A sound comes from somewhere nearby, and I blink a few times. Belatedly, I realized the sound was of someone clearing their throat.
Aspen’s gaze lingers on me before he takes a step away and turns toward the figure standing on the other side of the room. It’s Cobalt.
“I thought I heard voices,” he says. “Wanted to make sure everything was well.”
“All is well,” Aspen says with a note of irritation in his voice. “I was showing our guest the selkies.”
I lean to the side to widen the distance between me and the king. “And I was just leaving.”
“Come,” Cobalt says with a warm smile, “I’ll walk you to your room.”
I take a few steps away from the king; it’s a miracle I can walk at all with the tremors of rage rushing through me. I pause. Without looking at Aspen, I whisper, “Don’t do that to me ever again.”
I can hear the grin in his voice. “Why? Did you like it too much?”
“I hated it. And if you ever so much as try a stunt like that again, I’ll murder you in your sleep.” I cross the room toward Cobalt, my lie ringing in my ears. I hate what he did. I hate that Lorelei was right, that the fae really can affect us by glamouring themselves. He may not have changed his appearance, but he altered my perception of him, made me see desire instead of danger. I hate that he has that kind of power over me. But during the glamour? I didn’t hate it at all. I loved it. Loved staring at his lips, his eyes. Loved the pull between us, the smell of his skin, the heat of his body.
Rowan berries did nothing to prevent it. Blinking did nothing to stop it. Logic was nowhere to protect me.
That frightens me more than anything.
Chapter Thirteen
Cobalt and I walk side by side in tense silence. The farther we get from the dining room, the easier I breathe. I let the prince lead the way, not even bothering to pay attention to the journey this time. He slows his pace once we enter a familiar-looking hallway and stops outside a closed door. My room, I realize. I’m about to reach for the handle when Cobalt puts his hand on my arm. I flinch from his touch.
He draws his hand back, then faces me. “You shouldn’t be alone with my brother.”
I open my mouth, a spark of indignation heating my core. He may be my husband-to-be, but that doesn’t mean he owns me or my actions.
He lowers his voice. “He’s dangerous.”
My anger cools, realizing he isn’t chastising me. He’s…scared for me. “Can you tell me what happened to the Holstrom girls?”
The prince looks at the floor, shuffling from foot to foot. “I shouldn’t have said anything. He’s my brother.”
“Please tell me. I just want to know what’s going on here.”
Cobalt meets my eyes, lips pressed tight. “Honestly, I don’t know what happened that night,” he finally says. “All I know is that the Holstrom girls were alone with my brother when they…”
“When they what?”
“When they were killed.”
The blood leaves my face. “You mean he murdered them? Then was their charge of treason a lie?”
“I don’t know,” he says in a rush. “Aspen claims they performed an act of treason in his presence, and he doled out justice immediately.”
“Is there no formal justice system in Faerwyvae?”
“There is. Normally, criminals are imprisoned until they can stand trial before the Council of Eleven Courts. But if any ruler of the Eleven Courts sees fit to execute swift punishment, they may do so. It’s rare though.” He lowers his voice further. “And even though it was his right to do so, I think it was wrong. His actions nearly caused us to break the treaty. Luckily, the council was able to convince him to try another set of girls.”
I hate the way he says that,try another set of girls, like we’re nothing more than a pair of trousers for the king to wear or discard. “No one knows the supposed reason the Holstroms were charged with treason?”
Cobalt shakes his head. “There are rumors that the girls tried to kill him, but there’s no proof, and Aspen won’t share the entire story.”
Probably because he can’t lie. If the girls really did try to kill him, then it had to have been in self-defense. But even that is hard to believe. Theresa and Maryanne have always been the most timid, dutiful daughters in all of Sableton.
“Promise me you’ll be careful,” Cobalt says, brow furrowed.
