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“Yes.” Margo stood. “I dreamt he was coming. I can sense him.”
“So, we can add psychic to your list of talents?” Ace asked.
Margo tried to untangle her braids with her fingers, though it really did little good. She smoothed her skirts and set her face into the same calculated glower her brother wore. “I’m going to kill him.”
In an instant, Shelby was gaping down at her. “I thinknot.”
“He killed our mother.” Blue light bounced from fingertip to fingertip, fizzing out as she clasped her hands into palms. Young magic. Young, untrained magic.
Yearning to wrap both Shelby and Margo up in the hug they surely needed seized Ace. As Shelby’s gaze hardened, she forced herself to stay in place. A hug might be what she thought they needed but perhaps it was not what they wanted. At least Shelby.
“She was no mother of mine and you will do no such thing. Do you really think you could do anything against a Fae king? Don’t be stupid,” Shelby said.
The poor girl’s eyes turned glassy. “I’m not stupid.Youare.” Her heel dug into the dirt as she turned to face away, folding her arms across her chest. The ragged breath she took propelled Ace forward.
Giving Shelby a dirty look, Ace shooed him away. “She’s only a child.”
“I’m not a child.” Margo sniffled.
As carefully as she might handle something fragile, she placed her hands on Margo’s shoulders. Margo stared down at the ground, her eyes squinted with tears welling. Not even the bitter wind that kept making its way between the trees could help to dry them.
“I know you’re upset and you have every single right to be, but I need you to be careful. I know a lot about wishing for revenge and it does very little to quell the turmoil inside of you even after you’ve completed it. I wouldn’t take it away from you though. Can you promise me you’ll wait to act in the name of your mother until after this war is finished?”
Her lashes looked damp but not a single tear had spilled over onto her cheeks yet. She looked up slowly, meeting Ace’s gaze with a quivering lower lip. “I want him dead.”
“Then you shall kill him with your own two hands, but not untilafter.”
“Ace, do not fill her head with this nonsense. Don’t even let her think that she might stand a chance,” Shelby said.
“They’re getting closer,” Rehan reminded them.
Ace didn’t move. “Can we agree on that?”
“Fine,” Margo mumbled under her breath.
“Thank you. You’re really doing me a favor.” Then Ace pulled her close, tucking Margo’s head under her chin and holding her for a long moment. They stood like that for several seconds until they could hear the horses and chatter breaking through the noises of the woods.
Their little group watched in the direction the sound of the traveling party was coming from. Rehan was the first to move, placing himself at the front of the group. Ace didn’t know how the king could find them in what felt like the middle of nowhere, but here he was.
On a horse as black as his hair, King Osiris appeared with more men at his back than Ace could even attempt to count. The harder she looked, the more it felt as if the troops were never-ending. Had they traveled through the city? Had they harmed any of the citizens on their way?
Two fingers slipped into the corners of King Osiris’s mouth, a shrill whistle signaling the Fae to stop. In one fluid movement, he swung off of his horse while it was still coming to a stop then handed the reins to the nearest armor clad man next to him. His silver crown shone even when he walked through the shade.
“Rehan, I’m glad you’ve finally called upon my men. I was beginning to think you might not need us and that would have been such a shame when I’ve longed to spill blood on this land once again.” The king held his hand out to Rehan who returned the gesture, giving his hand a good shake. Then those cunning eyes moved to Ace.
“Little angel. Always a pleasure.” He offered a sanguine smile that fell the very second his attention darted to Shelby. “And you,” his voice dripped with disgust, “Rehan has pleaded for your forgiveness but I’m not sure I’m capable of giving it.”
Ace took a step in Shelby’s direction. It didn’t go unnoticed by King Osiris as he snarled her direction. “The warlock owes me an apology. He should be kissing my feet andbeggingthat I spare his life. I’ve been searching for my brother for years only for him to be placed in the hands of my bloody enemies the moment I come close to retrieving him.”
“You expect an apology?” Worry bubbled up in Ace’s gut as Shelby replied with clear disdain.
“Or maybe I can return the favor,” the king spat. “This is your little sister is it not? The little brat who tried to stop me at Glatton.”
Was it possible the little witch was made of steel and stone? Margo mimicked the snarl the king himself had emitted and dared to let magic warm her hands.
He rolled his beautiful sparkling eyes.
“Leave her out of this.” Shelby huffed.
