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The prince stated the bargain again, adding to it that none of us in this clearing would harm the warlock in any way, for as long as we all lived, if the warlock revealed the truth.
“However, if you lie, the gods will strike you down,” Norivun added at the end. “Do you accept this bargain?”
The warlock grinned and stated the prince’s name before saying, “I hereby accept your bargain.”
A clash of magic billowed between them, and bargain marks appeared on their wrists.
Smiling smugly, the warlock’s gray skin was practically glowing with satisfaction when the prince pulled his hand free and cleansed the disgusting stench from his skin in a burst of magic.
Norivun prowled around, then crouched again in front of the warlock. “Now that you’re sealed by a bargain, if you’re not truthful, the gods will kill you. So tell me, why are you protecting the Solis king?”
“Because if I comply with his wishes, he gives me fae to sacrifice.”
My heart jolted.Thatwas how King Novakin was paying him? By giving him our fae to sacrifice? My hatred for the king strengthened a thousand fold.
Norivun’s jaw worked, and his rage billowed toward me on the bond, but other than that one hint ofmovement on his face, he gave no other outward reaction. “In exchange for what?” he pushed.
The warlock smiled, the expression truly hideous. “In exchange for a death veil that I created in Isalee Territory, which spread throughout your land and killed all of your crops.”
A flare of Norivun’s magic pulsed around him, and the anger strumming from him along our bond increased even more. “And how many Solis fae sacrifices were you promised in exchange for creating that veil?”
“As many as I wanted.”
Nish made a sound of disgust, and Ryder’s lip curled. Haxil and Sandus’s auras swelled even higher as they gazed at the warlock with pure contempt. Even the Fire Wolf reacted. The hunter’s eyes flickered briefly to flames.
Norivun’s nostrils flared. “So, King Novakin said you could sacrifice anendlessamount of Solis fae as long as you complied with his wishes? Those wishes being that you created a deadly veil in our soil, which killed all of our crops, and ultimately would lead to the starvation of all of our fae?”
“Yes.”
I sucked in a breath, and it took everything in me not to incinerate the warlock on the spot. We’d guessed that the king had been paying him in some way, but to hear it confirmed and to learnhowthe warlock was being paid...
Blessed Mother.The king had intentionally andwillingly allowed the warlock to pluck as many fae from the castle as he wanted. It was beyond appalling. It was infuriating. The king would have even allowedmylife to be taken. If my fire affinity hadn’t fended the warlock off following that disastrous date with Lord Waterline, I would have been one of his victims.
And the king had condoned that.
Muscles bunched around Norivun’s shoulders as he shifted in his crouch. His hands were curled into fists so tightly, his knuckles were white. “And why did my father want all of this done? Why would he offer to you the fae he was supposed to protect in exchange for that veil?”
A dark, perverse light lit the warlock’s eyes. “He wanted all of the crops to die so the Solis fae would starve. Starving, desperate fae would be more likely to comply when the king invaded the Nolus continent.”
“So all of this was done—the veil, the murders—to starve the fae of our continent, so they would be more likely to support my father when he marched upon our southern neighbors and started a war?”
“Yes.”
“And why did he want a war?”
The warlock shrugged, his expression turning bored. “For the same reason all powerful leaders start wars—to increase his reach, to expand his territory. The motivation is nothing new or interesting.”
The prince’s guards all shifted in place. Their attention was still focused on the warlock, still ready in casethose cuffs failed, yet fury burned brightly in all their eyes.
The crown prince glanced up at the looking glass. “I think we have what we need.”
The warlock laughed. “Which means, it’s time you released me from these cuffs.”
Norivun gave a curt nod to the Fire Wolf. “Do as he says.”
“You know he’ll go back to killing innocents, right?” the hunter said, an edge to his tone.
“A bargain was made. I must honor it.”
