“Explain first,” I said. “Then we’ll talk about your deal.” Istill couldn’t believe what happened in the throne room. “Your father stole everything from me, but youlethim do it.”
His hands twitched at his sides, but his jawline remained stoic. “I didn’t.”
“Don’t speak softly.”
“Would you like me to yell at you?” His lips twisted in a grimace. “I can’t do that, Tempest. You’re right. I’m wrong. Listen and judge me.”
“He stole everything, and you knew he’d do it.”
“I came here, but it was already too late.”
I frowned. “What do you mean you came here?”
“As soon as I’d recovered from the Claiming, I flitted here to help Reyla and Brodine, but I was too late.” His head dropped before he lifted it, his gaze meeting mine. “I owe them, and I’ll find a way to fix this.”
His determination—his obvious remorse—gouged into my heart. I hated that I was softening to him already.
“You used me.” The words tasted as bitter as they had when I shouted them at him in the throne room. “You’re still using me by calling in this favor that you essentially manipulated me into giving.”
“I am.”
He. Did. Not. Blink.
“Fuck you!” I whirled around and rushed forward, slamming into his thread wall and bouncing off it, falling on my ass.
The ground wasn’t as hard as I’d expected. I frowned down at the pile of flooferdar blankets I’d landed on before scrambling off them and rising to my feet. “Do you plan to offer me a plate of horig cakes next?”
“If you want them, yes.”
A crack fissured along one side of my wall. Damn me for wavering even one little bit. He knew me too well. Stepping forward, he tugged me into his arms and held me. His warmth surrounded me, his chin only lightly holding me in place.
I wanted to take the comfort he offered, but that meant giving in to the betrayer.
The vines encircling my neck squirmed beneath my skin, reminding me of who had placed them there. Reminding me of who he was and what he’d done to me and everyone I’d ever loved—even himself. I backed out of his embrace, and he let me go, his arms falling to his sides.
“Are the vines listening to what we say and reporting to someone else?” I asked.
“No.”
“That’s right. Mine serve only one master. You.”
“Iamthe king’s controller,” he said with a wry taint in his voice.
The air froze in my lungs. I couldn’t force it back out. “Are you saying you controlallthe vines?”
“Yes.”
“Then release them, every single one.”
“I would if I could.” Stark honesty came through in his voice, but I didn’t dare believe it. “They won’t obey that command.”
How could I ever trust this man again? “Then you’re useless to me.”
“You know that’s not true.”
“Oh, yes, you still have more training to offer me before I can kill the king and put you and the rest of this wretched fae realm out of its misery. Will some of my training continue in your bed?”
He slammed his eyelids closed but only for a moment. When he opened them, they blazed into mine, bolts of lightning blasting through them. “In that, I have always—always—been honest with you. You have all of me. Everything that makes up me belongs toyou.”
