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“Indeed,” Dagensaid.
“I will announce the King’s passing at the Silver Moon ball. In the meantime, Bree Paine, the Redcap girl I brought back with me, will be training to become my champion for the Battle for the Crown. But we will keep her identity secret for now. I do not want the Court to know a Light Fae lives in theirmidst.”
No one argued, though Taveon could already see the webs spinning in Lord Dagen’s devioushead.
* * *
“It is time we get started.”Taveon stood just outside of Bree’s cell. He frowned as he watched her roll over on the cot, the metal springs squealing with her every movement. She certainly wouldn’t be in full fighting form if she kept sleeping on such a terrible mattress, but he wouldn’t move her out of this cell. Not when she’d tried to killhim.
Plus, she was far too unpredictable. There was no telling what she would do if she had more freedom thanthis.
Bree blinked as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and peered out at him. “Right now? It’s the middle of the damnnight.”
Indeed, to Bree it would seem that way. The moon was breaking through the sky, lighting it up with its silvery blue sheen. But Underworld was not like the other realms. Taveon couldn’t imagine living somewhere with such blinding light as the sun, but he knew the Light Fae and the humans felt the same about themoon.
“It is dawn,” he simply said. “Our worlds are different. Here, we only havemoonlight.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Only moonlight? So, it’s dark all the time? Doesn’t that getold?”
“It is not dark all the time.” He strode closer to the bars and caught her gaze. She really did have the most brilliant blue of eyes. It was a color he’d never seen before, and it was one he imagined he would never forget. He swallowed hard and stepped back. He could not forget what she had done. Those eyes held far more than they seemed. He’d seen the glint of hate in them as she’d stood over him, ready to end his life. “It is only ever fully dark at midnight after the moon has set. At dawn, the moon rises, bringing with it thelight.”
“That’sweird.”
He pursed his lips. “And we find sunlightweird.”
“Why does that not surpriseme?”
“Here.” He unlocked the door and passed some clothes to Bree, carefully watching her for any sign of what she was thinking. One thing he was coming to appreciate about this girl was her absolute frankness. If she thought something, she did little to keep it locked up inside of her. She was more than happy to share, almost as if she had no filter between her mind and hermouth.
That said, he would need to watch her carefully. If she went off in front of the wrong fae, it could lead to disastrousconsequences.
Bree took the clothes and frowned down at them. “You want me to wear adress?”
“You will not be doing any fighting just yet. I would like to take you for a walk through the halls first, as a way to stretch your legs. Exercise is important. A dress allows you to blend in with the Court. Some will still spot you as an outsider, but notall.”
“Well, okay,” Bree said, but Taveon could tell she wasn’t convinced. “You’re going to have to turn around though. I’m not getting changed in front ofyou.”
Heat filled Taveon’s cheeks, and he suddenly felt as though he should be anywhere other than standing outside of Bree’s cell. He abruptly spun on his feet, and then ran a hand through his hair. Bree didn’t say a word as she undressed, though he could hear the rustle of the material. Clothing fell softly onto the stone floor, and he swallowed hard. Why was he reacting in such a ridiculous manner? It wasn’t as though he’d never been around a female undressingbefore.
But this felt dangerous. It felt wrong. Deliciouslywrong.
It took all his self-control not to turnaround.
“Done now,” Bree said, her voice hinting at none of the strange feelings churning through Taveon’s mind andbody.
But of course it wouldn’t. Bree hated him. With every fiber of her being. She hated him so much that she had shoved a dagger into his heart and then left him for dead. If he were any other fae, he would be lucky to be alive. And he had a feeling that if he spied on her while she was undressing, she would probably try to kill him again even knowing that he would neverdie.
In fact, he had a sneaking suspicion that therewouldbe a next time. Bree would try to escape him again. He could read it in every move shemade.
He twisted to face her. She looked different out of her fighting leathers that she’d worn for the trip from the realm of the Light Fae to Underworld. The dirt still caked her cheeks, and her hair was wild around her shoulders, but there was something almost staggering in her beauty. The deep violet dress hugged her curves, highlighting her round hips. The sleeveless top of the dress cut straight across her chest with a beautiful lace edge. His gaze caught on her long, slenderneck.
“I feel like I look ridiculous,” she said. “Are you sure this isokay?”
“It will do,” he said in a gruffvoice.
Her face flickered with irritation. “Gee,thanks.”
“You still have dirt on your face.” He passed her a small cloth from his pocket, the only item his father had ever outright given to him. It had been a gift when he’d come of age, officially old enough to sit on the throne if the need ever came. It was a cheap old thing that had frayed within months, and Taveon found it fitting that it was now being covered indirt.
