“Is that why you stripped him of his rank and left him for dead? Because you think he told me? I seethed.
Thaddeus’ eyes went wide before he masked his surprise like the lying expert he was. Clearly, he’d intended his comment about Tarrin to be under his breath—only, he still didn’t know I was fae. And gods, it was just like him to underestimate me. “Tarrin,” he said, dragging out his name, “no longer held himself to the standard befitting his rank.”
I scoffed. “You mean, he was no longer your puppet.”
“Watch yourself, Nyleeria,” he warned.
“Or what, your Ma-je-sty? You’ve already taken everything from me that matters and intend to take my power too—no matter the cost.”
His eyes narrowed as if truly assessing me for the first time since he stepped into this cage—and possibly since we met outside the cabin that fateful day. “You told me that in a choice between fae versus humans that you’d never apologize for defending your people. Do you remember that?”
He nodded. “That’s still true.”
Shaking my head, I said, “But it’s not.” I leaned in closer. “The second you chose my power over me, when you called for more, called it to kill Tarrin for intervening—in that moment, Thaddeus, it was no longer fae versus humans.” I shook my head again, the truth sinking in as I continued to voice my truth. “It became you versus anyone who doesn’t agree with you—even those you’ve vowed to protect for centuries.”
“That’snottrue.”
“No?” I challenged. I stared him down, my heart racing with this next truth. “Tell that to Katherine and Bryan Leighmullan, who bled to death on a threadbare couch in a rickety hunting cabin becauseIwas their daughter.”
“Don’t,” he said through gritted teeth, and I knew I’d hit my mark.
“Don’t what? Tell you the truth.” I pointed a finger at him. “You surround yourself with sycophants that agree with you because they are magically bound to you or are afraid for their lives if they speak out of turn. You’re so convinced that you’re right. That your way is the only way. That you’re not the monster because the fae entered the human realm and slaughtered your family—just like you did with mine. Which I’ve recently learned is a trend for those bearing your name—slaughtering innocents. Because if you opened up your eyes for one godsdamned second and asked yourselfwhythe fae would enter another realm to wage war, you’d realize how weak your argument is. Look at us, Thaddeus.” I gestured around. “You need abloody magical cell and poison coursing through the veins of your enemies to even be in the same room as them”—I glanced over to Artton and Sidrick who watched intently despite looking like death —"and you think their entire realm was so threatened by one man’s power that they waged war to bring him down? Are you fucken mad?"
“They. Slaughtered. My. Family!” he roared, his hot breath hitting my face.
“Because your father cast a spell that killed a third of their population!” I yelled back.
“No! I was there!”
“You. Were. Ten!” I screamed so loud my throat burned.
Our heavy breaths filled the room as we stared each other down. The molten silver in his blue-gray eyes churned faster as the silence stretched on. Breaths steadying, he raised his hand as if to drag it through his hair, then struck me.
The back of his hand hit the side of my face with enough force that stars filled my vision as pain bloomed across my cheek. Holding a palm to my face in shock, Thaddeus snapped his fingers, and I didn’t have to look to know my companions had been tied down.
Unbidden, that damn ache in my chest tugged so hard that I took an involuntary step toward Thaddeus, my eyes going wide in shock.
Oh my gods, had that feeling been him all along? Was that how he’d tracked me, some sort of twisted bond like he shared with Nevander? Needing to know if worked both ways, I continued to hold the side of my face as I mentally wrapped both hands around the tether that seemed to connect us and pulled hard.
Nothing happened.
Muffled sounds came from behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to find both commanders wide-eyed, trying to yell something through their magical gags. Eyes narrowed, I tried to decipher what they were saying as firm fingers wrapped their way around my aching jaw, turning my focus forward.
As I went to wrench my body away, I understood their warning.My focus shot down as the magical tendrils rising from the ground locked around my legs and arms, holding me in place like I was nothing more than a bug caught in Thaddeus’ sick, twisted web.
Leaning in so our noses almost touched, he smiled, and it turned my blood to ice. “Always running that pretty mouth of yours, aren’t you, Nyleeria?” My name on his lips was a lover’s croon, and I jerked my head to the side trying to break free, but his grip was too strong. “I think it’s time I remind everyone who you belong to.”
I thrashed violently against the unyielding restraints.
Looking completely unbothered, Thaddeus released his hand as he leaned in, his breath caressing my ear. “You will not fight me. And you will not make a sound. If you do, I’ll be sure to choke the life out of yourpreciouscompanions. Do you understand?”
I quivered, knowing exactly what game he was playing—how better to diminish the truth I’d flung his way then by diminishingme? He’d degrade me by taking what he wanted, and humiliate me by having the other two watch.
And there was absolutely nothing I could do.
I nodded, wishing that the numbness from before would take over. That I wouldn’t feel it. That I would lock this memory away. I hated myself then. Hated how Artton and Sidrick had already witnessed so much of my shame and would be forced to witness more.
“Good,” he said before pressing his warm lips on the sensitive spot below my ear that he knew all too well.
