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He peered at me through narrowed eyes.

Sicilia laughed, a high, grating tinkle. “Perhaps she is the wrong Rue. It isn’t a common name, but if there are two, that is enough to cause confusion. I always hate it when two people have the same name. Once I had two servants named Flora, and it was so befuddling I had to let one go. I couldn’t deal with the bother of—”

“Cease!” The king lifted his closed fist and instantly, Sicilia’s mouth snapped closed. She let out a muffled squeak. “I detest prattlers. Be still while I speak to Mistress Rue.”

He stalked around me. “Now, you, my dear, are a surprise. Siren?” Coming around to face me, he peered deeply into my eyes. “No…nymph, but that isn’t all.” He narrowed his eyes once more. “What are you?” A wave of magic washed over me, pressing down and urging me to speak, but I held my tongue. Unlike the overwhelming depths of Kent’s magic, this I could resist, but it took effort.

“Sire?” Gnatin’s hesitant voice came from behind me.

“Be still! I am working!”

“Sire!” The word came out of the servant as a high-pitched squeak.

“Step away from her or I shall attack.”

I closed my eyes as the welcome sound of Kent’s voice washed over us. With it came his power, a solid force pushing back the king’s compelling spell, loosening its hold on me just enough so I could break free. Stumbling backward out of reach of the king’s grasp, I fell into Kent’s embrace. His arm encircled my shoulders, pulling me into his embrace and sheltering me in the fortress of his defenses. His magic swirled around us like a storm, stronger and brighter than I had ever seen it before.

Gnatin squeaked again and dove for the nearest couch, cowering behind it.

The king straightened to his full height and glared at Kent. “You dare threaten your king!”

“I will threaten any who attempt to separate me from my mate.”

“Nerio! My love!” Sicilia cried out. She flung herself across the room toward us. Kent spun me away and out of her path, but it wasn’t necessary. She threw herself at Nerio, who had been standing behind Kent. He wasn’t prepared for the assault but caught her with a harsh grunt when her shoulder forcefully impacted the center of his chest.

“Sicilia—” He coughed. “What are you doing here?”

“We were summoned. I was so scared. It was awful!” She buried her face in his shoulder and began wailing. But none of us believed her show of distress.

Nerio met my gaze over Sicilia’s head, his concern warring with confusion.

“I am well,” I assured him and Kent.

Kent ignored me. “What was your plan, Your Majesty? Turn our mates into pawns? Extract information from them? What farce did you have planned?”

“I merely wished to meet my potential sons’ mates.”

I shook my head as I straightened and turned to confront the king from within Kent’s arms. “No. You spelled Sicilia and attempted to do the same to me. Not the actions of a fae wishing to meet someone.”

The king’s anger, raw and sharp, exploded across my senses as his magic rose and filled the room. “Why would I need to stoop to such desperate means? I am the king of the Unseelie. You are my subjects. I need only command, and you will be compelled to obey.”

Anger coursed through me, making me bold, perhaps foolishly so. “I am no subject of yours.”

He glared at me as he took a dramatic step closer so he could try to loom over me. “In that case, I can strike you down without the slightest hesitation, vile creature! There is nothing worse than a sharp-tongued female.”

I straightened to my full height and glared back at him. “Nay, far worse is a bully with power to misuse.”

“Enough!” Kent’s voice cut across the king’s anger like ice. He glanced over his shoulder at Nerio. “I don’t know about you, Nerio, but I have seen and heard enough.”

“I am satisfied.” Nerio’s eyes held only revulsion as he gazed at the king. “I now understand your hesitation.”

“May I speak for us both?”

“Do.” Nerio lowered his head, turning his face away from the king.

“And say what?” Sicilia’s voice squeaked as her whole body tensed. Peering up into Nerio’s face, she demanded, “What is he going to say?” Whatever she saw there made her panic more. She pulled herself free from Nerio’s lax grip on her shoulders and turned to stare up at Kent in helpless fear. “Are you going to apologize?”

Kent’s gaze never wavered from the king’s. “No. Rue?”