Page 111 of Royal Captive
I didn’t want to think about it because the thought that had popped into my head only minutes ago couldn’t possibly be true. That would mean admitting I was a fucking idiot.
“I’ll take it from here, Alihandro.” She stepped forward between me and Alihandro, grinning like a cat who’d caught a particularly juicy rat. Gone was the facade of the quiet, nervous girl who only spoke the fae language.
“Feyanna,” Ellis grit out.
“Yes,” Feyanna articulated, her accent perfect in my language. “I am the head rebel.”
Thirty-Five
ELLIS
Ishould have seen it. I should have called it. Hell, Eve had suspected something was off about Feyanna way before I had.
“No fucking way,” Eve breathed out, face white.
Feyanna rolled her eyes at Eve. “Focus. You’re the only one who didn’t eat immediately when you came here. Everyone else did. Even lover boy. Why are you so surprised we chose you to keep the barrier open?”
“Everyone fuckingmoveout of my way!” There was a disturbance in the crowd as a dirty, tired figure forced its way through the sea of fae and humans alike, pushing her way toward us.
Feyanna grinned like a predator, and again I cursed myself for being so, so blind. “Fallon, dearest. You made it.”
Fallon wiped dirt off her face and glared at us all, except for me, who she leered at.
“Look at Ellis again, and I will rearrange your face,” Eve snarled.
Fallon’s eyes narrowed at me, but she backed off. A flush creeped into my face, dirty thoughts intruding in my brain. The moment I had Eve alone …
“You. You fucking traitor!” Fallon screamed, lunging toward Feyanna. “Tell me it isn’t true! The city is razed, most of the family is dead! I survived because I had to know if the rumors were true!”
“Fallon,” Feyanna began sharply, but not taking her gaze off me, “apologize for raping the prince.”
I blanched. That was the last thing I expected, or even wanted.
Fallon’s face flushed, her eyes flashing with anger. “I—“
“Raped him. Apologize.”
Eve stiffened, and I went rigid. It was so much worse when she said it out loud like that, wasn’t it?
Fallon’s lips set in a determined line. “I just—”
Eve gasped as Feyanna whirled around, kicking Fallon’s sword out of her hand and grabbing it in a single move, then skewering her through the chest.
“Oh my gods!” Eve screamed, taking a half step forward and halting.
“You … bitch.” Fallon fell to her knees, blinking in shock and betrayal. Her hands went to Feyanna’s, trying to claw them off the hilt so she could pull out the sword.
“Tell me again how I’m the stupid sister, you lazy, ignorant little slut,”Feyanna snarled, fangs bared at her dying sister. She pulled the sword out of Fallon and watched dispassionately as Fallon tumbled over, lips moving silently. It was over in moments as she bled out and went still.
“Satisfied?” Feyanna looked between Eve and me, almost casually, as she wiped the blade on the tattered cloak she’d been wearing for the last three days.
“How could you do that?” Eve croaked out, in disbelief.
I couldn’t get past the senseless violence—and especially of a family member? It was like my own family’s deaths, but in reverse. A vicious, unending cycle of senseless death that dragged me under like a riptide and spat me back out, only to suck me back again. Every sympathetic feeling I had for Feyanna evaporated.
“Come here, brother,” Feyanna ordered.
Alihandro froze and Feyanna laughed. She put away her sword and addressed Ellis. “Come, little prince. Time to face our destiny.”
