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Frankly, the realms would be better off if both fae kings killed each other.
“They had a…disagreement, and Kyla went alone.”
I was watching the king closely enough to catch the way his hand tightened on the arm of his chair. “Of all the stubborn, bullheaded, single-minded—”
With a flash of my teeth, I cut him off. “News flash, all those words mean the same thing. The fact remains that the seelie king is moving the sword. Kyla obviously saw her chance and took it. Evie went after her, but I don’t know how far ahead Kyla was. I’m leaving for the seelie realm now, but in order to get into the palace, I need the book.”
Finvarra studied me for a long moment. “If you have any thoughts about keeping it, know that I will come for you with everything I have. And I have a lot.”
My wolf didn’t appreciate the threat. It urged me to sink my claws into the unseelie king’s guts and watch his organs fall to the floor—
“If you’re done with your murderous haze…” Finvarra gave me a look full of smug satisfaction.
We will kill him at a later time. When he least expects it. When we have rounded up our allies and are ready for war.
I could feel my wolf’s approval of that plan.
“Let me remind you that if Kyla dies, you don’t get your precious sword. She’s theonlyperson who bargained with you. The rest of us would like to watch you die. Slowly.”
“That seems like an overreaction, although not entirely unexpected from your people.” But he was thinking about it, I could tell. He knew as well as I did that if Kyla attempted to take the sword and failed, Taraghlan would move it to a more secure location. If that happened, the chances of Finvarra stealing it before it was used to run him through were greatly diminished.
As much as I would enjoy hearing Finvarra’s scream as he died, I needed him alive until I had Kyla safely home and Evie safely in my bed. Where she belonged.
“Each moment you ponder this situation is another moment in which you could be losing your sword. And my wolf could be losing her life.” I didn’t mention Evie. Finvarra didn’t care. But without Kyla, he was screwed, and he knew it.
Finvarra clenched his jaw, but he lifted a stack of books from the table next to him and held one of them out to me. The cover gleamed silver, as if it were made of molten metal. I plucked it from his hand before he could change his mind.
“Four of Taraghlan’s spies were found in my territory yesterday. From all accounts, one of them holds information Taraghlan doesn’t want me to know. He sent a messenger requesting the opportunity for a prisoner swap.” Finvarra stretched again, the movement like a lazy tiger in the sun. I had a feeling Taraghlan was likely to underestimate him. To his detriment.
“You think he’ll want to swap today?”
“I will contact him and state that I wish to discuss the matter in person. Neither of us will agree to meet in our own territories, so it will likely be somewhere in your realm. That will ensure a slice of time when he is away from his castle. Now that he no longer has his little portal maker by his side, it will take him some time to return.”
“How do you know he’ll agree?”
Finvarra smiled. “Because I already know what information the spy has, and he would do almost anything to prevent me from learning it.”
This was an unexpected gift. I’d continually underestimated just how badly Finvarra wanted this sword.
“Thank you.”
He simply stretched out his legs. “Enter my territory without warning again, and it will be war. Do you think I’m unaware of how your own power works, Alpha? It’s not just your pack who lend you their will, it’s any wolf who has sworn loyalty or fealty.”
And exactly how had he known that? I studied him back, considering just how much of a threat he posed to my pack.
“We’ll revisit this another time,” I said finally.
He gave me a sharp nod. “Return the book immediately once you have retrieved the sword.”
Neither of us bothered with any further conversation. Tucking the book under my arm, I stalked toward the door.
Three
Evie
I’d thought I was brave.
But from the way my hands shook and my knees quaked as I stood at the edge of the tunnel, I was rethinking that position.
