Page 91 of Prince of Never

‘Free?’

‘Yes.Free to do as you please, within reason.We have laws like any society.’He watched me as I tried to herd my muddled thoughts into something coherent.What choice did I have?Go with Solas or wait for Tarian to come for me?To what end?I knew better than to think a happily ever after awaited me.I’d known from the very beginning that Tarian would only bring me heartache, and I’d walked right into it anyway.

‘Decide quickly, rabbit.Time is of the essence,’ Solas said.

‘You’re sure Ethan will be safe?’

‘I promise you, he’ll be just fine if you come with me now.’

Guilt tightened my throat.How long had I been putting him in danger?If my choices were to live my life on the run until the day Tarian finally caught up to me, or take my chances in the Seelie Court, I didn’t see that I had much choice.Solas seemed reasonable enough.He’d stepped in and rescued me from the hoard of shades.I didn’t know what his fight with Tarian was, but then, that was hardly my concern.Whatwasmy concern was getting the hell out of here before Tarian and his mother could use me as their puppet.

‘Alright, I accept your offer.’

‘Wonderful.Don’t worry, rabbit, you’re going to love the Summer Palace.’The smile he gave me was full of charm.‘Now, brace yourself.Light speed travel can make you a little woozy.’He tugged me closer, and there was a nagging doubt in the back of my mind that I couldn’t quite hear over another sound that set me on edge.

The beating of familiar wings.

Chapter 37

Tarian

Iblinkedopenmyeyes slowly, cringing as the light inflamed the ache in my head.I was on the floor, and for a moment I thought I was still in the throne room, still crawling around after beads.But that wasn’t possible.The throne room was rubble.A gaping pit of ruin and a grave for those who had been too close when I’d lost control.Or had that been a dream?

I grabbed at hazy memories as I sat up to lean my back against the wall, pinching my brow against the dull thud pulsing inside my skull.My clothes were wet with ice melt.They clung to me, holding on to the chill of Imogen’s rage.The ground was puddled with the remnants of the magic that had spilled out of her in a wave of fury.She was not only fae, but powerful.Magic usually manifested in a whisper of that strength.Most could bend the element of their affinity a little, summon it to some extent, but few could do what she had done.Was she was scared of her own ability the way I had been when I discovered mine?

I should have suspected she was powerful, now that I thought back.That incident when she’d poured wine in my lap, I could have sworn I’d tasted magic in the air, had caught sight of the wine leaping out of the jug rather than being poured.But I’d been too angry to think much further than her insolence at the time.

Her anger in that moment had allowed a shadow of her ability to slip through.Now, her pain and fury at me had finally woken it.Ihad done that.

‘Look who’s finally decided to wake up.’

I swivelled my gaze to the left, where Ves was leaning against the wall a few feet away, his long legs crossed at the ankles and his hands folded in his lap.

‘Maybe you should go back to sleep,’ he added.‘Frankly, you look terrible.’

‘How long?’I asked, my voice rasping out of my throat.

He shrugged.‘A couple of hours, maybe.You were already out cold when I found you, though, so I can’t be sure.’

‘And you just left me laying on the floor in a pool of water.For hours,’ I said, my eyes narrowing on the plump cushion he was sitting on.

‘I made sure you didn’t drown,’ he said, as if it had been a major inconvenience.

I turned away from him, dropping my head back against the wall as my thoughts slowly collected.‘Where is she?’

‘She left in a bit of a hurry.Some message about the palace falling down.Though it looks like she was efficient enough to achieve the damage she wanted here.’

‘Not the queen.Imogen.’

‘You could thank me for keeping you from choking on your own tongue before you start interrogating me.’

‘Vesryn,’ I growled in warning.

He climbed to his feet and dusted off his pants.‘She ran.Took off into the Shadowmire.Though not before she tried to kill you, it would seem.’

‘She what?!’I tried to stumble to my feet, but the room spun woozily.Ves steadied me before I could tumble back to the floor.

‘You really are unpleasantly wet,’ he grumbled as I regained my balance.‘At least change your clothes before you go charging off after her.’

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