Page 56 of Let Slip the Dogs of War

Lark frowns. “I never wanted to rule.”

It’s true, even if Oisin’s expression tells me he doesn’t take it the same way I do. Lark never wanted to rule, but he has to, because otherwise, we’ll pay the price for him getting his power back. Oisin has given him an out, even if it’s not the way Oisin wants things to do, but Lark can’t take it.

“I do not wish to rule with him,” Oisin says all in a rush. His skin is too dark to see if he’s blushing, but he drops his eyes and his shoulders lift defensively. “I do not trust him. He does not value Seelie the same way he values Unseelie, and he is only using me. Will only use me.”

“You knew that when you came to the court.”

“Yes,” Oisin says. He still can’t quite meet Lark’s eyes. “But I want… I wanted him to be right. He believes an Unseelie and Seelie will hold the crowns and the realm longer than two Unseelie alone.”

A muscle in Lark’s jaw ticks. “What do you think about that?”

Oisin shrugs one shoulder. “Your parents ruled for a long time. I no longer wish for the Seelie to be pushed out into the cold. We are all fae. We should all be treated equally.”

“You believe you can fix this?”

“I think we would have the power to try,” Oisin says, and now he meets Lark’s gaze fiercely. Ophelia has hold of my hand and grips it tightly. “Those are my terms. Aodhan is still at least half a day away. Tomorrow, announce that we will rule together. I will let Ophelia go and they can all return to the human realm.”

He gestures at the three of us sitting on the sofa. Lark frowns when he meets my gaze.

“Let her go?” Grant growls. I know what he’s thinking. Oisin doesn’t have the leverage he believes he does.

“He created a bond,” Ophelia says. “He said it would keep me safe.”

She’s glaring at Oisin now, and his gaze slides away from her quickly. Grant’s magic rushes out and he lets out a rumbling growl when he apparently feels it.

“What does it mean? The bond?” I ask.

“It will keep her safe,” Oisin replies. “Other fae will sense it. They already know her as Lark’s soulbond, but this will also place her under my protection.”

“Is that meaningful?” Lark asks.

Oisin doesn’t answer that. “I added conditions. We cannot be far apart unless I loosen the bond, to prevent her being taken again. If I die, so does she.”

Ophelia’s grip on my hand is painful. Grant leaps to his feet, but she reaches out and grabs his trouser leg before he can move.

“Wha-what the fuck?” I mutter. “You want us to cooperate, and you do this?”

“This is how fae work,” Oisin snaps, and when I look at Lark, he doesn’t dispute the claim. “It is not an unusual feature for a bond.”

I stare at Lark. He lets out a sigh and shakes his head. He thinks Oisin is right. He thinks this is right.

I stand and Ophelia lets go of my hand when I look at her. “I need to speak to you,” I say to Lark, the words clipped in my anger. “Now.”

He studies my face before he nods. Grant doesn’t need to be told; he sits next to Ophelia on the sofa again, positioned between her and Oisin. Maybe, with time, he could break Oisin’s bond, but we don’t have that. Oisin steps aside as I stride over to the door and once we’re outside, it shuts behind us, and I face Lark.

“Make sure they can’t hear us.”

“Dante…”

“Do it.”

His magic flares around us, and for a visceral moment, it is as though I can see it, cocooning us in a silent bubble.

“He is not lying,” Lark says. “Bonds like these are not uncommon.”

“He didn’t tell her before he did it.”

“Do you know that?”