Page 21 of The Cursed Crown

But they’d taken that independence for granted. Their oath was to the high court, still. They would bow. He needed them to. They needed it too, if they wanted to survive the storm.

"Only travel along the west coast," Morgan replied. "My best spies are due back any time with news of the rest of the land. I thought you might want to know about your father as fast as possible, so I rushed back." A fair assumption.

"Old Dorin is inconsequential," scoffed Crane, a fat goblin with sharp teeth often wet with blood. Though these days he sank his teeth into politics more than flesh, he was a redoubtable enemy, and a worthy advisor in times of war, hence why he stood in this room although Rydekar wasn’t fond of the old man. “He knows nothing about the seelie world, and has never lived in the Old Keep. So long as Antheos remains north, he’s useless. Besides, Antheos will betray him sooner or later. They want to take the fae land from the folk, not serve it to him on a platter.”

'"We don't know what Antheos promised Dorin,” Denos pointed out. “He may have joined them out of spite.”

“Oh, they promised him a crown.” Khal shrugged. "That's the only thing Dorin has ever cared for."

Rydekar nodded in agreement. That alliance would eventually implode. The question was, how could he benefit from it? He filed all the information in his mind. “Anything else?” His gaze swept the room, pausing on Crane, then Denos and Morgan. No one had anything left to say. "Then I will see you at dusk in the throne room."

Getting up, Rydekar caught himself observing the bright sunrise, though it hurt his eyes, used as they were to darkness.

He never planned to speak, but words escaped his mouth nonetheless. “The seelie queen is to be reckoned with. She could be a powerful ally, or a deadly enemy. Treat her as such.”

There was a lot more he could say about Serissa Braer, but he left it at that, before marching to the door, Khal on his heel.

His cousin, naturally, couldn’t keep his mouth shut. "Wasn't that cute? You’re telling them to treat your girlfriend right."

Crack.

The last shred of control splintered. He was done with propriety, done with being kingly, and most of all, he was done with his cousin.

Rydekar spun on his heels and punched Khal, aiming for his perfect teeth to wipe his smug grin of him.

Khal blocked the blow, and chuckled as he did it. “All right, all right. I’ll leave you be. Just a word of advice, cousin. I saw through you with ease. If you want your princess to survive, you know what to do.”

He did.

Rydekar remained silent, and they parted ways at the stairs, to their respective apartments.

Give and Take

Rissa woke to the faint chords of violin, flute, and harp coming from somewhere in her immediate surroundings, her first clue that she wasn’t back in her tree house. Before she opened her eyes, every memory of the previous night—and early morning—rushed to her.

She groaned, falling back onto the mattress of the annoyingly comfortable bed.

She was in the Old Keep, surrounded by foreign folk, athisbehest. Bloody Rydekar Bane. And worse yet, she was on her way to the Wilderness, in order to wake a prince who’d been cursed for so many centuries no one alive remembered him.

She almost felt foolish now. If Tharsen hadn’t been awakened before, perhaps it couldn’t be done. Perhaps she’d waste her time on her journey north. What then?

Then, she’d have to turn back with her tail between her legs, and admit to being wrong. With any luck, by then Rydekar would have found another way to unite the folk, and leave her alone.

She was surprised to find the crystal pool filled with a scented foamy liquid that looked too pale to be wholly natural. Never a coward, but rarely a fool, she dipped a toe in. Delightful warmth spread over her feet, untangling tension she hadn’t even felt.

This spelled substance wasn’t water, but if it had been good enough for Alder Braer, husband to the fairy queen Mab, it certainly was good enough for her. Rissa shed her chemise and walked inside the pool, finding it deep enough to engulf her entirely, even while standing up. She could swim four laps from one end to the next. The pool could host an orgy. With a grimace, she admitted that it probably had at one point. High fae weren’t known for their pudor.

She settled at one side, head thrown back as she enjoyed the calming embrace of the strange liquid, closing her eyes to avoid looking at the dozens of mirrors in front of her.

Alder must have been quite vain.

It was strange that she knew almost nothing about her grandfather—or her grandmother. Titus had been a thoughtful father, overall. He’d allotted her more time than most kings would have wasted on a girl unfit to be his heir. For all that, he never spoke about his illustrious parents.

Her body tingled with an awareness she already could identify.

Hewas near.

“Have you ever heard of knocking?” she asked as the door silently opened in front of Rydekar.

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