Page 152 of A Thief Among Fae

So does the arrow that reaps

“Is King Olin one-eyed?” I ask him.

Desmond nods, but it’s slow and solemn.

“Then you want the arrow buried with him. Why? What’s special about it?”

“Desmond,” Auri warns, “think about what you’re saying.”

He frowns, hesitating, then sighs. “It’s said to be enchanted. It always kills in one strike, no matter if it pierces your hand or your throat. Not even wards can stop it.”

Why would they want a thing like that? Then my blood runs cold. They want to kill something with it. Or someone.

“Who’s the target?” Before they can answer, I realize how obvious it is. It’s always been right in front of me, but I was too blinded by my own goals to see it. Rune’s words at Norwynhald ring in my ears. Any eldest heir is counting the days until mommy or daddy dearest drops dead. That’s why Desmond met with Eldon in the inn.

“You’d start a war if you kill Avedor’s queen. I thought you wanted peace!” I clench my hands, furiously hoping that Desmond will deny everything I fear. His kingdom can’t handle more bloodshed, and I’m afraid of what war will do to my home.

My family already struggles when the queen raises the tithes. I can’t imagine how much worse our lives would get if the kingdom commandeered our crops to feed their troops, our homes to house them. Tithes would rise to fund the armories, to pay the soldiers. So many families would ask their sons and daughters to enlist, some of them barely older than children.

His gaze is regretful. “Prince Eldon agreed to emancipate the Hollowlands in exchange for Queen Orla’s throne. He’ll withdraw all of Avedor’s troops. He’ll prevent retaliation against any fae who break their vows of servitude. And worship of Danu will be allowed again in Avedor.”

My stomach turns. It’s far from the battle that I fear he’s planning, but it still doesn’t sit right with me. “So you’ll hand the arrow over to Eldon and let him murder his own mother?”

“No.” He’s silent for a beat. He swallows. “It has to be me.”

I don’t understand. I know Desmond would do anything to free the Hollowlands, but this is Eldon’s plot, not his. “Why you?”

Finnian and Auri frown at each other, unsettlingly silent.

“It’s my duty to my people.” Desmond’s eyes shine with regret, like his decision tore him apart until there was nothing left to do but submit to it.

Oh, gods. He’s acting like he won’t survive their plan. He’s always put everyone above himself, and worse, he’s reconciled with it. The horror of it lodges in my throat and stabs right through my heart.

“You’re letting him go through with this?” I snap at Auri. I thought she cared about him.

She lowers her head. Then she swears, running her hand through her braids. “Desmond, I told you to unwind your insufferable sexual tension, not spill your guts out to her. Now she’s a liability.”

“She deserved to know,” Desmond argues, his hands fisting.

I shake my head. They’re acting like this has been their goal all along. They’ve laughed with me and fought beside me, all the while knowing our quest would lead to Desmond’s death. My voice breaks. “You can’t sacrifice yourself. I thought you wanted to see the world!”

I thought he might want to be with me.

Desmond breaks our gaze, his jaw tightening. “I do. But my people matter more.”

He can’t lie. He means every word. I don’t know what to say. Whenever I pleaded with him to be honest with me, this was far from the secrets I had in mind. If I had known everything before I made the vow with him, before we entered Olin’s barrow, would I still have come with them? Would I have turned them into the guards? Tried to stop them?

“I can’t let you do this. Don’t open that coffin,” I beg him. If I let him get that arrow, I let him march to his grave.

“You can’t stop us,” Auri says, her voice cracking. “We need the arrow.”

I grab Desmond’s hand. I pull him down the steps of the dais. Tears sting my eyes when he plants his feet, not letting me move him.

He swallows, avoiding my gaze as if he can’t bear to see the hurt in my eyes. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you in the beginning. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

Then a strange magic grips me, just like when Auri made me eat the jam.

“Leave,” Desmond orders, his voice strangely melodic. “Wait for us in the other chamber.”