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“There is nothing proposed about my bride,” Carnon bit out sharply. “As you well know, Herne.”
“Connection is not the right word,” Scathanna cut in icily, looking between Carnon and me with disdain. “Her loyalty is what is in question.”
I bristled, uncertain if I should say something to defend myself. Carnon’s hand slid to my waist where he squeezed gently. I supposed that was a no.
“She is a pretty thing,” Tyr drawled, looking at me in a heated way that had the opposite effect of Carnon’s glances. Carnon’s hunger seemed primal and sensual. This male’s hunger was based in greed. Like Brigid,Tyr lacked horns, but I supposed the fangs made up for it. “The Goddess has blessed you indeed, my Lord. Perhaps your loyal servants should be allowed to share in those blessings.”
This time it was Carnon who bristled, the temperature of the room noticeably dropping as he glared at Tyr. I didn’t understand what Tyr meant by sharing, but Carnon clearly did.
“If you put a hand on her, Tyr,” he said, voice cold and menacing, “you’ll find yourself begging for death before I am through with you.”
Tyr shrugged and grinned, as if threats of maiming and murder were common in this court. “Maybe my future queen would disagree,” he pressed, giving me another heated look.
“She would not,” I said, returning Tyr’s look with none of the heat. Carnon’s hand squeezed my waist again in warning, but I ignored him. If he wanted me to be a silent betrothed, he should have specified. “And I am not loyal to the Crone, if that’s what concerns you.”
“We understand that she is your grandmother,” Brigid said, eyes flitting between me and Carnon and Tyr with concern. “I would not blame you for holding some loyalty toward her. She is your family, and I’m sure you can understand why that might concern us, what with the report of witches attempting to bring down our wards.”
Of all the Lords, Brigid seemed to be the most reasonable, and her soothing voice spoke of diplomacy and caring. Carnon had made it seem like she was the most trustworthy of the three lords I had not yet met, but he also told me not to trust any of them. I smiled faintly at her.
“She is not my family,” I said. Carnon’s hand had stilled and I felt him blow out a breath. Of relief or tension, I wasn’t sure. “I am loyal to my mother, and to the innocent witches and mortals in the Witchlands. My grandmother’s views are not my own.”
“And what do you know of those views?” Scathanna asked sharply, eyes flicking to where Carnon’s hand brushed my bare skin. “You are too young to know of the bloodshed she caused, or the innocent lives she took in her quest for power. And now she is pounding at our gates wanting to take these lands once more.”
“Elara cannot be held accountable for her grandmother’s crimes,” Carnon cut in. I kept my face impassive, making an effort to remember to research this history when I next went to the library. “I know they are great, but she is on our side.”
“How do we know that?” Herne boomed, giving his supposed friend a hard look. “She just appears in the Bloodwood, exactly where you happen to be, and you want us to believe it is a coincidence? A witch stumbling upon the Demon King where she is forbidden to go, who just happens to be his—”
“She didn’t stumble upon me,” Carnon cut in coolly, scowling hard at Herne. I frowned, unable to think how Herne would have finished his sentence, but Carnon didn’t let me ask. “Akela found her, in need of aid, and summoned me. You know as well as I that the Goddess works in mysterious ways.” He trailed his fingers over the bare skin at my waist, and I shivered a little.
“And why was she in need of aid?” Scathanna pushed, her eyes darting to Carnon’s hand on me. “Why was she so conveniently fleeing at the exact time you happened upon her?”
I flicked my gaze to Carnon, who was looking intently at Herne. I caught the imperceptible shake of the Daemon Lord’s head. He hadn’t told them about my magic.
“She wanted to use me,” I said, trying to come up with a lie that was mostly a truth. “To bring down the Bloodwood.”
Scathanna raised her brows at this, and Tyr studied me with increased interest. Carnon gave me a tiny squeeze, an encouragement to keep going.
“When I couldn’t help her,” I drawled, trying to give myself time to think, “she tried to kill me. So I fled to the Bloodwood.”
A lie, but based enough in truth that I could probably maintain it. Brigid gave me a sympathetic smile, but Scathanna continued to glower at me.
“How about a test?” asked Tyr, turning to the other lords. He shot me a wink, as if he was somehow saving me from something. “We can offer a trial for Lady Elara to complete, to prove her loyalty to the Darklands. Then, my King,” he added, turning back to Carnon, “we will accept your choice of queen.”
“And in the meantime,” Scathanna added, clearly latching onto this plan with both claws, “we will remain here. To observe and protect.”
I felt Carnon’s hand stiffen against my waist again, and I got the strong sense he didn’t like this plan at all. Akela growled next to me, low and threatening, and I put a hand on his head.
“Be reasonable, my King,” Herne said, stepping forward with his hands out placatingly. “Our concern is for your safety, and that of the Darklands. We will not separate you if she can truly be trusted.”
“If your bride loves you,” Scathanna said, her voice oily now, “then she will agree. Surely she will want to put your most trusted advisors and lords of her new realm at ease, and prove her loyalty to her subjects.”
I ground my teeth, deciding I really didn’t like Scathanna. If I argued, it would be suspicious and clear that I wasn’t that invested in the marriage, and if I agreed, I’d be forced to undertake some magical trial which I was sure would be neither easy nor pleasant. Carnon did tell me to pretend to love him, so really my reply was his own fault.
“I accept,” I said, giving all of them my most obsequious smile. “If your King’s faith in my intentions is not enough to prove my loyalty, then name your trial.”
Brigid made a sound, almost like approval, that she muffled with a cough. Scathanna gave me a smile that chilled me to the bone.
“We will need time to discuss,” Herne said, speaking for the group as he nodded to them. “We will share our decision tomorrow.”
