Hydris took a step back, bumping into me. I couldn’t really blame him. Mannix was looking manic now. But I put a hand on Hydris’s shoulder and hoped he knew I believed in him.
The air in the room rippled. I couldn’t describe it better than it feeling like someone had dropped a pebble into a pond and we’d gotten bumped by the waves. Hydris raised an arm, and Mannix snapped straight as a board and rose off the floor.
It was Mannix’s turn to be scared.
“While I appreciate the services you have performed in the past,” Hydris said in a quiet, controlled voice, “you have taxed my people far more than is required, you plan to sacrifice them in an attempt to break through the barrier, and you wish our first act should freedom happen to be one of war. None of those decisions are yours to make. I will not allow you to continue.”
Hydris lowered his arm, and Mannix touched the floor again. But the instant Mannix was free to move on his own again, he bent and removed a dagger from his boot.
I put an arm over Hydris’s shoulder to haul him back as I tried to get him out of reach. Others hollered and lunged, trying to stop Mannix. But none of it mattered.
Hydris snapped his fingers.
Mannix disappeared in a splash of water.
I froze, staring at the small puddle on the floor. Had Hydris transported Mannix somewhere else? Removing the danger temporarily? Or had he… Was Mannix the puddle?
“Hydris?” I whispered.
He turned around and looked up at me with sad eyes. “I just wanted to protect you by making him go away, but I accidentally unmade him instead.”
A weird disbelieving laugh jumped out of me. Holy shit. I gulped and shook my head as I took his very dangerous hands in mine. “You did what you had to do to protect me, yourself, and everyone in your court. I don’t think anyone’s going to have issue with that.”
I glanced around and did see some horrified faces, but I had a feeling it was more related to realizing the prince who hadbrought them into this world could take them back out of it again. It was probably good that they remember that.
Naunet took a handkerchief from her sleeve and dropped it on the puddle before using her foot to make sure it absorbed the liquid. A couple people laughed as I had, and I figured they were okay with losing Mannix.
“You did so well,” I whispered to Hydris before leaning down to kiss him. “You stood up to him. You told him what you wanted. I’m so proud of you.” I kissed him again.
He giggled quietly into the kiss and his eyes were twinkling when he looked up at me. As I watched, little vines with tiny leaves grew from his crown of flowers to cascade down his back. Pink and purple flowers bloomed from the vines. They looked an awful lot like the ones that had been in between the rocks of the fairy ring that brought me here.
All of a sudden, a massive sound like a cannon firing had several of us ducking down as others exclaimed and all of us looked around for the source. Hydris flew up and over to the windows as I looked to the guards still hovering nearby.
“Was that you?” I demanded of the guard who’d bound me. “Some kind of attack in the event of Mannix’s death? Were you already planning?—”
“No!” The guard took off his helmet to look me in the eyes. “Our loyalty has always been to the prince. His Highness sent word that we should obey Mannix as his avatar, so we did.”
I believed him. And it was entirely possible that Hydris had given such an order at one point. I had a feeling there would be a lot of things he’d have to reverse going forward.
“I don’t know what to do with this,” Lady Naunet said, the wet handkerchief pinched in her fingers.
I pointed at the table. “I think you can put it there with the rest of the trash.”
She dropped the handkerchief on top of a whole platoon of little wooden soldiers with a plop.
Chapter 12
From the window, Hydris hollered, “I don’t see anything wrong! What was that sound?”
“We’ll find the source and any damage, Your Highness,” the guard who’d taken off his helmet said. “I advise you to stay indoors until we do.”
As the guards exited the room, Hydris flew back down to me, his gaze on the table beside me. “I can’t let this happen,” he said quietly.
“Do you know which one’s the head guard or whatever? Was he the one who wants you to stay inside?”
Hydris nodded up at me.
“Then when he comes back, you can tell him to scrap these plans. None of it’s happening now. He’ll know what to do with that order.”
