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Chapter 23
Roisinpinnedmyhairaround my crown. I glared uncertainly at my reflection in the mirror, at the full gown made of lace and taffeta, embroidered with an elegant design of flowers down the folds of the skirt. We were in the waiting room outside the throne room. This was the second occasion that Dagda had held court since my arrival. Hopefully, this time would go better than the last.
“Who are the two most powerful houses?” Roisin grilled me.
“The Honored Ones headed by Niall and the Protected Ones headed by Erisen,” I said. “They both hold significant sway over the court and have been at each other’s throats for years.” I flinched. Apparently, after I had refused their peace agreement where they wanted to marry off their children, Dagda had been unable to get the two houses to reconcile. “Niall is an original member, taken off by Niamh, and placed back on by Dagda. Erisen was also an original member, though Niamh never removed him.” Which likely made Erisen either a former or current Fomori ally. I’d been making special note of that in my studies on the court.
Roisin nodded her approval.
I wanted to do well today. I told myself it was for Dagda’s sake, but after the near triumph of the faerie tournament, something within urged me to prove myself to the court, to all those faeries that wanted me dead.
A dark laugh almost bubbled up. Right when I’d realized I trusted Dagda, that I might tell him everything, Ornan had stripped that ability from me. My sisters were always one step ahead. By aligning with the demon lord, they’d ruined any chance that I could overcome them.
It wasn’t until the instant the ability to alter anything had been taken that I realized, I still held onto my fool’s hope that I might change the future. That anything I did here might matter.
And yet, here I was a day later, thinking that impressing the court, or Dagda, mattered.
Fool.
Dagda burst into the room. He wore a silver crown that caught the light. The way his hair fell in dark wispy waves, not to mention the sleeveless, double-breasted tunic that showed off his muscular arms, left something tingly in my chest. He took long strides around the couch and table, looked as if he were about to sit, then, changing his mind, he spun and strode in the other direction.
“Tadhg. We are meeting with him today,” he said.
I pursed my lips, trying to place the name within the information I knew. He held sway over a significant portion of Erisen’s supporters. Without Tadhg, Erisen would not be able to compete with Niall. “He’s one that Niamh placed on the court,” I said. “So most likely was a member of the Fomori.”
Dagda spun and paced the other direction. “Yes. He is also uncle to the man who tried to kill you.”
An electric jolt went through me.
Dagda caught the reaction and his expression turned grim. “I questioned him after the incident. We met. He denied any knowledge of what happened and denounced his nephew. However, Tadhg basically raised his nephew. They are close, and I cannot see him acting without his uncle’s approval.”
“If it was a scheduled appointment, he may have had the chance to take liar’s brew.”
Dagda nodded. “Tadhg had time to prepare for the meeting.” He continued to pace. His voice dropped to a growl. “I want him off the court. And yet, if I bring up the Fomori, the rest of the court will be in uproar with declarations of war made before the day is through.”
“So, no mentioning the Fomori,” I muttered. A frustration dug through me at all that I couldn’t say. At all that was forbidden.
Dagda stopped pacing and stared at me in the mirror. Something shifted on his face. “You look beautiful,” he said.
My frustration dimmed. I took in his square jaw; the warmth emanating from eyes that melted my core, and I couldn’t help but remember how his lips had felt pressed to mine.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” The words were out of my mouth before I had a chance to retrieve them. Dagda didn’t respond. He studied me oh so carefully, as if marking every conflicting feeling twisting through me.
“Stop making lover’s eyes in the mirror. Those people are waiting for you both.” Roisin’s voice caused me to break our gaze as she tucked a curl behind my ear.
“It's not like that,” I snapped.
“Mmm hmm,” was Roisin’s only response as she finished adjusting my hair.
Dagda stepped closer. He offered his arm. “My queen?”
I tugged out of Roisin’s grasp, giving her a dirty look before walking up to Dagda.It’s just for show, I thought.We need to appear united.
I slid my arm around his.
He escorted me into the throne room. People waited along the purple velvety carpet that stretched from the steps to the large doors where several guards stood. Palon and Keelin both lingered behind our thrones.
“Tadhg is the one in the green tunic in the left-hand corner, next to the wall,” Dagda murmured, his warm breath brushing my ear. “He will be up right before lunch.”
