Page 74 of The Court of Thorns and Wings

Silence blanketed the entire kingdom, and Eiric placed her right hand on the hilt of her sword, preparing for an attack.

Face flushing gray, Eldrin snarled, “Now!And if anyone doesn’t move, they’ll be locked in the prison alongside them.”

Lorne moved first, flying toward us, with the next handful of guards following his lead.

Some of my hope died, and each breath felt like a struggle. This was what I’d feared.

“Donotobey him. Iamthe rightful king and heir. He’s committing treason.” Tavish’s irises turned the stormy gray that warned anyone of his temper who rose against him. “If you go against me, I will be forced to kill each one of you for your betrayal. You won’t get a chance to sit in a prison cell.”

The guards paused, glancing back and forth between the two of them.

“Are you listening tohimwhen he is protecting aSeelie royalover his own people? If my father hadn’t died when he had, there would be no questioning my order.” Eldrin glared at each guard and then glanced down at the rest of the Unseelie.

My chest tightened. He was pleading with the masses.Tavish, end this before it goes too far.

“He killed two guards on the first day she arrived before ever claiming her as his fated mate.” Eldrin held out his hands. “He allowed you to believe he had died when, clearly, he’s alive and standing before you now. And why did he allow you to believe he perished? So he could abandon you without consequences while retrieving the Seelie princess. By going there and bringing her back with him, he’s declared war with the Seelie. A war we cannot win in our current state. The safest thing to do—until we can rise again—is to lock him up and give the princess back when the Seelie king comes for her. Tavish ruined our chance of taking our rightful lands back.”

“Do not listen to him.” Tavish had the snow falling harder, and the temperature had dropped fifty degrees within the last minute. “He’s been conspiring againstmeandussince my father died. He claims he saved my life, but he didn’t. Lira is the one who tended to my wounds and kept me alive. All Eldrin did was retrieve me from the holding cell. Nothing more than that.”

The way the guards’ heads went back and forth between Eldrin and Tavish reminded me of watching a Ping-Pong game. They still hadn’t come to detain us, which counted for something.

“Ididsave your life and our people.” Eldrin clenched his hands. “What sort of life would we have with our ruler captured and under the Seelie’s control?None.We’d have wound up working for them and doing everything at their will. By rescuing you from the castle, I ensured we had the royal power back.”

“That is not the life obligation you had me believe.” Tavish’s face twisted in anger and betrayal, the sting overwhelming me through our bond. “And maybe we could have bridged the divide between us and the Seelie if I’d remained with them after I healed for a short while. Maybe they wouldn’t have exiled all of our people in this awful land, afraid of my thirst for revenge, and we’d still have direct access to our Unseelie magic.”

“I did what I believed was right.” Eldrin clenched his hands. “Which I’ve continued to do every day since coming here. I’ve advised you and always put our people first while you threw everything away for a sunscorched princess.”

“Long live King Eldrin,” a few Unseelie chanted from below, making my heart stop.

Shock pulsed from Tavish, followed by a crushing sense of anguish.

More and more chimed in while Eldrin’s grin stretched into a gigantic smile.

Even though numerous fae didn’t chant and instead frowned, they remained quiet as the majority showed support for Eldrin.

“We need toleavebefore we’re imprisoned,”Eiric growled from beside me.

I hated that she was right.

“No. They can’t turn on me.” Tavish breathed raggedly. “I’m their king.”

“Tav, she’s right,” Finnian agreed.

I understood his issue—leaving would make him look weak.We leave and regroup. Then we’ll come back and kill Eldrin. If we get caught, it’ll be harder—

“Seize them!” Eldrin shouted again.

This time, the guards obeyed, yielding to the masses.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Tavish seethed as fury shot through him and into our bond.

A moment later, magic pulsed through our connection fromhim, which had never happened before. His magic felt sludgy and heavy, resembling the nightmares I used to have when he would watch me through my dreams.

Eldrin grunted, and the smile dropped from his face, his expression changing into one of discontent that eventually crumpled his features into pure terror.

People on the street screamed, and I understood what Tavish was doing.

He was using his illusion magic.

---