From the way Lorian’s eyes glittered, it was clear he knew exactly that.
“I will heal your brother. In return, you will come with me to my kingdom.”
Instant denial flashed through me. Oh, how I loathed this man.
“No.” Two voices said at once. My brothers. So different, but alike in so many ways. But Demos’s voice was a mere gurgle, and blood was slipping from his lips.
“Yes,” I said, ignoring them both. “Heal him.”
Lorian’s eyes widened slightly. Had he really expected me to negotiate with him while my brother choked on his own blood?
Lorian pulled me away so the healer could get to work. I wrenched my arm free of his hand. There could be no sound worse than Demos’s screams as the arrow was pulled from his chest. But then he went silent. And that was worse.
The wound was slowly closing. The blood was no longer pooling beneath him. My knees turned weak, and I stumbled. Lorian caught my arm once more.
“Remember what you said when we parted at the city walls?”
It took me a moment to understand what he was speaking of. “In another life.”
It was as if he’d reached into my chest, clamped down on my heart, and squeezed. “This isn’t another life! This is the same life.”
“Truly? Because you’re not the same woman I met that day at the river.”
“You didn’t meet me. Galon did.”
“Are you going to throw that in my face for the rest of my life?”
It hurt, sniping with him like this. Because it felt like nothing had changed. In reality, everything had.
“Yes. Every day. So, you should let me go.”
“We made a deal.”
I should have known he was fae just from the number of bargains we’d made together. I knew what this was about. Now that Lorian knew I was the hybrid heir, he wanted to use me against the king.
“Why didn’t you kill Sabium?”
That muscle ticked in his cheek. “It’s not his time to die yet.”
“Why not? After everything he’s done…”
He smiled. “There’s my wicked little savage.”
I just waited him out. He angled his head. “The king won’t die until I have everything I need.”
“That’s not a real answer.”
He gave a languid shrug. Those strange silver-green eyes watched me.
“How did you do it? How did you hide…yourself?”
He lifted his hand to touch my cheek, and I stiffened. He dropped his hand, his fingers curling into a fist. “You can’t even say the word. Is the fact that I’m fae really that horrifying?”
“If you didn’t expect this response, you would have told me earlier.”
“You’re right.” His expression shuttered. “I knew you would react like this.”
How dare he? As if I were a bigot.
“You killed my parents.”
Confusion swept over his face, and I took a step back. As usual, he just followed me.
“Crawyth,” I hissed. “I lived in Crawyth when I was just three winters old.”
His expression turned carefully neutral, and I shook my head, disgust roaring through me. “How did you hide your true form?”
He studied my face. “The vial we picked up at the Gromalian border. It was the Gromalian prince’s blood. Powerful fae can wear glamour to tamp down our appearances.” A sharp smile stretched his lips. “There are more of us in this kingdom than Sabium can imagine. But to wear the glamour of someone else? It requires blood.”
“Is the real Gromalian prince still alive?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you need me to get through the city walls?”
“Even my glamoured human form would be recognizable to those who know what they’re looking for. Those who have specific instructions from Sabium. We would have figured out a plan, but it would have been risky. You made it much, much easier.”
If I went with Lorian, it would prevent me from helping the hybrids. From building a life with my friends and family. From joining the rebellion.
It would also be torture, seeing him every day.
“Please don’t make me go with you.”
His expression hardened. “We made a deal.”
“This is because people believe I’m the hybrid heir, isn’t it? You and your brother…the fae king…” I choked on the words. “You want to use me somehow.”
He just watched me. “Remember how you told me you used to see me in your dreams?”
If I thought about that, I would humiliate myself and burst into tears right here. “No.”