The female’s eyes go hazy. It lasts a heartbeat, maybe two, before she blinks and her expression returns to that careful, measured one she wears so well.
“Salvorne has not been seen since Snow took the crown. His sister Kilara stands in his place. She rules our kingdom.”
“Snow rules us all,” Isla mutters, suddenly sounding defeated.
The female laughs. It’s a sharp, short sound that bounces off the cave walls. “Not the shifterfae. We are beholden only to ourselves.”
“I like that,” Isla says, nodding. “One defeat does not mean that we are defeated.”
“That’s the spirit. Get washed up and dressed. I will have Ryna bring you something to eat. I’ll be back to escort you to see Kilara,” she tells me. Her gaze slides to Isla. “Then you and I can finally have our talk.” The smile she gives is not unkind, but it carries a warning in it. “The agreement was that, once the Shadowfae King was healed, you would tell me how it is your mother came to be the Ruler General of the shadowfae. From the looks of it, he is all better.”
The cave goes quiet.
For a moment, I’m sure I’ve misheard. The words repeat in my head, and each time they sound exactly the same.
My eyes flash to Isla.
The color has drained from her face. She stares at the hy-were leader with wide, stricken eyes, her mouth half open, no words coming out. The furs she’s holding to her chest are bunched tight in her fists.
“I’m sorry.” The words leave me, flat and cold. “I must have misunderstood. What is that about your mother being Ruler General to my army, Isla?” I hold her gaze. “I thought your mother was long since dead and buried.”
She doesn’t move. She doesn’t breathe. She looks like someone who has been caught and knows it, and has no idea which way to run.
I stand, and the furs fall away from me. I grab a pair of breeches from the pile Terra dropped and pull them on.
“I thought my mother was dead. I watched them drag her away to be stoned. I didn’t know until…until I saw her that…that she—”
“I had started to trust you.” My voice is quiet. “To think I almost started to believe your lies. I—”
The hy-were puts her hands up and lets out a laugh. She sounds uncomfortable. “Well, this is certainly interesting. I don’t need to be a part of this conversation, so I’ll leave you to get ready. Do not dally. The Drakar does not like to be kept waiting.” She holds my gaze for a few beats. Then she turns and walks out.
I grab the tunic from the pile and pull it over my head.
I feel betrayed. And so damned angry. I also feel disappointment settle in my gut like lead. I had started to trust her. More than I’ve trusted anyone in a long time. More than I should have. I started to let her in…to let down my walls.
Big mistake!
“Please, Sebastian, you—”
“Please, nothing. I was right to be cautious,” I say, turning to face her. “I thought I was being a prick. I felt guilty for doubting you, and yet I was right all along.”
Isla stands. She holds the fur to her body with one hand, her other hand at her side. Her eyes are glassy.
“That’s just it, I was about to tell you about my mother when Terra walked in. It was a great shock to me to see her on that battlefield. I didn’t know, I swear it.” Her voice wavers.
“You had every opportunity to tell me. I asked you what happened, and you omitted the most important piece of information.” I reach for the belt and buckle it, needing something to do with my hands. “You lied to me. That’s all there is to it.”
“That’s not all there is to it. I knew you’d react this way. That you wouldn’t trust me. Iknewthis would happen as soon as you found out. That…” She swallows. “That you’d look at me the way you’re looking at me now.”
“Your mother is alive. She rules the Shadow Court. My court,” I choke out. “She serves Snow.”
“I know how it looks. I didn’t know about it. I swear. Not until she rode up with the shadowfae army during the battle. It was after you were struck down. I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t. I’m still working on coming to terms with it myself.”
Her eyes fill with tears. One escapes and tracks down her cheek. She doesn’t wipe it away.
Something twists in my chest at the sight of it. Something that wants to cross the distance between us and take it all back.
I don’t.
