I clamped my lips firmly shut as the mountain’s coldness sank into my bones. At least those villagers were completely wrong about me being a whore. I had that going for me. I would never touch the prince, not even if he offered me payment beyond my wildest imagination. I would rather die than let him touch me.
Despite knowing that, ice slithered through my veins. The villagers’ comments stung. Deeply. But I knew I’d have to get used to it, because comments like that would likely continue. If the prince was taking me to Solisarium, a city of a million fae, I would have many more watchful eyes and scathing remarks coming.
“Imbeciles,” I whispered under my breath.
Haxil grunted. “Couldn’t agree with you more.”
I gave him a small smile, at which he just patted my shoulder.
Ahead, the prince stormed toward the lodge, his movements as fierce as a gale roaring through a valley.
“Why is he so angry?” I asked Haxil.
The guard shrugged. “I suppose you’d have to ask the prince that.”
But there was something in Haxil’s expression that made me think he knew exactly why the crown prince was in such a foul mood.
As we trudged up the mountain, the prince’s expression was hard and unforgiving, and the energy rippling from him was enough to make my shoulders want to fold inward while keeping my chin tucked to my chest.
Thankfully, whatever the reason for his rage, he kept it inward, not turning his affinity on me or his guards.
The village fell behind us when we entered the trees, and soon, smoke appeared from our accommodation’s chimney. When we finally entered the lodge’s main room, fragrant scents of freshly baked bread and succulent stew drifted through the air.
“Right over here!” Milis called, gesturing to the table nearest the fire that she’d preset with the guards’ meals, hot and ready.
“See that Ilara gets to her chamber,” the prince called tersely to Haxil before he disappeared up the back stairs.
Nish, Ryder, and Sandus headed toward their dinner. Numbly, I followed Haxil, once again realizing how my life was now completely out of my control. I was a prisoner of the crown prince. I now ate, slept, traveled, and probably relieved myself when he told me to.
Scowling, I pulled out a chair by the fire as my stomach let out a rumble.
“Hungry?” Haxil scooted over, making room for me at the table.
“I’m fine.”
“Ock, from that growl I just heard, you’re not fine,” Nish replied, giving me a sniggering grin after he swallowed a large gulp of ale.
“Leave her be, Nish,” Haxil said.
Nish cocked an eyebrow as Sandus also inched his chair over and waved toward the open spot. “Come and eat, Ilara Seary, daughter of Mervalee Territory.”
“Is that an order?”
Sandus gave a crooked smile. “I can’t order you, love. Only the prince can do that.”
I glanced back toward the stairs, but wherever the prince had ventured off to, he was long gone. I frowned as the image of Mealow’s husband collapsing beneath the prince’s rumbling power filled my mind again. Seconds. It had only taken him seconds to kill that male. He’d brought down an enraged ice bear with only a thought.
My fury burned hotter, and I stoked my hatred for the crown prince until it roared as brightly as the fire in the lodge’s hearth. Yet again, the prince had destroyed another family so easily. Even if the husband had been abusive, fae could change. But now, Mealow and her son would never know if that would ever be a possibility.
My chair scraped against the floor when I finally joined the guards. Despite my anger, they were right. I was hungry, and now that the prince wasn’t around, perhaps I could stomach eating.
We ate in silence, with only the crackling of the fire and music floating through the air as company. Somehow, I managed to eat half a bowl of stew. My stomach protested at more, not used to the generous portions that Milis served. It didn’t help that as each spoonful disappeared into my belly, I felt more and more eyes from the other patrons fall upon us.
Word must have gotten out at what the prince had done in High Liss, because the lodge’s patrons stayed hushed—speaking in low tones to one another while casting wary glances toward the stairs, as though afraid of disturbing the dragon that slept in his cave above.
“Does the prince do that a lot?” I finally asked, breaking the silence. The guards had wolfed down their food, but now that everyone’s bellies were full, they were leaning back in their chairs as their wings slackened, and the fire roared.
“Do what, love?” Sandus asked.
“Kill fae?”
The guards stilled.
“Is that how you see it?” Nish’s eyes narrowed. “That the prince kills fae?”
“Isn’t that what just happened?” I challenged.
“What happened,” Nish replied, his teeth grinding together, “was that Prince Norivun acted in the realm’s best interest. That fairy’s wife came to him for help, so he did what was asked.”
My hands clenched together underneath the table. Nails biting into my palms, I retorted, “I don’t think she asked him to kill her husband. Besides, don’t the supernatural courts usually deal with domestic matters like that? He didn’t need to murder that fairy, especially since the prince is obviously a capable fighter. He could have restrained Mealow’s husband even if her husband had been in his ice bear form. Or at least, he could have tried.”
Nish’s glare increased, and he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “How many fairies in their ice bear form have you restrained?”
I frowned. “None. Obviously.”
“Then you don’t know the death rate significantly increases for bystanders when such an arrest is attempted.”
I swallowed, remembering what Haxil had hinted at. “No, I didn’t know that. But wasn’t it worth at least trying? Until it became apparent it would be too unsafe?”
Haxil gave me a warning look, but I ignored him and leveled Nish with a heavy glare.
“And risk lives?” Nish snorted. “No. On the continent, when troubles rise swiftly and justice must be enacted quickly, the Death Master does what’s needed and must make decisions without a second thought. So stop your righteous judging in matters of which you know nothing.”
My pulse leaped, and I barely contained myself from lashing out at him. Because even if he was right that the prince had made the best decision in Mealow’s house, I’d seen other kinds of justice the prince had delivered. When one went to him with concerns about the crops or concerns about a missing son, the prince didn’t help those troubled fae. Oh no. He silenced them by murdering them. So I did know a thing or two about the prince’s matters.
Sneering, I replied, “I suppose murder is one way to keep the peace.”
Nish’s wings extended, the leathery appendages nearly knocking into the chimney.
Ryder clamped a hold of Nish’s shoulder as he gave me a withering glower. “Enough.”
“Fine with me.” Pushing back from the table, I stood. “I’d like to go to my room now.”
“And what if I’m still finishing my ale, princess?” Nish replied, his eyes dark as he finally pulled his wings back in tight. “Wouldn’t want you roaming around these halls and coming to any harm.”