Page 74 of Boundless

No fear,I told myself, and despite every instinct in my body, I did not move back. “I don’t want to argue with you, Lyall. I want to talk to you like adults.”

His smile stretched wider. “Oh, do you now. I wonder why that is. Maybe this?” Again, he waved at his head—his crown. “Or all these fae awaiting my command? You’re notafraidnow, are you, Nilah?” Another step closer.

I’m terrified, you fucking prick!

“I am,” I choked. “Just like I was in the Mercove. Right before I knocked you and your little army to the ground for hours.” Because I had, and he seemed to be needing the reminder.

I knew this fear was irrational, and I pushed it down becausethat had actually happened.I’d knocked down an entire forest full of soldiers in the Mercove, and I would do the same again. I had the magic. I hadmorecontrol of it now than I did then.

Lyall remembered.

His smile vanished and I could hear his teeth cracking as he clenched his jaws. Before he could speak again, I said, “Your mother set a curse in motion when she killed your father, Lyall.”

To say that my words shocked him would be an understatement. I saw it in his eyes, in the way his pupils dilated, in the way the warmth of the magic that was coming off him intensified just for a moment when he lost control. He didn’t lose control of his facial expression, though.

“How in the realm wouldyouknow that, pray tell, dearest Nilah?”

Fuck, I hated the way he spoke to me.

And, of course, he knew. It didn’t surprise me—his mother would have told him the truth.

“The Council of the Vale told me,” I said, and his eyes flicked behind me—possibly at Maera and the werewolves.

“Well, go on then,” he forced himself to say. “What exactly did a council of half-animals tell you?”

More growls from behind but thankfully Maera said nothing. They only watched, and so did the sorcerers. It felt like the eyes of the entire world were on me right now.

“TheCounciltold me what happens if there is no legitimate heir to a fae throne in Verenthia, Lyall. They told me about the Curse of Rot that your mother started.”

His blond brows shot up—and I’d forgotten how utterly perfect every line of his face was. Every strand of his hair—and now that crown, too. I’d forgotten how much it bothered me to be looking at him, how…unnaturalhe seemed. Too beautiful. Too perfect.

“Curse of Rot?You’re going to have to do better than that, Nilah. Don’t waste my time,” he said, and this timeIwas the shocked one.

“Lyall, I’m not lying.” I moved forward a little bit on instinct, and only realized it when it was too late. “Your mother was not a legitimate heir to the Seelie throne when she married your father, and when she killed him, the only reason the throne allowed her to rule was because she had you in her womb.”

A pause.

“My motherwasa legitimate queen the moment she married my father,” he said.

“Yes—and when she killed him, she started the Curse of?—”

“There is no Curse of Rot!” he hissed, his whisper so sharp it felt like it cut me physically.

“Thereis.” I didn’t break eye contact no matter how much it cost me not to back away. No matter how much he and his ever-growing magic and his bloodshot eyes scared me shitless. “There is curse and your mother started it. The Ice Queen continued it when she tried to escape the prophecy by making deals with the Midnight King. And when the Unseelie royal family was killed, the curse spread all the way. It’sherenow, in Verenthia, whether you believe it or not, Lyall. I’ve seen it. I’m sureyou’veseen it, too.”

His jaws clenched. “I’ve seen my kingdom thrive,” he then said, again, like he was trying to hurt me with his words physically. Like they were weapons leaving his mouth.

“You haven’t, but your kingdom is the least hurt by the curse—so far. Because ofyou, the legitimate heir to the throne. You were always there, always preparing to becoming king and take over. But you’ve heard about the Frozen Court. I’m sure you’ve seen the ruined walls and the morvekai soldiers in front of the Unseelie Court. And if you’ve been to the Midnight Court at all, you’d have heard about the temperatures and the dim lights, at the very least.”

I had no doubt in my mind that he knew all of this—he was the Seelie king, but more than that. He was the guy who wanted to rule all four kingdoms. Of course, he knew.

And the look in his eyes said so.

He leaned back, opened his mouth to speak but didn’t know what to say quite yet. He looked…confused, more so than surprised about all I said. Or maybe simply because Iknewthese things?

“I’m sure you can arrange a meeting with the Council yourself if you doubt me. I was in Virlorn, Lyall. Thedeadnessof it has spread beyond what it used to be. It’s in Mysthaven as well. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Yes, he was most definitely shocked that I knew these things.