Page 96 of Kingdom of Briars and Roses

Slade.

He spoke first. “Well, that was a fucking shitshow— Oh.”

Both their expressions shifted at the sight of me tucked behind Rydian. Surprise then wariness then something that bordered on admiration, especially from the larger one.

“You finallydecided to tell her,” he said.

“I haven’t told her shit,” Rydian snapped at him. “And neither will you.”

Slade smirked. “I’d say bringing her to the house says plenty.” He winked at me.

Even though I had no idea what he was talking about, heat crept into my cheeks. Was this Rydian’s house? Did he have a bedroom somewhere in these walls? Why the Hel did I care? And why did Slade seem to think Rydian bringing me here was significant?

But even as I wondered, Rydian tensed beside me. I expected him to lash out—at me or them—but he merely changed the subject, his voice controlled and clipped. “Is it done?”

“It’s over,” the larger male agreed.

“And the prince?” Rydian asked.

“He’ll live,” Slade said flatly.

The other one snorted. “That brat’s like a stable cat. Endless lives.”

I tried to piece together what they were saying, but it was impossible to discern whether they were happy to hear that Callan had survived the attack or not.

“Can someone please tell me what the Hel is going on? Why did those rebels try to kill me?”

For a moment, no one spoke. I glared, a slew of curses on the tip of my tongue, most of them aimed at Rydian.

The larger male broke the silence before I could unleash them. “They’re Autumn fae rebels who are angry with the king,” he said.

“Yes, I gathered that,” I said. “What are they so angry about?”

The three males shared a look that had temper bubbling in me again.

“Taxes,” the larger male answered before I could snap.

“Taxes? That’s it?”

“You were expecting something else?” he asked.

“They seemed…exceptionally angry,” I said.

The larger male’s brow lifted at that. “You’ve never been stripped of all resources for survival?”

“I…” I’d been forced to hunt and grow my own food. To rely on my own instincts to keep from being found by Obsidians and other predators. But in this moment, that didn’t feel like the same thing.

“I’m Daegel by the way.” He spoke with no judgment as he introduced himself. “This is Slade.”

“We’ve met.” Slade winked.

Rydian let out a snarl with enough venom to wipe the amusement from Slade’s expression.

“We’ll be in the other room,” Daegel said, shoving at Slade to get him moving.

They both turned and disappeared into another part of the house, leaving me alone with a male I was still half-sure wanted to see me dead.

Rydian turned to face me, suspicion gleaming in his dark gaze. It didn’t make any sense, and irritation rose in me, blotting out everything else.

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