The boy turns the coin over and over in his palm, his neck red from the sun.
“How do you feel?” I ask.
He looks up, suddenly sheepish. “Sunburned.”
I laugh. “Let’s get some water.”
When we approach the water station, the High Fae males are still debating. Briar and I exchange a look, but I break my gaze off first, ashamed. While I will always choose Benji, it had to come at the cost of her future today. My heart squeezes when Benji accepts the mug of water I offer him, and we both drain our cups, the water sweet and cool on my parched lips.
“Give me that coin, boy,” Dominik demands, stalking closer. My hand falls on Benji’s shoulder, moving him behind me.
“Dom, let it go.” Kassandra steps between us, chin raised.
“What’s this?” he scoffs. “The Heart of Illusion finally feels something?”
“Let it go,” she repeats, but standing just in front of me, I see her shaking.
“Fuck you.” He shoves her aside, and she smashes into the ground. I push Benji farther back, the other faeries forming a protective half circle around us.
“Stop this!” Kassandra cries. “Stop—”
Dominik jerks back like a marionette, slamming against the grass. A grunt escapes his clenched teeth, his body locked stiff, eyes darting from side to side.
“What did I just see?” comes a voice, smooth and dark like a death shroud.
No one moves. No one but the king, who steps toward the scene, hands behind his back, face cold and eyes piercing. He bends over Dominik.
“How drunk are you?” the king growls. “To touch her in anger.”
Dominik seethes something unintelligible.
The king crouches down. “Tell me. Explain yourself.”
Spit slides out the side of the fae’s mouth, unable to move his tongue to form words.
“That’s right, you can’t. Since you do not heed my commands, maybe you will heed my magic. Maybe that’s the only language you can understand. So let me be clear: If you ever touch her, or any other lady, like that again, I will come for you.” King Maxian stands. “It is only because of our friendship that I am giving you this warning.”
Then the king turns, releasing Dominik, and approaches us. I flinch, pushing Benji back again, but the king helps Kassandra to her feet.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she says, trembling, looking away. I know that look. She is ashamed not that it happened, but that others saw. “I’m so—”
“Don’t you dare apologize,” he murmurs. “I apologize for everything, truly. I’m sorry you saw me like that, that I had to be that.”
“Sometimes the animal only responds to the whip,” Kassandra says, face falling back into cool indifference. It makes me shiver. The pair glances back at the Illusion heir, propped up on his elbows, muddied and flushed and brimming with rage.
“I’m quite impressed by your cunning, Lady Kassandra,” the king says. “It’s quite a royal quality. I think you should be rewarded for it, even if my ego is a little bruised.”
A light laugh between them.
“I declare both you and the boy the winner,” the king says. “Shall we make it official?”
A piece of parchment pops up in one hand, a quill in the other. He jots down the notes, then laces them away. Benji sucks in a breath. I pat his back, heart clenching.
“Thank you.” Kassandra curtsies.
“Let’s have dinner tonight,” Maxian says, then gestures to the High Fae. “We have much to celebrate now and in the days to come.”
