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10
BREE
Lord Dagen wasn’t in his quarters, thankfully. Bree crept inside, stole a map of the castle, and hurried back to her quarters. When she closed the door of her bedroom, her heart sagged. It was too quiet inside, and the ghost of Rafe lurked everywhere she looked. They’d made love on that bed. And on the sofa. And on top of the desk. They’d curled up beside the fire together, sharing memories of their lives.
Her heart ached from his absence, but she needed to cast aside her emotions and get to work.
Eurig and Norah were both taking part in a council meeting with the dark fae court. They would discuss strategies for holding the castle against the looming threat. Lord Dagen would be preoccupied, which meant he would be paying no mind to Bree. It was the perfect opportunity for her to make her move.
She spread the map across the desk and leaned close, using her finger to make a trail through the winding castle halls. She already knew how to find the dungeon, but she needed to note every possible path.
The door creaked open behind her. With her heart in her throat, she shoved the map off the desk and whirled toward the intruder. Rafferty’s silver hair gleamed as he whispered inside the room. The door clicked as it shut behind him.
“Rafe?” With a smile, she rushed toward him and leapt into his arms.
He chuckled into her hair, and the warmth of him seeped into her. “I’m happy to see you, too.”
Bree untangled herself from his arms and looked him over. She had to admit, he looked good. The new fighting leathers suited him, and his hair was pulled back from his perfectly carved face. Desire poked up its head, but she had to push it down. They had a lot to talk about. How much did he know? Had Dagen explained much before throwing him into the barracks?
“Do you know—?” she started to ask just as he said, “We have a problem.”
She smashed her lips together at the dark look in his eye. Her gut churned. With a frown, she motioned him away from the door, just in case someone passed on the other side.
“What’s going on?” she whispered. “How are you here? I thought the court didn’t want you inside the castle because of your loyalty to Taveon.”
“Well, you’re right about that,” he said grimly. “Lord Dagen gave me a choice. The dungeons or the barracks.”
She shook her head. “You don’t agree with him, do you? About Taveon’s captivity? He seems so convinced he’s in the right, but…”
Rafe’s gaze hardened. Anger whipped through his eyes. Bree had rarely seen that look from him before, like he was ready to tear the world apart. “Absolutely not.”
Bree relaxed. She did not know what she would do if Rafe—who felt like a piece of her own soul—disagreed with her on something as important as this.
“And that’s why I’m here,” he continued, before quickly filling her in on his confrontation with Dagen. As he spoke, Bree pressed her fingers to her lips, her heart pounding. It was even worse than she’d thought. Dagen had turned against them all.
It was almost impossible for her to believe, despite everything he’d said to her since she’d returned. Dagen, who had once seemed untrustworthy, had won her over in the end. He’d helped her. He’d supported her. How could he do this to them now?
Betrayal whipped through her, snapping at her heart. She’d even come to care for him. When she’d looked at him, she’d hoped he would be part of her life.
“How could he do this to me?” she whispered, though she knew how selfish she sounded. Truly, this was not about her. It was far greater than that. It was about Taveon. The realm. The war. All of it. She doubted he’d even be willing to end the Tithe.
“I’m so sorry, Bree.” Rafe palmed her cheek, reading the pain in her eyes. “I know you cared for him, but he’s not the fae you believed him to be. Power calls to him, and this is his chance to take it. So take it he will.”
“So, he allowed you to return to the castle just this once.”
“He wants me to convince you to leave Taveon alone.”
She closed her eyes. “I suppose I haven’t done a wonderful job of hiding my intentions, though I don’t know how he could be so sure what I would do. I’ve only told Norah and Eurig. Neither one of them would ever say a word to Dagen about this.”
“He knows you, Bree,” Rafe said. “We all know you.”
“How many guards do you think stand between me and Taveon?” she asked. “If he knows I’ll go after him, he won’t make it easy on me.”
Rafe frowned. “Too many for you to fight alone.”
“So, then, what can we do?” she asked. “We can’t just leave him in there.”
Pursing his lips, Rafe glanced at the door. “Dagen will be here any moment. He doesn’t want me wandering through the castle for long. I’m going to get out of here before he has a chance.”
