Rylo tugged her along through a door to the right of his throne. Avery pulled her arm from his clutches and fell back behind Rylo as they entered a hallway. Rylo chuckled at the gesture as he looked back at her over his shoulder. The hall was dark, carved from the golden rocks of the spires. The only light was from the dim fae light sconces on the walls, releasing a warm glow. Avery followed Rylo through the curving heart of the tower.
Where was he leading her? It couldn’t be as benign as tea. But nothing about her captivity had been what she expected. After the bits and pieces that Savine shared about his own experience, Avery expected pain and torture in Nephel. Some sort of revenge against the feud between Savine and Rylo. But a comfortable bed, fancy clothes, and teatime with the King? That was not at all what Avery had expected when she was captured.
Which left Avery wondering, what was the catch?
Eventually, Rylo pressed his hand to the cold, hard stone wall. Avery gasped in surprise as the rock melted away from his touch. Rylo stepped through the space. Avery hesitated before Rylo’s amber eyes caught hers. He smirked at her as he stepped farther into the room.
“You have about ten seconds before the door closes. We do have a fine tea waiting. I’d hate for you to spend our time together in the hall.”
Avery shivered at the thought of being locked in this tomb of a dark hallway. She scurried through the opening in the rocks. The room she entered was formal, yet comfortable. Red damaskpatterned couches were placed on either side. An enormous floor-to—ceiling window revealed a cloud-filled sky and distant mountains. But what caught Avery’s attention the most were the books. Entire walls of the rectangular room were stacked with rows and rows of books.
Rylo made himself comfortable on one of the couches designed to accommodate his wings. “Welcome to my library. Come, join me. The shock of so many books can get to some folk. Especially with you living like a wild thing with the young prince.”
Avery stepped across a decadently soft rug and took a seat on the couch across from Rylo. A tray of tea appeared on the coffee table, dividing the two couches as Avery sat down. She made a small gasp at the object that had not been there seconds ago.
“Oh, don’t mind that. Just a bit of spellwork done a thousand years ago when help was difficult to come by. Comes in handy, though. Selene is always quick to relay my needs to the staff,” Rylo said, as if her shocked expression needed to be acknowledged.
“Um. Yeah, it was surprising. You rarely see teapots appear out of thin air,” Avery replied.
Rylo poured dark brown tea into two delicate cups and passed the cup to Avery. She didn’t touch it, and left it sitting on the coffee table. Avery was not about to drink anything from this man.
“I've been wondering... Is Selene your soulmate? She seems like the closest person to you.”
Rylo’s smile reached his golden eyes, and he laughed. “Mysoulmate?Is that how the Latian rebels treat their mates? Like glorified errand runners? I pity the fae whose soul is bound to them! No, of course she is not my soulmate. I have no mate. As my Sage, Selene runs this nation for me. She does all my bidding without question or complaint. While she is precious to me, I have felt no tugtoward her.”
“My mistake. And no, the fae soulmates I’ve seen in the Middens seemed to worship each other. Even when they don’t seem to get along with anyone else.”
“You must be speaking of Jay and Raikin.”
Avery wondered how he knew Savine’s council so well. She thought their identity and the inner workings of their relationship were quiet. “How do you know so much about them?” Avery asked, puzzled by the grin he gave her.
“Oh, I am well acquainted with Savine’s band of misfits. We have, after all, dealt with each other for over a century.”
“I guess it’s not surprising, considering they helped break Savine out of your prison.”
For once, the cool smirk on Rylo’s face was erased. “Did anyone tell you the reason for his imprisonment? For what he did to my sister? Because of him, I lost my family.”
Avery’s skin prickled with goosebumps. Savine told her that Lilith was killed by her father, but for some reason, Avery hadn’t connected Lilith to Rylo. It seems she still didn’t know the whole story behind Savine’s imprisonment, after all. “What do you mean?”
“He is the cause of my family’s death.” Rylo’s beautiful face turned harsh and inhumane. “Oh? Your dear friend didn’t share those details, did he? Well, I am a gracious man. If you play your cards right, you can ask him about his sins yourself. Now, I have an actual reason for inviting you here for tea,” Rylo said. He took a sip of his cup, long fingers holding the tiny cup in his hand.
“Of course,” Avery replied. She sat up straighter to relieve the tension from the corset around her waist. “I have some questions for you, too. About my imprisonment and where my friends are being held.”
“Imprisonment? Is that what we are calling this? I thought I clarified that you are a guest in my home.”
“Do you kidnap all your guests and force them to murder their friend? Is that some sort of qualification for your hospitality?”
“Are all humans as mouthy as you are?” Rylo retorted.
Avery shook her head as she lifted the teacup to her lips and pretended to sip the tea. Her mind flashed to her vibrant sister. She would give anything to know if Morgan survived the bear attack.
“I wonder if my dear old friend Savine and I have the same plans for you. That would be an interesting twist, wouldn’t it, little witch?” Rylo gave her another one of his wicked grins, and Avery felt a twinge of discomfort in the pit of her stomach. What Savine had planned for Avery had been so much—hardship in overthrowing Jasper, but after that would come the joy and devotion that she’d been searching for her whole life. She knew it. Despite being captured by Rylo, she still believed in that dream.
Rylo continued, “As for the unfortunate events with the late Weston, I needed to see if you were capable of getting blood on your hands when it mattered. You passed that test, and I cannot wait to see what you’re capable of next.”
“Whatever plans you have for me, I won’t go along with them. Lock me in that despicable tower of yours before you use me. Now, tell me where my friends are.”
“I think not, little witch. For the next two days, you will be treated as the honored guest that you are. After that, we will have an even more illustrious guest. As for your friends, they are not being harmed.”
