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I shook my head. “I can’t send a mental message to Orla without it being intercepted. But she will stop Queill when we need her to.”
“You're betting all your gold on a single horse, son,” Lord Tynan said, but alas, he shrugged and turned away from me.
I took a step back to resume my earlier position.
As I had guessed, Lady Queill came into garden after a while. I felt her mind magic sweeping across the guests, but I hid my thoughts as best as I could. Orla had taught me a few tricks, and since there were a lot of fae in the garden, Lad Queill could not search each of our minds thoroughly. She did not notice me.
Once Lady Queill took her seat, Lugh gestured at the musicians to stop. He rose from his seat, and Fiona followed suit, her gaze locked on him. He did not hold her hand like it was customary as the two of them stood together before the crowd.
“Welcome,” Lugh said, nearly fumbling over his words despite his apparent confidence. “Today is a momentous occasion, a celebration of love and unity that fills our hearts with joy and hope.”
It was difficult not to wince. The guests listened, but it was evident that his speech didn't land as heartwarmingly as Lugh had hoped. The Unseelie listened with polite interest.
“I stand before you as a man who has been blessed with the greatest honor, the privilege of marrying a woman who embodies grace, beauty, and strength,” he continued. “To my dearest Princess Fiona, together, we shall build a future for the Unseelie. We shall become stronger together.”
He didn’t even look at Fiona as he said those words.
"Let us raise our glasses...” Lugh continued, but Lord Petret looked over his shoulder to meet my eyes and I could not listen to what else the false king had to say.
“Now?” Lord Petret asked.
“Now,” I replied, before taking a step forward to come into the light. “You are forgetting something, Lugh!”
I had raised my voice enough to be heard over the music, but the music lingered until I pulled my cloak off and walked toward the platform to stand before Lugh and Fiona. As we had guessed, Lady Queill did not attempt to control my mind. She would focus on Fiona, hoping my sister would shame me while under her control.
“Prince Kieran,” Lord Lugh said as the music stopped abruptly. “How nice of you to grace our wedding with your presence...”
I stopped when I reached the platform. I did not step onto it but remained on the grass as I looked up to meet Fiona’s gaze.
“I am not here for the wedding,” I said and turned to Lugh. “I am here to give you a chance. Stop this now before more blood is spilled, and we will spare you.”
Lugh’s expression soured, but I could see the joy in his gaze despite the pretense.
“I have been receiving news of your efforts to usurp your sister’s throne,” Lugh said. “But I did not want to believe them despite the evidence. It makes me sick seeing your betrayal. My betrothed asked me to spare you, but I must admit, it becomes more and more difficult to accept your treason as the jealous act of a stubborn prince.”
The insult did not land as Lugh had hoped. A few from the crowd gasped upon hearing it. It gave me courage. I saw from the corner of my eye that Lord Harill was listening intently. A few like him would wait until I proved my point to support my cause, and those were the ones who would be convinced once Fiona revealed the truth.
“Sister,” I said, meeting her gaze and ignoring Lugh completely. “It’s time. The prisoners are freed. You don’t have to go through with this.”
It’s time, Orla, I thought as loudly as I could.
Fiona’s eyes were wide as she blankly stared at me. I waited for the moment of release. If Fiona’s mind was taken by Lady Queill, Orla would step in any minute now to free her. Most likely, she hadn’t done that yet because she wanted to make sure Fiona could get away after her mind was freed. Until now, that hadn’t been the case.
“Brother,” Fiona said. Her tone wasn’t flat like I assumed it would be. It was full of grief and pain. “I love you.”
She hesitated. She glanced toward Lugh as though she feared he would do something.
Then, her eyes fell on me again. There was something there that I could not grasp, but it scared me as Fiona opened her mouth to speak again.
“But I love him too,” she said. “We will rule the realm together as promised. And if you cannot find it in your heart to accept that... Perhaps... Perhaps you should understand at least that it is not your position to decide on such matters. Our father is dead, brother. I am queen now. And I will marry whomever I want.”
