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Chapter 46
Bree
Bree wasn’t entirelysure why, but she was still in Underworld. In fact, she hadn’t even left the castle yet. She’d opened up the wardrobe and started sifting through the clothes, and then just abandoned the entire project when the tears filled hereyes.
Maybe it was a bad idea to take anything back with her. It would only remind her of her time spenthere.
And it would only remind her of what she’d leftbehind.
She wandered out of Rafe’s quarters and down the corridor. None of the guards were present for once. She guessed Rafe had called them off when he realized she would no longer be staying. No point in having guards stationed outside of a room when no one was staying inside. It hurt a little, to think he’d forgotten her that easily. All it took was a snap of fingers, and it was like she’d never even been here atall.
As she made her way through the castle grounds, she caught the buzzing sound of a crowd coming from the Great Hall. Fae were streaming into the open double doors, whispering excitedly amongst themselves. Curiosity niggled in her mind. Maybe she could pop her head into the hall, just for a moment, just long enough to see what was going on. One last insight into the realm of the Dark Fae before she left this castle behindforever.
She filed into the Great Hall behind the line of fae. A few of them cast curious glances her way. They all knew who she was now and that she’d come here to be Taveon’s champion. Had he told them yet that she no longer had the job? Had he replaced her yet? Or would he even go forward with his fightnow?
Could he?If he wasn’t Midas’s son, did he have a claim atall?
Movement on the stage caught her eye. Taveon himself was standing on the platform at the end of the room. Lord Dagen was by his side, along with Lady Ethne, Lord Conlan, and Lord Branok. So that was why Dagen hadn’t come for her yet. He was here. And she had a sinking feeling in her gut that she knew exactly why he was standing on that stage with thePrince.
Lord Dagen threw back his shoulders and raised his voice for the entire crowd to hear. “Spread your red wings and confirm your parentage, Prince Taveon. Show the Court the truth about who youare.”
Prince Taveon’s jaw rippled as he clenched his teeth. Anger roiled off his body in waves, but Bree could see something else deep within those hardened eyes of his: sadness and defeat. Andfear. “I refuse to spread my wings. It is an oath I swore the moment my father named me as hisheir.”
“An interesting oath, is it not?” Dagen asked, addressing the Court members gathered before them. “And a commendable one, if you are who you say youare.”
Prince Taveon glared at LordDagen.
“Spreading your wings now will not be considered a show of intimidation, my Prince. This is just to confirm your parentage. Show your wings to the Court. Let us see that you have Midas’s blood. If you refuse to do so, then we will be forced to declare that you are not his son atall.”
The entire room was tense as the Court waited for Taveon’s response. Bree sat on the edge of her chair, gripping the wood tight in her hands. Her heart was going wild in her chest, beating so hard that it shook her to her bones. This entire thing was awful. As much as she hated the Prince, putting him on public blast like this seemed needlesslycruel.
“I will not spread my wings,” Prince Taveon repeated, his voice a lowgrowl.
Dagen raised his eyebrows. “Then you concede that you are not the true son of theKing.”
A beat passed. And then another. The moments stretched out for eternity. And then the Prince stepped forward, raising his voice to be heard throughout the entirety of the Great Hall. “Lord Dagen is right. I, Taveon, am not a true son of King Midas. All this time I have known the truth, and King Midas knew as well. When my mother bore me, Midas came and saw that I was not his. In a fit of anger and jealousy...he slew my mother on her bed as well as the two wet nurses who had helped her through the birth. He did not want anywitnesses.”
The Prince’s jaw rippled. “So, now you all know the truth about me. I am my mother’s son, but I am not my father’s. And I will still be making my bid for the throne as I do have royal blood. My mother was a good female. It would do her great honor for me to ascend to thethrone.”
With that, Taveon whirled on his heels and stormed out of the Great Hall through the back exit underneath the thick curtains that hung from the ceiling, those bright red wings embroidered into the fabric. All those red-winged symbols around the castle made sense now in a horrible way. The truth had been right in front of her this entire time, and she just hadn’t seenit.
Bree could barely move at the shock of it all. She hadn’t truly expected the Prince to admit the truth. She should feel glad. She should be celebrating his downfall. But she wasn’t. Instead, she felt almost...sad forhim.
While the Court went wild, Bree found herself on her feet and pushing the curtains aside to follow the Prince. All of this was her fault. She’d been the one to reveal the truth about him. And, as crazy as it sounded, she wished she could take it allback.
“Prince Taveon,” she called out at his retreating back. He froze mid-step, his entire body going taut with tension. When he whirled to face her, there was no anger in his eyes. Only a sad resignation that made her heartthrob.
“Bree, now is not the time for arguments or smugness or whatever else you have come to say now. Truthfully, I do not want to hear a word from you. The damage has been done, and you have won your freedom. I would like to be left inpeace.”
“I haven’t come to say any of that.” Her heart beat harder, and she swallowed down the fear about what she was going to do. “I came to say...I don’t know, I’m sorry. I told Lord Dagen about the color of your wings. This is my fault. And I’m sorry. I really am.Okay?”
“Yes, I know you did, Bree.” The sigh that slipped through his lips was longer and deeper than any she’d ever heard. “Rafe told me that you put two and two together. I do not blame you. I blame myself for never coming clean to the Court myself. And I blame my father for wanting to hide the truth. He wanted an official heir to parade in front of the Court so badly that he did not even care that I was not his blood. No, that is wrong. Hedidcare. Onlyprivately.”
Bree closed her eyes, wincing at his words. Why wasn’t he mad at her? Why wasn’t he yelling at her or punishing her or forcing her to dance in front of hundreds of jeering fae? This strange, quiet resignation unnerved her. She wanted him to be the Taveon she’d known all these weeks. The one who hated her. The one who trembled with anger when he looked into her eyes. It would make this conversation so much easier than this saddefeat.
“You should blame me,” she whispered. “This is my fault. I could have kept my mouth shut. I couldhave—”
“No,” he said firmly. “I understand why you did what you did. I stole you from your lands, fed you lies, and then thought I could force you to bend to my will. I have treated you as my father would have treated you, and that was wrong of me.” He took two steps back. “Take your freedom. I know that is what Lord Dagen promised you. It is time for you toleave.”
