Page 4 of Redemption (Deliverance Duet #2)
Chapter Three
Ciaran
T he hisses and noises of anger only get louder with each step I take across the open courtyard, amplifying as I get closer. While some of the snarling isn’t all that unusual considering the creatures of this court, this feels different. The noise builds, cresting into a wave of animosity that threatens to wipe me out.
Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t avoid this moment, so I brace myself and stride down the aisle of creatures to where the Queen of the Unseelie is holding court. With my shoulders back and head held high, I make my entrance. There’s a hint of a smirk upon my lips, as is expected of the character I play.
Lord Ciaran, the male who failed to break the curse.
The arrogance that comes with being a lord of the Unseelie used to come easily to me, at least until a certain human female came into my life and changed everything. Now, every moment is a struggle.
If I were to show weakness in this court, however, I would only invite trouble. I could lose everything—my land, my title—all things I’m going to need to get Iris back. This means they can never know how much I’m hurting inside, my mask more important than ever. I won’t let them see the broken, shredded part of my soul.
I feel like a part of me died the day Iris was taken, not died.
I fully believe she is still alive, that whispered connection between us still active in my chest. There was a moment when I felt her disappear, as she lay dying in my arms, but when the embodiment of death arrived and took her, I felt something flutter in my chest. It was fragile and weak, like I was holding a butterfly in my heart. That sensation became stronger, the echo of our bond still tugging at my soul, which wouldn’t be possible if she really was dead—I’m sure of it.
Keeping my mask in place, I continue walking, ignoring the creatures on either side of me. Unseelie come in all different shapes and sizes, most looking ferocious. Trolls, wraiths, ogres, redcaps, and all other manner of fae watch me with resentment and anger. In their eyes, I am the one who doomed us all to live in this cursed forest for eternity.
At the far end of the stone courtyard is a ruined archway, which is where the leader of our court waits on a stone throne. Why she chooses to hold court in this old, crumbling ruin is beyond me when most of the court lives by the new castle. No, that’s not true, I have a suspicion on why she insists we come out here. It reminds everyone of what used to be ours, stoking the anger of our people to motivate them to find a way out of these cursed confines.
Solanum watches me closely as I stop before her and drop into a low bow. I wait for a few seconds then stand upright. Letting my eyes roam over her, I try to assess what type of mood she’s in today.
She is short in stature, her body curvaceous in proportion to her shape. Complicated plaits pull her hair from her face, only to fall in dark waves behind her shoulders. Everything about Queen Sola is sharp—cheekbones, small nose, pointed chin, and her pointed ears. She’s beautiful in a dark, dangerous way and also happens to be one of my friends. At least, she was before all this.
“Greetings, Queen Sola,” I say, flashing her with a dapper smile that I’m not feeling.
“Lord Ciaran,” she drawls, her voice as sweet as honey. “You decided to grace us with your presence after all.”
I know her well enough for her light tone to put me on edge. She’s going to make an example out of me in front of everyone. Clearing my throat, I place my hand on my heart and smile wider. “Of course. I could never stay away from you, my lady.”
The summons I received this morning to attend court made it pretty clear that I didn’t have a choice. I would be going against a direct order. While I’ve been treading lightly with her patience this week, not attending to her would break that completely. I don’t even want to think about what would happen then.
Sola’s lips tilt up into a small smile at my compliment, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She knows as well as I do that this is the last place I want to be right now and if there had been a way out of this, I wouldn’t be here.
“You always were a sweet talker.” Her intense silver eyes scan my body, the bottomless depths staring straight into my soul. After a moment, she grunts and leans back in her uncomfortable stone throne. “Do you know why I called you here?”
“You missed me?” I quip. It feels like razor-sharp claws are dragging through my brain. I should be out looking for Iris, not flirting with Sola. Every moment I waste here is wrong , but I have to keep up appearances if I wish to avoid the consequences.
Her eyes narrow. She’s clearly unimpressed with my comment. “You need to return to your usual duties.”
It’s been a week since Iris was taken, and I have spent every hour that I can trying to track her down or find clues as to where she might be. My every thought is consumed by her, and it is driving me crazy. Anyone who gets in the way of my mission has met my fury, and I know the queen has assigned fae to watch me. My magic is strong, though, especially at night, so I’ve been slipping past the curse when my watchers are otherwise occupied.
The curse stops us from leaving the forest, but every now and again, a fae will slip out during the night and attack the humans. It mostly keeps us Unseelie contained, but for the strongest Unseelie, like myself, we can cross into the rest of the forest, which is unclaimed territory, but it comes at a cost, draining our magic. Iris is the key to breaking the curse.
Returning to my usual lordly duties will only get in the way of me finding her. Just the thought constricts my chest so tightly that it’s difficult for me to breathe.
“Queen, I have not finished searching for the doe,” I begin, taking a step towards her and fighting to keep my voice even. “I am so close to a lead—”
“Stop.” She releases a wave of power, freezing me in place and knocking the watching fae back in an icy blast. “The doe is dead, and the curse shall never be broken.” Her voice is sharp, accusing, and final. Only a fool would disagree with her now.
I am that fool.
“She isn’t dead,” I insist through gritted teeth, the careful control over my emotions slipping. Iris isn’t dead. She is alive. Not dead. The words repeat in my mind like a mantra, the only thing keeping me going.
Her eyes narrow on me, and I know I’ve pushed things too far.
“Why don’t you take a walk with me, Ciaran?” Her voice is deceptively calm, but I know she is seething. “Court dismissed.”
Shit. She thrives on having everyone watch and fear her, so dismissing court early is only going to make her more furious.
Thanks to her magic, I stay frozen in place as everyone else exits the courtyard, snarling in protest. They were hoping to watch me be punished. They are out of luck today, but I am sure there will be a chance for them to revel in my suffering at some point.
Once we are alone save for two of her guards, Sola’s magic releases me from my icy shackles. Shaking out my arms, I walk up to the throne, stopping before her. She stands and looks over me with a mock, sympathetic expression. Reaching out, she cups my cheek in a way that looks comforting, but as her long, claw-like nails dig into my skin, I know I’m in a lot more trouble than I first thought.
“You look like crap.” Her lips purse, and her arm drops. “Come,” she orders, walking away with her arm extended expectantly. I know better than to keep her waiting and hurry after her, linking our arms as we walk through the ruins of the old Unseelie castle. We are silent for a long time, taking in the crumbling buildings and how nature has reclaimed the space.
She’s testing me, and I need to keep my mouth shut. We may have been friends growing up, but when she became our ruler, things changed between us. Over time, we became more distant, as is to be expected when the power balance between two friends changes so dramatically. I know she still has a soft spot for me, though, and this is the only reason I am still alive today after the cock-up with Iris. I need to earn her trust again and prove her leadership is the most important thing to me.
Unfortunately, that is no longer true. I was drawn to Iris the moment my eyes landed on her, and those feelings only grew. It wasn’t until she died, though, when something in my chest snapped. Now, I am obsessed.
I break the silence, no longer able to hold my tongue. “I can feel her, my lady. She is still alive.” There has to be a way I can convince her that I am right, that I need more time.
A look of pure disappointment crosses her face, and she pulls me to a stop. “She died in your arms, Ciaran. You failed to keep her alive, and now she’s gone.” She pats my arm, and I have to fight not to pull back from her touch.
The constant reminder of my failure doesn’t sting as much as I think she believes. I know I failed Iris. If I had gotten her away from the Seelie sooner, if my magic hadn’t been sapped by transporting the redcaps to the inn she was staying at, then I could have done something.
What does hurt is Sola’s insistence that Iris is dead. Every cell in my body screams in denial. I want to lash out, to tear into her for even daring to suggest that Iris isn’t coming back.
Sola has no idea what’s going on in my mind and simply continues. “Even if it were true that the girl is still alive, Death claimed her. She is his now.”
My magic blasts out of me as uncontrollable rage slips past my mental guards, instantly freezing everything around us in a two-meter circle. Thick ice coats the plants near us, the path ahead glittering with frost.
“Throwing a temper tantrum will not change things, old friend.” Sola raises her eyebrows as she watches me, not concerned that I could easily have frozen her too. “Whether you like it or not, she’s gone, and you failed to break the curse.” Her expression softens a little, and her grip on my arm loosens. “What we need to do now is build a new life for ourselves without the possibility of leaving this land. Our people need stability. You need to return to your usual duties.”
Somewhere, deep down inside her mind, I believe she truly does feel sympathy for me, and that she understands what is happening to me. My friend is still in there somewhere, hidden behind the harsh, calculating mind of the Unseelie leader.
“I understand that, but I just need a bit more time.” Trying one last time, I step in front of her so we are face-to-face, and I look for a hint of the female I once called friend.
She stares back at me, and something changes in her eyes. Is she going to allow me this for the sake of who we used to be? Hope flutters in my chest like a butterfly, and I hold my breath in anticipation, but whatever she sees in me doesn’t make her change her mind, and her expression shifts, turning her into someone I don’t recognise. “We might be friends, Ciaran, but in front of everyone else, I have to be the one in charge. I will punish you for breaking the rules.”
Gritting my teeth, I release a long, tense breath. I take a few moments to gather myself, mulling over everything she said and putting a plan together.
We continue our walk, and she fills me in on what I missed in court over the last week. Although I make all the right noises, I’m not really listening.
She said I had to follow the rules. She only ordered me to resume my usual duties, not saying that I had to stop looking for Iris completely, so as long as I do as I’m told, I can still try to find her. I’ll have to keep up appearances, but ultimately, I’m not giving up on Iris.
I will find her.