Page 80 of The Lord of Whispers

I was safe.

I walked over to Jay, determined not to crumble, not to cry. I dug deep into myself and found the cold, distant place where I hid so many of my other emotions and pushed everything I was feeling into that steel box. I didn’t look away as Jay continued to beat Cole to near death with his bare hands.

His hands covered in Cole’s blood, Jay reached for the iron dagger Cole had cut me with. Because iron was deadly to fae, the dagger was a rare and restricted item. Such weapons were supposed to be reserved for war only. Each one had been meticulously accounted for following the last war and were supposed to be in the Crown’s possession. But, somehow, Cole had obtained one of the illicit weapons.

Unable to move, Cole lay on the ground, covered in his own blood. Jay moved the dagger directly under Cole’s chin, the tip digging into Cole’s skin and causing his blood to trickle down the hilt. Jay looked into his eyes. Jay would make those cruel eyes close for the last time.

“Jay, wait!” I exclaimed, my brain coming out of some kind of fog.

I knew he was seconds away from cutting Cole’s throat.

“He mentioned something about Lord Garaud, about plans and Lord Garaud and me ruining them. And…” I hesitated, thinking of Cole’s words. “Big oaf. I think he knows something about Cass’s involvement in all of this too.”

Jay held the tip of the dagger digging into Cole’s throat.

“What plans did you have involving Lord Garaud?” Jay demanded.

Cole remained stubbornly silent. Jay dug the dagger farther into his skin. More blood dribbled down the blade.

“Ok. OK! We—my mother and I—we’re the ones who had those lesser fae drive Lord Garaud and his family out of his house,” Cole admitted.

Jay didn’t need to ask why. We knew why High Lady Tragon was pushing for war with the lesser fae. If we had not arrived back from Breakpoint in time, House Tragon’s maneuver may have worked.

“You’re sick, you know that!” I yelled, feeling a sudden burst of emotion. “There were kids there!”

Cole tried to turn his head to look at me, but Jay kept the dagger pressed into his soft flesh.

“Don’t youdarelook at her,” Jay warned.

“Lord Garaud was well aware of what was coming. It had all been arranged,” Cole said, nostrils flared.

“And what did Don Davante have to do with yourarrangements?” Jay spat.

“He, well, I’ve been feeding him information, ok? Trying to stir things up. But he refused to have anything to do with any kind of violence, so I had to take things into my own hands, didn’t I?” Cole said, like attacking his own people was the only obvious solution.

“How did you keep it from me? Why can’t I hear half of what is said around House Tragon?”

Despite his vulnerable position, a familiar sneer landed on Cole’s face.

“Me,” he said proudly. “Mypowers.”

“You’ve never exhibited any kind of shielding power like that. I would know. I know every person in this Kingdom with those kinds of powers,” Jay interjected.

“My mother has kept it a secret since I was child,” Cole boasted again.

Satisfied he had gotten the information he needed, Jay made to slice across Cole’s throat.

“No. Wait. Please!” he pleaded. “I’m sick. I thought she could help. I’m dying. Fading,” he rushed through his excuses.

Jay considered his words, dagger still pressed against Cole’s skin.

“How could Alarie possibly help you with that?” Jay snarled.

“The same way she helped you,” Cole answered quickly, not intending to test the high lord any further. “Heal my magic,” he said.

Jay didn’t even bother to deny Cole’s insane theory. Jay made a quick swiping motion across Cole’s throat with the dagger. I turned my face away. Cole fell back, clutching his throat but alive. Jay had purposefully bestowed only a shallow cut across his throat.

“You shouldn’t have told me that. Any of that. You should have let me kill you,” Jay said coldly, reaching for and taking my hand into his own.

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