“You look a fine slut, Ellysetta Baristani, all dressed in your fancy silks and satins.” Den Brodson stepped from the shadows.
Fey blades hissed out of their sheaths.
“No... it’s all right.” Ellysetta waved her guards back. They didn’t cover their steel, but neither did they dismember Den on the spot. What a shame the Fey hadn’t included an anti-Den thread in the Spirit weaves that kept the rabble-rousers out of the neighborhood. Since his parents lived nearby, he must be able to pass through the weave at will. She lifted her chin and met her former suitor’s sullen glare. “What do you want, Den?”
“The bride your dishonorable, betrothal-breakingrultshartof a father promised me would do, for starters.”
Ellysetta bit back a searing retort. With her strangely heightened senses, she could feel his anger, his hatred. His dark, acid emotions set her on edge. She struggled to remain calm. The evening had already been difficult enough without her adding to the disturbance. Still, she’d had more than enough of Den Brodson and his groundless claims. “My father is a fine and decent man. The betrothal was broken legally, in a court of law, and your parents are wealthy beyond their dreams because of it.”
“My father was bribed, his mind twisted by that Fey sorcerer’s tricks. There was nothing lawful about it.”
“Your father saw more gold than he would earn in a thousand lifetimes, and he grabbed it,” she corrected sharply. “There was no sorcery involved.”
“You bear my mark!”
“No longer.” She turned her head to show him her unblemished throat. “And I only bore it because of your deceit, so don’t bray on about Fey sorcerer’s tricks.”
Den growled a nasty oath and spat on the ground. “Their magic may have removed the mark, but we both know who claimed you first, Ellie.”
“Why did you want me as your wife in the first place? It’s not as though you ever harbored any feelings for me, except the thrill you got in bullying me when I was a child.”
“What do you know of my feelings?”
“Enough to know that you had no tender ones for me.”
“I would have treated you kindly.”
“Meaning you’d only have beaten me twice a week instead of daily.” Her unsettled emotions coalesced into anger, and she glared at him. “You’re a greedy little bully of a man, Den Brodson, with precious few kindnesses in you—if there are any at all. You’ve never loved anyone in your life, least of all me.”
“Love?” He barked an ugly, mocking laugh. “Is that what this is all about? You think the Tairen Soul loves you?”
If he’d meant to hurt her with that, he’d failed. “No, I know he doesn’t love me. But he needs me, Den, and that’s enough for now.”
“He doesn’t needyou. He needs your magic and he needs your womb, Ellie, to breed more Tairen Souls for the Fey. The fact that you come with them is just a little inconvenience he’ll have to deal with to get what he wants. Keep that in mind on your wedding night.”
She laughed with genuine amusement. “Was that supposed to hurt my feelings, you pompous little bloat toad? Half the women in this city—including most noblewomen in court—would kill to have Rain show them a fraction of the devotion he showers on me. Do you honestly believe any woman would chooseyouwhen she could have the king of the Fey?”
His face darkened, and he took a threatening step towards her. “Petchka. No woman talks to me that way.”
He was on his back in the street before he moved another inch. Kieran knelt over him, a razor-sharp red-handled blade held at Den’s throat, icy menace gleaming from blue eyes that normally shone with laughter. “Little sausage, I’ve lost all patience with you. If you live past the next minute, you will never come near the Feyreisa or her family again. Do you understand?” When Den nodded very carefully, Kieran gave him a slight smile that was even more frightening than the deadly look in his eyes. “Kabei, a wise decision. A first for you, perhaps?” Without taking his eyes off his captive, Kieran asked, “What would the Feyreisa like me to do with this annoyance?”
Before Ellysetta could answer, the front door of the Baristani home opened, and Sol stepped outside. “What’s going on here?”
Ellysetta drew a deep breath. “Nothing, Papa,” she said. “Den just thought it might be a nice night to make trouble. Kieran has convinced him otherwise.” She met Kieran’s gaze. “Release him,” she ordered. “If he comes here again, take him to the palace and let the king’s justice deal with him.” She turned on her heel and climbed the stairs to enter the house, trying desperately to quell the fear rising inside her.
For one frightening moment when Kieran had asked whatshould be done with Den, a terrible voice deep inside her had responded,Kill him.
“There’s no way Dorian can invokeprimusnow without risking open rebellion.Krekk!” Rain spun away and paced to the high, arched windows overlooking the carefully manicured acres of fountains and gardens at the rear of the palace. “I’ve been a poor Feyreisen. Too caught up in my own misery to do my duty.”
“Nei, Rain,” Dax countered. “If anyone is responsible for the deterioration of our relations with Celieria, Marissya and I are. We’ve come every year since the Mage Wars and never realized what was happening. We were too complacent, thinking vol Serranis blood in Celieria’s royal family would ensure our alliance.”
“You are not the Defender of the Fey. I am. The responsibility is mine.” His jaw clenched. “You and Marissya should leave tonight. Take a hundred men and go. Ellysetta and I will follow as soon as we can complete the marriage rites.” He gave a curt, humorless laugh. “At least her father agreed we could hold the ceremony tomorrow.”
“We’re not leaving until you do. We—” Dax frowned suddenly and turned to his truemate. “Marissya, you are not well?”
Theshei’dalinhad retreated to a chair in the corner of the room. She was rubbing her temples, her skin paler than usual. “There are too many strong emotions around me tonight. It has been very difficult to block them, and I haven’t managed as well as I’d like.”
Dax was at her side in an instant, curving his arm around her waist. “Shei’tani, why did you say nothing? Come lie down. You should rest.”
