Since you’re so concerned with protecting me, answer this – can I trust her?”
He didn’t even flinch. “No,” he answered immediately. “I don’t know what it is, but I’m certain the Queen has an agenda. One that only benefits her.”
At least he was honest. I’d give him that much. Not like he had a choice in the matter.
Ansel stepped closer and gently swept a strand of hair behind my ear. The touch sent shivers down my spine. His eyes narrowed and I knew he noticed. “But you can’t trust the Unseelie King, either,” he added quietly. “She might want to use you, but the King is just looking for an excuse to eliminate you.”
He wasn’t wrong. The King might have wanted to provide a sanctuary for me at first, but when I ended up being more than he thought I was, he started searching for any chance to get rid of me. I wasn’t safe anywhere.
“What do you suggest I do?” I wasn’t sure why I was askinghim, of all people. “What do you think my next step should be?”
He paused a moment. “I overheard some of the Unseelie around the Court. It appears they’re looking to you for leadership. I know you didn’t want to get involved with the fae, but maybe that’s your only way out.”
In other words—lead the rebellion.
“Getting involved with that mess could get me killed much faster,” I whispered.
Ansel nodded. “That might be true, but it’ll be on your terms. Not anyone else’s.” He paused. “Also, you’ll have the support of me and Alec.”
I rolled my eyes. “Are you saying you’d go up against the Seelie Queen?”
“Yes. For you I would.”
I thought back to when we first met so many moons ago in New York City. “You didn’t want to before.”
“Things are different now, Vi. I’m not just fighting for your safety anymore …”
His words trailed off and he let the statement hang in the air unfinished, but I knew what he was trying to say. He was fighting for me as well.
For us.
* * *
I returnedto my room alone and found Alec waiting for me. Now that Rook had whisked my mother away, there was no one guarding my door. “What are you doing here?” He was lounging on my bed with his hands behind his head and his legs crossed at the ankles, looking far more comfortable than he should be. “Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, busy?”
Alec chuckled. “I’m never too busy for you.”
I laughed. “Right.”
His face turned serious a split second later. “You threw the duel today.”
I froze, keeping my eyes fixed on the blanket I twisted in my fingers. “And?”
