“House Athaira is different. Wait right here.” She shut the door in my face. Wellthen.
I frowned at the brass gargoyle knocker. Maybe I’d be better off finding a window I could climb into, although this castle was infamous for being impenetrable. These fae were clearly hiding something here, and they didn’t seem responsive tostrangers.
I took a step back to look for some other way to sneak inside, but the door swung open before I could get far. It was all I could do not to gargle out a swear. The fae who stood before me now had sleek black hair and a jawline that could cut throughsteel.
King Lugh was the fae I’d seen in theloo.
3
“Hello,”he said smoothly as his eyes drank me in. Just as the female had, he rested his gaze on my hidden sword. “Saoirse tells me you’re a solitary fae in need of a home. I’m Lugh, Master of thishouse.”
“King,” Saoirse hissed beneath herbreath.
“Master will do fornow.”
My mind whirred. Okay, so the guy who’d met with Anderson and had asked for the cauldron was none other than the Master of this House. And he was either calling himself a King, or his subjects were insisting upon it. Maybe both. He was after some kind of magical cauldron, and he planned to use it to steal the crown fromClark.
At least it hadn’t taken me long to find the right guy. Now, I just needed to stophim.
To make matters even stranger, Iknewthe Master who lived here. Her name was...well, it was Athaira—she’d named her House after herself. And he wasn’t her. This lad, Lugh, I’d never heardof.
“Something the matter?” he asked in that lilting Scottish accent ofhis.
“You’re not what I expected,” I admitted. “Some friends told me about this place, and they didn’t mention aKing.”
“No, I don’t suppose they did.” His dark eyes flashed as he turned toward Saoirse. “Leave us. I’ll take it from here. Oh, and call a meeting in the GreatHall.”
A strange unease prickled the back of my neck. “What’s the meetingfor?”
“You’ll find out soon enough, if I agree to it.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against the stone doorframe. “Before I let you inside, I need to ask you a fewquestions.”
“Okay.” I mimicked his stance. “Askaway.”
“What’s yourname?”
“Moira.” I figured I’d go with the truth. He’d never met me, and I’d never methim.
“Pretty name.” His eyes slightly narrowed. “Why are youhere?”
“I told you why I’m here. Why areyoubeing so mysterious?” I shot back, unable to help myself. “I thought the Court was eager to help solitary fae. Strength in numbers, youknow.”
“Oh,Iknow.” He straightened and took a step forward. His shoulders loomed over me, and I swore magic sparked between our bodies. “But how doyouknow? I was under the impression that solitary fae knew little about courtcustoms.”
“I did myresearch.”
“Hmm.” He tapped his chin. “Are you willing to sign an NDAagreement?”
“An…NDA agreement?” My mouth dropped open. This was absurd. In all my time as a fae, which was a hundred years now, I’d never heard of such a thing. We werefae, for fuck’s sake. Bound by duty and honour. We didn’t need things like NDAagreements.
“That’s right. A contract, signed inblood.”
“I…” My heart skipped a beat. A blood contract. Those were rare and took a very special type of skill in order to pull them off. I hadn’t known that House Athaira even had a fae with that kind of power. Seemed they were keeping far more secrets thanone.
A malicious grin spread across his face. “Your choice. Either you’re in, in which case you sign the contract, or you’reout.”
I stared at Lugh. He looked like a villain in a film, all sharp lines and immovable steel. He had presented me with an impossible choice. I could enter this castle and find out what he had planned. But then I wouldn’t be able to tell a soul. Blood contracts are forever binding. I wouldn’t be able to tell Clark what I found, as much as I’d wantto.
My Queen’s words—myfriend’swords—rang in my ears.You’re the best of us,Moira.
