Levi, Dean, and Niam vote against Asher. It's three to three. I am the deciding vote. It's clear if I do not side with Asher, Levi or Dean may be chosen instead. I sigh. "Find her, brother," I tell Asher. "Find her and keep her safe." The 'or else' is implicit in my voice, and he nods. I know he understands, and even though he lost some of my trust with his recent lies, I do believe he wants Arianna safe.
Dean shrugs. "Fine, Asher will do. Just get me my princess. I have plans for her that I'm sure will change her mind about things."
The bastard laughs, and I growl.
Asher places a cautioning hand on my arm. "Not now, Fen. This isn't the time."
I turn and rush out. I care little what the Council thinks. I'm going to find the woman I love.
As I leave the room, Ace's voice stops me. "Fenris…" We're alone in the hallway, but I do not turn to face him, fearful of the anger I will spew.
I hear Ace step closer. He speaks softly. "I know where you're going. And I know why. But consider this, before you act rashly. Your people have fallen. They need their prince. What will you choose, Prince of War?" He steps closer. "Who will you save?"
Chapter 4
THE DARKNESS
"When the demons came from the sky and slaughtered the High Fae, the Spirits left us."
—Madrid
I stand naked in front of a full-length mirror in my bedroom. The Fae locked me in the same room as before, but this time, they removed all the drapes. My white robe lies in a pile at my feet as I consider what to wear today. My choices are limited to gowns in light blues and whites with soft flowing fabric. I hold up a blue gown, studying my reflection, then switch it with a white gown, when a man's voice startles me.
I spin around, covering myself with the white dress.
"I like the blue on you better," Asher says, not even bothering to hide his smirk.
I toss the blue dress on the floor and slip the white one over my head in a small act of defiance. I don't bother trying to be modest. Let him squirm. I'm not ashamed of my body.
He chuckles. "Reverse psychology. Works every time. The white is more striking."
My cheeks burn, and I want to hurl some insult at him, but he saved my life last night, so I guess I owe him… what? Courtesy? Maybe if he's nice.
I sit in the chair by the north-facing window, and he sets a tray down on the wooden table next to me. It's full of food and a goblet of wine. I nibble on fruit, nuts, cheese and bread, and then sip at my drink. It's light, sweet and refreshing.
"I came to make peace with you," he says.
"Didn't you already try?"
He chuckles and holds up bandages. "I also came to dress your wound."
I hold my arm out and he pulls a chair up to me and unwinds the bandage covering the claw marks left by the gryphon. I flinch as the bandage sticks to the dried blood.
"Sorry," he says, flinching with me.
He wipes it clean with a wet cloth and rubs a purple salve on it. "Looks to be healing well," he says as he wraps clean bandages around it. "Madrid could speed up this recovery with magic, you know."
I pull away once he's done and return to my food. "I don't need her magic. And I won't be here long, at any rate. I'll find a way to escape," I tell him.
He frowns.
"Is Fen well? Have you seen him?" I've been assuming Fen healed and felt the blood call, but I don't have any proof.
"He is angry, but alive, if that's what you mean."
I nod, comforted by that fact, and emboldened in my next statement. "You can't hold me here forever. Eventually, Fen will find me, and when he realizes you have kept me prisoner, he will kill you all." I say the words, knowing they are true, but I don't want anyone to die. I don't hate Asher, even if I don't fully understand what he's doing or why. And I don't want Fen stuck in the middle of a blood war with his brothers because of me. There has to be a better way.
Asher sits on the other side of the table and drinks deeply from his own goblet. "You're right. He will come for you. And while he can't reach you now, he won't give up. But you nearly died last night trying to escape. Are you willing to risk your own life again?"
"If I must," I say without hesitation. "I'm tired of being treated as a pawn in other people's games. As a dog expected to submit to its master."
He flinches when I throw his father's words back at him. "What if I can arrange for you to leave here and see Fen again? Without death-defying escape attempts or civil war?"
I tilt my head and pop a grape into my mouth. "I'm listening."
"Come with me to talk with my father, Madrid, and Durk. I have a plan, but you'll have to trust me."
***
"You propose what?" King Lucian's face contorts in displeasure. "This is folly!"
I bite my tongue and wait. Asher said I needed to trust him. I don't, not really. But I have to believe he can sell this plan to Lucian. It's my only shot. Still, my back is rigid as I rest my arms on the sturdy wood table we all sit around.
"She will live in my realm," Asher explains, "but she will return here regularly for training."
Lucian scowls. "And what if she doesn't return?"
"And what if she stays here but does nothing?" Asher leans forward. "Father, we need her cooperation, and as we've seen, we'll not get it through threats. We need a compromise." He sips from his goblet. "Arianna will continue spending time with the seven princes, thus fulfilling her contract, the one you insisted on. In turn, she will do what is needed here…" he glances at me, "without complaint."