No, there are no exceptions to a human killing Kin. Regardless of whose fault it is.
‘You need to take Rose home.’ I say to Sean.
‘What about… this one?’ Aiden asks.
‘I’ll take care of her.’ I ignore Vittoria’s glare and lift Niamh’s unconscious body into my arms. We’ve been here before, the first night we met, when I was already a disillusioned twenty-six-year-old, she only a day or so overeighteen. But the effect she has on me hasn’t reduced at all during that time. If it wasn’t for Vittoria’s presence, I’d take her home and put her safely in my bed just like that first night, to sleep off whatever she’s been given and then keep her there. Safe and protected and most importantly, mine.
She’s not an innocent eighteen-year-old anymore. She’s very definitely a grown woman, with at least some experience, I assume– despite the many times I’ve sabotaged any relationship she tried to have. And there are still eight years and my sister keeping us apart. Not to mention my engagement to Vittoria and my need to become king. With Niamh, I can’t have the future I deserve. And neither can The Unseelie Court. This is bigger than me. Vincenzo is corrupt, and all the Kinfolk are suffering because of it.
Rose cares about justice but she has no desire to lead our Kin. Plus, until she’s married, her position will be precarious, and she would be someone for the other Kinfolk to fight over.
‘Well, we can’t stand here gossiping all night, gentlemen,’ Vittoria says, gesturing at Niamh. ‘Aiden…’
She’s got a bloody cheek assuming she can give orders to my man. I’d never presume to order around hers, but– Aiden immediately looks at me– at least mine are loyal to a fault.
‘You want me to take her, boss?’ Aiden asks. ‘Clean-up will be easier if we leave the body here.’ But I see the way he looks at her with sorrow in his eyes. He doesn’t want to do this anymore than I do.
‘It’s for the best,’ Vittoria agrees.
‘No!’
Aiden freezes after only taking a couple of steps towards me.
‘We’re taking her with us,’ I say. ‘Open the boot.’
‘Cillian!’ Vittoria hisses. ‘You can’t let her live. And it’s not just about tonight. That first night we met her, that was when Rose and Matt got together. She was playing the poor little innocent and then within weeks Chris was gone, Matt was gone… It all started withher.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Vittoria. Chris’s death was?—’
‘No! I don’t want to hear it, Cillian. If it wasn’t for that girl, Chris would still be alive.’
What the hell is she on about? What the fuck does Niamh have to do with Chris’s death? Matt was blamed for that. I hunted him down. So how does Vittoria figure Niamh into it? But she can’t be lying or there would be a sign. The palm of my hand starts to tingle and my heart sinks as I look at my hand and find a sigil there, with Niamh’s name beneath it.
‘A hunt has been called?’ Vittoria asks, although it’s not really a question. ‘Looks like it’ll be another disappointing kill. How frustrating.’ Vittoria and I stare at each other for a long minute before I shake my head.
‘Not here,’ I say. But there’s no getting out of this situation. I have to act. I could kill Niamh now, but ironically Vittoria has given me another option…
‘She’s guilty of a crime against The Unseelie Court,’ I say. ‘I’m taking her to the woods. I’m not going to be denied a hunt and a kill twice in one night.’
‘You’re really going to…’ Sean begins, eyes wide.
Annoyance flashes over Vittoria’s face, then she tilts her head to one side, considering.
‘She deserves the chance to try and outrun me. The chance to reach sanctuary. Even if we know she won’t succeed.’
‘I’m not sure a mere human deserves that, Cillian,’ she says, moving towards me and running a finger down the side of Niamh’s face. ‘What is she to you?’
‘Am I not supposed to offer the same justice to all, Vittoria? Each of us have both just killed Kin, too.’
‘Oh, Cillian. We all know it’s not the same. We were saving your sister– a member of one of the Kinfolk families who sit in The Unseelie Court. She’s nothing, a nobody, a human who killed Kin to save herself.’
‘The Unseelie Court is supposed to be just, Vittoria.’ I don’t point out that there’s a growing sense of dissatisfaction with her father’s rule. A feeling that Vincenzo is using the Court for his own benefit. She must have heard the rumours just like I have. She just doesn’t care.
She laughs. ‘Well, it doesn’t matter anyway, does it? She’s a human, and as the Huntsman, she should be no match for you. And you’ll be back in my bed before morning.’
She’s taunting me, testing me and unless I want to risk making my feelings obvious, I can’t argue with her. If it was any other human, she would be absolutely right. Fair or not, Court decisions always prioritise our own people over theirs. No matter what. After all, it’s not like the human world would be lenient with any of us if they discovered our existence.
‘It does seem… disloyal to kill her when she saved Rose,’ Sean points out.
