Page 45 of Songs of Retribution

"Are you not upset?"

"I'm happy. It gives me hope we might succeed in our aim." I quieted. We both knew that result would be at our father's death. It was an inevitable future we hurtled towards. The only real solution with his ceaseless desire to end the fairy courts was for him to die and the magic to pass to Lira so she held the Seelie powers. I doubted Lira would have strong feelings over his death. She'd never known the man and what little time she'd spent with him, he'd been cruel to her. I tried to decide how I felt about it, but it was too complex, muddled up with a hundred issues.

"May I see it?"

She nodded and pushed up her sleeve, revealing the creamy expanse of her forearm. Already her color had improved dramatically from how pallid she was when we'd met her and Sai in the woods. A curl of dark ink, stretching nearly to her elbow, spread across her flesh. Something in me ached at the sight.

I'd spent my entire life doing everything I could to get that mark. I'd fucked over Shaan, shoved myself into a mold that nearly broke me, and never been true to myself. Yet, in the end, I still didn't achieve it. I wasn't upset Lira had it, but it didn't change the hurt that I'd never achieved that goal.

"I have a question, Lennox.”

I broke my eyes from the mark and realized I'd been looking too intensely at it. "Yes?"

"If I get the magic, could I hand it to you the way my mother gave me the sirens’ powers? I mean, magic doesn't just pass at death, right?"

"Well, no. It can be given to a blood relative during one's life as well." Lira wished to hand the magic, and by extension, the Seelie crown, to me. My heart swelled with a mixture of emotions. "Lira, I don't think I can lead the Seelie."

"Why not?"

I bowed my head. "They may not accept a ruler like me, and I don't intend to be anything but myself ever again."

Lira looked sad, and she reached out to squeeze my arm. "Maybe they'll surprise you. There's no one who understands that world and cares about the Seelie as you do. You'd make a wonderful king, and you know I'm not prepared to be a queen."

"I'd stay by your side and help you of course."

She looked me in the eye, her expression unyielding, and the hair on my arms rose like some of her magic flowed across my flesh. "But you know, in here,”—she placed her free hand over my heart—“you aren’t meant to sit at my side. You're supposed to lead."

I took several long breaths, her hand rising and falling with my chest, before I nodded. I would gladly do whatever I could for the Seelie, leading them if need be. Deep down, I knew I could do it; I just wasn't sure if the people would allow me.

Lira dropped her hand and snatched another biscuit. "Worst case, you have an Atalla with rather intimidating powers now." She grinned. "I'm sure he could keep anyone with rebellious intentions in line."

If he'd use those powers. If his brother wouldn't shame him over it.

My mood sank again, and I grabbed another biscuit, readjusted to sit closer to Lira, and vowed to push the negativity away as I enjoyed an hour of time with my sister before hell broke loose.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

NEIA

Some intimidatingperson with thick muscles and a variety of weapons strapped on their body approached our cell and dropped a pile of clothing on the ground before Orman. "Make yourself presentable for speaking with the neuvosto."

They strode off without another word. Orman lifted the bundle and ran his thumb over the material before stripping his tunic off. Nudity among our group didn't bother me; we'd had to change in front of each other plenty of times, but I looked away to give him what privacy I could.

When he'd finished changing into a pair of leather pants, a fur-lined long tunic with golden embroidery, and a pair of gold tipped boots, he straightened.

"No clothes for me?" I asked.

"You ain't an elf, mate. They don't care what you wear."

"Nice."

Orman grinned, then his expression changed to neutral again. It was strange for him to remain so serious all the time. Returning home had brought back a flood of memories to him, and now we got ready for a court hearing where they'd try him for his crimes. I didn't think he’d committed a crime worth punishing, myself—fucking the leader's daughter or otherwise—but as Orman kept reminding me, I wasn't an elf.

I leaned my head back on the concrete wall. I wished I could speak to Elisa, even for a moment. The worst part of the experience so far was being separated from her and having no ability to communicate because of the heavy warding around the elves’ territory. Orman's plan, if things went poorly, was for me to use my shadow magic to escape, nab supplies, and get back to Elisa. I would never abandon him, though. Saints I would be fucking mad at fate if I became a fairy only to die a month later. A grimy strand of hair flitted away from my face with the breath I blew out.

Elisa had once told me she was a spoiled fairy. I thought I might be the same. I longed for a bath in the Prasanna palace’s luxurious tubs like it was food and I a starving creature. Ridiculous. How had I gone from a girl on the streets to some fairy noble unable to cope with a bit of dirt? Saints.

A pair of elves approached and unlocked the cell. "Let's go. They will try both of you today."

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