Page 68 of The Forbidden Fae King

“I am here,” Cyprien says, “because I am losing faith in the high chancellor. I have wondered for months if I was wrong in allowing her to remove my king from his seat of power and send him into exile.”

Cyprien looks me straight in the eye. “Aldrin, my king of the Spring Court, please do not prove my most recent change of heart wrong. Because if you are indeed worthy, if you prove to me that everything you have said is true, I will fight to the ends of this realm and into the next to return you to your rightful place. But first,” He holds up a finger. “First, I need to be convinced.”

Those words smack into me with the force of a stampede of crazed kelpies. Cyprien turns on his heel, nods to Lilly at his side, and both leave the room.

Chapter 19

Keira

It feels like a cold bucket of water has been poured over my head, as Cyprien disappears and the exchange is broken.

I am left gaping at Aldrin. “You’re a king?”

“I was.” He shrugs at me, but his attention is far away.

“You didn’t negotiate for my sister to be freed from that man’s clutches!” I push at his chest as hard as I can, but he doesn’t move.I hold onto the anger that burns through me like hot oil, because the panic that rises alongside it is enough to undo me.

“Clearly, I am a king with no power.” Aldrin tries to brush me off again, but double takes as the tips of my hair start to sizzle with the hint of flames. “One battle at a time, Keira. I will win him over, and then his prisoner will be my prisoner, and I will release her immediately.” I keep glaring death at him and he sighs, holding up both hands. “Okay, okay, I will talk to him and find out why he cares to hold onto her.”

Impotent frustration flows through me, but I have no choice. This high fae, thisking, he has his own battles to face.

I suddenly feel like a fool, challenging royalty from another realm. I almost made him mylover.

So much for staying away from the high fae.

My head spins and I run my hands over my face. I am making every mistake my grandmother warned me against.

The streaks of war paint across Aldrin’s face slowly fade back to the regular tanned tone of his skin and the thin, curling and branching antlers dissipate to shimmer motes. It seems to only come out when he fights or is angry. Just like my hair.

Caitlin approaches me gingerly, where I still half hide behind Aldrin, giving him a wide berth. She grabs me by the shoulders and examines me from head to toe, her face twisting with emotion at the sight of me.

“Were you hurt?” she demands.

“Only from my own magic, but they healed me. Were you hurt?” My voice breaks.

“Same.” She half laughs, then pulls me into a tight embrace, and her body shakes. “I was so scared for you, Keira. Terrified I’d never find you again.”

I realize she is crying. The dampness of her tears is in my hair and across my cheek. “It’s okay. I’m here.” I pat her back and squeeze her.

Caitlin has never been good at expressing her emotions. She builds up such a strong, severe facade, to prevent anything getting close enough to hurt her, but she doesn’t let emotions out either. It allows her to weather a storm, to destroy anyone who would harm her people, but when she breaks, it is all at once and she utterly shatters.

It is always the people who put on the strongest fronts who are the most fragile within.

“Has Cyprien treated you well?” I whisper.

“Yeah.” Caitlin gulps. “I actually like the stony bastard.”

“Yeah, me too, unfortunately,” Aldrin grumbles, still beside us. “But he is a terrible host. I’m not leaving this fortress until I get my answer.”

Caitlin lets go of me, to examine Aldrin. He gives her a formal bow. “Nice to meet you, Caitlin. It was much anticipated.”

She gives him a curt nod. “Thank you for taking care of Keira while I dealt with this fool.” She flicks her head in the direction Cyprien left in.

I give Caitlin a wide smile. She has a sense of humor, if you know where to look for it. Then I round on Aldrin again. “You are aking?When were you going to tell me?”

I still can’t believe I almost seduced a faekingfor fun. It would have been insanity. I can’t bind myself to another king.

“Probably whenever you told me a single detail about your life,” Aldrin quips back.

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