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Talon drew his weapon and surrounded them all with spears of ice. The Móirín guards followed his lead. Ellie pulled a long rapier from her belt and Rion clutched a sword in one hand while his magic mixed with Talon’s, determined to defend them should anyone spring from the shadows.

Maybe Arianna should have had her father send a few more of his warriors her way. They’d still clung to the illusion of stealth. Foolish. Gavin had warned them Niall was always three steps ahead and she haad ignored him.

The doors lining the hall were all closed and locked. Only one stood open and light spilled out from the doors like a beacon. A pair of servants stood on either side of the entry dressed in their finest attire as if waiting to escort her to dinner.

Arianna reached for Rion’s free hand and squeezed tightly. He knew the feel of Niall’s magic now, but she wasn’t taking any chances. Arianna had a feeling Rion would be Niall’s first target and she wouldn’t allow the male to use her mate as his puppet.

The two servants bowed at the waist, seeming to ignore their weapons as they crossed the threshold into the dining hall.

Then Rion gripped her hand as if his life depended on it. “He’s here.”

Chapter Eighty-seven

Arianna

Rion clenched his eyes shut and his entire body went rigid. Sand collected at his feet and swirled up around them, as if wanting to attack, yet not daring. His nostrils flared and Arianna stepped closer to her mate.

She squeezed his hand three times. It was the short code they’d discussed last night. Just something to let him know it was her still holding him instead of the images Niall would force him to see.

Rion squeezed back once, an acknowledgement. But he didn’t squeeze again, which told her he was most certainly under some sort of glamour. Arianna prayed he could break it; if not, they were already a warrior short.

“So nice of the queen to finally join us, though I could have done without the riff raff.” Niall eyed the four guards, Talon, Ellie, then Rion.

He sat in a navy blue plush armchair settled in the center of the vast space with one leg crossed over the other. Niall tipped a wine glass to his lips, staining them red. “You kept us waiting. Such an unqueenly thing to do.”

A game. This was all a game to him. He wasn’t even concerned with the weapons they’d drawn or the magic buzzing through the air.

Rion squeezed her hand again. She did the same. Three times to confirm they were all right. Rion’s heart was racing. Faster, faster, faster. Sweat beaded his brow. Gods, what was Niall showing him? Arianna growled and bared her teeth.

Niall chuckled. “Now, now, behave. We wouldn’t want things to turn hostile before the fun begins.” He tilted his glass and warriors appeared around the room with arrows notched. They’d hadn’t drawn, but she knew one movement from Niall would have them firing.

Arianna hadn’t even scented the glamour that had concealed them.

Shit. They were surrounded and in such deep, unending shit.

“So,” Niall swirled his glass. “Now that you know you’re little,” he paused to think, “mission has failed, I hope you might join me. I’m certain we can reach an agreeable compromise. It would make eternity a great deal easier for you if we did.”

Niall set the glass down on the small round table to his left, then clapped his hands. Four servants entered. Two hauled another plush chair between them while the third clutched an extra glass and the last carried an unopened bottle of red wine.

Niall winked. “Just in case you thought I might try to poison you.” They sat the chair, glass, and bottle down, then retreated back through a side door.

A power display, just for Niall to show off that those within Ruadhán were still willing to serve him. Curious that they’d avoided meeting her stare. Perhaps they weren’t as loyal as Niall wanted to believe, which would only make things easier for her father and Raevina. She prayed they were safe, but Arianna couldn’t worry about them right now. Not with a few dozen arrows pointed their way.

“She won’t be discussing anything with you,” Talon said.

Niall’s eyes flashed, but it wasn’t with amusement. “I wasn’t aware the Queen needed her dog to speak for her.” His gaze snapped back to her. “Since she’s so willing to take on the role now.”

He was angry. No, not angry, furious. Niall didn’t want a conversation, he wanted a submission. For her to bend to his will because her friends’ lives were on the line.

Arianna lifted her chin. She was here to play queen, just not the in way Niall wanted.

“I won’t be joining you in anything.”

“You don’t wish to talk?”

“What I wish is for you to stand aside.”

“That’s her polite way of telling you to get on your knees,” Ellie added.