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“She’s expecting you to appear tonight. I wonder if you decided to stay back and let us face her if it might deflate her ego and ruffle her feathers.”

His expression hardened. “Do you believe I’ll allow you to put yourself in harm’s way? Again? You shan’t enter that castle without me by your side.”

“Shaye, she might have a point,” Thierry said. Horano shrugged, but finally nodded. “We have no organized plan, but anything that offsets her before a confrontation would benefit us tremendously. She knows you’ll risk everything to save your son, but if you don’t show up, at least in the throne room, she may reconsider her options.”

“The children then become dispensable. Should I face her, the children’s safety is guaranteed at least for a short time,” Shaye said.

“’Tis a rather good plan.” Liam wagged a thoughtful finger. “Daeanna is willing to press the limits of her power in your presence. By upsetting her plan, you create a temporary vulnerability, and in that time, you strike. I’ll remain behind with you, as my presence is not a threat to her.”

Shaye flexed his fingers against his knee. His jaw shifted, his teeth clenched behind tightly closed lips. The rainbow of colors she loved in his mercurial eyes darkened to the shades of storm clouds and lightning. For the first time, she caught the faint scatter of energy across his skin, thin bolts of power.

At last, he turned his dangerous gaze on her. “You know I don’t like this idea in the least. Allowing you to walk into her den while separated from me.” His nostrils flared with a sharp sniff. “Aye, I’ll agree to it, but the moment I sense fear from you, I’ll step in. There shall be no further discussion on the topic. Understood?”

Moira’s lips twitched. She squared her shoulders at her husband and raised her brows. “This resentment and anger? Focus it on her, not me. Not on a single person sitting in this room who is willing to risk everything to stand beside you. Daeanna alone deserves every ounce of it, so save it for her.” A small grin dispelled the intensifying tension in the room. Shaye blinked, then shook his head in exasperation, but she caught the ghost of a smile before it disappeared. “We go into this to make sure there is no next time. The spirits are with us. They’ve blessed us. We’ll be victorious.”

Horano chuckled, an eerily dark sound from the angelic man, drawing everyone’s attention. He pushed up his sleeves and stood. “We may be peace-seekers, but I admit I’m eager to spill the blood of this evil creature and watch all the suffering she has brought suffocate her in Hell.”

“The Fae hold no belief in Hell, but I like your thinking, old friend,” Thierry said, pushing to his feet. His hawk-beasthopped onto his shoulder, enormous talons shifting like those of an eager child about to get a treat.

Shaye folded his fingers between Moira’s and pulled her to her feet after him. “Belief or not, Hell follows her lead, and I shan’t watch her root its filth in our land.”

The door to the room creaked open, revealing Rihanna and Bryce, hand-in-hand.

“What are we waiting for?” Bryce asked. His green eyes gleamed fiercely. “Let’s roll.”

43

“Imay not know this crazy lady well, but a psychopath is a psychopath. How is this supposed to work? It’ll potentially anger her more,” Bryce whispered.

Rihanna hesitated, her senses alert to any threat within the corridors. They’d left Pompelia’s shortly after interrupting the planning session in the meeting room and after Shaye provided Moira with an ideal set of clothing. Whatever magic Daeanna had used to keep them from sifting had dissipated, and their group of seven transported to Dagda’s castle grounds. The remaining High Fae spread out along the property, prepared to lend their aid in defense should Daeanna have a small army awaiting their arrival.

So far, ’twas quiet in the corridors. Eerily quiet.

The air whispered warnings, a prickling energy glancing across her skin every few moments. The soft golden glow of her bond with Bryce transmitted a similar awareness. He sensed the impending danger, the unnatural silence, the awkward desolation. The sensation that eyes beheld their every move from somewhere unseen andunknown.

They stood on a precipice, one that would either lead to victory or defeat.

“She should return to the village,” Bryce added, his voice near a whisper.

Rihanna pressed a single finger to his lips, lifted up on her toes, and spoke quietly into his ear. “Daeanna is used to having control. Moira’s presence without Shaye is not what she’ll be expecting. It goes against everything my brother would do when it comes to hisanam cara. He is not shielding her, protecting her outright, which is the surprise we hope to achieve.”

“I understand that, but—”

“No buts.”

Moira caught his gaze, her blue-gray eyes a brilliant storm of fortitude and fury. She’d thrown her hair up into one of those messy buns, but it could not detract from the formidable energy that surrounded her. Shaye’s essence permeated her own, a subtle reminder that should harm befall Moira, the one responsible would suffer her brother’s wrath.

After witnessing the ancient power of the spirits pour from his hands, Rihanna pitied any fool willing to test her brother’s patience.

Moira’s attention cut from Bryce to Rihanna. She gave a short nod, her brisk pace never slowing, never faltering, as she strode past them, taking the lead and urging them to follow without speaking a single word. Rihanna and Bryce fell in step behind her, marching toward the looming double doors to the throne room.

To the beginning of the end.

Rihanna prepared her magic, the thrum of her old power alive and well, flowing through her veins, her nerves, her skin. Its reemergence was welcomed on the heels of Bryce, and manifested within her loosely kept fists.

“I’m so done with you,” Moira grumbled as they approached the doors.

Rihanna swallowed a gasp when Moira raised her hands. Instead of physically throwing the doors open as Rihanna expected, a burst of power exploded from Moira’s palms in a fierce wind, throwing the doors wide until they crashed against the wall. Rihanna cast Bryce a careful glance and caught the awe in his eyes before they had to catch up to the relentless Moira.