Murmurs of agreement sounded all around me, and I knew the fae gathered inside the hall were thinking of the recent attacks on our food supplies.
“No harm will come to Mathias while he is a guest of our court. Any attempt will be viewed as treason and answered with death.”
The man in question didn’t even swallow as my father denounced any threat against his life. He simply stood with his arms behind his back, his gaze surveying the crowd as if he were bored.
My father let his words hang in the silence before his grin returned and he clapped his hands together. “Tonight, we will hold a banquet in honor of our guest, and I hope you all accept my invitation to join us. We are long overdue for some festivities!”
Squeals of delight and hearty applause followed my father’s words as his courtiers gushed over the evening’s events. Without waiting to be dismissed, I turned on my heel and strode toward the exit.
I didn’t need to look back to know my brother had followed me.
“And Ryker,” my father called just as I was about to cross the threshold.
My shoulders tensed, and I remained in place, but I did not give him the courtesy of turning around.
“Make sure you bring your wife, won’t you?”
Anger burned through my blood, but I refused to let him see his blow had landed. Instead, I strode from the throne room without a backward glance.
My thoughts whirled inside my head, and unease flared in my chest as I considered what my father could be up to.
Whatever it was, history had taught me one thing: I needed to be ready for anything.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Ryker
“Did you see his eyes?”
Riordan’s voice dropped to an urgent whisper, his question lingering as we strode down the corridor away from the throne room.
I couldn’t help but smirk. My brother had always been squeamish, and Mathias’s peculiar eyes unsettled him.
I shrugged, not having any insight. Riordan muttered something under his breath before he sighed.
“What was that performance meant to prove? I know you don’t believe the rubbish our father was spewing.” He gnawed at his fingernail, trying to decipher our father’s plans.
Riordan’s composure was slipping, his features twisting with fear and apprehension. He glanced over his shoulder, his free hand hovering near the hilt of his blade as if expecting an ambush at any moment.
I wasn’t any better.
My fingers twitched with the urge to commit violence, and my skin prickled as if I were being watched. I kept my pace brisk, each step taking us farther away from the throne room before I could act on my savage impulses.
“I have a bad feeling about this.” Riordan licked his lips; the color in his cheeks faded, leaving him with the pallor of a man facing his own executioner.
The same unease settled in my chest. My pulse thrummed at the base of my throat as I contemplated the reasons my father might want my wife to attend the feast. Each thought sent a wave of fury crashing through me, followed by an undercurrent of trepidation.
But I had learned long ago that fear was best weaponized, not denied. So, I welcomed it. Let it coil around my spine as I kept my stride deliberate and unwavering.
My shadows unfurled in front of me, extending my senses to check for anyone lingering nearby. When we rounded the corner, I tilted my head, signaling for Riordan to join me in the alcove.
“A Seelie in our court after centuries of hostility? This isn’t about trade agreements,” Riordan said, gripping the back of hisneck.“There has been no hint of peace talks between the two kingdoms in our lifetime, our father’s lifetime, or his father’s before him.”
“No, there hasn’t,” I agreed.
Riordan’s fingers drummed a steady rhythm on his forearm. “He’s planning something. And why bring Cadence into this? What game is he playing?” His voice was pitched low, but it carried the weight of his concern for my wife’s safety.
A soft shuffle of footsteps drew our attention to the end of the corridor. A servant was rounding the corner, her arms full of fresh linens. When she saw us, she froze, her eyes widening in panic. Then she seemed to remember herself, dipped into a hasty bow, and scurried away.
