Food abandoned, I sat back in my chair and looked out across the pristine landscape as my thoughts traveled in every which direction—one above all pushing itself to the tip of my tongue until I finally voiced it.
“What are we going to do about Thaddeus and Wymond?”
Chapter 17
An Upgrade
No sooner had I given the question life than the air around us grew heavy, as if to suffocate it. Caius’ expression was devoid of any lightness it’d held moments before, and I couldn’t help but notice how he rarely guarded his expression in front of Endymion—or vice versa.
“We don’t know yet,” Endymion said with a shake of his head. As if loath to admit it, power pulsed off of him in slow, steady waves, making my fingers tingle in response. I shook my hands out trying to dispel the feeling; not that it was uncomfortable. Not at all. It was just too… intimate. Endymion marked the movement and tilted his head a fraction as if confused. A blink later his magic snapped back to him, and I wondered if he’d even noticed that it’d reached out to me in the first place.
“I need to get back and reassess the situation,” he said, as if nothing happened. “It’s only a matter of time before my troops have scoured the human lands and I’m forced to shift their focus to our realm. Two things are in our favor, though: the fact that you’re here, safe”—he glanced at Caius, who nodded—"and that Thaddeushas no idea you left on your own volition. For all he knows, Wymond or Amos could’ve taken you."
I scoffed.Of course the king wouldn’t think I’d left. I was too well trained for that.As the bitter thought lingered, I stabbed a piece of fruit harder than necessary, and the tines screeched against the plate.
“And the twins?” I asked, my words strong but hollow. We’d just begun this conversation, and I was already over it.
“That’s something else I’ll have to assess.”
“Shocking,” I said, the word dripping with sarcasm as my mood soured further. Unwittingly or not, his answer was no different than Thaddeus’ when I’d asked after the twins that first day in his study.
My patience was waning.
Fruit forgotten, my fork clattered against the plate as I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms.
Silence reigned as Endymion absorbed my words like the accusation I’d intended. It was evident in the tick of his jaw. The whitening knuckles around his utensil. The dilated pupils.
All delicious indicators that I’d hit my mark.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “If there’s something you want to say, then say it plainly, Nyleeria.”
There was something in his tone that was challenging. Not against me, but as if opening the door for him to prove that he wasn’t Thaddeus, and it drew me up short.
What—specifically—didI want?
I’d been so busy running away from what Ididn’twant that I hadn’t discerned what I wanted, let alone articulated it to them. Leaning forward in my chair, I idly tapped a finger against the table.
WhatdidI want?
What would show me—truly show me—that these fae were different?
And then, it hit me.
Hand now idle, I spared a glance to a relaxed Caius beforeshifting it to an expectant Endymion, who seemed to be holding his breath for my next words.
“You asked if there was anything you could do,” I finally said, recalling his offer.
He nodded, eyes dancing as if he’d been waiting for those exact words.
“I want the twins free,” I said, suddenly nervous from my declaration. “I don’t care that stasis is harmless; Thaddeus and Wymond aren’t. And since they’re currently being held in the Autumn Court, I want you to free them.” I stole a nervous glance to Caius, then back, waiting for them to shut me down, deny me, or tell me all the reasons it couldn’t be done or that I shouldn’t care—but they didn’t, so I continued. “If after six weeks Endymion is unable to deliver on my request, then”—I turned my focus to Caius—"the Summer Court will have two weeks to retrieve them."
“And what if we fail?” the High Lord said without hesitation.
“Failing is different than not trying.”
“And in exchange?” he pressed.
I shook my head. “Endymion asked what I wanted, not what I was willing to trade.” Swallowing hard, I looked to him in confirmation and could’ve sworn pride radiated from him.
