Page 3 of Prince of Never

I jolted out of my fascinated, disgusted stupor and picked up my knife.‘Even if you’ve finally gotten her father to agree to a date, I still don’t understand how you could think I’d go along with it.’

Her mouth stretched in an approximation of a smile, but there was no warmth in it.There never was.‘What makes you think you have a choice?’

I let the silence stretch like a newly woken cat, picking up my glass and taking a sip, swirling the wine around my mouth.Any protest I made now would only be wasted energy, and this little visit had lasted long enough already.

‘Darling, I always have your best interests at heart,’ she finally said, as if she were speaking to someone who might actually believe those words.

‘For someone who can’t lie, you’ve always played fast with the truth,’ I said, my voice even.

She laughed, throwing back her head like it really was amusing, her fork momentarily forgotten.When she was done with her little show, she sipped her wine and fixed me with eyes that weren’t amused in the slightest.‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were against the match.’

‘I am.’

‘That is the wrong attitude.’She waggled a finger at me and I ground my teeth at the patronising gesture.‘If you hadn’t proven yourself to be utterly incapable of arranging your own affairs, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.You had time to make your own choice.’

‘Hardly,’ I muttered, stabbing at my food with more force than necessary.It wasn’t as if I was running out of time, but if greed had a name, it would belong to my mother.She collected power like a miser collected gold, and she wouldn’t let something as inconsequential as me stand in her way.

‘You should be grateful that I’ve intervened on your behalf.The court has been talking about your reclusive tendencies.’

I inhaled a breath.Let it out.‘Marrying me off isn’t going to change that.’

The smile fell from her face and she flicked her hand.Servants swarmed in, snatching my plate from under me, while I still sat with my fork suspended like an idiot.I dropped it to the table and folded my arms, trying not to look irritated.It would only make her think she’d won.

‘Darling,’ she said, rolling the word until it almost sounded like a purr, ‘anyone would think your ascension was guaranteed.A political marriage and your presence at court is the least I would expect of you, given your little problem.’

She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder and examined her fingernails, which were filed into lethal-looking points.There were plenty of stories told about the queen of the Unseelie Court, many of them false or inflated, but the tale of her gouging out the eyes of a traitor with those fingernails was true.I’d watched her do it.

‘The least you expect of me seems to be a constantly moving measure,’ I replied as the rest of the dishes on the long table were cleared away, leaving nothing between us but polished wood, reflecting the light of the flickering candelabras high above.

‘So bitter.’She turned her attention from her nails and fixed me with a look.‘Poor prince, it must be such a terrible life for you, living out of the crown’s coffers, indulging yourself to your heart’s content while you wait to inherit a throne you’ve not had to lift a finger to secure.’It was a tired old line.Even she seemed bored as she spoke the words.

And I was no longer listening.Arun, my personal guard, had appeared at the door.His usually impenetrable face conveyed enough emotion in the twist of his mouth for me to know whatever he wanted was urgent.I flicked a crumb off my sleeve and stood.

‘You aren’t staying for dessert?’the queen asked sharply.

‘No.I’m snowed under with indulging myself to my heart’s content this week,’ I replied dryly as she rose from her seat and extended her arms.I went to her, as summoned, like a trained dog.

She took my hands.‘You think I’m hard on you, but you will thank me one day for building you up to be the king you will become.’

I withdrew my hands.‘Not today, but you never know, mother.Maybe next week.’

Her mouth turned down slightly, clearly displeased, but she simply perched back on her chair and turned her attention to the dishes of cakes and creams that were being laid before her, acting as though I’d already left.She wouldn’t eat any of the array of desserts she’d ordered from the kitchens, merely pick the sugared bluebells off the tops, dipping in a finger here or there, until every dish was spoiled and none consumed.

I didn’t wait for a goodbye before following Arun out the door.

‘What is it?’I hissed at him as soon as we were out of range of the queen’s sharp hearing.He shook his head, his gaze darting to the soldiers stationed periodically down the hall.If he was worried about even them overhearing, he must have something worth telling.I ushered him on as anticipation began to build inside me, devouring the flagstone floor with long strides in my eagerness to reach the staircase.It coughed us out on the lower levels of the palace, and from there into the anonymous night.

‘Tell me,’ I urged as soon as we met the cold air outside, leaving behind the sly glances and attentive ears of the fae loyal to my mother, or to whoever else had paid or threatened them enough to feed information elsewhere.

‘Bannock and Wren have been following the latest lead,’ he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

‘And?’

‘It led them into the human realm, where—’

‘Arun, get to the point.What’s the news?’I cut in.

He slowed his pace to cut a glance at me.‘We’ve found her.’

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