“I...” Hmph. How was I supposed to answer that? He seemed to be under the strange impression that his Court was some kind of utopia. “Have you already forgotten all that stuff I said? About not feelingwelcome?”
“Unfortunately, no,” hegrunted.
We fell into uncomfortable silence after that. It was impossible to talk to Lugh without one of us winding the other up, or both. He wanted me to love his Court of Wraiths. I wanted him to see how much it sucked arse. We were never going to agree. Aboutanything.
We passed through the wide open space of the Castle Esplanade, where hundreds of sorcerers—and wrongfully-accused innocent humans—had been burned at the stake during the witch trials of the 15thcentury. Ancient stone buildings rose up on either side of us as the cobblestones returned beneath our feet. The trek down Castle Hill would lead to the High Street, where we would hopefully find some shops open forbusiness.
The streets were empty and dark. January wasn’t a popular time for locals or even tourists, who’d rather stay in beside the fire in a pub, downing pints of Guinness to warm the gut. I risked a glance at Lugh when the moonlight slipped through the cracks between two buildings. His outline was fierce, sharply cut, and towering in an otherworldly sort of way. Power pulsed from deep within him with every step hetook.
Who was this fae?And why had I never heard ofhim?
He was blatantly powerful. He commanded respect and inspired confidence from hundreds of fae, some of whom had placed trust in Athaira before him...who was...where exactly? I had so many questions and so few answers. This male beside me had them all. With his head held high and that strength rolling off his toned body...I could see why the Scottish fae wanted to believe he could beKing.
“I can tell you want to ask me something,” he murmured as we passed by an old church, steeple disappearing high into the darknessabove.
I took a deep breath and decided to broach the one subject I’d been dying to tackle, above all others. “You were in the vaults the night of the trial. And you helpedme.”
His footsteps faltered, and he almost imperceptibly shot a quick glance over his shoulder. “That’s an interestingtheory.”
“You don’t seem at all surprised that someone was down there with me,” Icountered.
He waved his hand in dismissal, though I saw his jaw clench. “You must have mentioned it to Saoirse. She tells meeverything.”
“Uh uh.” I wagged my finger at him. “She refuses to talk about it. Something about the fact that you can’t say anything in the castle without someone else hearingit.”
He raked his hand through his raven hair. “You mustn’t repeat this toanyone.”
My heart skipped a beat. Was he actually going to open up and give me some answers? I wanted to fist pump thesky.
“Okay,” I saideagerly.
“I did help you,” he admitted. “Saoirse is part Druid. I asked her to read your future, as I always do before trials. The number of Sluagh in the vaults has...multiplied, without my knowing. If you had gone in there alone, you would not have won yourtrial.”
I came to a sudden stop on the cobblestones. My eyes were wide as I stared at him, and my heart felt as if it had been twisted like a snake. I’d only met one Druid in my life before this. Caer, who had the power to look into the future and dispense prophecies to whomever shepleased.
I’d heard a prophecy from her once before, one I wished I couldforget.
And nowthis...
“So, you’re saying Iactuallywould have died?” I whispered. That single word echoed in my ear.Died, died, died. I wanted to block it out, but I couldn’t. My death had been on the cards. I’d been so close to the end of my life, and I hadn’t even knownit.
“Not due to your lack of skill or strength,” he quickly countered. “There were far too many in there for one fae to fight alone. I merely took a few out of the equation for you. That was why I instructed you to go right. I tackled the left-handedtunnels.”
This was too much. I needed to sitdown.
“Why the hell didn’t you just call off the trial?” I hissed. “Why make me go through with it, if you knew I was going toactuallydie?”
He pressed his lips together, and his eyes darkened. “There are things you don’t know, things I cannot tell you. Even here, away from ears that always listen. Just know that I could not stop the trial without riskingeverything.”
“Everything?” My fisted hands shook by my sides. “So, I guessmy lifeis okay to risk but not all these other mysterious things you refuse to tellme.”
“Moira.” He growled and grabbed my shoulder. “You’re not listening to me. I was there, in the vaults, to make sure you didn’t die. I was never going to let death anywhere near you. That’s why I had Saoirse do the reading. Hate me for keeping secrets, but don’t hate me for risking your life, because I never did. And I neverwould.”
My heart trembled as I stared into his inky eyes. “Oh.”
He let go of my shoulder and resumed the walk down Castle Hill. The change was so abrupt that I didn’t know what to make of it. We’d been arguing, he’d been so fierce in his words, and then he’d just started walking again like nothing at all hadhappened.
With a deep breath, I followedbehind.
