“Rigelus told me they killed her to keep the information about their true nature contained,” Bryce said.
Baxian cut her a look. “And you believe everything Rigelus says? Besides, why can’t it be both? They wanted to keep their secrets to themselves, yes, but also to destroy the kernel of hope Danika offered. Not only to the wolves, but all of Midgard. That things could be different. Better.”
Bryce massaged her aching chest, the starlight unusually dim. “They definitely would have killed her for that, too.”
Baxian’s face tightened with pain. “Then make her death count for something, Bryce.”
He might as well have punched her in the face. “And what,” she demanded, “try to redeem the Fae? Get them some self-help books and make them sit in circles to talk about their feelings?”
His face was like stone. “If you think that would be effective, sure.”
Bryce glowered. But she loosed a long breath. “If we survive this shit with the Asteri, I’ll think about it.”
“They might go hand in hand,” he said.
“If you start spewing some bullshit about rallying a Fae army to take on the Asteri—”
“No. This isn’t some epic movie.” He cocked his head. “But if you think you could manage—”
Bryce, despite herself, laughed. “Sure. I’ll add it to my to-do list.”
Baxian smiled slightly. “I just wanted you to know that Danika was thinking about a lot of the same things.”
“I wish she’d talked to me about it.” Bryce sighed. “About a lot of stuff.”
“She wanted to,” he said gently. “And I think putting that Horn in your back was her way of perhaps … manipulating you onto a similar path.”
“Typical Danika.”
“She saw it in you—what you could mean for the Fae.” His voice grew unbearably sad. “She was good about seeing that kind of thing in people.”
Bryce touched his arm. “I’m glad she had you to talk to. I really am.”
He gave her a sorrowful smile. “I’m glad she had you, too. I couldn’t be there with her, couldn’t leave Sandriel, and I’m so fucking grateful that she had someone there who loved her unconditionally.”
Bryce’s throat closed up. She might have offered some platitude about them reuniting in the afterlife, but … the afterlife was a sham. And Danika’s soul was already gone.
“Guys,” Hunt said from where he and the others had risen to their feet. “We need to keep going.”
“Why?” Bryce asked, walking over. Her starlight dimmed, as if telling her she was headed in the wrong direction. I know, she told it silently.
“We shouldn’t linger, even with the Magical Starborn Princess watching over us,” Tharion said, winking. “I think it’s getting too tempting for the ghouls.” He jerked his head toward the writhing mass of shadows barely visible within the mists. Their hissing had risen to such a level that it reverberated against her bones.
“All right,” Bryce said, resisting the urge to plug her ears against the unholy din. “Let’s go.”
“That’s the first wise decision you’ve made,” drawled a deep male voice from the tunnel behind them.
And there was nowhere to run, nothing to do but stand and face the threat, as Morven stalked out of the mists. And behind him, flame simmering in his eyes, strode the Autumn King.
55
Hunt let his lightning gather at his fingers, let it wind through his hair as the two Fae Kings approached, one wreathed in flame, the other in shadow. The hissing of the ghouls, their stench, had veiled the kings’ approach. Unless Morven had willed the ghouls to make such a racket, so they could creep up this close without even Baxian’s hearing picking it up.
Hunt’s lightning was a spark of what he’d command without the halo, but it was enough to fry these fuckers—
The Autumn King only stared at Bryce, pure hatred twisting his face. “Did you think that closet could hold me?”
Hunt’s lightning sizzled around him, twining up his forearm. He was dimly aware of Tharion forming a plume of water straight from the river they’d been about to cross and aiming it at the kings. Of Baxian, sword out and snarling—
Seeming supremely unconcerned, Bryce said to her father, “I imprisoned Micah in a bathroom, so a closet seemed good enough for you. I have to admit that I’d hoped you’d stay in there a bit longer, though.”
Morven’s shadows thrashed around him like hounds straining at the leash. “You will return to my castle with us to face the consequences for treating your sovereign so outrageously.”