Page 24 of The Fallen Fae King

Fear. Panic, Tia answers.

Troubled, I bite my lip. “Fear of me?”

Tia nips my palm, as she does when she thinks I am being a fool. Fear for you. They don’t talk about killing you. They talk about trying to save you from that uncle who is trying to hurt everyone.

“Maximinus,” I hiss.

Everything comes back to him.

Aurelius’ uncle, who whipped and abused him. The sorcerer who poisoned my family. The war criminal behind the genocide in the Unseelie Kingdom.

My nestmates have been entangled in Maximinus’ spiderweb — we all have.

But have they been bravely struggling to find a way to break us free?

My brow clouds, and shadows trail from me. “Long after your body has failed, Maximinus, I will still be finding new ways to make you regret this moment.”

Because of the dragons, my ancestors have found no rest.

By this oath, I won’t allow Maximinus to find his. He shouldn’t fear that he’s gained my hatred. He should fear that he’s gained my attention.

I may die tonight, but my soul won’t rest after death.

I will find a way.

My red eyes darken. “You’ve earned cheese for this.”

Cheese! Tia squeaks excitedly. Good because I don’t want to eat your Blood Lover’s guts. I like him.

I give her a wicked grin. “You were spying in the ballroom too?”

Tia stares back at me unashamedly. Want me to keep spying?

“You’ll have help.” I lift my gaze, summoning my moths to me. “Come, little ghosts of the moon. We are both creatures forever chasing a light we should not touch.”

Instantly, I am surrounded by a veil of moths. Their velvet wings brush across my cheeks and brow, cooling it. Tenderly, their relentless touch quietens my headache.

The air feels alive.

Their wings whisper across my lips like scraps of silk.

“Keep guard over my soulmates,” I instruct.

The moths rise up like the moon in the sky. I watch, as in a living cloud of wings, they fly out of the open door.

My throat is dry.

Can I forgive Dove for truly being Daire? The fae king? My enemy?

Can I trust him to protect my Omega when I am gone?

I am shaking already, however, addicted to his blood. My fangs hurt, desperate to sink into his throat.

My stomach is hollow, cramping with hunger pains.

I am starving, desperate to drink from my Blood Lover’s neck.

Tonight, everything will change, one way or another.