“Wait,” Antonio interjected.“That’s not on.You’re on Nimai’s side.”
“You’ll be hard pressed to find a fae who isn’t,” Nimai replied.“Sadly, humans and–forgive me, Talia–Gates, cannot serve in this.”
“The Council found Kesk and I honorable enough to preside over a trial, Hollow,” Veroni said, all smiling malice.“Do you seek to insult the Council as well as a well-respected fae?”
“Now now,” the new voice came from one of the House heads, Charil or Yenah.Antonio couldn’t remember which was which.“Our honor isn’t so easily damaged.The house, however, has its limits.See that you don’t knock over any walls.”
Fucking fae.Kill each other if you like, let the biased asshole judge, just mind the furniture.The air buzzed with hostile anticipation.Hunger.
And still, there was Declan, real and warm in the face of all of it.Ferociously determined and unshakable, as he looked to the black-winged sidhe with a grin.
“Hyacinth, will you stand as my witness?”
“I don’t work for free,” Hyacinth replied, still in that playful purr that made Antonio’s head spin.“You and me and your bond.Drinks.That little pub in Belfast.Deal?”
This couldn’t be happening, especially not with Talia’s enthusiastic, “And me!”
“With respect, little goddess, Declan and I have some catching up to do.But my little brother,” he indicated Lysander with an upward tilt of his chin, “would be delighted to learn a few more of your games.”
“Drinks in the little pub in Belfast, you and me.I don't try to snake the bill from you,” Declan countered.“And I put my most persuasive foot forward to talk Antonio into joining us.”
For a second, Antonio couldn’t feel the constant drum of anxiety.Couldn’t see the crowd or hear the voices.There was only Declan, who never assumed, even when Antonio wouldn’t have minded.Fucking Murderpunk, who’d promised him lifetimes.Who would die if he had to, for people who’d never thank him for it.
Antonio loved him more than he’d thought he was capable of.Loved him more than all his anger.All his fear.And maybe he wasn’t the sort to fight or kill for someone.But he’d sure as hell set himself alight just so Declan could warm his hands.
“Don’t need any persuading, Murderpunk,” he said, while Hyacinth smirked.“I go where you are.”
“Thank you, mo chuisle,” Declan said quietly, pressing close.“I think you might enjoy hearing just how thick the accent gets after a night or two in Belfast.”
Yeah.Probably he’d more than enjoy that.
Now wasn’t the time.Now was Hyacinth and his friends watching and only Tsuri looking anything like concerned.Fae liked their deals nice and clear because they were all slippery bastards.
“You see to it Nimai doesn’t play dirty, and I go with you and Declan to this pub.”
“Then we’re settled.”Hyacinth made it sound like the final flourish of a signature on a binding contract.
Good thing Antonio’d already sold his soul.
“We’re settled,” Declan agreed.
“Lucky I showed up.”Hyacinth turned to the other sidhe with a grin.“We don’t do nearly enough as a family.”
Kesk looked like the only family activity he was interested in was fratricide.
“Very well.”Nimai stepped forward, no longer wearing his stockbroker smile.“How like you, Declan, to turn your own death into a spectacle.Let’s get this over with.”
“The rules first, I think,” Veroni said.“Lest the less civilized get carried away.”
Of course.They were fae, after all.It could never be as simple as taking a swing.Instead, they argued.
It all came down in Nimai’s favor.
No spitting acid.No rot.No sluagh teeth.
No damaging the house.
There were rules for Antonio and Kylan, too.They had to stay outside the boundary.They couldn’t injure Nimai or Declan.Kylan was a battery.Antonio wasn’t even that.He should’ve brought fucking pompoms.
