“No,” Artton said firmly before stepping in front of me. “We haven’t seen him yet, and I doubt he’d risk visiting us within a few hours of you arriving.”
My shoulders dipped as hope was stripped away faster than it came.
“Stay behind me,” he ordered, and based on his reaction, visitors were an unwelcomed event.
Swallowing, I reached for my daggers and silently cursed to find I’d been disarmed—my empty thigh sheath the only indication I’d be armed at all.
With each, measured step they took, my heart pounded harder.
Then, they stopped out of sight.
“Apologies, King Thaddeus,” a male voice said.
My legs nearly buckled under me as Artton tucked me behind him. I pressed a palm against his firm back to ground me, though it did nothing to quell the trembling.
Please, gods, don’t let him in,I silently prayed.
“You’re aware,” the guard continued, “that I don’t have the authority to let you pass without the High Lord’s explicit permission or a commander present.”
“I assure you I’ve been granted special permission from High Lord himself to visit Lady Nyleeria—after all, he’s been helping me look for her all this time,” Thaddeus said, silken tone of lies slicking down my spine with a shudder. “I’m more than happy to wait here as you do your due diligence. He’s in his residence attending to his lady, who’s in the middle of delivering their firstborn. I’m sure he won’t mind the intrusion. It is important to be thorough, after all.”
“Is that true?” I hissed.
Artton glanced at me over his shoulder. “He’s lying through his teeth, but not about that. He’s not stupid enough to make up a lie he could get caught in.”
“You mean like my parents,” I muttered. The summer fae raised a brow in challenge which had me gritting my teeth—apparently, unexplained magic tattletaling on the king didn’t count asgetting caught.
Silence fell as the guard seemed to consider for a long moment, and my shoulders drooped at the unmistakable shuffling of him moving aside.
Shielded by my protector’s bulk, aclick, click-click, click-click, clickfilled the cavern before a heavy door creaked open. Daring a glance around my Artton, I froze as the king stepped into our cell and closed the door behind him, the clicking sound going off in reverse, locking us all in.
“I must admit,” Thaddeus crooned, and the sound echoing off the walls made me want to bolt, “I am a bit surprised.”
He took a lazy step forward, then another before stopping. I could only see the tip of his shoes through Artton’s legs, and I hated that I knew they were his favorite pair this time of year—something about that knowledge made me acutely aware that a powerless Artton was the only thing that stood between me and the monster that would take the spark at any cost.
“For the longest time,” he continued, “I suspected Wymond had stolen her away. Until I saw her in the forest with the likes ofyou,” he spat, “I was convinced Amos had her. I’d never once considered that Caius had it in him to take what’s mine. It’s been over a year since you stole her, so if you don’t mind, fae, I’d kindly ask that you step aside.”
Artton growled, his back muscles tensing under my hand before he made to take a step forward.
“Ah. Ah. Ah.” Thaddeus clicked his tongue. “There’s no need for that.” He snapped his fingers, and a cry came from our left. Idared a look past Artton’s frame and fisted the fabric of his shirt hard when I saw Sidrick’s eyes bulge in fear as the obsidian wall came to life, its wispy tentacles wrapping tight around his neck.
“I’ll kill you with my bare hands if you hurt him,” Artton seethed.
The noose tightened a fraction, causing Sidrick to claw at his neck.
“The thing is,” Thaddeus said, nonplussed, “unlike my autumn friends,Ihave no qualms with killing either of you. Let your precious Caius come with the might of the Summer Court for all I care. I’m happy for you to slaughter each other. Less work for me in the end.”
Artton snarled, the guttural sound echoing down the corridor.
“Tell me,” Thaddeus taunted as he took another step forward, and I didn’t have to see to know that he was nose-to-nose with Artton. “Would you prefer for his death to be quick instead?”
I watched in horror as new tendrils formed like hands and the sides of Sidrick’s head, poised to snap. He was changing color from the thick bands still around his neck, and the sounds of him struggling for air triggered the dream where I’d been forced to endure Tarrin’s wet rasps as he drowned in his own blood.
“Stop,” I said before giving it a second thought, stepping out from Artton’s cover.
“Spark,” he warned, but his eyes gave away the severity of our situation as they shifted from condemnation to fear to apology. We were weaponless, powerless, and trapped in a room that did Thaddeus’ bidding—and Artton knew it. My only saving grace was that, while brazen, Thaddeus wasn’t stupid enough to steal my powers for himself in the heart of the Autumn Court under its High Lord’s roof. No, this visit was a personal call.
“Here I am,” I said, standing tall, chin up. “Now let Sidrick go.”
