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“Well, no. It’s a guess.”
The calm in his voice snapped me to attention. “A guess? You’re going to stake my court and my family’s well-being on a guess? You could be lying, manipulating me so we alter what our troops do. If we don’t fight back, you’re able to win.” The potential in my words sent a skitter of anxiety through me. He could do just that. I wanted to assume the best of him because he seemed sincere, and even Mother believed him, but that had only harmed us before. This wasn’t about Shaan and Lennox, two men in love. This was a prince of the Prasanna and a prince of the Seelie, both courts with very different aims. I could never again see this man as something other than what he was: a political member of another court with aims to harm my family and people.
Lennox flung his arms out. “I’m not lying, Shaan. I’m sorry I don’t know for certain. My father has never included me in his decisions regarding military actions.” He winced and looked away from me, and my heart tumbled over itself. Everything in my body wished to move closer to him, to touch the silk of his hair, to say it would be okay, we’d find a solution.
“I told you once that my father despises me. That was perhaps the truest thing I’ve ever said to you. For the longest time, I believed he tolerated me solely because I’m his only child and sole blood link to hold the Seelie magic. As soon as I found out about Lira, I headed here. I hadn’t had time to consider things until the last few days of visiting. I’ve realized my father must see Lira and me both as incompetent. That’s the only reason he hasn’t already marked Lira rather than me for the magic and his crown. I wish I could offer more, but I am giving you this much. I’m nearly positive he’s creating weapons with this material, and if he is, you must protect your troops.”
“You say you’re telling me this because you care for me?”
Lennox nodded.
Then he could prove it by helping my court, my family, and me. “Tell me, what counteracts this material, then?”
Lennox closed his eyes for three long heartbeats before opening them. “Nothing we know of yet.”
“A pretty lie.”
“God damn it, Shaan, it’s not a lie.”
My lips parted then closed again. Lennox wasn’t a man to use strong language often—he kept his true feelings swallowed under his perfect, fake composure. “What happens to a fairy if they’re struck with a weapon made of this metal?”
Lennox winced. “I’m not sure, but I imagine if a dart or spear head were embedded in a fairy, it would drain their magic until it killed them.”
The horror of what he told me sank in, and my mouth gaped. Magic was our only defense and the entire fae realm knew it. The Prasanna had powers over memories and while few beings held anything close to Sai’s abilities, thousands of Prasanna together even with limited individual magic could cause utter chaos for our enemies. If we could have our soldiers killed so easily—no, not only killed, but their magic sapped in the process and possibly draining powers from our court—we were like alley cats with nothing more than a pitiful set of claws to defend ourselves.
I lifted my face to Lennox who looked less innocent by the moment. “So, you’re telling me that this metal can siphon magic away from the Prasanna one-by-one while also killing our people? You’ve known about this and kept it from me.”
“Of course I haven’t known about it. I just figured it out.”
“Your father has planned for a war, and you never mentioned a damned thing about it to me. So do not stand here and act like an innocent fool.”
Lennox frowned. “Don’t act like this is news to you. Your sister just shared how your mother believes a war will happen between our people, so don’t pretend this is something you’ve never heard before today. It’s been the giant fucking thing we’ve danced around since the day we met.”
I leaned in closer to him, breathed in his sweet scent and considered it the poison that it was. “You spent six weeks with me laughing and sharing meals and fucking me, all while knowing your father planned to destroy my court just like your grandfather destroyed the other fairies.”
“No. It’s not like that. I’m here now—”
“To announce our doom.”
“Shaan…”
“Don’t speak my name again,” I yelled so vehemently spit flew from my lips. I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room. The guards straightened as I addressed them. “I want him under guard every moment he remains in the palace. Do not let him out of your sight.”
“Yes, Raja-kumara.” The guards bowed. Ishir stared at me, but I couldn’t meet his gaze or discuss anything with him. I had to find Mother. I’d never been deeply involved in the political workings of our court, but I didn’t have to be a political genius to realize just how devastating this news was for our people. To know how quickly we needed to act on it.
And Lennox?
Fuck him and my stupid fucking heart that screamed at me to turn back.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
SAI
My footsteps echoedalongside Lira’s as we moved through the trickling, shadowed belly of the the temple of the water. The bhoot had left me shaken. She wanted the blood of a man in love and, Kali’s powers, I'd walked right into her web. If I wasn’t already certain of my feelings for Lira, that confirmed it for me. You couldn’t fool a bhoot. They weren’t sentimental—only focused on their desire that would let them escape this plane.
We entered another chamber, this one a smaller hallway that had water flowing down both sides and landing in sloped basins. The limited light disappeared as we kept moving into the walled-in space, and Lira slipped up beside me and tucked her hand in mine. I draped my fingers down and brushed over her knuckles. Every time we touched intense rightness flooded me.
She’d wanted me to leave so the bhoot couldn’t threaten me, but I wouldn’t abandon her in this temple, especially with her magic faltering. She had seemed better since she’d compelled me but I didn’t want to take chances. Without hesitation, I would face death for her. I traced my thumb down the length of her finger and she didn’t pull away. I couldn’t help the hope that sparked in me between her concern after the bhoot, her jealousy with Jessamine, and the way she continued to touch me.
