Page 43 of The Court of Thorns and Wings

Finnian mimicked the sound as best he could, groaning similar to thebangof the door.

The second guard chuckled. “It’s the Unseelie, moaning like the nightfiend he is.”

“How bad are you hurting?” the first guard asked.

“Horribly,” Finnian slurred, playing up his injuries.

Though the last thing I wanted to do was leave, I needed to get back to my room. Without wasting more time, I hurried back down the passage.Is everything okay?

They’re just gloating. Nothing we can’t handle,Tavish replied. The worry he’d been feeling all day was gone.I just wish Finnian would’ve stayed quiet. I wasn’t done kissing you.

Was kissing all you wanted?I snickered as I opened the door to my bathroom.

No, but there’s no way I’d do more with him awake and conscious. I don’t need him to see you on top of me. The way your eyes close and the way your face smooths as I fill you is for only me to know.

I shut the secret door and turned to find my bathroom door open and someone standing in the corner of my darkened room, watching me.

13

LIRA

My mouth dried as I straightened and spread out my wings. Then I soared through the doorway into the bedroom, ready to fight whoever had caught me, needing them to keep their mouth shut about what they’d seen. As I flew over the bed, moonlight filled the room, revealing the identity of my observer.

I couldn’t slow down my pace enough, and I slammed into a wide-eyed Eiric.

Her arms circled my waist, keeping me upright as her back hit the wall. I heard a sickeningthwack, yet her arms still anchored me to her.

Sprite, what’s the matter?Tavish’s voice popped into my head.

Someone is in my room, but it’s just Eiric,I replied as my heart leaped into my throat. I pushed back, breaking from Eiric’s embrace, and rasped, “Dammit, E!”

“Don’tdammitme.” Eiric scowled and stood, rubbing the back of her head. “If anyone should be damned, it’syou.”

Fair, though I couldn’t hide my smile. “You want me to go to hell now?”

“Like you’ll ever die.” Eiric stuck her tongue out. “Even if you weren’t immortal, the amount of trouble you find yourself in will fuel you for eternity.”

I snorted and moved to inspect the back of her head. I touched the spot where it had hit the wall, making her flinch. There was a huge bump, but with fae, it wouldn’t result in a concussion. We weren’t frail like humans, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. “Eiric, I’m—”

“Don’t you dare say what I think you might.” Eiric glared at me. “You’re a princess and shouldn’t oweanyone, including me.”

My chest warmed. “You protected me on Earth, even before your memories came back.”

“I guess part of me always knew what my role was.” She gestured to the bathroom. “Something I hadn’t expected to be quite as difficult now that we’re in Gleann Solas and in the castle… yet here we are.”

She was fishing for answers, and I needed to be careful. The more she learned about the secret passages and my plan to leave with Tavish, the bigger the chance she’d catch hell for not informing anyone. “I was clearly in the bathroom.” I bit my lip, fighting the urge to heal her injury. If it had been worse, I would’ve. No questions asked.

“You werenot, Lira.” Eiric pointed a finger in my face. “I went in there. Don’t you realize both doors were open? Don’t do this half-truth shit that they like doing around here. You said we were still sisters, so prove it.”

Wait. Both doors would need to be unlocked for her to get in here. “Howdidyou get in? The doors were locked.” I scanned the room for answers. “Do you have a key?”

“I used my earth magic, manipulating the wood of the door to work around the lock.” She leaned back on her heels. “And, foryour information, every guard on duty has keys to get in here in case you’re ever harmed.”

Blighted abyss. I hadn’t realized every guard had keys to my room. “Well, that’s not reassuring.” The risk I’d taken to go see Tavish was even greater than I’d realized.

“Where were you?” She crossed her arms, leveling her gaze at me.

I couldn’t lie to her, even if I was able to. We’d always been truthful with one another, and I didn’t want to taint the relationship. She was too damn important to me. I sighed, crossing my fingers that she’d humor me. “Can we just let this go and forget it happened?”

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