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Then Niall did the last thing she expected.

He started laughing.

The near hysteria in his tone had her stepping backward. Rion crossed the room in an instant, separating her from the male Arianna was certain had just lost his mind.

Niall waved his arms, trying to collect himself. “They said you’d bring peace, I didn’t imagine you’d bring a backbone with you.” After a few more breaths he calmed and raised his voice to address everyone in the room. “The Queen has given us her first command. It’s time we see to the arrangements.

“But my lord,” a Fae male started, then stopped himself.

“Things are going to start changing and change is never easy,” Niall said. “But we’ve prepared for this our entire lives and we must be willing to make sacrifices now that the time has come.” Niall glared at the male still suspended by her magic. “And I’ll personally see to it that those in defiance of our queen’s rule are swiftly dealt with.”

The male’s eyes bulged and he moved his chattering lips enough to say, “You filthy traitorous—” A current of wind seemed to rip from every corner of the room at once. It rushed past and hit the male in the chest hard enough to steal his breath and render him unconscious.

Niall’s glared, then his anger turned into a smile that had Arianna reeling, unsure how to respond. He only said, “Don’t worry, I just knocked him out.”

Then Niall turned to face the slaves. He ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair, the only indication he gave that this wasn’t going to be as easy of a change as he was trying to present. “Do you have someone you’d like to appoint over the project or should I see to it?”

Arianna just stared at the male, still reeling. She’d been prepared for a fight. She had thought of all the ways the situation could end badly. She had wondered if she’d acted in haste and should have planned an escape route first. She never expected—

“Zylah,” Arianna called, though her tone was far less demanding now. Her friend gave Rion a wide berth before standing at her side. “Would you like to oversee them?”

Zylah looked over the faces as if she might memorize every single one. “I’d be happy to.”

Arianna nodded. “I want the shackles removed immediately and I want every child who has ever been stolen found and returned to their parents.”

Niall frowned a bit. “The question will be asked, so forgive me if it sounds insensitive. Will those who paid for the children be compensated for their lost revenue?”

She could have crammed his teeth down his throat. If he’d just done something, anything, they wouldn’t be in this situation.

“If anyone,” Arianna clenched her jaw, “makes their money by enslaving children, then they deserve to have their livelihoods stripped away.” She turned to face the Fae who were looking at her and Niall as if the pair had lost their minds.

But the slaves. They’d raised their heads. Some were scared. Others were excited. But it was the glint of hope in their eyes that made Arianna’s heart swell.

***

They worked for hours on preparations for those who would travel to Móirín and the slaves who would remain, which were a lot more than Arianna had anticipated.

They’d spent their whole lives in this city. They claimed to know their place in the world and that leaving it behind would be the same as living without a purpose.

Arianna respected their decision even if it worried her. Fear still permeated the air like a thick cloud as whispers of uncertainty flew through the dining hall.

Most had turned in for the night and she was about to do the same, but Arianna had one more task to complete before she did.

Arianna braced herself and approached Eoghan. He’d been standing on the sidelines the entire time they had been in Ruadhán. There wasn’t a need to follow her around. Not with Rion, Talon, and Móirín’s elite keeping a close eye on her.

So she had assigned him the important task of guiding the slaves back to Levea where they’d be safe. Arianna was happy to hear the two mothers would be joining him on the journey.

“Hi,” Arianna said by way of greeting.

Eoghan bowed low. “My Lady. Grace,” he corrected himself.

She scrunched her nose. “You don’t have to be so formal.”

“It sets a good example for the others.” She smiled at him and he returned it. Both shifted their gazes to watch the former slaves flit about the room.

Iron shackles littered one corner where they’d cast the barbaric things aside. She’d demanded they be melted down and stored far, far away.

Eoghan opened his mouth and stopped himself, but not before Arianna noticed.