“Now, Luca, tell me of Squall’s End,” Asmo says cheekily.
Luca opens his mouth, but it slams shut.
Asmo leans back and throws one arm around my shoulders. “There.” He grins at Etta.
“Fine.” She jerks her head toward the door. “Basil, get him out.”
“Where am I supposed to go?” Luca asks as Basil guides him from the room. He turns, glaring at me over Basil’s shoulder. I don’t look away.
“Not our problem,” Asmo calls without turning to watch him leave.
Ivan watches him go with a frown. “Don’t you think that could have been done a little more…tastefully?”
“He’s lucky I didn’t cut his tongue from his mouth and shove it up his?—”
Amaris leans back in her chair and chuckles.
“Enough!” I hiss at Asmo. His smile falters. “Ivan, you know it had to be done.”
Ivan nods in resignation. Holly places a hand on his arm. “I didn’t recognize him by the end, Ivan. His attitude was…I’ve never seen him act like that. Not toward anyone. This time felt different than before.”
Before, when his daughter died.
“I agree,” Amaris says. She looks to me. “I’m not sure what happened prior, but it was good of you to give him another chance. A shame he squandered it.”
Her words serve as a comfort, but also as a reminder of the position I hold. I straighten in my chair. “Let’s move on. To answer everyone’s questions, yes, Asmo is my mate. As such, he is now High King. Yes, Elle is my twin sister and Marik’s mate. Yes, Koa helped me escape. A witch, Levana, also helped. I think Koa is working with her to help things in his court, maybe even acting as a double agent and betraying his family.” I suck in a deep sigh and continue, “That means we can’t count on Panthera to help us fight against Cora, but it is useful information. It’s time that we go back to House Ursidae and inform them that we have the forces of the Lower Houses to help us fight against Cora.”
Ivan is the first to speak. “This is a lot to digest. Prince, do you think this changes anything for your brother?”
I clear my throat. “King,” I correct.
Ivan closes his eyes, and I regret making the correction. “Yes, I apologize, Your Highness.”
Asmo waves the apology away and drums his fingers on the table as he considers the question. “Yes, actually. I do. When I felt the bond with Mae for the first time, my entire future shifted. While it’s true I fought it, it didn’t matter in the end. The bond made death preferable to doing anything that would hurt Mae. If Marik knows of the bond, he will do anything to save Elle. He might be our best bet to getting her out.”
Ivan leans back in his chair, his forehead wrinkled as he stares down at his hands.
“So it changes things…We just don’t know how yet,” Etta says.
“There is a Fae princess in the enemy’s hands as we speak,” Amaris says gravely.
I nod in agreement. “And we have to rescue the enemy, too. Either willingly or unwillingly, Marik must join our forces to defeat Cora. There is no other way.”
“However,” Asmo adds, “I think it’s likely that he comes willingly if it means saving his mate.” He places his hand on my thigh underneath the table.
“We need to go see Torben,” I say, “Today.”
We spend the next hour preparing for the discussion with Torben, a sense of urgency permeating every sentence, every question.
Elle is a long-lost Fae and Woodland princess who is in the enemy’s hands. Yet, the enemy might be our best way to save her.
We dismiss, each of us rising to grab last-minute weapons before heading to Ursidae.
“Mae,” Etta says as I step through the double doors to leave. I turn, Asmo right behind me, holding the door open. “Can I talk to you for a second? Alone?”
I blink. I’ve never had a moment by myself with Etta. Every time she’s near, she’s with Amaris or Basil. She’s made no attempts to speak with me, but neither have I.
“Sure. Of course.”
