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Aire’s laughter ended in a snarl, and she grabbed for her bow, but Yichen’s words halted her. “You’re wasting time. I believe Trin sent you to fetch us for our meeting. Complete your task,” he ordered.
It was a surprise that she didn’t spontaneously combust right there on the spot in her fury. But Yichen had a point. Trin had sent her to escort them to the meeting location.
“Fine,” she snarled and spun around.
Yichen didn’t lower his sword until she’d walked a short distance without glancing at them. Rei squeezed his shoulder and straightened to take the lead.
“I guess those old tales about elves being cold and emotionless were a bunch of bullshit,” Yichen muttered.
“Oh yeah, total bullshit. I’ve known plenty of elves who tried to pretend to be like that.” Rei snorted. “I just needed to find the right button to push. Turned them into frothing, incoherent goblins, hopping about in the biggest temper tantrum.”
“Had fun, didn’t you?”
“So much fun,” he said with a cackle that Yichen echoed.
“Which makes you a wicked imp.”
It was a temptation to wrap his arms about Yichen and cuddle his vampire as they walked, but it would make them both too vulnerable to attack. They might be under Aire’s “protection” as they walked to Trin, but he wasn’t stupid enough to believe that someone wouldn’t take a shot at him or Yichen if given the perfect opportunity. Aire hadn’t been the only one watching their approach. Those eyes were still watching them from the cover of the trees.
They walked for another twenty minutes in silence except for the crunch of leaves and sticks under their feet. There was no point in trying to be stealthy. Everyone knew where they were.
At long last, flickering torch light broke through the darkness, leaking between the trees to reach them. Trin was standing in the center of the clearing with two torches spiked into the ground behind him. The elf with the long black hair and an even blacker scowl was dressed in leathers, his hand resting on the sword at his hip. Yes, that was about the welcome Rei had been expecting.
A few other elves stood on the edge of the field, their faces lost to the shadows as they kept away from the torchlight. That was to be expected. They didn’t want their identities revealed in case things went south for Trin and they needed to change sides. As much as Rei didn’t care for Aire, she’d always been an outspoken and unwavering supporter of Trin. Allies like that were very thin on the ground in the fae world. Their lifespans were too long to peg to a single person.
“Crown Prince Wistari Elnaril Reymaris,” his half brother growled. Trin was the only person he knew who could make Rei’s full name sound like a curse.
Forcing his smile to not be a pained grimace, Rei stepped forward, throwing out both of his hands like he meant to hug his half brother. “Trin!” The poor elf backpedaled, looking as if Rei had struck him.
“You said you wanted a meeting because you had something to offer that was better than the king. Start talking,” Trin ordered. His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, but he didn’t draw it. That was a plus, though not much of one.
“Actually, I have two reasons for calling you here.” Rei held up two fingers, still smiling. “The first is that I would like you to spread a warning to the members of the fae who haven’t been dragged into King Ash’s nightmare. Tell them to go through the door. Save those you can while it’s still possible.”
Trin snorted, his hand relaxing on his blade. “Like you care about your people.”
His lips stiffened and his eyes narrowed on his darling half brother. He felt nothing for the man, despite the fact that they shared a parent. The one positive was that he’d not tried too hard to kill Rei over the years. Just tried a little, which was less than most of the Silver Court.
“You can say any number of things about me, and they’d be true. Cunning. Ruthless. Devastatingly handsome. Witty.” He smirked at Yichen and dropped his voice. “Enthusiastic lover.” That got him the eye roll he’d been working for. Maybe even a twitch at the corner of his mouth as if Yichen were fighting a laugh.
He returned his attention to his unamused brother and became serious again. “But I’ve never hurt those who never attempted to harm me. There are many who have no place in the battles that are coming, and I would not see the innocent hurt.” He paused and licked his bottom lip. “And it wouldn’t hurt for you to curry the support of our people if you want to claim the Dawn throne after my parents are dead.”
“He’s talking nonsense!” Aire shouted from where she stood behind Trin. There were some other soft murmurs of discontent, but to his surprise, Trin didn’t immediately agree with her.
“You think you’re going to die when you face the king?” Trin murmured. His brow furrowed for a second and then cleared, his pale-blue eyes widening. “No, Belladonna. You’re more afraid of the queen.”
“Neither,” Rei corrected. He paced around the small field, never venturing too far from Yichen. “I don’t believe killing either of the royals will be an easy task, but I don’t think I’ll die. Unlike so many, I’ve got something worth fighting and staying alive for.”
“But not the Dawn Throne?”
Rei almost giggled at Trin’s incredulous tone. To him, there was nothing more important than taking that power. But Trin had been stuck with no control of his own life for far too many centuries. Of course, he set his sights on the one thing that would guarantee no one could ever dictate his life again. Or so he thought.
“As I told your lovely companion when we met in the woods, I’ve met my mate.”
Trin glared at him as if he’d started speaking another language and was making no sense. For a moment, Rei couldn’t decide if Trin hadn’t figured out who he was talking about or if he just didn’t understand the connection. Rei sucked in a breath to shout at the elf when the lightbulb blinked on.
“The vampire?” Trin demanded, releasing his sword to point at Yichen.
Rei glanced over at Yiyi, who returned a very bored, unimpressed expression.
