Page 56 of Across an Endless Sea

Both of the Fomorians share a look, but it’s Caed who answers.

“You don’t think I spent all that time raiding fortresses across your pretty little queendom without helping myself to a bauble or two, do you? A warrior only has so much restraint.”

“You robbed them.” My voice is flat. Cold. “Of course you did. It wasn’t enough to kill them, or take them as slaves; you took their possessions as well?”

“That’s war, little queen,” he says, without an inch of shame. “You can hardly talk. There’s a pendant locked up in your treasure room made of drake gold that belonged to Balor himself, and he sure as shit didn’t hand it over nicely.”

“Elatha would kill for that pendant,” Prae mutters.

“He can have it if he sends me home and stops this stupid war,” I retort.

“Fat chance,” Caed retorts. “I can’t believe you’re so eager to go back to a place where everyone around you was keeping you in the dark.”

“They didn’t—”

“So the rest of your Guard told you I was in your dungeon under interrogation, did they?”

Well… no. I found that out from Mab.

“And they kept you up to date on their plans for you? Involved you in all the discussions that concerned you?”

“I wasbusy.I have so much to learn—”

“Too busy for them to even consult you onyourlife?” Prae presses.

“It wasn’t like that.”They were just protecting me. Weren’t they?

Both Fomorians roll their eyes.

“Regardless,” Caed continues. “You need to accept your place here and bow before my father before you earn the two of us any more punishments. Your stupid pride is—”

I cut him off. “Probably the only thing keeping my people alive. Don’t think I’m so stupid as to believe bowing to that tyrant will magically solve everything and bring peace to Faerie. Elatha will just use it as justification to hurt my people in worse ways than he already has.”

“There’s no glory in beating a defeated enemy.” Caed sounds like he’s quoting a book, despite the fact that the Fomorians don’t bother with them.

“And there’s glory in enslaving an entire race and ordering your own family flogged?” I groan, because I can see his defensive walls going up, just like when I questioned him about Balor. “Forget it.” I turn on my heel and head for my cupboard. “I really need a rest.”

Putting the solid iron door between us doesn’t feel like enough, and for a second I just lean against the wall beside it with my eyes closed. Goddess, this is a mess.

I came here with a vague, naïve hope of convincing Caed to change sides, and even after being whipped to within an inch of his life, he’s still as stubborn as ever. Why I even thought…

I freeze, mental rant cutting short as a blade pricks the delicate skin of my throat.

My eyes fly open, and I have to blink twice as I realise I’m face to face with a high fae. His face is streaked with dirt, and his wings are bound against his chest with wire. Long, brown, greasy hair hangs limp on either side of what might once have been a proud face, but his desperate watery eyes now dominate his features.

“Forgive me, Nicnevin,” he whispers.

His hand is shaking so badly that the blade begins to dig into my skin. Maeve’s training echoes in the back of my mind, but terror turns my limbs to lead, and I can’t even seem to move, let alone fight.

“I’ve got to free you,” he mumbles. “You need to return—”

My mouth opens, but instead of a protest, my lips form a single word. A whimper.

“Caed.”

Bang!

The door flies open, knocking my attacker sideways. Caed’s massive form fills the space, his silhouette somehow more menacing than the male who intended to murder me. The fae scrambles to his feet, his eyes widening with fear as he makes a frantic leap in my direction, knife raised high.

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