Page 61 of Ties of Bargains

“He’s just one human.” Val’s voice rang with a detached skepticism. “The others attempting blood rites have done it with far more volume of blood.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Harm caught movement as more of the mercenaries drifted their way, drawn by the unfolding drama. They gathered with their arrays of weapons, arms crossed, as they took in the scene.

Harm couldn’t help but tense. At least Diego would chalk up his stiffness to terror. And perhaps it was, but not for himself. Or not only for himself. His breath caught at the sight of Val with so many potential enemies gathered at her back.

“Yes, but he’s the heir to his duchy.” Diego’s smirk slicked even darker. “Even if his younger brother does survive and inherits the throne someday, this human will always be the True Heir. His blood holds sway over his duchy.”

The muscle at the corner of Harm’s jaw flexed as he glared up at Diego. “You’ll never get your hands on Tulpenland.”

Diego snorted and gave a rough tug on Harm’s hair, yanking his head even farther back until Harm struggled to breathe. “You don’t understand, human. Tulpenland is already in my hands because I haveyou.”

Even more of the mercenaries crowded close, and Diego’s gaze flicked away from Harm long enough to take them in.

Diego’s smirk widened as he tightened his grip on Harm’s shoulder as if to grind him into the stone. “I’m the reason you’re here. When I learned that a human king was seeking a fae poison, I was the one who gave it to him. I bargained with him so that he would poison the younger son, promising him that I would see to it that the heir disappeared. I told Queen Mab to send a fae to bargain with your father, I outlined the terms of that bargain, and I sent my mercenary to bring you from the Human Realm and eventually to me. Your blood has been in my control from the moment yourdestiny with the Fae Realm was determined, and there is power in such control over another’s life.”

The mercenaries were murmuring now, caught up in their leader’s unfolding performance.

“What king? What enemy of Tulpenland conspired with you?” Harm snarled the words, his neck aching from the angle he was held. His questions were perhaps a little too pointed, but Diego was preening for his audience now.

Diego shrugged, a slick sneer on his face. “Heinrich, Henry, something like that. He’s hardly your concern. Or mine.”

And there it was. The answer Harm had been waiting for. King Hendrik had coveted Tulpenland’s farms and trade for years. He couldn’t take Tulpenland by force thanks to the network of canals, but it seemed he thought he could take it by trickery instead.

Father and Gijs were still in grave danger. King Hendrik must have thought he could swoop in and take over the duchy once Gijs died and Harm disappeared, leaving the duchy without an heir.

What had he done once Gijs recovered? Had he attacked? What form had it taken? Another poisoning? A full-scale invasion? Were Harm’s father and brother even still alive?

Harm needed to return home without any more delay.

Diego swung his gaze away from Harm to the mercenaries. He finally released Harm’s hair so that he could gesture grandly, though he kept his painful gripon Harm’s shoulder. “He will soon learn the perils of bargaining with the fae. He wanted Tulpenland for himself, but with this human’s blood, Tulpenland will soon be mine. My Wild Hunt will ride on the duchy and ravage from border to border until the canals run red. It will be a golden age of glory and spoil for Wild Hunt Grimbrand!”

The mercenaries cheered. All except Val, who remained at the front with her arms crossed, her expression stony. She’d give them away if she remained so unenthusiastic for her leader’s planned Wild Hunt ride.

Instead, she met Harm’s gaze and gave a single small nod.

Harm tightened his grip on the iron knife hidden beneath his sleeve, eased his weight onto one knee, and struck without giving in to the urge to take a deep breath, which would only give away his intentions.

He swept out a leg, knocking Diego’s legs out from under him, even as he reached up and gripped the hand that had been clutching his shoulder. As Val had drilled into him, he dragged Diego down, yanked his arm behind his back, and pinned him to the ground with a knee.

Diego’s face mottled. Perhaps angry at being bested by a human. Or embarrassed to be so bested in front of his Wild Hunt. Harm had only succeeded because Diego hadn’t been expecting an attack from his captive human.

In a blink, Harm drew the iron knife and had itpressed to the Wild Hunt leader’s throat. The scent of burning skin filled the air, and Harm gritted his teeth to resist the urge to stay his hand. Any sign of weakness or shirking from doing what needed to be done would be exploited.

A few of the mercenaries stepped forward, hands going to their weapons.

Harm pressed harder against Diego’s throat with the iron knife, causing a louder sizzling sound. “Stay back, or your leader dies.”

Beneath Harm’s knee, Diego twisted to glare at Val. “Didn’t you search him for weapons?”

“Yes. I’m not incompetent.” Val huffed, as if it was all Diego’s fault he was currently pinned beneath Harm. “He had no weapons on his person when I searched him.”

Harm resisted the urge to grin at her very careful answer. Instead, he jabbed Diego in the throat again with the knife. “My father passed this knife to me after she searched me. I’ve kept it hidden ever since.”

Diego’s body shook as he chuckled, his face smoothing back into that controlled sneer. “What is your plan now, human?”

“A life for a life. That was the original bargain, and it’s the bargain I offer you now.” Harm refused to flinch at the blackened mark that spread beneath the Hunt leader’s jaw. “I hold your life, and you hold mine. I’d prefer if we each held our own lives in our own hands.”

“Very well. A life for a life. You are free of the binding to me.” Diego spoke almost too lightly, as if releasing Harm didn’t mean giving up all his plans. As ifbeing pinned to the ground was all just a part of his plan after all.

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