The most powerful Fae had the ability to enchant mortals, but I wasn’t sure that was why my feet carried me toward him as if I couldn’t resist his voice. Perhaps it was logical to follow him, or perhaps his tone was terrifying.
He led me out of his room.
The hall was wide and expansive, lined with doors that were mostly propped open. I caught glimpses inside of rooms that were lavishly decorated or plain but homey, all of them empty.
At the other end of the hallway was another common area, this oneall couches and comfortable chairs surrounded by bookshelves and lit by more enormous, arched windows; beyond it, a balcony looked out toward the sea. The thought rankled more than it should when I imagined the clan spreading through that space at night, laughing and bantering with each other as the stars shone down on the sea, while I was locked on the other side of the door where the other mortal servants were allowed to deliver their breakfast.
Then we were out through the door on the other side and back at the long table mortals had set for breakfast. The door clicked locked behind us.
The air smelled of bacon, toast, and tea, and the clan was seated around the table, but this morning there was a strange, somber air.
My gaze went past all the somber faces to Maura, who looked more frightened now than she had ever been facing down monsters.
“Maura, where were you when our little mortal was beaten close to death?” Fieran’s voice was dangerous.
I froze behind him. I couldn’t even summon offense over that patronizingour little mortal.
Maura stood, her chin rising. Her hands braced flat on the table, the muscles in her biceps curving out sharply. If I felt like prey—every muscle tense—she looked as if she did just as much now. “I went for the healer because she was fighting me, and I didn’t want her to hurt herself worse. You found her before I could return.”
“Who hurt her?” Fieran’s broad shoulders were relaxed; there was no tension in his spine, no ripple in the taper of his waist. I needed to see his face, to try to understand him, and so I edged along the wall.
Maura’s eyes caught the movement and flashed to me. Her dark eyes settled on me for just a heartbeat, but it was enough to send tension stiffening my spine. She hesitated as she swiveled toward Fieran, and her jaw thrust forward as if in defiance. “I did.”
Fieran studied her, his eyes suddenly making me think of heated, scalding gold. “Thank you for your honesty.”
Anayla, sitting beside Maura, winced.
“She was talking to Ander.” Maura spoke rapidly, as if she had to get the words out before some dire consequence. “I was trying to find out what they were plottingtogether.”
“This wasn’t an accident?” Fieran’s voice had turned soft. Silky. Persuasive. It was even worse than when he sounded openly dangerous.
“It was…I didn’t realize she was so fragile.” Maura tossed her head, trying to be blasé, and not quite pulling it off.
If I were a good person—more like Tay—I wouldn’t have reveled in the fear that pulsed under her skin. It couldn’t be as hot as the fear that had run through my veins when she beat me, afraid I’d fall in that empty room and not rise again, and that Tay would follow me down.
Still, my feelings were a mix of satisfaction and shame and something that was justgrim, determined and pragmatic.Fieran was a danger to me, but sometimes, he could be dangerous on my behalf.
Could I master this monster of a man and turn him in the direction I needed?
“I told you to teach her how to take a hit.” Fieran hadn’t glanced away from her once. No one else in the clan was watching her, though; they were watching him, except for Anayla, who was stiff, studying her knotted hands. “I didn’t tell you to beat her half-dead. Did I?”
“No.” The word seemed as if it were wrung from her chest. Then, as if that were a dam breaking, the rest came in a rush, “Fear. You can’t trust her. She’s spying on you for Ander.”
“So you thought you would address the problem for me—by hurting her—rather than trouble me?”
“I wanted to bring you answers?—”
“Get out.”
She rose to her feet in instant obedience before she glanced around, her eyes wild. But no one was meeting her gaze, so she looked to Fieran. “Where am I going to go?”
“I don’t give a fuck, Maura. Get out.”
She pushed her chair away and moved back, emotions flickering over her face, and her gaze met mine again.
Threat prickled at the back of my neck, and my hands knotted into fists. Right. Because fighting her had worked for me before. I could’ve let out a bitter laugh at my stupid, insufficient instincts, if I hadn’t been entirely focused on her as she stalked toward the door and slammed it open.
Then she was gone, and it was only when I exhaled my relief that I felt the clan’s attention shift.
