“You saved my people,” she says, her wide eyes still locked onOrion. “At the risk of your own life.” Her gaze darts towards where the portal used to be. “And at the cost of your friend’s.”
Pain flickers in Orion’s eye for a second before he manages to hide it again. With his usual expression of control and authority back on his beautiful features, he clears his throat and simply says, “Yes.”
“Why?”
“I do not leave allies to be slaughtered if I can do something about it.”
Next to me, Draven is watching Orion with intense eyes. There is an expression I can’t read on his face.
The Dryad Queen draws in a shuddering breath. Though I’m not sure if she actuallyneedsto breathe, so it might just have been more a way to communicate her emotions. Lavendera, whose eyes are now fully in focus again, draws her hand down the Dryad Queen’s arm, as if comforting her. All across the garden, the dryads seem to suck in a collective breath of relief.
And suddenly, that oppressive tension disappears from the air. I didn’t even realize that it was there until it’s gone again. It’s as if the dryads’ fear and stress were physically affecting the space around them. And now that it’s no longer there, it’s suddenly much easier to breathe. I draw in a lungful of air while Rin finishes healing Orion.
“Done,” she says, and dusts her hands off while taking a step back.
Orion reaches over his shoulder and runs a hand over the spot where the wound used to be. His fancy shirt is torn, but the skin underneath is now smooth and undamaged. After climbing to his feet, he turns towards Rin and inclines his head.
“Thank you,” he says.
She looks surprised for a moment, as if she hadn’t expected him to thank her, but then a small smile blows across her lips and she nods in acknowledgement.
“Are you okay?” the leader of the Blue Clan asks, sounding more curious than worried.
That customary half amused, half threatening smirk slides home on Orion’s lips as he turns towards him. “Of course. You just saw her heal me, did you not?”
“I meant your friend. You just watched him die.”
Ejnare, who doesn’t know Orion the way we do, doesn’t appear to see the way Orion’s expression flickers for a fraction of a second. But I do. And I’m sure the rest of my friends do as well.
“People die all the time,” Orion replies with a lazy wave of his hand.
“But still. He was your friend, wasn’t he?”
“He was my subject.” Orion shrugs. “He was a skilled magic user. It’s a strategic loss. Nothing more.”
All of us who actually know the Unseelie King are fully aware that he is lying through his teeth right now. Orion caresa lotabout his people. Much more than he lets on. All the decisions he makes, he makes for the good of his people and the strength of his realm. Regardless of his personal wants.
But the Unseelie King has a reputation to uphold, especially in front of the leaders of several dragon clans, so none of us contradict him. Based on the way he quickly slides his gaze over us, he is aware of that as well.
“Shall we move on to more pressing matters?” Orion says. And before anyone can so much as open their mouth to respond, he simply turns to the Dryad Queen and says, “I know that your people dislike cities, but there are several forests outside this capital of mine.” He points to the left. “I recommend the forest on the other side of the river over there. It’s spacious, untouched, and very beautiful this time of year.”
The Dryad Queen blinks at him. It’s such a human expression of surprise that I almost forget that she is an immortal plant. “They can stay?”
Orion’s dark brows scrunch up slightly in confusion, as if he doesn’t understand the question.
“All of my people,” she begins, and motions around at the massive crowd of dryads that now fill the gardens. “They can stay here in the Unseelie Court for the duration of this war?”
“Of course. The dryads have always been welcome in the Unseelie Court.”
“No, they have not,”
“Well, inmyUnseelie Court, they are.” A devilish smile curves his lips. “That’s the best thing about being the king. I make the rules.”
She lets out a sharp breath of amusement. There is a slight smile on her lips and a knowing glint in her eyes as she inclines her head slightly. “You have shown rare honor today, Orion Nightbane. It will not be forgotten.”
Vines rustle and leaves flutter as all the dryads start bustling away across the grass. Several of them cast questioning looks back at their queen, but she just gives them a nod and remains where she is. Relief fills me when I see that, because she has promised to help us in this war. And now, we are going to need it more than ever.
“Lavendera,” I say as I turn to the gorgeous fae standing next to her. “You need to teach us about that partnership between fae and dragon shifters now.”
