Luke smirked. “How convenient.”
“It’s the truth! I swear.”
Luke wanted to deny it, but he saw in the prince’s eyes that Elwin was telling the truth. A part of him was dying to snap the prince’s neck just on principle and make a gift of his head to the queen.
If he were in Hell…
But this was a different time and place.
Stepping back, he glanced to Sorcha who watched him with an unsettling intensity. She feared what he was going to do next.
A part of him did, too. But the last thing he wanted was to see disappointment in those beautiful blue eyes.
Right now, she looked at him with respect and comradery. I won’t sacrifice that. Not for this worthless piece of fey excrement.
Reluctantly, he released the prince and shoved him toward Tanith. “No more killing. And no more framing me. One more body or evidence planting and I promise my wrath will make that threat look like a VIP trip to Disneyland.”
He turned his attention to the Ankou.
Elizar shrank back to hide behind the throne again.
“You understand, Elizar?”
“Yes, master.”
“Elwin?”
The fey prince nodded. “But what do we do if they come for us?”
Luke glanced to his mother.
Tanith folded her arms over her chest. “The treaty between the Orders will protect us. If we’re attacked, the other Orders will come to our defense. Hence the point of our treaty. Had you come to me instead of taking matters into your own hands, I would have told you that.” She met Luke’s gaze. “Now I know why you were so angry when you arrived. But don’t worry. This ends. I will make sure that my people leave you alone.”
“Thank you.”
Senka wasn’t so easily sated. “Should I leave a few of my people behind to assure compliance?”
Tanith arched a brow. “Depends. Are any as handsome as your son?”
Luke growled in his throat. “We’re done, Mata. Please don’t leave anyone here. I think it would be a mistake.”
Senka inclined her head to him. “But if I return…it will be at the head of my army. And no treaty will protect you.”
Even though rebellion shined in Tanith’s eyes, she was wise enough to not taunt the hellhound Alpha. “Noted.”
With that, Luke turned toward the three most important women in his life. His imp, his mother and his partner.
Better known as his family. For the first time, he understood that word. Looking at them, it actually meant something, and it caused another wave of warmth to flood through him.
“Shall we?” He gestured toward the door that led back to the fey portal chambers.
His mother smiled grimly. “After you, my son.”
That tone…
She had something planned and he didn’t want to be a witness to it. More to the point, he didn’t want to implicate either Sorcha or Helly. So he quickly led them to the portal and back to Sorcha’s world.
In the dark forest, Sorcha gave him a curious stare. “How do we write up this report? I mean, we solved the crimes, but…”
