A long pause drew out between the three males, a pause in which Rhistel considered killing the fae.
“Don’t you think a fae who has learned many secrets would be worth teaming up with, Rhistel?” The King of Shadows made it sound like more of a statement than a question.
“Tell me what you know first.” Rhistel’s studies told him that Shadow Fae, unlike fae from other cultures, could lie. It was yetanother quality that made their kind feared. It was what made him so like them, for whisperers could lie too.
The Shadow King loosed a long-suffering sigh. “Would you like me to enlighten the king of your other secret? The one you share with your mother and brother?”
“No,” Rhistel whispered, taken aback. So this fae did know things. How . . . infuriating.
The prince took a deep breath, trying to center himself. He wanted to seize control of the situation, as much as he could, anyway, when he felt like he was walking on the slipperiest ice. “I will tell him.”
The prince turned to his father. “Mother said she was keeping me prisoner of her magic because I threatened Saga.”
“Is it true?” the king asked.
Saga had always been his favorite.
“Yes, but I had a good reason. One that, while you might not agree with, you’ll understand.” His father had ordered his kin killed in a rebellion to seize the throne. This was not so different.
“Tell me.” The king didn’t look upset when he spoke. Saga was far away by now, and undoubtedly the king harbored guilt about having his heir trapped.
“Vale and I are not your sons by blood.” Rhistel swallowed, and knowing he would do well to show humility, the prince went down on one knee. “But I beg of you, Father, to not disown me. I have not forsaken you.”
He stared up at the king, at the red splotches of anger blooming on Magnus’s face. Saw the realization come in waves as the truth hit him again and again.
“Who?” Magnus asked and answered his own question in the next breath. “It’s Lord Riis, isn’t it?”
So he’d always suspected. If only in the back of his mind.
“Yes,” Rhistel said. “That is why I threatened Saga. She’s the only trueborn Aaberg, and I couldn’t stand to be put aside.Could not stand to lose the connection with you and all that I’ve worked so hard for in my life.”
Silence rang through the library until his father grunted. “Stand.”
Rhistel did, and though anger vibrated in the lines of his father’s body, his eyes were different. Not so hard.
“I cannot allow you to harm Saga in the future, but we will resolve that score later. I will also not disown you as my birth father did. You are an Aaberg, Rhistel. Mine. And my heir.”
The prince breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
Magnus nodded. “You think you can control your mother for an extended period of time?”
“I believe so.”
“Then sit.” The king gestured to the chairs. “King Érebo and I were discussing how best to discredit Princess Isolde from claiming the throne.”
Rhistel grinned. “I have a few ideas I’d like to share.”
Chapter 13
ISOLDE
Fae stared as we rode by. The Myrranese might not see inside the covered sleigh, but the carriage was dark green and gold and lavish enough that they knewsomeoneimportant rode within. Gliding in our tracks was another lavish conveyance filled with the Scholars and Livia, adding to the rumor mill.
We were on our way to the Great Library of the South, hoping to bring information about the Shadow Fae to light. To learn about their magic as well, though of course our new ally did not know about that. As far as the Warden of the South understood, we were hoping to learn about the Shadow Fae history—not untrue. Not entirely true either.
My stomach was in knots at keeping the secret from Lord Balik.
“This city is magnificent,” Bac murmured, peeking out the window from the opposite velvet-covered bench. Astril and Freyia sat with him, also looking out the window, but for threats, not pleasure. “A true light of the realm.”
