“You’re welcome.” I leaned down and ruffled his hair, earning a sheepish grin in return.
“This isn’t the Seelie Kingdom, Cadence,” Eamon said, guiding me away by my elbow. “You can’t just run off whenever you damn well feel like it.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “I wasn’t running off, I was helping the boy that you scared half to death with your brutish nature and unfriendly disposition.”
“Yes, well, my unfriendly disposition keeps you alive, Princess, so if I were you, I’d be a little more grateful.”
“Do not call me that!”
Eamon raised an amused brow. “You’re married to the Crown Prince of the Unseelie, Cadence. That makes you a princess.”
“Don’t remind me,” I grumbled.
This time, Eamon’s laughter was disarming. His shoulders shook, and his eyes crinkled in genuine mirth.
“Always choosing the hardest path, aren’t you, Princess?”
I scowled but let it go. We walked in companionable silence until we reached the center of the market square, where the temple was located.
Eamon strode toward the entryway, his gaze scanning the inner sanctuary from the threshold before he returned to my side. He jerked his head back in the direction of the elegant redwood doors marking the entrance to the temple. “It’s safe to go in. I’ll wait for you out here.”
My lips twitched as I fought a smirk. “Afraid you’ll burst into flames if you step inside.”
Eamon shuddered. “This place gives me the creeps. My brother once locked me in a crypt on the lower level. It took my mama all day to find me. Haven’t been able to set foot inside since.”
My eyes rounded. What the hell did you say to something like that?
Eamon lowered his chin as he said, “Hurry now, Cadence. The sooner you are done, the sooner we can go.” His gaze darted around the temple once more before he moved aside, allowing me entry.
Shaking off the unease of Eamon’s story, I marched inside and took a seat in the middle of the benches lining either side of the aisle. It didn’t take long before someone shuffled in beside me.
I slid from the bench, landing on my knees, and clasped my hands together, lowering my head in imitation of prayer.
“Cadence?” My name sounded rough on the man’s tongue.
“Henry?”
“Aye.”
“I would say it was a pleasure to meet you, but under the circumstances, it doesn’t seem appropriate.”
He grunted in agreement. There was a pregnant silence before Henry said, “You’re married to the Crown Prince, and yet, you offer us aid. Why?”
The suspicion that colored his tone wasn’t unexpected. To outsiders, my place at Ryker’s side could be mistaken for loyalty. After all, I’d endured the trials and proved myself a worthy successor, at least in their eyes.
“My reasons are my own.”
“No disrespect, Cadence, but I’ll need more than your word. You could be weaving an intricate web designed to deliver my people to the crown. Forgive me if I am unable to trust you.”
The apology in his tone was genuine.
I needed this man’s help for my plans to succeed. If I were going to escape the Unseelie Kingdom with my child and my brother in tow, then securing alliances was crucial to ensure any distraction I created lasted long enough for us to slip out.
"That’s assuming you can sever the bond," my inner voice taunted.
Given that our efforts thus far had been futile, I was beginning to believe it might not be possible after all. Even so, if I could convince Callum to leave, it would be worth it. If Ryker tracked me down afterward, so be it. My brother would be safe, and, with any luck, I would have delivered my child before he found me, so that Callum could take them far away from the Unseelie Kingdom.
As my thoughts returned to Henry’s question, I decided a partial truth was the only way to secure the alliance. “I am Seelie Fae,” I said. “Your Prince took a liking to me, and he kidnapped me from my kingdom. I wish to return home, to see my family and leave this godsforsaken place behind.”
