“If everyone’s going to be all fae at each other, can we do it somewhere not so bloody?”Talia’s high, bright voice broke through the tense moment.“Or better yet, could we just agree that everyone hates each other, no one’s killing Antonio, and move on?Some of us have a lifespan, and we’d rather not waste it.”
“I haven’t conceded that,” Kesk objected, and while his voice held the caution most showed with Talia, there was something else there too.Nothing pleasant.“The human killed a fae.”
Antonio flinched, as he had with each bloody reference to Kylan.
“My bond acted to protect me,” Declan said, voice hard.“Kylan took what was mine.”
“That sounds like a Council matter.”Hyacinth was all affected boredom, his gaze roving absently toward the crowd.“And anyway, these aren’t our lands, brother.You don’t get to carry out justice here.”
“No,” Yenah’s bell-like voice rang out from the crowd.“You don’t.”
“There.See?”Hyacinth glanced toward Yenah, eyebrow raised.“You’re not about to murder Declan’s bond and start a blood feud.I hear his mother has all sorts ofwickedlittle secrets stashed away for such emergencies.”
Yenah smiled a warm, polite fae smile that didn’t reach her eyes, her attention fully on Kesk and Veroni.Charil, well known for their mildness, watched the pair without expression.
“Our quarrel would be with the House involved with the bid for the sluagh’s life,” Yenah said, smiling and sweet and just a wee bit intimidating.“As the machinations behind that attempt involved the manipulation and distress of one of our young oathsworn.”
Calloway.No wonder the boy was in attendance.
“Although I do hope you bring it to the Council, Veroni, Kesk.”Charil chimed in, their eyes flicking between sidhe and sylph.“Seeing as we’re on the human oversight committee.I would enjoy a properly petitioned reason to look into the damage done to one of our House.”
“The human–”
“These aren’t your lands, Kesk,” Declan said, his irritation shivering over the edges of his words.“You’re neither the head of your House nor a Monarch.Leave itbe.”
Veroni sighed, soft and smooth as velvet.She placed one slender hand on Kesk’s arm, the very image of a placating bond.
“It looks as if we’ll need to discuss our next steps later, love.And unlike some,” her eyes cut to Hyacinth in cold assessment, “we know better to overstep.The current Monarchs have gone soft on their kind, and it seems the sentiment is catching.A pity.”
A muscle in Kesk’s cheek twitched, though he gave a tight nod.“As you say.”
“We’re all settled, then.”Charil smiled, turning away with a wave of their hand.“Thank Summer.Blood feuds went out of fashion decades ago.”
Fucking fae.
Declan glared at Kesk and Veroni until they moved to Nimai and Kylan’s bodies, Kesk’s voice terse as he gave orders.
“Talia, the garage, please?And Hyacinth, I’ll be in touch about the pub.”See?Declan, too, knew how to be ‘fine.’
“‘Course you will.”Hyacinth’s smile was once again easy, all hint of the shark gone.“See you soon.”
Soon.Yes.
He would breathe easier then, with no blood on the floor and Antonio safe.When, hopefully, the bond no longer ached with the cold numbness of skin on frostbitten metal.
“Aye,” Declan said.“Soon.”
Declanhadbeenfifteenthe first time he took a life.His minder of three years, Tesern, had begun a relationship with one of Florian’s nephews.If Aisling or Malin had known, she would have been dismissed immediately.
No close connections.It was a requirement of the job.No chances to trigger deathsight before Declan was old enough.Mature enough.
Pookas had very sharp claws when they had a mind to use them.And Declan had shaped his nails dull and short back then.No matter, as he had his teeth and magic.(His fear and hurt and panic.)
It had been Aisling who found him, following the sobs when she returned from an outing with Malin.Throat red and scratched, as bloodied as his face, and nigh hysterical.Tesern little more than a series of smears and chunks on the carpet.
All things considered, Antonio held upremarkablywell.
Metallic tension thrummed through their bond, still that iced-over shock.It rang and rang andranguntil Declan pulled Antonio into his flat, arm around his waist.And if Antonio’s arm about his shoulders felt more like clinging than cuddling, that would be just between them.
