Page 64 of Ruling the Green

Then, upon closer inspection, my sister’s spouse, with his blonde hair and stern look. As if sensing my thoughts—though his power was sensing feelings—he glanced up and spotted me.

I watched his mouth move as he, I assumed, spoke to Cece because just a second later, the carriage came to a stop.

The far door burst open, and then there she was.

We didn’t look much alike except for the eyes. We both had Cass’s eyes.

“Well, well, well,” she said, shooting me a smirk. “I didn’t expect a welcoming committee.”

“This isn’t a welcoming committee. This is a ‘what the fuck do you think you’re doing’ search and rescue party.”

Her chin lifted. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“Can you? Because I’m not the one trespassing on the other Court during an already tense time. With an entire fucking army of draca.”

“We are traveling under a white flag.”

“Yeah, because Cass would give a single fuck about that.”

“Unfortunately, some risks have to be taken for the sake of diplomacy.”

“You expect any conversation with our father to end in anything other than you being drained of your powers, tortured, and killed?”

“I mean, we had our… issues. But he actually protected me once…”

“Celestine, he will kill you. Have you not heard the rumors in your realm?”

She glanced over at Jasper, then back at me.

“Rumors can’t be trusted.”

“In this case, they can. If things are going the way I believe they are going, you don’t have to worry about war. But if you do stupid-ass shit like this, it will be inevitable.”

“Unfortunately, I’m here because my people are furious with you and demanded all-out war.”

“In the Light Court?” I asked, dubious.

“Well, what do you expect when one of ours is violently torn from their home and disappears?”

Wait.

No.

I glanced over at Vishen.

“Tell me the lake is in our fucking realm.”

“It’s a… gray area.”

“Not to my people.”

“Shit.”

“You knew about this? That someone kidnapped the Daughter of the Lake?”

“You could say that. She’s my wife.”

The color drained from my sister’s face.