Page 79

Chapter 31

Imogen

Whateverwassaidofthe inevitability of a lesser fae rebellion failing, the rebels weren’t giving up without a fight.The defensive strategies mostly consisted of setting what amounted to a series of booby traps throughout the tunnels closer to the surface, with hopes of thinning the numbers of the High Fae forces out as they attempted to descend into the interior of the court.Those preparations I was happy to help with, but the idea of actuallyfightingwas terrifying.I was trying my best to work out how to use my magic, and it was getting easier, but as the whole turning the cavern to diamond incident had shown me, there was a lot I didn’t know about how it worked.I still wasn’t sure how much help I would be when it came down to actually fighting the High Fae.

‘What’s that face for?’Ethan said, falling into step with me and drawing me out of my thoughts.‘Are you feeling a bit pessimistic about their last stand?’

‘Don’t you meanourlast stand?’

He gave me a sardonic look.‘I’m not here for the rebellion.I’m here for you,’ he said before his expression turned playful.‘Though if I’d known this is where you’d take me, I might have had another think before taking you under my wing.’

I smacked his arm.‘You love me and you know it.’

We entered the tunnel that was next on our list for lacing with defences.It narrow, low and dark and no end in sight.It turned out a lot of the court’s tunnels were of this sort, with little in the way of lighting or decoration to differentiate them from mineshafts.I was getting used to them, but if I got caught standing in the dark in one, I was liable to start hyperventilating, thinking about all that dirt above me, so I tried to stick close to the others who were working with us.

It looked like Ethan and I were dawdling, if Cassian’s scowl was anything to go by.It seemed that he wasn’t thrilled at having his brother back home.I was curious to know what had happened between them, but I knew better than to ask while Cassian was in earshot.

‘Good of you to finally join us,’ Cassian said bitterly.

Ethan rolled his eyes.‘Who pissed in your Cornflakes?’

A frown furrowed Cassian’s brow.‘What the fuck are Cornflakes?’

Ethan scoffed.‘I forget how unworldly you are sometimes.And so serious.Doesn’t it ever bore you?’

‘Someone has to be serious with you flouncing around like you have no responsibilities.’

‘There was nothing stopping you from doing the same.You didn’t have to follow dad so closely.’

‘We can’t all be as selfish as you.Some of us actually believe this is worth fighting for.’

Ethan rolled his eyes again.‘Please, save the sanctimonious bullshit for someone who doesn’t know you have daddy issues.’

‘Maybe this isn’t the best time to argue,’ I said, deciding to break my silence before things escalated.

‘Yes, you’re already late.Everyone else has started,’ Cassian said irritably.He handed us each a piece of paper.

I opened mine—instructions on what to set up and where.Cassian wasn’t leaving anything to chance, which made sense with what I’d seen of him.It was funny how similar the brothers looked and yet they were as different as night and day.

‘At least your magic will be useful,’ Cassian said.

I felt a prick of frustration and looked up to give him a piece of my mind, but he wasn’t looking at me.He was looking at Ethan.But Ethan wasn’t listening, he simply folded the paper up and shoved it in his pocket with a carelessness that suggested he wasn’t going to follow the instructions all that closely.

‘Follow the plan, Ethan,’ Cassian said, as if he had picked up on the same thing I had.

‘Yeah, yeah,’ Ethan said, waving a hand as he turned and headed further into the tunnel.I quickly followed after him, not exactly keen to spend any more time in Cassian’s company than necessary, especially when he was in a bad mood.Although, I wasn’t sure he had ever been in a good mood.

‘So...what exactly happened between you and your brother?’I asked when I was sure Cassian couldn’t hear us.

‘You’re really asking me for my life story?’he asked, as if he thought it would be the most boring thing to do with our time.But I’d known Ethan for five years and it turned out I knew nothing about him.

‘Yes, I’m really asking.’

‘There’s not much to tell.Our father brought us into this fight when we were kids, after our mother died in a raid.Maybe it hit Cassian harder, but I wasn’t old enough to remember her.Dad kind of went off the rails and while Cassian was happy to play the good little soldier, I wasn’t.So, I left.’

‘You had to go to another realm to get out of the rebellion?’

‘I didn’thaveto, but it was the easiest way.My father would have hunted me down if I’d stayed.And besides, what kind of life could I have here?Servant, slave, or rebel?’