“Exactly,” Heinrich said. “But Ritter and I agree that our isle cannot simply be a satellite of the kingdoms any longer. Lochmatten needs to come into its own power, which means bringing the kingdoms to heel.”
Damien strained against the sword in front of his neck. “This is about thewar? Heinrich, the kingdoms came to Lochmatten’s aid. Our armies fought side by side foryou! Without the kingdoms’ intervention, Lochmatten would be Trasmyr’s leashed pet. Why in all the hells would you want revenge onus?”
Heinrich waved his hand dismissively. “Yes, yes. You gallantly rode in and saved the day, but with flames and earthquakes. The kingdoms’ armies broke the siege, but half of Oberhorn burned. Entire districts were flattened or flooded. We lost labs and libraries that had been in use for thousands of years! There are entire forms of new magic at the bottom of a sinkhole! I’m sure you rememberthat, Fontaine.”
“Not to mention the damage created by illusions that went too far,” Tasia added. “Vitzner has been abandoned since the war. Thanks to Gryon, any cow that eats grass from that valleygives milk that tastes like spoiled radishes. And the vineyards that used to be there? Ugh. Such a waste.”
“Things would have been worse if Trasmyr won!” Damien said incredulously.
Heinrich shook his head. “You don’t get it. If Trasmyr had succeeded, they would have stolen our treasures and carted them back to their dung hovel of an island. We’d have been their subjects for a time until they got bored. They seized the Seers’ crystal balls like crows collecting shiny rocks. Trasmyr understands nothing of Bargain or Energy magic. They don’t know what Lochmatten can really do.”
“Even if Trasmyr had won,” Haydn said, “we would’ve taken everything back by now. General Egorovich and his men would be covered from head to toe in Bargain tattoos and surrendering tous.”
“The kingdoms left us in ruins and then expected our eternal gratitude,” Heinrich continued. “You showed up with parlor tricks, but Lochmatten has real power. Ritter’s plaything here has all of the Perceptual and Elemental magic, and yet a simple Bargain was enough to bring her to her knees.”
“She is not my plaything!” Haydn snarled. “She will be mybride.”
Evelyn was beyond words, but there wasn’t anything she could do without risking her friends and family.
“Of course,” Heinrich conceded. “But her sister probably can’t even light the candles on a birthday cake, and she’s aprincess. It’s pathetic. The kingdoms need new leadership.”
“A service I am happy to provide,” Haydn said, brightening again. He kissed Evelyn’s hand. “The fact that I get to claim you as my own is no small prize, either. The political legitimacy that comes from marrying a queen is merely a bonus.”
Evelyn addressed Heinrich. “What do you get out of all of this?”
“Haydn will make him Grand Chancellor,” Tasia said with the relish of someone who could finally spill a particularly juicy morsel of gossip.
“I get the chance to serve a sensible and reorganized government, of course,” Heinrich said impatiently. “I’ll be in charge of domestic affairs and ensuring that fae with the appropriate magical talents receive the positions they deserve, so long as they make the appropriate Bargains to prove their loyalty. I’ll invite Moeller to join me, but I doubt he’ll be interested. Wendell won’t realize anything’s changed until someone drops off some new history books in his library a thousand years from now. Useless old man.”
“And I’ll get to rule Velletri when we conquer them next,” Tasia bragged.
Haydn winked at Tasia. “You’ll be magnificent, darling. They need someone who can crack the whip over there.”
Evelyn tried to back away, but Haydn wouldn’t let her.
“I need you most of all,” he said. “You have the eight magical abilities from Carrowmore and Gryon, and you will give them to me when we get married.”
“No!”
“Don’t worry, love. You can have all of my magic, too. Together, we will be the most powerful fae the world has ever seen. This continent will be ours! We’ll have our very own empire in place of the kingdoms. Then, the rest of the lands will fall to us. Lochmatten, Velletri, Brevig, Trasmyr, Aleneva, Neskowin, and Seldovia. Everything will be ours. Can’t you picture us together on the throne?”
“I’m not yours! I married Leo!”
“A minor inconvenience. Imagine my delight when I learned Alexander changed the law so you automatically inherit Gryon upon his death. That makes things so much easier! All I have todo is kill him and marry you. Then, once all the other Connollys are dead, you can claim Carrowmore for me.”
Evelyn’s legs nearly gave out beneath her.
Haydn locked an arm around her waist to keep her upright. “You will be mine, andeverythingwill be ours.”
“No, Haydn. Please don’t do this.”
“This is what youwanted, my love. You wanted to be with me and have more power than you’ve ever dreamed of. You invited me into your bed and you kept that necklace hidden. You made deals with me and learned Energy magic in secret. This is what we talked about, what you agreed to. You said yes to everything I offered, untilhestole you from me.”
Haydn is making me sound guilty! But… oh, gods, I did all of that! I went along with what he told me and I kept secrets. I didn’t mean for it to lead to this! If I had been honest with Leo, or given Damien more details, would we still be here?
“Evelyn, you planned this?” Leo accused. “You knew what was happening?”
“No!” Evelyn cried. “No! I wasn’t part of this!”
