Page 114 of Boundless

“And I’m Unseelie royalty, according to your boyfriend here.” I turned to the fae. “Sorry—His Highness, the Midnight King.” And he bowed his head, his tone clearly mocking.

“You know,” I whispered, and the guy bit into whatever animal he’d roasted so perfectly over that fire. I had to look away so I didn’t throw up.

“That I’m the heir to a nonexistent throne?”

I looked at Maera, and she only shook her head. Rune said, “I’ve told him the truth.”

I waited a heartbeat. “And?”

“Oh, I’m definitely going with you,” the guy said with his mouth half full. “Out of the goodness of my heart, of course. I care deeply about my realm.Deeply.” Then he bit again.

Maera raised a thick brow at him, then turned to me. “He’s a thief. He thinks he’s going to steal from the Fire Palace and disappear.”

A gasp. A hand to his heart. “I wouldnever.”

Was it just me or was the Unseelie heir a tad bit dramatic?

Then he looked at me. “It’s not stealing when it belongs to me, is it? All the gold and all the jewels I can carry.” He made afist and showed me his bulging biceps—he was a very well-built guy, apparently. “And I can carry a whole lot, if you know what I mean.” He wiggled his brows like Betty always did, and I found myself smiling.

Pulling my lips inside my mouth, I cleared my throat. “What’s your name again?”

“Hil Haise, at your service,” he said. “His Highness told me all about you being the new Ice Queen, too. Show me your ears.” He grinned again. “Respectfully, of course.”

Ifeltthe way Rune tensed because my shoulder was against his, but he said nothing. I reluctantly pulled my hair behind my ear and showed the fae that they didn’t have points on them. “And why were you in Ashfall, Hil?”

The way he looked at me, the stick halfway to his mouth when he paused. “Because I’m a very good and very generous guy. They framed me. I am innocent.” He put his hand over his chest again. “This is the purest of hearts you’ll find out there.”

“He stole from the last couple who ruled the Unseelie Court before the current usurpers took over some three winters ago,” Rune said. “He’s just a thief.”

It felt like a damn truck was suddenly lifted from my shoulders.

Athief.Not a murderer—a thief. I could work with that. Fuck, I was so relieved it was difficult to hold it back from showing on my face.

Then… “Justa thief?” Hil put the stick down and straightened up. He’d had his knees up and his elbows resting on them, but now he looked like he was about ready to stand. “I’ll have you know that it wasmybrilliance that got us in and out of the palace unnoticed, with more gold than any fae has ever stolen before in recorded history! That’s not whatjust a thiefdoes.” He held Rune’s eyes without blinking for a goodmoment, then grinned like the devil. “Respectfully, of course, Your Highness.”

Oh, my God.

I looked at Maera, and I could have sworn she was trying not to smile, too, as she looked down at the ground and touched the tips of the grass blades with her fingers.

“Yes. And then you got caught and sent to Ashfall,” Rune deadpanned. His voice was so dull, so flat, I was tempted to applaud him.

“Like I said—I wasframed.Someone sold me out.” The smile had vanished. Hil now looked angry—but more than that. He lookedsad.

“And they never found the stolen gold, did they,” Rune said, and it must have been a guess, but it picked up the corners of Hil’s mouth and lifted them until he was grinning that same way again, orange eyes sparkling with mischief.

“But I didn’tstealit, though, did I? It belongs to me. Isn’t that what you said?”

“The riches of a court belong to its people. Royals only use them while they live. They don’t own anything,” Rune said, and I had no idea if it was true or not.

“Well, yes. I planned to use that gold while I lived.” The man shrugged.

Really difficult not to burst out laughing, but I managed.

“So, you didn’t know? You had no idea who you were before?” I was tempted to think it was bullshit, but then I realizedIhad never known, either. And Maera. She once said she only found out about who she really was a few years ago.

“Nope. I was raised here and there. My mother died when I was eight. Never knew my father.” Hil leaned in to whisper, “If I’m being honest, I don’t thinksheknew who my father was, either.” And he winked.

Whether he really didn’t care, or he pretended, I had no idea.