Page 114 of Atop the Faerie Throne
Like he even has to ask. “Rhoswyn.”
Which is why this is all so fucked up. I love her more than I’ll ever admit, more than I even should, and yet…
“Then give her to him,” Bree whispers, but the words slam into me like hammer blows. “Let him have her for a night. Give up control. Trust him with her.”
“Absolutely not.” Their disappointment spears into my shoulders from behind, and I drop my head as my teeth grind together. “He could still be under his father’s influence.”
Jaro huffs. “He says he isn’t.”
“Which is exactly what hewouldsay!”
“You would be able to tell if he was lying.” The wolf is seeping into his voice now, the anger in the room rising.
Bree interrupts before I can bring up that Caed’s still obviously under the influence of the geas. “The ultimate gesture of trust would be to give him the thing you value most, knowing he could take her.”
I turn and pin them all to the spot with a glare. “What precautions can we take?”
“None.” Lore blinks in front of me, grinning like this asinine plan is fun. “Not a single one, or it won’t be a gesture of trust, silly.”
He flicks my nose. I try to shove him away, but of course, he’s already gone.
That’s ridiculous. Even they won’t leave her with just one Guard right now. Not while there are Fomorians camping inside the walls and a war waging beyond. One of them would watch her. If they think I’m going to pretend otherwise to get this little trust exercise to work…
“You have to tell him, or he won’t do it.” Jaro runs a hand through his beard, eyes flashing gold. “And you have to be sincere, or he’ll still resist because he doesn’t want to piss you off and ruin his chances.”
“I’m not considering this.”
“You might not have a choice,” Lore singsongs. “Tick tock goes the clock.”
I will not set his ass on fire. I can’t blame it on errant power anymore. I am a Winter Court lord. I have better control than this.
“Give him Rose for a night. Make it clear he has your blessing to do whatever she asks of him. That’s the ultimate gesture?—”
My lips are a flat line as I hold my hand up to cut Jaro off. “No.”
Bree tries again. “Drystan, she’s going to?—”
“I KNOW!” I roar. Fire flares, coating every inch of me as the final thread of my temper snaps. It reaches the ceiling before I can suck it back, leaving scorch marks on the mural above. “I fuckingknow. I even asked Rose to charm me into trusting him. It didn’t work. I swear to the Goddess, I’mtrying.”
Jaro steps forward, undeterred. “Are you? Or are you just giving lip service to the idea?”
“Look, it can be a last resort,” Bree tries to interject. “But consider it. For her.”
I’m locked in a staring contest with the obstinate wolf, whose eyes are gold with his beast. A huge chunk of snow drops onto my naked shoulders. The icy crystals go everywhere, melting oncontact with my higher-than-normal body temperature, soaking me.
My mistake becomes obvious as the cackles of the redcap fill the space.
I took my eyes off him for one second.One!
“LORCAN!”
“I thought you needed help to cool off.” His voice echoes from the corner.
I send a fireball his way, but he’s not there. All I achieve is incinerating a potted fern.
Bree lets out a sigh and runs his hand over the valravn tattoo. Ink black mist forms into wings on his back. “This conversation is no longer productive. I’ve given you my thoughts. Do with them what you will.”
The púca leaves, jumping from the edge of the balcony room and soaring down towards the lamplit city below, as I wipe freezing water from my skin with jerky movements.
