I snorted a laugh. “I thought you'd remember his name forever. He's the Kelpie that kidnapped me.”
“Oh, right.” Arach nodded. “The one you kissed.”
“He gave me the Kiss of Water.” I rolled my eyes. “Fifteen thousand years and you're still not over that.”
Arach chuckled. “I'm over it, A Thaisce. I'm just teasing you.”
Nori is a good man,Faerie said.He still lives and has done many wonderful things for his kingdom. He is even a father. His wife gave birth just two months past.
“A father!” I exclaimed. “That's wonderful. We need to send him a baby gift. No, we need to visit him and take him a gift.”
Arach rolled his eyes.
“He got me over my unfair hatred of Kelpies, Arach,” I said.
Arach lifted his brows at that. “You mean, yourwell-earnedhatred?”
“Well-earned but unfair,” I said firmly. “Nori showed me that.”
“He also sank villages, Vervain,” Arach said.
“Under orders,” I shot back. “Dubheasa's orders. And he made sure that no one was hurt when he did. And he helped me get free so I could stop the war. We went over this already.”
“Many, many years ago,” Arach said.
“Whatever. I'm glad he's still alive.” I pressed my lips together, then asked, “What about Rory and Rivella?”
There was silence.
“Tell me,” I said to Arach. “I know they aren't ruling, but I'm hoping that's because Rory stepped down.”
“I'm sorry, A Thaisce. Rivella died in a terrible accident,” Arach said. “It was thousands of years after they got married. They had a long life together.”
“What kind of accident?” I asked.
Don't pursue this, Vervain, Faerie said sharply.It will only lead you in a bad direction. Those who are responsible have paid the price.
“Responsible?!” I hissed. “She was murdered?”
Even Arach looked surprised. “That was never determined.”
No, it was made to look like an accident, Faerie said.But someone wanted to make way for the next king, and they knew that doing away with Rivella would do away with them both.
A shiver ran through me. My eyes watered.
Arach cursed. The word was Fey, but it sounded foul.
“It was Aalish, wasn't it?” I demanded. “She wanted her husband on the throne. Cahal was the heir. So Aalish killed her queen.”
Faerie sighed.
“Son of a Selkie!” I snarled. “I have to go back. I have to make this right.”
“No!” Arach roared and grabbed my upper arms. He didn't go for my ring, but he clearly wanted to. “You will risk our future, Vervain. You cannot change the past again.”
“But Rory and Rivella,” I whispered.
“Were avenged when Aalish was found guilty of treason,” he concluded. “There is no more you can do for them and no greater way of honoring them than by living well.”
