She nodded, though leaving felt impossible. They needed to decide what to do, needed to plan, and she was at the center of every problem they faced. Running from this conversation wouldn't make any of it less real.
The doors opened.
The room beyond was smaller than she'd expected, more intimate than the grand halls she'd seen in the Star Court. A long table dominated the space, carved from what looked like a single piece of pale wood that seemed to glow from within. Windows lined one wall, offering a view of gardens blooming in colors that shouldn't exist together.
Everyone was already there.
Sian stood near the windows, her water-sprite nature making her seem like she might dissolve into mist at any moment. When she saw Briar, her face transformed with relief and she crossed the room in three quick steps, arms already reaching.
Briar felt Eliam tense beside her, but he didn't stop Sian from wrapping her in a careful hug. The embrace was gentle, mindful of injuries, and smelled of fresh water and something floral that Briar couldn't name. It lasted only a moment before Sian pulled back, her hands lingering on Briar's arms.
"I'm so glad you're alright," Sian said, her voice thick with genuine emotion. "We were so worried."
"Thank you," Briar managed, her throat tight. The simple comfort of the hug had made something crack in her chest, threatening tears she couldn't afford right now.
Arion stood near the head of the table, and she saw him notice the exchange. Something flickered in his expression before he smoothed it away. He moved toward them, slower than Sian had, more conscious of the territorial fae lord between them.
"Briar." His voice held warmth but also careful respect for Eliam's presence. "It's good to see you awake."
She saw him wanting to reach for her, to offer comfort the way he had before, but Eliam's hand on her waist turned to iron. The warmth in her chest pulsed, reaching toward Arion with weak recognition, and she felt Eliam go completely rigid beside her.
"Prince Arion," Eliam said, his tone perfectly neutral in a way that meant nothing was neutral at all. "Thank you for your hospitality and for sending aid when Frederick reached you."
The formal words hung in the air, a reminder of debts and politics and the careful dance they all had to perform.
Karse stood against the far wall, his burned arm wrapped in what looked like spider-silk bandages. His golden eyes found hers immediately, assessing, calculating. He gave a single nod that acknowledged her presence without offering comfort or sympathy. Drak didn't traffic in either.
Thaine occupied the opposite corner, looking better than he had any right to after everything. The blood had been washed from his hair, and someone had given him fresh clothes, though she noticed he still favored his right side where the worst injuries had been. When their eyes met, he offered a slight smile that held approval. She'd survived. That was enough.
Halian sat at the table, his usual gentle demeanor strained. His eyes kept flicking to the corner where Ferria stood, guarded by two Star Court soldiers. Her brother's distress was palpable, a war between loyalty and knowing what his sister had done.
Ferria herself wouldn't meet Briar's eyes. She stood perfectly still between her guards, her face carefully blank. The illusion magic that usually shimmered around her was absent, suppressed or simply abandoned. Without it, she looked smaller somehow, more vulnerable, but Briar knew better than to trust that appearance.
"Please, sit," Arion said, gesturing to the chairs. "We have much to discuss."
Eliam guided Briar to a seat, his hand never leaving her until she was settled. Then he took the chair beside her, close enough that their arms brushed, close enough to make his claim obvious to everyone in the room.
The tension was thick enough to choke on.
Arion remained standing at the head of the table, his expression settling into something more formal, more princely than the warm friend she'd known in their brief time together.
"We're here to address several urgent matters," he began, his gaze sweeping the room before they landed on Ferria, and his voice hardened. "We'll start with you."
The room went silent, waiting. Ferria stood perfectly still between her guards, her face carefully blank.
"You are accused of conspiring with Malus to overthrow the Forest Court," Arion said, his tone carrying the weight of formal judgment. "Of betraying the Star Court's trust by acting as his agent while under our protection. Of manipulating Briar Washington through deception and coercion, providing her the means and motive to releaseMalus from his imprisonment. Of participating in the capture and torture of Lord Eliam of the Forest Court." He paused, letting each accusation settle. "Do you deny any of these charges?"
"I never—!” She stopped, gaze sweeping the room again. The silence stretched as everyone waited for her to speak, to defend herself, to offer some explanation for the betrayal. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Eliam was never… I helped them escape," she said finally, her voice steady. "That should count for something."
The words landed wrong, too calculated, too focused on shifting blame away from everything she'd done before.
"You helped him escape after participating in his capture," Arion said, his tone sharp. "After working with Malus to overthrow the Forest Court. After lying to us all."
"Malus used me too," Ferria said, her voice growing desperate. Briar felt rage spike hot in her chest. "He promised me things, told me what I wanted to hear. I was as much a victim of his manipulation as the human girl was."
The comparison was too much.
"No." The word came out harsh, louder than Briar intended. Every eye in the room turned to her. "You were not a victim the way I was a victim. Don't you dare try to compare the two."
