The fae who had touched her fell. He slumped, quieting. Blood pooled around him. He wouldn’t be getting up again.
She stood breathless, eyes wide, as she watched Tarian’s ruthless side in all its menacing glory, making a show of protecting her. His strength and power and ferocity fascinated her, but also unnerved her—intimidated her now that she knew what would happen if his callous side drowned out the Tarian she’d grown to know, turning him into something dark and disturbingly wicked.
“Is that what you would like?” Tarian asked the guard teasingly.
The leader visibly swallowed, edging away from him. “No, sire. It must’ve been a misunderstanding.”
“Yes, I should think so. You can tell your king that I will be entering the court games for the first time this year. I found a delightful creature in the human realm whom I mean to put forward as my great champion. I know how much he likes my jests. I also know that, as a courtesy, he does notdabblewith our champions until after the games have terminated. You can seewhy I had to stop you. Had he handled my toy, the other court members would have become concerned about him breaking long-standing promises.Moreconcerned, I should say. They are already chattering about other…infractions. The situation would result in trust grievances and overall court instability.” He tsked, cocking his head. “Given the current turmoil, I cannot imagine the king would welcome such fractures.”
He gestured to Daisy like he was summoning an obedient dog. She bent, as though cowed, before going to his side.
His tone lightened as he continued to look at the fae. “I consider this matter closed. Since you did not actually touch her, you may keep your hands.” He waved the male away before glancing down the hall in the direction he’d come. “Scamper along. Your presence is tiring.”
“Yes, sire,” the fae said, bowing deeply. “As you wish, sire.” He turned and half ran down the hall.
Tarian held up his hand like he was holding something. A dark black line ran from his fist downward, and then into an arc and back up before looping around Daisy’s neck. There it cinched, flattening her hair to the back of her neck and leaving no room to get her fingers in between her skin and the magical material.
“Well?” Tarian didn’t look at her. “Walk. I do not like to be kept waiting.”
The rest of the hall was entirely empty, the servants having found somewhere else to be. That, or scared they’d end up like the fae on the ground.
Except for one.
“Master Tarian, sire,” someone called, the voice old and scratchy.
She took a few hesitant steps but stalled when Tarian looked back.
“Might I have a word?”
Tarian’s gaze flicked to her for the briefest moment before he turned to Mr. Scrolls. Daisy didn’t mistake the fear in his eyes.
11
Daisy
Arrogance dripped from each syllable.“Master Eldric, how may I assist you?”
“Yes.” Eldric continued to clutch his scrolls as he neared, no longer studying Daisy. “First, welcome back from the human realm. I trust the Celestials were no more troublesome than usual?”
Daisy nearly missed it, but she noticed Tarian’s shoulders tense. “Not much, no.”
“Fantastic. I was able to look over the items you brought back. Most of them are the standard low-capacity items, but a few will do nicely. There is just one item I have not seen yet, of course.” Eldric paused. “The most important item, I think. I’d love to go over that in some detail. Perhaps in the morning, when I am refreshed.”
“That chalice is in the king’s possession,” Tarian said in a bored voice. “For safekeeping.”
“Yes, of course. Of course. Something that powerful—that valuable—should be kept safe.”
“Exactly. We can set up the configuration without it. He will supply it when it is needed to create the bridge.”
“Ah. Yes. Except…” Those pale blue eyes flashed to Daisy for a moment, so quickly that she would’ve missed it had she not been staring straight at him.
I can help you,he said into her mind at the same time as he spoke to Tarian. She barely contained her startled surprise. “I must test the amount of magic that runs through it. It does more than you think, Tarian. Your studies aren’t quite?—”
He is a fool for entering you in the court games. A magic-less human has no place there, even with a mind shield. Even the meagerly magical would outclass you, but now the king knows a human is present in his court. He finds great joy in tormenting your kind. You have no hope. He will alter the games to get the most sport out of you.
What delightful news,she thought sarcastically.Thanks for the vote of confidence. But I don’t have much choice, do I?
Nor much confidence. She could hear the truth in his voice. The utter conviction. It matched the growing uncertainty in her gut.
