Page 94 of Bane of the Wild Hunt

“But Aodhan was exiled.Youare exiled. And he was in the Vale when his blood was spilled. How do you know they would have felt him die so far away?” he asked me. Looking for a logical way out of the coming bloodbath.

“Any warlord can exile you. They can issue a vendetta against you that their house will abide, but only death can prevent a royal-blooded male dryad from competing for the supremacy of their clan and all the Rowan Wood.”

“Then you need not compete at all since you do not meet their requirements, Summer,” he pointed out drolly. And if I was not so terrified, I might have laughed.

“There is no withdrawal until all the eligible males are dead and females are claimed. When a child is born to one of the royal clans, drops of our blood are spilled upon the roots of Danu’s Tree, and a flower blooms for every child who carries the blood of the goddess. Those are her heirs. Remember I told you thatthe males must all try to secure an adequate female? That is because Danu’s lineage can only be recognized by the tree in the female line. It was meant to keep power in the hands of Danu’s daughters, but it has not worked out that way. Her male heirs cannot pass on their legacy in a way that the tree will recognize, so they resort to using us like chattel,” I tried to explain.

I was rambling nervously, I knew that, but now that he knew the truth about my lineage, it felt like all the secrets I’d been holding onto were aching to come out of me.

“The warlord who manages to seize power from my father will not stop until every flower on that tree withers and falls to the earth. Either by death or by the harness. It’s called An Díothú Mór. The Great Annihilation.”

I felt his chest slowly expand as he drew in a slow, deep breath, and then he gave a soft sigh as he hugged me even more tightly. I thought I felt him press his lips lightly against the top of my head and linger there.

“They cannot have you, Summer. I will not allow it,” Sage swore, but I could not bring myself to answer.

Like a complete and utter fool, I had begun to wonder if I really could have something good, but I should have known better than to crave such things. Peace, security,love, none of those sentiments were something the heirs of Danu could afford to chase.

“I knew that this day would come,” I admitted to Sage. “I just never thought I’d be the one to draw First Blood.”

Sage leaned back and reached up to tilt my head back so he could meet my eyes.

“Rian needs to know about this—”

“He will probably see this as the perfect opportunity to get what he wants!” I disagreed.

“Rian cannot afford for one of his riders to become consumed like this, and even if he wanted this, I will not allow it. He will find another way to get what he needs,” Sage reassured me.

“Neither of you have a choice. The Ruadhán respect no one and nothing beyond their own traditions.”

“They arenottaking you,” Sage maintained firmly.

“You don’t know what they are like! You don’t know how ruthless and vile they are, Sage! They will make the Fuath look like nothing but children at play. I cannot ask you to help me. This is not a battle that you or anyone else can try and fight for me. The best thing would be for me to go as far away from you and—”

Sage startled me when one of his gentle hands slipped from cupping my jaw down to my throat. He did not squeeze in a way that was threatening but commanding as he leaned over me with his stunning, purple eyes flashing in the dim firelight behind me.

“You are not going anywhere, Summer. I told you that anyone who challenges you has also challenged me.”

“Sage—”

“It may not be a Wild Hunt challenge, but you are still myanam. I will not allow you to face this alone, so you can forget any notion about running away from me.”

“Please don’t be stubborn, I can’t lose you too—”

“You will not. Wejusttalked about this, remember? This urge to always sacrifice yourself. I need you to value your life and trust me to have your back the way I trust Rian to have mine. My cousin was with Aodhan for many years, heknowsyour people, and he already had a plan for putting Aodhan on the throne,” Sage revealed.

That gave me pause just as I was about to tell Sage off for bringing up a promise I’d made before my family had become one of the threats arrayed against us.

“I don’t want the throne.”

“I know that. Rian does not actually need to put you on the throne, he just wants a foothold in the Summer Court so we can manage the Rot. The throne was something that Aodhan desired, and it aligned with Rian’s agenda, so that was their agreement. Your pact with him can be different, but regardless of what it looks like, it is not in Rian’s interest for you to be drawn into this battle. Even without considering the more personal reasons that he now has for ensuring your safety,” Sage pointed out significantly.

“What personal reasons does he have to keep me safe? I killed his lover! He should be happy that my people will take care of me for him,” I dismissed.

“You also saved his cousin, his uncle, and his friend,” Sage insisted. “I was not sure before how he would react to the knowledge that you were myanam. But when I… took his power, I forced him to know the truth about you. And itmeantsomething to him, Summer.”

I was silent as I considered this possibility that Rian might now feel… indebted to me. I was under no illusion that he did not still hate me, hate what I’d taken from him, but perhaps I’d made room for acceptance too.

What if Sage was right, and I really could lean on the Wild Hunt for support to face the Díothú? It went against everything I’d learned after all the years of suffering and loss that my family inflicted upon me and my loved ones. But Sage, his brother riders, and his family were unlike anyone that I’d ever known before.

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