But what was worse?
Neve had bonded with her, loved her, and allowed himself to trust someone outside his inner circle even after everything.
Not only had she almost taken his life, but if he’d died, his kingdom would have suffered one hundredfold.
A snippet of his dream surfaced...I love you.
Snot and tears dripped down his cheeks as he shook. The shame was too much.
He loved a traitorousvalles.
“That’s it,” Olwen praised, squeezing Neve’s right hand. “In and out.”
Time slowed as Neve fought an invisible enemy.
He wrestled against his emotions until his breathing steadied and the tremors slowed.
Neve wiped his eyes with the back of his forearm and took the tissue Flyka held out to him. He mopped the sweat and snot from his face, not meeting his friends’ gazes. He wasn’t ashamed of his attacks. They’d been with him ever since he’d lost hismommar. It was the fact that he’d made such a monumental mistake.
He’d trusted asaloes.
Neveqovvingknew better.
She’s not just any human, though, is she?
Flyka’s touch left his shoulder, and he listened to her pad away. Fabric rustled, and then a robe was placed over his shoulders.
“So we don’t have to look at your nakedness any longer,” she commented dryly.
Neve grinned at her attempt to make him smile. It soon dropped away when he caught a hint of Dahlia’s scent. Part of him wanted to tear the garment from his skin and toss it into the flames of the roaring fire, but the weak part of him savored it. This was the last time he could afford to give in to the weakness of his littlesaloes.He wouldn’t be able to mourn her publicly.
He swallowed hard, staring at the lush carpet beneath his bare feet. Neve had to ask the question.
“Where is she? Where is my mate?”
Silence met his question.
Neve slowly lifted his head and glanced at his two friends, who were staring at each other, having a silent conversation.
“Where is my wife?” he asked again.
Olwen sighed and then tossed his arms up in the air, breaking off his stare with Flyka. “We do not know.”
Neve’s body flashed hot and cold.
“What do you mean?” he gritted out, finally finding some of the anger he needed to survive what had happened.
“She disappeared the same day you were attacked.”
Soft marbled skin beneath his hands and plush lips moving against his own flashed through Neve’s mind. He shook his head to dispel the images.
“We were hoping you could tell us what happened. We have been trying to track down the queen. There’s been no ransom request,” Flyka said carefully. Too carefully. She wasn’t telling him something.
Neve chuckled—the sound harsh in his own ears. “And there won’t be. This was not an attempt on both of us. The queen was not abducted. She tried to murder me.”
The words cut through the room like a sword. Sharp and painful.
Flyka hissed, her carefully blank expression morphing into rage. “I knew it.”
