Page 101 of The Forbidden Fae King

“Let me go into the city first, and pave the way for you,” Cyprien urges, placing a hand on Aldrin’s shoulder. “I will ensure the corrupted spriggan have arrived at my estate and that our evidence is still intact. Give me time to call on allies in the Senate and begin to plant the seeds of your revelation. The day you enter the city, I can have sympathetic guards on the gate. I will take our low fae witnesses with me, have them in position when you need them.”

Aldrin nods, but it is clear from his sagged shoulders that the necessity of those actions pain him. That he is not welcome home.

“How long do you need?” Aldrin murmurs.

“Give me a week, then I will send for you.” Cyprien slaps him on the shoulder, then walks away, calling his soldiers to him.

The vulnerability in every taut line of Aldrin’s body as he watches Cyprien leave makes something tighten and twist within my chest.

“That settles it then. We will be returning in a week.” Silvan grunts. He puts so much force into the whetstone running across his blade that it slips and he cuts his finger.

Drake grabs his hand and runs his thumb over the small gash, a dim white light glowing between them, then the cut is gone. “Does it terrify anyone else? What will we find there? How the people we left behind have faired?” Drake chokes on those last words.

Klara immediately rises to her knees beside him, wraps her arms around his neck and pulls his head into her chest. Drake closes his eyes for a long moment as she kisses his forehead. “Rainier will be fine. He was always a tough boy.”

I stare at the unexpected intimacy between them.

Drake’s gaze falls on me and a hint of a smirk plays on his lips as he catches me gawking at them. “Keira, why do you look so surprised that a woman loves me? Am I that much of a fae beast to you?” He hides his emotions in humor.

“No. No. It’s just that the two of you always seem to be fighting.” I can’t hide my fluster.

“Fighting like an old married couple?” He quips. Suddenly their every interaction reframes itself in my mind. The arguments without heat, and met with smiles. The fact they are always together. Not every couple shows their affections in public.

“Someone needs to put him in his place.” Klara smiles.

“Come on wife, you just love to flirt with me.” Drake stares up at her.

Klara disengages herself from him and sits down again. “When Aldrin lost his throne, a huge rift formed in the ruling class. Families were dragged apart as some supported their king and others Titania. Any who strongly opposed the high chancellor were placed into house arrest indefinitely on their own estates. To even visit them is to risk your neck. We chose exile with Aldrin, but our son Rainier, he wasfresh in his political career and was ensnarled in Titania’s lies, becoming a devoted supporter...” She trails off.

Drake runs the back of his hand across his eyes. “The last time we saw him, it ended in a heated argument. I don’t know how he will receive us on our return.”

“I’m so sorry.” I say, and it feels inadequate.

Silvan stands up abruptly, tosses his whetstone to the ground and stalks away with anger rippling through his tense body.

“When Silvan followed Aldrin, his partner remained behind in the palace,” Drake watches him go. “I have never met two men more dedicated to each other, but Silvan saw this as a personal betrayal, and it almost broke him.”

My heart squeezes with the amount of pain they have all endured. Beside me, Caitlin scrubs a tear from her eyes.

“At least being in exile hasn’t been all bad.” Klara lets out a laugh that is riddled with sadness. “It has done wondrous things for our relationship. Drake was away far too often on his missions for Aldrin.”

“What were your roles in his court?” Caitlin asks, using the tip of the blade to indicate the fae around us.

“Most of them worked for Silvan,” Klara states. “He was the Captain of Aldrin’s personal guard. Still is, I guess. I was his Minister of Specialized Battle Tactics and Drake?—”

“Spy Master.” He gives us a massive grin.

Klara nudges him in the ribs. “Commander of the Specialized Forces. Scouting a target, taking a specialized team into the field and handling it. Mostly collecting information.”

I smile at Drake. “So master of assassins and spies?”

“See, she gets it.” Drake glances at his wife, who rolls her eyes.

Caitlin leans forward over her knees. “And Cyprien is the commander of the army, if I’m correct. I want to know why Titania kept Aldrin’s brother-in-law in that position.”

Drake scratches the side of his face. “Because their falling out over Lorrella’s death was well known and fresh at the time. She had only just passed.”

I glance over to Aldrin as a deep sadness for him rolls through me.He lost everything all at once. He catches my eye and his frown softens and the tightness of his jaw releases.

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