Page 6 of The Court of Thorns and Wings

That word hurt coming from him, especially since he had more influence than most with Tavish.

I could hear Caelan filling up a glass as I continued to hack. My eyes burned with unshed tears, and I was beginning to believe I would never stop coughing.

“Here, let’s sit you up so you can drink easier, and I can tend to your final injury,” Finola said, wrapping an arm around my back and under my armpits. She helped to raise me up. My sides screamed as she slid me back so the bed’s pillows could keep me upright.

Once I was settled, Caelan handed me a glass. With each cough, a little water spilled from the side and hit Finnian. Instead of getting flustered, he helped guide the cup to my lips. I took a huge gulp, and the relief was immediate. The warm spot in my chest sparked, almost in sync with the sip that eased my chest as it slid down.

I couldn’t get over how miraculous the water was here.

Each gulp made my chest feel lighter, and even though the pain remained, I could handle the agony better. Once I’d drained the glass, Finnian took it from me and held it out to Caelan.

Caelan gritted his teeth then asked, “Do you need more?”

Even if I did, I was certain I didn’t want to ask him foranythingelse. “No, I’m good.”

“This is going to pinch,” Finola said and jabbed the needle into my side.

I whimpered, caught off guard as the needle broke through my skin. At least on Earth, they numbed people before stitching them up, but I knew better than to say anything. I refused to be seen as weaker than they already considered me.

I leaned my head back, feeling the sticky blood that coated me. I needed a distraction. “What’s going on with Eldrin?” Out of everyone here, he was the one who truly got under my skin, and I hated it. Every time I saw his face, the horrible way he’d hidden in the shadows and attacked me in the tub surfaced in my mind.

Finnian beamed and raised a hand. “Something that I never thought would happen, and I’m so blasting glad it did.”

“Easy.” Finola paused. “Don’t jerk the mattress, or I could hurt her.”

I snorted but covered it with a cough. My muscles screamed in discomfort as if Finola wasn’t putting me through enough torture on her own. A tear trickled down my cheek, and I brushed it away, hoping no one had noticed.

Caelan did, and he wrinkled his nose. He hated me more now than when I’d arrived.

“Okay, I’ll stay still.” Finnian lowered his arm slowly to his side. “Eldrin wanted to kill you, and Tavish stabbed him and declared that he was officially a prisoner. After all these years, I’m thrilled that Tavish finally tired of his antics and did something about it.”

“Don’t celebrate too early.” Caelan rubbed his temples.

Hmm, did fae get headaches like humans? That was my mom’s tell before a migraine came on.

Finola stabbed a little harder with the needle, and I tensed. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to relocate the pain so it wouldn’t overwhelm me. I took in a shaky breath, wondering if she’d be sewing me up for the rest of my life. At this point, it sure felt like it—though I wasn’t trying to be dramatic. “What do you mean?”

“Whether we like it or not, a lot of people here respect Eldrin, and Tavish turned on his own blood, the man who saved him.” Caelan paced in front of the bed. “Between that and interfering with the gauntlet and informing everyone that you’re under his protection, Tavish will have to be careful with his next moves, especially since Eldrin might have escaped.”

My world tilted. “Tavish did all that?” I didn’t remember much after he’d stepped in and protected me. I’d been disoriented. Hearing how much he’d risked for me turned my insides gooey.

“It’s not a good thing for him, though it puts you in a remarkably good position.” Caelan smacked his lips like he tasted something bad. “You get protection while he has to prove to his people all over again that he’s worthy to lead them.”

“Caelan, leave her alone.” Finnian slowly swung his legs over the mattress and stood. His face tensed, and he crossed his arms. “She almost died, and you’re being a wildling. She didn’t force Tavish to do anything, so the issues you have are withhim. Not her.”

My heart expanded, and when Finola placed the silk in her mouth and bit off the end, I wanted to cry with relief. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could’ve taken her poking and prodding, and I wanted Tavish to return so Caelan could take his sulky assout of here. Though I did appreciate his concern for Tavish. That alone made me like him better.

Caelan huffed. “That doesn’t change that Eldrin will use the situation to his advantage like he tried to do twelve years ago, but this time, Tavish is aiding the Seelie princess. Eldrin’s claims could carry more weight.”

“When he stabbed Eldrin?” I asked. Tavish had mentioned a disagreement between them, and he’d had to put Eldrin in his place. “What happened?”

Finnian frowned. “Eldrin claims he’s the rightful heir, even though he didn’t receive the royal magic. Eldrin’s father was the eldest brother, but he passed away before the magic was inherited. When Tavish’s grandfather perished, the magic transferred to the first direct blood descendent—Tavish’s father.”

I scoffed, causing my body to ache a little more. “Eldrin wasn’t passed over. That’s how the royal blood works.” And a part of me believed Fate had intervened. I couldn’t fathom Eldrin as king. It would be disastrous for everyone.

Either way, it was irrelevant and not worth focusing on. There was no question Tavish held the royal magic and was the rightful king.

Someone knocked on the bedroom door, and I froze.

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