Page 24 of Redemption (Deliverance Duet #2)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Iris

T he human, the enemy, and the traitor.

Is that really what we have become? Our entire personalities and actions have been boiled down to one label. Is human really the best he can do for me? I am so much more than that, and his arrogance will be his downfall.

Bringing Ciaran to the Seelie was always going to cause ripples, given the two courts are at war. It’s the king’s final label, though, that makes me pause—the traitor. I glance at Blaise from the corner of my eye to see his reaction. He frowns deeply and clenches his teeth together, but he says nothing. His lack of respect for the king is glaringly obvious in his hostile expression. When did that begin? Probably when the king locked up his best friend and left him to die.

The king stares at me, and I hold his gaze, refusing to back down. Beyond what he’s done to Alaric, this is the male who killed me. He might not have been the one to fire the arrow, but he gave the order. He decided that my life was worth less than keeping the Unseelie cursed. I can never forgive him for that. He knew I was his son’s mate, yet he didn’t even stop to consider what losing me might do to Alaric.

I’m not sure what my expression says, but he finally glances away, taking in Ciaran at my side. Clucking his tongue, he tilts his head to one side, glancing between us.

“Last time I saw you two, he was cradling your dead body.” His brows rise. “Yet here you are, alive and well.”

Frustration colours his tone, and for the first time since we arrived, I feel smug. I defied him. Even death doesn’t hold me. I could gloat and rub my survival in his face, but I won’t, because I am better than him and won’t be brought down to that level.

“The Fates created me for a reason, Your Majesty,” I respond, truth ringing in my words. “Do you not think it’s strange that I am both Alaric’s and Ciaran’s mate?”

If there is a way I can get him to see that freeing the Unseelie doesn’t mean it has to harm his people and that I’m here to bring peace, then I will play nice and try to appeal to his logical side. He wants to protect the Seelie, and I understand that. This is the only reason I’m not shouting in his face.

The king doesn’t feel the same way I do, his face twisting into a scowl. “The Fates care for no one.” He glares at me, holding my gaze. “You aren’t their grand hero come to save the day. You are a pathetic human who is sleeping with the enemy and pretending to be something she is not.”

His insult hits me harder than I expected, his words poisoning my thoughts and planting a seed of doubt. Am I doing the wrong thing? I’m a human who’s been swept away by all of this, letting talk of prophesies go to my head. Instead of peace, everything is even more of a mess than it was before.

Ciaran snarls and takes several angry steps forward, only to crash into a wall of magic. “How dare you?” he shouts, pounding at the invisible wall that separates us from the king. Blue flashes ripple across the magic like lightning where his fists make contact. It has to hurt, and that’s the last thing I want, but I remember what Blaise said on our way here—we have to keep to the roles the king will expect of us. For Ciaran, he would expect aggression, and that’s exactly what he’s giving.

The king’s upper lip curls back in disgust as he watches my mate’s impassioned actions. Quickly tiring of this, he glares at me and gestures offhandedly towards Ciaran.

“Call off your dog, human, before I have him put down.”

The very idea of him trying to hurt Ciaran causes the bond to flare in my chest, a possessive need to protect him flooding my thoughts.

“Ciaran,” I call quietly, not needing to explain what I need from him.

Standing straight, he snarls once more at the king before returning to my side. This time, instead of standing beside me, he moves to press his chest to my back, wrapping his arms around me.

Blaise watches all of this in silence, his face giving nothing away, but I can’t help wondering how he really feels about this. Clearing his throat, he takes a step forward to grab the king’s attention. “Your Majesty, Iris is one of the purest souls I have ever met. The fated mounts appeared before her, and she rides the white mare with Lord Ciaran riding the black stallion. She healed me when I was dying and calls butterflies to her whenever she uses her powers. These are all signs, ones that cannot be ignored.” Blaise is so passionate, it makes me realise he still thinks there could be hope for convincing the king. “She might be the one to break the Unseelie curse, but she will also save us . It’s written in the prophecies.”

Sitting on the edge of his desk, the king braces his hands against it, shaking his head. “Why should I listen to you, traitor?”

My heart sinks. This isn’t going to work.

Blaise flinches like he’s been physically hit. Knowing how committed he is to his prince and his people, I understand how much this hurts him. From the smug look the king wears, I guess he knows this too.

“I am pledged to your son.” Each of Blaise’s words are laced with emotion as he tries to explain himself. “Alaric is dying, so I went to get help. The only one who can help him now is her.” He gestures towards me, his movements jerky with his emotions. “You have to let her see him.”

“I don’t have to do anything, Lord Blaise.” The king looks at me and shakes his head as though he’s disappointed in what he found. “A human is not going to bring us peace.”

He’s trying to hurt me, but I’ve decided not to let him get to me. He doesn’t deserve my passion, and I won’t waste my anger on him. Males like him can never be convinced they are wrong. Still, he is so adamant that humans could never bring peace that it makes me curious.

“Why?” I surprise myself with the question. “What would be so bad about having a human help you?”

The king raises an eyebrow, and he ponders if he’s going to bother responding to me. It gives him an opportunity to insult humans once more, so I know he won’t be able to hold back. I just have to be patient.

I’m not waiting long.

“Humans are weak and infect the land like locusts.” He scrunches his nose up in disgust. “If we allow you to come and go, all humans will think they can, and we will be overrun.”

Blaise makes a noise of disbelief. “You tasked Alaric and me to be emissaries to the humans to broker peace. Why have us do this if you have no intention of working with them?”

“To keep him out of the way,” he says harshly. “My son is a bleeding heart. He needs to toughen up.”

I choke out a laugh, my body buzzing with repressed energy. “Is that why you chained him up beneath the castle?” We need to get Alaric and leave before my magic takes control and I do something drastic.

He looks over at Blaise and narrows his eyes, knowing he told me this bit of information. “That was done to keep him safe.”

Our ideas of safety are very different. Keeping him hidden away and stopping him from reaching his mate is actively harming him. I’m sure the king has many reasons to keep him here, but I don’t believe any of those were for Alaric’s own good.

I’ve had enough of this. Every second I spend in front of this male makes it harder for me to keep myself and my new sense of power under control. “I’m here for him. You need to release him and allow us to leave here peacefully.” My demand is clear, leaving no room for argument. “He is my mate, and he is suffering.”

“Bring my son up here,” the king barks, his voice a growl of frustration. One of the guards quickly disappears from the room to follow the order.

Hope rises in my chest. Did this work? Are we going to peacefully walk out of here with Alaric? I was so worried, but he’s bringing my mate to us. When he sees us together, he won’t be able to keep us apart.

The king’s expression cuts through my fantasies. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up, girl,” he states condescendingly. “You might find he’s not the male you once knew.”

My heart sinks. That is exactly what I’m afraid of.