“For what?” Panic heaved my lungs.
“For the fact this was all a setup.” The beautiful voice I had come to know poured over the room like dark chocolate—smoky, bitter, and smooth—spinning me around to one of the unguarded entrances. Our group was quick to react, guns drawing up, pointing at the lord of the fae. He merely smirked, looking as handsome as ever in his expensive suit, his hair cut short and styled perfectly.
Groomed and polished, he looked like a true king compared to the man I saw in the book.
His guards filed in behind him, covering all the exits, outnumbering us by triple. I saw a familiar pair of brown eyes among them. Zander kept his expression blank, but his eyes were intently on me. Right next to him, Nyx stared at me just as attentively, but with an opposite emotion.
“You betrayedmykindness, Ms. Kovacs. I house you, feed you, protect you. And this is how you repay me?” Killian’s violet gaze latched on to me, adding more weight to my chest. “As you humans like to state... fair is fair.”
“You don’t play fair,” I replied.
A slow smile spread over his face.
“You’re right; I don’t.” His head tipped, indicating the Druid behind me. “But I wasn’t the one who gave you up so easily.”
Chapter
Thirteen
Betrayal knifed through my gut, my gaze darting to Tad, his eyes sorrow-filled, which burned this deeper into my chest.
“Why?” My head wagged in disbelief. We had gone through so much. He had been one of the few friends I had at Halálház. “Was any of it real?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “It was all real. I had no idea who you were until your human friend outed you. From the moment I met you, I felt drawn to you.”Drawn to you. How many times had I heard that now? Was any relationship I had genuine or was it because they felt this ‘draw?’ “I’m sorry. I never wanted it to happen like this.”
“Fuck you.” I tried to keep my eyes from watering, shutting the walls around me. Nothing felt true anymore... even Warwick. His connection was even more forced. Not something he picked or chose for himself.
“I care about you, but you don’t know the full truth,” Tad said quietly.
“Care about me? You only care about yourself.” I huffed, wagging my head, turning back to Killian, a sneer riding my lip. “You tricked us. Good job. Now what? Lock us all in cages? Force us to be your guinea pigs?”
Killian rubbed his chin with a cool detachment.
“You knew about the nectar this whole time,” I whispered hoarsely.
Warwick’s and Ash’s heads jerked from me to Killian, taking in the information I hadn’t shared with them yet.
Killian dipped his head in agreement, his hands sliding into his trouser pockets. It was what he did when he wanted to show he felt no threat. “I did.” His gaze met mine, challenging, and I didn’t relent.
“I saw you.” My sentence was simple, but my sentiment was full ofcontext. I wanted him to know I saw and heard more than he probably ever wanted anyone to know. Things he might kill to keep quiet.
A nerve along his cheek was the only thing I saw tic, his glare staying cold and elusive, but I knew he understood my meaning.
We stayed locked on each other for a few beats before he turned to my group.
“Lower your weapons.”
“You first.” Warwick vibrated with violence, barely holding back. No doubt he would try to tear through this room while the guards pumped his body with bullets, Ash right next to him.
The seven of us could make an impressive dent, but death would be absolute in the end. Even if it wasn’t Warwick or me, it would be for the others.
I couldn’t chance their lives.
“Don’t.”I spoke to Warwick through our link.“Do what he asks.”
“Not how I work, princess.”
“Don’t let your ego get the others killed.”
