Henry shifted next to me, his boots scuffing the stone floor. Whether the movement was from discomfort or intrigue, I could not tell.
I sensed his stare drilling into the back of my head, the singular weight of it heavy in the silence. But I didn’t dare to meet his gaze, for fear it would spoil our ruse. If I brokecharacter now, the game would be over, and I would have burned every inch of leverage I’d bled to achieve.
Henry knew it too, as he tried to conceal his shock, understanding sparking like flint in the thin air between us. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
There was no heat, no disgust or anger behind his words, just the flat metallic edge of disbelief. I had to wonder how long he’d lived in the shadows, that sincerity and vulnerability were lost on him, even when used as weapons.
I gave a curt nod as a riot of anticipation and dread warred within me. Every heartbeat screamed that I had made a fatal miscalculation. That I was naive to think any Unseelie would set aside their contempt for the Seelie Fae in pursuit of the hatred they harbored for their own monarchs.
Instead, Henry released a slow exhale. “I’ll admit that one, I did not see coming.” His voice was quiet, but the grudging admiration underneath was unmistakable.
“Is that answer enough for you then?”
My voice sounded unfamiliar, scraped raw. My teeth snagged my bottom lip, drawing it into my mouth as I waited for his response.
“You have yourself a deal, Lady Cadence.”
His words landed between us, and there was a hitch in my breath, a pulse that felt a lot like triumph. I forced myself to remain calm as I said, “Tell me what you need.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Ryker
The tension in the room was thick. Every member was studiously avoiding my gaze as they waited for my father to begin.
All except Fallon Thorne.
He seemed far too pleased with himself, which was surprising, considering his place on the council came from my murdering his father. Although with father-son relationships, I couldn’t judge.
“Since we last met, Prince Ryker has been working toward a plan that will safeguard our delivery routes while also laying a trap for the rebels who were brazen enough to think they could steal from me.”
Cadence stiffened next to me, but my attention was locked on Fallon.
“Steal from us, you mean.”
My father furrowed his brows while he stared at the newest member of his council.
“Speak plainly, boy, we don’t have all day,” my father demanded.
Fallon’s smile grew, sharp and satisfied, as though he had been handed exactly what he wanted.
“You called the rebels brazen for stealing from you, Your Majesty, but every family here has filled the palace coffers. They’re stealing from all of us, not only the crown.”
Muttered agreement broke out around the table, and my father scowled.
I had to hand it to Fallon Thorne; it was his first meeting of the council as head of his house, and he was already sowing seeds of discord among my father’s followers.
“You make a valid point, Lord Thorne,” my father conceded through clenched teeth. “Though I would remind you that your family’s significant contributions are taxes, not gifts.”
He inclined his head in mock deference, but the damage was done. The council members exchanged glances, and I could almost see the calculations happening behind their eyes. Fallon had positioned himself as a champion for the other families, which made him both useful and dangerous.
My father saw it too, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. “Perhaps you’d care to make a more substantial contribution to today’s meeting than correcting my choice of words?”
Fallon leaned back in his chair — his father’s chair — with the casual confidence of someone who believed themselves untouchable. Maybe he thought his family’s wealth would shield him.
Or maybe he was simply a fool.
“I’d be delighted, Your Majesty.” He gestured toward me with an elegant flick of his wrist. “Though I’m curious what our Prince’s plan entails.”
