Page 98 of This Is Not True Love’s Kiss

“You have one minute to explain what’s going on,” I said, “before I command my army to attack.

“Your Majesty.” Fargus flew from overhead, swooping down and landing on my shoulder. “We’re surrounded. On all sides of Fairwitch Isle.”

My gaze whipped toward Leena.

“No, it’s not like that,” she said, finally reaching me, Ronan by her side.

“So we’re not surrounded right now?” I said, voice deadly. “My advisor is lying to me?”

“Yes, well no.” Leena shook her head. “We brought allies, Lor.” She winced. “Your Majesty.”

“Allies . . .” I trailed off, and Aoife gasped as figures on horses appeared from all sides of us.

But they weren’t wearing maroon cloaks. Many of them wore crowns, while others wore elaborate headdresses. None of them appeared to be armed, and nobody attacked.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd behind me, many of my royal guard shooting uneasy glances at each other.

“What she says is true.” One of the women wearing a black crown nudged her horse forward and approached from our left, slipping onto the cobblestone road, the horses hooves clicking against the stone. “We come in peace. As allies.”

“To fight against the brotherhood with us?” I asked.

Leena let out a breath, shoving a hand through her blond hair. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. The brotherhood is no more.”

Gasps and cries of disbelief rang out all around me. I finally let my arm sink to my side, and Aofie grabbed my arm, steadying me.

“No more?” I asked, shaking my head. “But they’re here to fight us. My scouts confirmed⁠—”

“That was us,” Leena said. “The rebels. Not the brotherhood.”

Aoife huffed, impatient as always. “Are we under attack or not?”

“Not,” Leena said.

“Then someone better explain exactly what’s going on here.” Aoife gestured to the figures on horseback still surrounding us, many of whom were gaping at the Fair Folk.

Ronan stepped forward. “I can explain,” he said.

I raised my sword and pointed it at his neck, blood boiling at the sight of him.

“Don’t!” Leena stepped in front of him.

I jabbed a finger at him. “He betrayed us.”

“No, he didn’t. He saved you,” Leena said.

My sword faltered, and I stepped back. “How is that possible?”

Ronan met my gaze. “I spent my life with the brotherhood. They recruited me when I was young, indoctrinated me, made me believe in their cause. They filled my mind with lies, like they do all their members: that not everyone was worthy of having magic, that the brotherhood could keep magic safe, could use it for good. That we had to do bad things sometimes in the pursuit of greater good. That everyone else was our enemy.” He swallowed thickly. “Then you let me be part of your community. It was only for a single day. I saw the magic of your castle with my own eyes, saw the good it brings to your people, how everyone benefits from it. No one has to pay or show they’re worthy. They get access, and everyone is better for it. I was better for it. I realized if the brotherhood got their hands on something like this, they’d ruin it, like they have every other piece of magic they’ve acquired. And I couldn’t stand the thought.”

“He banded us together,” the woman with the black crown said.

“How?” I asked.

Ronan grimaced. “I visited every kingdom, every city I could. Those that had been ransacked by the brotherhood, conquered, and those that would be soon.”

A man with long black hair tipped his head. “He convinced us to come together and fight, to defend Bolivare stop the brotherhood from taking their magic, stop them from raising an army of the dead.”

I blinked, unable to believe what I was hearing. “Are you telling me the brotherhood has been defeated?”