Page 183 of Fated or Knot

The interior was sizable, designed for three, maybe four, fae to sit side by side on the plush benches. Rennyn was already seated in a corner on the right side. I inspected him for a moment, relieved to see that he was fine with my own two eyes. “Larkie,” he said cheerfully. I cracked a smile at the new nickname. “How nice it is to see you again. Sit right there.”

He indicated the corner of the bench across from him, pointing with the edge of his lucky coin. Eletha settled next to me, the two of us sharing a companionable lean, with Kauz on her other side, wrapping his wing around his sister and me both, and Tormund taking up much of the free space next to the dark elf king. Rennyn tapped the ceiling and off the carriage went with a jolt.

“We have a lot to talk about. Don’t mind ’Letha being here. I stole her away from the library tower, given how nice a day it is. We were just catching up.”

“We have some things to share with you, too, Father,” Kauz said.

Rennyn released a sigh. “Probably more bad news. You might as well go first.”

Kauz wasted no time delving into what he’d learned from Laurel last night, both from her memories and the damage to her mind. Eletha wrung her hands, making a soft whine of concern while he talked about the way her memories resembled mine before myolcanusremoval.

Rennyn didn’t look all that surprised, until the end, when Kauz revealed that the mermaid had accepted his invitation to ally with us. The dark elf king inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Well done. And yes, I remember the particular moment you’re talking about. It’s really hard to forget blinking twice and having a prisoner disappear, replaced by a mermaid vomiting blood. The house moths are still scrubbing my favorite pair of boots clean, by the way. Truly wretched stuff.”

“Can we trust her, though?” Eletha murmured.

“Of course not,” Rennyn answered, then raised his index finger. “However. She now represents both the greatest strength and weakness of our opponents. Fitting, with her having the siren’s song. With power comes consequences. I’m confident we can turn this to our advantage.”

“We’re going to get her away from Pack Ellisar, right?” I asked nervously.

“I went from not giving two slivers of care about Laurel to now owing her a life debt, if Kauz isn’t exaggerating her actions. So, aye. She may not entirely enjoy the fate I have in mind for her, but it involves her being safe and alive.” He waved dismissively. “I didn’t go out of my way today to talk to you all about some mermaid, however. You’re early. I expected you to return tomorrow.”

“We had to tell you about the siren’s song?—”

“We were worried about you!” Tormund exclaimed.

“—and add context to what happened yesterday,” Kauz finished. “And aye, that too.”

Rennyn walked his lucky coin between his fingers as he smacked his lips. “Aw. If this isn’t just a carriage full of sweethearts. I’m already on it. I just need a bit more time to work some things out,soooo, Tor-Tor, your date with Lark is next, right?”

Tormund nodded happily.

“You two are leaving as soon as possible. Once we arrive, you can make the arrangements and we can discuss certain specifics. Larkie, I want a quick conversation with you, too. You’re staying out of the palace, so I’ll have your handmaidens come to you.”

“I’m staying out of the palace?” I echoed.

He nodded without explaining and continued giving instructions to the others until the carriage finally came to a stop. My mates left first, while Eletha and I hugged in farewell. “Thanks, ’Letha. See you tonight,” Rennyn said, reaching out to clasp hands with her before they hugged too. She was soon leaving, shutting the door behind her to seal me in with the dark elf king.

“What did you just give her?” I asked curiously.

He smiled with Unseelie mischief and swung his legs up to recline across his bench. “You may as well get comfortable for this. We have more pressing matters to discuss. Did you ever read the breeding contract you signed?”

I flushed hot and cold, anger and fear of Pack Ellisar in equal measure. “I didn’t have much of a chance to,” I said in an embarrassed mumble.

“I know this is a sensitive topic, but no shame, all right?” He kept talking before I could answer. “Before Pack Ellisar took the original with them on their trip here, our spy transcribed a copyof it. I’ve poured over it. So has Nemensia and Elion, who have far more experience adjudicating fae law.”

No shame, he says, before revealing all this.I hunched in on myself. “I signed it only because I was forced to.”

“We are allverywell aware. The contract itself is illegal, as you’ve likely been informed, in Serian.” He fiddled with his coin, keeping it moving and his fingers occupied. “And because it excludes a certain clause, it turns out it’s illegal in Thelis too. There is nothing written into the contract for an omega who finds her scent matches to be released from the agreement. We looked for it first.”

“But it’s just a piece of paper,” I said, echoing the dismissive way my mates had talked about the contract, if it was ever brought it up. “Right?”

Rennyn released a sound between a growl and a sigh, full of frustration. “I wish that was the case, Larkie. Do you know how grievances work?”

My mouth became drier than dust. I croaked out a small, “No.” After my foolish vow to Cymora, I’d done my best to dodge making any large vows.

“Brace yourself for this…no one does. It’s old magic. Probably the same magic that prevents us from outright lying to one another. The contract has a grievance clause that states that Falindel, as your new pack lead, would pay a grievance to Ellisar, as the wronged party, if you are mated into a different pack.

“Now, the contract sits in a gray area of validity. You were compelled by a vow and the contract itself is not enforceable in any country. But yousignedit, in effect giving your word as a fae. We’ve studied it top to bottom to see whether or not old magic would activate the grievance clause despite all the layers of illegal we’re dealing with. And the only answer we’ve come to agree on is that we cannot risk it.”

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