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His father’s assessing gaze swung around to Ella. Inwardly Vadim groaned. Sometimes his mate’s ability to piss people off was a real liability.

“You’ve forgotten what I offered you so soon?”

“I haven’t forgotten anything, because I didn’t agree to anything. You disappeared in a huff before I could make up my mind.”

“Ella—please, shut up.”

Something of the urgency in his voice must’ve got through to her, because she paused and looked up at him. “What’s wrong?”

“I think he’s trying to remind you that I am Fae royalty and that I’m not used to being treated with such disrespect.”

Ella raised her eyebrows. “What are you going to do? Set Morosov on me? He won’t harm me.”

Vadim looked at his father’s face and saw it then, a hint of fear quickly masked. He steeled himself as his father’s golden gaze swung back toward him.

“Death Bringer, all is not as it seems.”

“In what way, Father?”

“Your mate has not been telling you the truth.”

“I doubt that.” He reached out a hand and grasped Ella’s arm, holding her close. As long as they were linked, he no longer thought his father was strong enough to beat them. “Mates cannot lie to each other.”

“She intends to do you harm.”

“And you don’t?”

His father ignored the question, and pointed over at Ella’s backpack.

“Search her possessions.”

“Hey, that’s my stuff. There’s nothing in there that could hurt a fly.” Ella lunged for the backpack as the king sent it flying toward them.

“She lies, Death Bringer.“

“Ella, let it go, he’s just?—”

She leaped for the backpack separating herself from him, and everything seemed to slow down. His father’s magic swept between them, cutting her off from him and immobilizing her in midair.

“Don’t you wonder why she wants her backpack so badly?”

“Let her go, or I will retaliate.”

“She has my mark on her. Shall I let her die of it?”

Power sizzled between them, scorching the grass. A void opened in the shield and several Fae guards stepped through.

“What do you want?”

His father drew himself up. “Justice?”

“For what?”

“For those you killed?”

“You were my master, I killed where you bade me!”

“Not at the end.”