Page 37 of Redemption (Deliverance Duet #2)
Chapter Thirty-Six
Alaric
M y father is going to destroy us all.
The army he brought with him isn’t just for show, he’s here to fight. I’ve trained with our army most of my life, and I know how to keep my calm in situations such as this. Having Iris here is testing my willpower though. She is so close to danger, it’s making me twitchy.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with the Unseelie on the edge of their borders, I run my gaze over the fae before us to see what we’re up against. My eyes narrow on a particular group of soldiers. Not only has my father brought our entire army, but it seems he has managed to convince the humans to stand with them.
Humans might add to their numbers, but it is purely for show. They won’t stand a chance if this does become a fight. I can smell the sour tang of their fear from here. A low growl rumbles in the back of my throat. How did he convince them to involve themselves in fae matters? He is acting like a completely different male than the one I know. He was always strongly against the Unseelie, but he is trying to instigate fights, something I never would have thought he would do. What of our people who are going to get dragged into this war? What of the Unseelie?
My time recovering in the Unseelie city has opened my eyes to something I never thought possible. There are innocents here, I’ve seen that for myself. The Unseelie have evolved, and the worst of them live in a cursed city while their counterparts rise above them. Sure, there are still some who escape when the curse is at its weakest and terrorise humans, but the actions of a few do not determine that a whole race is evil. They saved my life. They didn’t have to do that, yet they accepted me into their hidden city and spent days healing me—the son of their greatest enemy.
A small, soft hand slips into mine, and my mind immediately settles, allowing me to think clearer and more objectively. Glancing down at my mate, I can’t help but admire her. She’s so small and looks out of place here, but her fierce expression shows her determination. Her cheeks turn a soft shade of pink, so I know she can feel my warm appraisal of her, yet she keeps her gaze forward, taking in the army waiting for us.
Once the decision was made to meet the king, Queen Sola insisted on bringing soldiers with us. On such short notice, she managed to gather a small battalion together, her fiercest subjects accompanying us on the trip to the border. They look ferocious and exactly what you would expect of the Unseelie Court, but they are also fiercely loyal to their leader.
Ciaran and Iris rode in on their fated mounts, Sola at their side on her stunning grey horse. The rest of us followed on borrowed horses, keeping Sola and Iris cocooned within a barrier of bodies. Now that we’re here though, I’m not sure what’s going to happen. The Unseelie soldiers stretch out along the invisible boundary line. I stand right in the centre of that line with Iris and her other mates, Blaise on my other side. The Unseelie queen is still mounted just behind us, protected and in a position where she can see above us. In comparison to the army before us, we are strongly outnumbered.
I have faced bad odds before, but in those situations, I never had my mate front and centre. She refuses to hide away, and I know that’s because of the guilt she carries with her.
There is movement coming from the front section of the Seelie army, my sharp fae eyesight locking on the soldiers who are shifting positions—soldiers I know, that I’ve trained with and now stand against. I cannot think about that now, though, not with so much on the line. A low murmur passes down the line of Unseelie, the shifting of their feet and claws creating a hair-raising sound as they ready themselves for an attack.
That isn’t what the fae seem to be doing though. Instead, they create a corridor down the centre of their rank, allowing for a tall, familiar figure to stroll towards us. My father, the Seelie king, walks as though he has all the time in the world and our races aren’t on the brink of war. His golden armour is strapped on tightly, the gleaming metal never seeing actual combat before. Wearing a helmet with two small golden wings protruding from the back, he holds himself with all the arrogance of a king.
He stops in the front line of his troops, scanning the Unseelie who stand before him. For half a second, his eyes land on me. Is that a hint of remorse I see? Before I can even start to process it, he looks at Iris. His expression is that of a smug ruler, but his eyes are hard and dark. I don’t need to be a mind reader to pick up on his hatred for my mate.
“Lady Iris, you came,” he calls out, using his powers to amplify his voice across the void between the two armies.
Iris’s dark amusement passes through the bond, yet she manages to keep herself controlled, raising a single eyebrow. “You didn’t leave me much choice.”
Unable to amplify her voice, she sounds quiet, and I know that was my father’s plan all along. He wants to make her look weak and force her into a situation where her humanity is put on display in front of powerful fae. He’s clearly decided to play dirty.
Acting as though he didn’t hear her, the king looks past her and locks his gaze on me. “My son,” he calls longingly, his hand extended as though he could reach across the gap and pull me to him. “What have you suffered under the Unseelie?”
I have to admit that his acting skills have improved. He plays the role of a grieving father well, and I see the effect it’s having on his troops. They seem bolstered, reassured that they are in the right. I can only imagine what he’s told them to get them here, building on the reputation the Unseelie already have.
His love for me is gone, because I am no longer of use to him. How was I ever convinced that I was more than a pawn to him in his plan for domination? Thankfully I’m not in the least bit saddened by this, as I lost all my respect for him long ago. Anger flares within me. This is all just a show for him, another step in convincing his people that he’s right.
Baring my teeth, I allow my more feral side to rise to the surface. My control has it locked down, but I let it prowl beneath my skin so he can see exactly what he unleashed in me. “They have been kinder to me than you ever were.” I step forward without realising it, and it’s only the soft squeeze of Iris’s hand in mine that stops me from crossing the line. Shifting my weight, I clear my throat so everyone can hear what I have to say clearly. “The Unseelie saved me after you locked me away with iron chains and separated me from my mate. I was dying because of you.”
Resentment flashes in his eyes. “The Unseelie have clearly been using their mind control on you.”
“I see that your sense of the theatrical hasn’t faded over time,” Queen Sola calls out, dismounting her horse and stepping forward. To my surprise, she steps up beside me and Blaise, slotting herself between us, a smirk upon her proud, blood-red lips.
“Ah, the Unseelie queen. What a pleasure.” His voice drips with derision, and he eyes her up and down slowly. Grimacing in a clear slight, he waves his hand as though she’s not worth the effort. “Let’s just try to get through this without any of your creatures attacking us.”
Iris snorts, her indignation flooding the bond, yet she doesn’t respond. Blaise stiffens beside me. I don’t need a bond with my closest friend to know he’s struggling with being on the other side of the line against his friends. He’s seen the worst of the king, though, and his loyalties are with Iris and me.
Queen Sola looks over the army before us, scanning the hundreds of armed soldiers. Tilting her head to one side, she looks at the king with condescension. “Strong words from the male who has brought an army to my doorstep.”
Iris is shaking her head, clearly exasperated by the show. “You wanted to talk to me, and I’m here. Say what you came to say.”
Pride brings a small smile to my lips, making me stand tall as my tiny mate faces off against a king and his army.
“You are fated to break the curse on the Unseelie. That is the only thing that offers us any protection from them.” He speaks loudly, and I realise this is all a show for the humans as he turns to include them. “Come with us, Iris, where your presence won’t break the curse, and we shall leave the Unseelie unharmed.”
“Not fucking happening,” Nyx retorts, his voice full of violent promise. He took the words straight from my mouth. My father has lost his fucking mind if he thinks that we’re just going to let Iris give herself up. He’s already shown his true colours when it comes to her, and I have no doubt that he would kill her again in a flash.
The king ignores the god and continues as though he wasn’t interrupted. “There doesn’t have to be any bloodshed here. Help us tighten the curse to keep them trapped, and we can all live in harmony.” He makes it seem so reasonable, as though he is the rational one, and I even see many of the Seelie and humans nodding in agreement. Smiling, the king gestures towards Iris. “I don’t believe you want to harm any of us, otherwise you would have already broken the curse.”
A dig, one that hits home from the flash of pain I sense from her. Nyx grumbles, his shadows flickering around him, dancing with his anger. Ciaran also loses his composure, baring his teeth in indignation. We don’t know why the curse isn’t broken yet, and I know Iris carries that burden heavily on her shoulders.
“So simply come with us,” my father continues. “Return my son to me, and all of this can be over.”
I can’t hold myself back any longer.
“Bullshit.” My curse seems to echo around the forest, my disgust at my father’s blatant lies breaking my silence. He has the Seelie fooled, I can see it in their eyes. Nauseated at their blind trust, I shake my head. “He is lying about everything. Listen to your instincts,” I insist loudly, needing them to wake the fuck up. The Seelie aren’t stupid, they need to find the answers themselves.
Iris would sacrifice herself for all of us, even if she knew it was a trap, meaning I must stop that from happening. As her mate, I have a responsibility to keep her safe when she can’t or won’t.
“Son, this will all be over soon.” He tries to sound reassuring, but he plays it too hard, sounding fake. Good, his frustration and impatience will show his true colours.
He needs a push, and more than that, I have something to say. Gently releasing Iris’s hand, I take a step forward, toeing the invisible boundary line. I expand my chest and hold my head high, fixing my gaze on him.
“You lost the right to call me your son when you had my mate killed.”
The entire forest seems to fall silent, and even the breeze in the trees disappears as all attention falls on my father and me. A shockwave seems to ripple through the ranks of fae behind him. He managed to keep that one quiet then.
Killing a fae’s mate is a crime punishable by death and brings great shame to the entire family of the perpetrator. Mate bonds are so rare nowadays, and the connections are so deep, that it is one of the most heinous crimes you can commit.
“Not to mention torturing me with iron chains and locking me beneath the palace.” I plough on with my accusations, listing them off on my hand. “Iris is not only my mate, but the reason for my existence.” My lip pulls back in a snarl as I speak, taking a step forward. I feel Iris reach for me, but I keep going. “She is my world, and you tried to take that from me. Your own son.” I bark the words, my hands balled into fists as I take another step, one foot crossing the line. “So forgive me if I don’t believe the crap you’re spewing about peace.”
My other foot leaves Unseelie land, removing me from the safety of the Unseelie Court. I am so focused on my father and making sure he hears me that I only just hear the twang of a bowstring in time, turning as an arrow flies towards me, imbedding into my shoulder.