At first, Garin retched and spit a globule of red onto the dirt. Then, the apparent nausea on his face morphed into something else entirely. Something sinister.
Lilac blushed and stumbled back into the arms of Kestrel’s soldiers. It was easier to fear him now, as she supposed she always should have.
Garin was struggling even harder now to free himself from the vines. Every trace of humanity in his eyes were now absent. An uncontrollable fear shot through her, along with the urge to bolt. But her legs were stuck in place, and the rippling Fae arms that surrounded her may as well have been chains. The wild buzzing on her hip started afresh. She was relieved her cloak helped the dagger’s vibrations remain undetected by any but her.
“Those ropes are quite strong,” Kestrel remarked. “Fortunate for you.”
“Kestrel,” muttered Bastion. Even he was visibly shaken. “Crazy ass fae—"
“I’m merely trying to help remind your brother what side he’s on. It seems he’s a bit lost.”
Garin made another gagging noise, and for a moment Lilac thought he would be sick. He coughed and took a moment to regain a portion of his composure. “I’m on your—on our side,” he sputtered.
Kestrel jabbed a finger at Garin’s face. “Don’t play with me. You’re protecting her, Darkling. To what end? You said you’d met her at the inn. That means she entered Brocéliande on her own accord. She’s ours now.”
“She’s thefuture queen, Kestrel. If anything happens to her on our end, there will be war.”
Kestrel’s brows rose, and his tone took on a childish delight. “War. What an enticing concept. Any excuse to murder humans is fine by me. And I bet you miss the bloodshed of the battlefield, don’t you?”
“Come on, Gar. Let them have her.” Bastion spoke softly from his corner, almost as if afraid to be heard. “Let’s leave.”
“The humans have made your kind miserable.” Kestrel stepped back from Garin and cracked his knuckles. “We owe them nothing, including sparing the daft girl who meandered into the woods and into our very hands. The more she means to the kingdom, the better. Tell me, vampire, first sired of the late Laurent… How can you defend her? It was her kind, after all, who’d murdered your former leader.”
The air audibly expelled from Lilac’s lungs. Garin winced. The Fair Folk were incapable of lying.
What they’d feared was true.
She knew what any Darkling would believe to be the right choice—for Kestrel lock her away until her parents made fairer choices for all. But she would be queen in a matter of days; such responsibility would then fall under her.
And if not her, then…
No. The throne was hers, and hers alone. Even if she had to burn the kingdom to the ground.
The Fae were a stubborn bunch, and they weren’t likely to let up unless a better plan was presented.
“Was it the royal family?” Garin couldn’t seem to help himself. “Are they behind Laurent’s murder?”
There was a twinkle in Kestrel’s eye. The faerie’s gaze flitted briefly over Lilac before he responded. “Does it still matter?”
“What’s wrong with you?” The vampire bristled. “That is the princess. Don’t you understand? There will be unprecedented destruction and bloodshed on both sides if she is hurt or dies at our hands. I am not prepared to be responsible for a loss of that magnitude. How can we support a war when we are already struggling for survival?”
“You sound just like your late father,” was all Kestrel said.
“I’m not defending her, Kestrel. I speak on our own best interests.”
Lilac rocked on her heels. She didn’t give a shit who Garin pandered to if it got them released.
“Now… No one said I planned to kill her. They can have her back, eventually—dead or alive. No matter. She’s mine for now. For ransom.”
“Ransom?” Bastion scoffed.
Kestrel stroked his chin, nodding to himself. “Her parents will consider lifting their wretched law. That is, if they ever want to see their girl again. Or else, I’ll send her head back in a gift box.”
Across the room, Garin opened his mouth to reply, but a peculiar noise stopped him. First it was shrill, then it deepened into a coughing rasp. Garin frowned while Bastion leered across the room.
The hysteria had finally broken through.
Lilac was laughing.
14
Lilac had lost it. She sounded like a dying animal, but she couldn’t help it.
The crowd held their breath. Through her giggles, she could almost hear them.
What would the girl with the Darkling tongue would do next?
But as her laughter died, the hysteria only grew. Mere days ago she’d escaped the turreted castle confines, shortly after which she’d fallen prisoner to a vampire who turned out to be the new leader of the Brocéliande coven. And, moments after he granted her freedom, she found herself held for ransom by a deranged faerie.
Kestrel was either psychotic or ignorant enough to believe she would have any influence over her the king and queens’ decisions. This revealed how little he truly knew of the human realm. As the only mortal in the room, only she knew better.
“Something... the matter?” Kestrel arched a brow.
“You have the audacity to think,” she replied, snorting again, “that my father would consider rescinding his law?”
It was evident the faerie did not appreciate being scoffed at. “Of course, they would. Don’t be a fool. You’re to be crowned in a couple of days.”
She shook her head condescendingly. “That doesn’t matter to them.”
“I’ll do what I have to, even if it involves having your vampire at your throat.”
“No, I don’t think you comprehend what it is I’m saying. King Henri and Queen Marguerite would rather let me suffer, even die, than change their policies. Such actions would show cowardice—furthermore, it might upset their supporters. Something they will never do. That, I am sure of.” She hiccupped twice and grinned lazily at the faerie. “It won’t matter that I am their daughter. I was their prisoner for nearly a decade because of my Darkling tongue. What makes you think my missing would change their political stance? They would simply replace me with Sinclair—the only son of the duke, as you know.”
Kestrel watched her intently, and so did the vampires in the background.
Like my parents, the Le Tallecs harbor a deep hatred for you all. Deeper, still. My parents are steadfast in their ways. I can promise you, their resolve would remain immovable.”
With the underlying bitterness to her words, the humor finally left her. Whether or not it was true, she did not know for sure. To her mother and father, she’d already been tainted by the same darkness plaguing Brocéliande. What more would it be to simply let her go, never to be found again—especially if threatened by the Fae? Giving into a ransom would only display weakness.
She squared her shoulders and glared at her audience of three in the foreground. “I’m sure you’re aware of the Paimpont riots. My own people don’t want me as queen.
I know, deep down, they too believe the duke’s son is more suited for the throne than I. However, the kingdom ruled by Sinclair would only lead to your destruction. The man is insane. He kills Darklings for sport and gets away with it.”