Page 59 of Fate of the Sun King

She waves a hand over me, and I grin.

“The blood of your enemies, Lor. Ask me, and I’ll slay anyone for you. Burn the world to ash if you desire.” Though I mean the words to sound like a jest, they come out simmering with the fire of my truth.

She studies me again with that same puzzled expression as if she’s finally fitting my various pieces together. The brightness in her eyes almost rips the air from my lungs, and I swear the corner of her mouth twitches as though she’s trying not to smile.

Something happened between the moment I left her with Rhiannon and now. Something that feels like a tentative thread of… hope?

“Etienne’s waiting outside,” Mael says, rolling his eyes at my dramatics. “Let’s go.”

Despite her protests, I hang on to Lor, and she stops fighting me. I take that as a positive sign. Of what, I’m not sure yet.

Tristan and Mael head outside, but Mael comes to a stop so abruptly that I nearly crash right into his back.

“What are you—”

We’re surrounded by a dozen High Fae guards, all wearing the green-and-bronze uniform of the Woodlands army. Etienne has two spears pointed at his throat and his hands lifted in surrender, trying not to make any sudden movements.

In the center of this show sits an Imperial Fae male on top of a massive horse, his brown leather wings spread wide.

“Cedar,” I say, trying to keep my tone unaffected and not like we’re in a whole world of shit right now. Slowly, I lower Lor to the ground, keeping my arm around her waist. She’s staring up at her great-uncle with the same unease we’re all currently experiencing. “What brings you out here?”

Cedar smirks and then slides off his horse in one smooth movement, his feet kicking up a cloud of dust as his boots strike the earth.

“My dear prince. You didn’t think you could waltz across my borders and I would remain ignorant of your royal presence? The forest has eyes and ears everywhere.”

“We’re just passing through,” I say. “So, if you don’t mind, we’ll get out of your hair.”

I attempt to pick up Lor again, when suddenly four more spears point towards us while more close around Mael and Tristan. I could attempt to use magic to get us out of this, but Cedar knows I won’t. It would cause too much of a mess. Besides, I’m almost positive we’d never survive a chase through the forest with its king on our heels. This is his territory, which puts all of us at a distinct disadvantage.

“That’s rude, Nadir. You enter uninvited, trample through my forest, make use of one of my healers, and then just leave without even saying hello? I’m wounded.”

My jaw clenches.

“My apologies,” I say. “I thought a king as important as you had better things to do than entertain a few wayward travelers. Surely The Woodlands doesn’t trifle itself with such unimportant matters.”

The comment is pointed, and he knows it, but he doesn’t chew on my bait.

Instead, he grins. The egotistical son of a bitch.

“Of course, but I always have time for the prince of The Aurora. In fact, I think you should all come to the Fort and be my guests for a few days.”

I feel Lor stiffen next to me, and my own sense of warning fires in alert. Is this an invitation or a detainment?

“That’s very kind of you,” I reply. “But we really do need to be going.”

“What’s the rush? Where do you need to go in such a hurry?”

He levels me with his bright green gaze, and I wonder just how much he knows.

“You haven’t even introduced me to your companions.” He scans over the group, nodding at Mael, whom he’s already acquainted with, before his gaze falls on Lor and then flicks to Tristan.

This is very bad.

“This is…” I start, trying to think of a convincing lie.

“I know who they are, Nadir,” Cedar says, his tone turning flat as he sweeps an assessing gaze over Lor and her brother. “You think I don’t recognize my own flesh and blood?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE