Page 116 of A Court of Hearts and Hunger
“I was waiting for you to bring it up.”
“Truthfully, I didn’t remember anything aboutcomhartha diaor the god-touched lore until Riordan reminded me,” Fin admits. “None of this changes who you are, dearest. It only means you have an extra bit of sight the rest of us don’t.”
“So I’m special.” I grin up at him.
He chuckles. “You’ve always been special. Gods, I love you so much… I can’t find words broad or deep enough to express it.”
“I love you too.” And I rise on tiptoe to kiss him, just as Riordan walks out of the study.
“Well,” he says glumly. “That’s done.”
“She’s gone?” I ask. “Did you kiss her goodbye?”
“What would be the point?” he says. “You were right. If the circumstances had been different, perhaps… But they are not. I nearly dismantled her, body and soul. I stole memories and dreams from her. Confined her, mistreated her.”
“Sounds like the perfect foundation for an Unseelie romance,” Fin quips.
“But she is human,” Riordan says, low. “And that is the difference. She could not be happy with someone like me.”
“What will you do now?” Fin asks. “Serve the next ruler who rises?”
“Or perhaps you could be that ruler, Riordan,” I suggest. “Now that the Unseelie know what really happened, they’re hailing you as the Queenslayer. From there it’s just a quick step to the throne.”
“You could do it, my friend.” Fin gives him an encouraging grin. “At least serve as interim regent—be instrumental in creating the new government. You’re a cruel bastard sometimes, but you have your own breed of fairness and wisdom.”
Riordan scoffs. “Next you’ll suggest I appoint Ygraine to my board of advisors.”
“Not such a bad idea. She’s clever, diplomatic, resourceful—especially when her mind is in balance, as it should be for a while now. A disorder of the mind does not prevent one from making a worthy contribution.”
Riordan lip curls, but he only says. “I’ll think about it. Are you both packed and ready to leave?”
“So eager to kick me out?” Fin fakes a pout.
“You, yes. Clara can stay if she likes. There are a number of experiments I’d like to run, given what we know of her god-touched birth and Wretched Sight—”
“Not on your life.” Fin pulls me closer. “Fine, we’ll leave. I assume you’re lending us the best steeds in the kingdom?”
“Best, and most dangerous.” Riordan smirks.
The oillipheist hybrids Riordan provides are indeed swift, and dangerous. They’re like horses, but with snakelike necks and bodies, and far too many teeth. Thanks to their breathtaking speed, our journey back to the border wall is much quicker than the entry trip.
After less than a day’s ride, we reach the Unseelie entrance to the secret tunnel, and Fin uses Ygraine’s ligation mirror to communicate with Opal. The mirror was a parting gift from the Hatter—one I don’t begrudge Fin in the least, especially since Ygraine gave me a particularly lovely hat, as well as a second one for Louisa. They’re both stowed safely in hatboxes strapped to my saddle.
When Opal lets us into the secret passage, we remove our luggage from the oillipheists. They immediately begin snacking on a few nearby Heartless corpses. Disgusting.
We spend a single night with Opal before trekking to the nearest village and hiring mounts. From there, it’s a few days’ ride to Beannú.
“Well, dearest,” Fin says as we leave the forest’s edge and see the glorious city laid out before us. “Has your lust for adventure been sated? Or will you be as voracious with adventuring as you are in bed?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I give him a coy smile. “I think I’m satisfied for now. And I’m looking forward to the reward you promised me, since we’ve returned safely.”
He looks confused, and I frown. “Fin! You can’t have forgotten! You’re going to pierce your tongue, and I’m going to pierce my—”
But he’s laughing. Of course he remembered.
“Trickster,” I hiss, and as he spurs his horse away from mine, I chase after him. His wings catch the light, sparkling like crystal as we gallop.
The city gates are open, as usual, but to my surprise, there’s a contingent of stately Seelie guards lining the entrance. Fin and I are approaching from the north, and someone else is coming along the southwest road—two someones, sharing a single large steed.
