70. Kat
Kat
T he journey back to Tenebris-Luminis felt like slowly waking from a dream. For the first day, my head was hazy and sore, and the world seemed distant. The lack of magic humming against my skin heightened the effect that I was someone else merely watching this woman called Kat.
When we stopped at an inn that night, I had a vague plan to lose myself in Bastian, but by the time I reached the bed, my headache had become so intense it was as though something was growing inside my skull, so big it threatened to burst out.
I caught him giving me sidelong looks as we rode the next day.
He was worried about me, and mentioned something about the iron only being a temporary solution.
But it took all my energy to stay on my stag and keep my eyes open.
Perhaps my deal had been a bad idea. Perhaps the iron was, too.
What information had they planted in my mind?
But the third day was better, and we managed to chat as we rode, and that night I lost myself in him over and over until I couldn’t even think about moving.
By the time Tenebris’s walls came in sight, smoky and dark, I felt mostly normal, save for the iron. I had a faint worry that faced with so many people and the judgement of two courts, Bastian might regret what had happened between us. But wasn’t worry the standard?
As we entered the gates, nodding to Dusk’s guards, he rode just as close to me as on the road, knee brushing mine. Maybe I had nothing to worry about.
We left our stags with the stable hands, and I ran to Vespera. Wearing the iron ring, I could finally enter the enclosure that had been set up for her. She bounded over, chuffing in greeting, and butted her great head into me.
I didn’t have to push her away, and at last, I hugged her.
I buried my face in her neck and took in the deepest breath of the dry, musky scent of cat fur, while she rumbled in a purr so deep it thrummed through my entire body like the strongest magic.
When I finally pulled back, Bastian was right there. Smiling, he scratched Vespera under her chin and swept a stream of tears from my cheek with his other hand. “I think she needed that as much as you did.” Then he dipped close and planted a kiss on my lips.
I pulled back, blinking. “People will see.”
His smile became a wicked grin. “I’ll fuck you in front of them all if I have to—if you’ll let me.”
The image of Caelus watching me ride Bastian’s hand burned into my mind, making every inch of me flush as hot as any brand.
While I tried to regain control of my racing pulse, I fussed Vespera some more, then we headed to the grand hall.
“Or,” he said, bending close, “I’ll settle for having you in nothing but those boots tonight.”
I bit back a laugh and lengthened my stride, suddenly keen to get back to our rooms. I really had nothing to worry about.
Oh, how the world must’ve laughed at that thought, because as we entered the grand hall, a pair of faces awaited me that I’d forgotten to look for.
The red hair caught my eye first. I followed it. Blinked.
My stomach fell through the floor, and the pulse in my ears became a close roar.
Uncle Rufus.
And at his side, bland, hateful face pinched, was Robin.
I must’ve stopped, because Bastian turned, a few steps ahead. “Kat? What’s…?”
He followed my gaze.
I couldn’t move, especially not as Robin’s gaze landed on me and he nudged Rufus.
With both of them looking my way, an entire world hit me, as cold and solid as ice.
Sit straight.
Knees together—you’re not a whore.
You need to learn.
Keep still.
Bastian’s lips moved, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying.
They started towards us, and it was like the rest of the pillared room drifted further away.
How? How ?
I thought I’d left them in Albion. Last I’d heard, Robin had fucked off on more of his travels, and Bastian had warned Rufus off so thoroughly, I’d barely seen a strand of his red hair since the night he’d tried to force me to Caelus’s rooms.
No. No . I clenched my hands into fists and pulled on that word. No .
I seized my anger and breathed life into its embers.
Because I was not the woman they and my father had squashed into a mould. I was not quiet and meek and mild.
I was fucking furious.
Maybe I didn’t know everything about who Kat Ferrers was, but I knew that much.
With a pop, my hearing cleared.
“—here with you,” Bastian said, voice low and vicious. “No matter what, they can’t hurt you.”
It was a triumph to see Robin’s step falter as he met my glare. Uncle Rufus wasn’t the slightest bit affected. I’d take one out of two.
With fire racing through my veins, I could take in the rest of the room, and I blinked when I saw Prince Cyrus at Uncle Rufus’s side.
I bit my tongue against asking what the fuck they wanted—didn’t seem wise with a prince right there.
Cyrus gave Bastian a wide, wide smile, the kind that I imagined the Big Bad Wolf giving Little Red Riding Hood right before he ate her. “Throne room. Now.”
We were past sunset, so the summons had to be from the queen.
The queen who’d murdered her own daughter.
* * *
“Your Majesty, this is the fae who stole my wife.”
“What?” I blinked from Robin to the Night Queen, then glanced back at the throne room’s main doors, wishing I could escape through them back to Dusk. “Your Majesty, that is not what happened. I’m a person, not a fu—”
I clamped my teeth around my tongue and cleared my throat. “I’m a person, not an object.” I shot Robin a sweet smile. “I can’t be stolen.”
Fingers biting into the Moon Throne’s arm, the queen sat rigid, but it wasn’t me she was looking at—it was Bastian.
And that look could’ve killed a mammoth at fifty paces.
Up on the dais, framed by the gilded and silvered doors only she and the king used, she looked every inch the ancient monarch she was. Dangerous and dazzling.
It cooled my anger, letting fear smother me.
“A woman can’t be taken away from her husband, though, can she?” Uncle Rufus stepped forward, and I refused to look directly at him, even as I tugged the collar of my coat. “Or so His Highness led me to believe.”
“His Highness is, of course, right.” The queen gave him a rictus smile, and I could see all the ways in which she wanted to rip him or anyone else apart right now.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself, Bastian? Any defence for breaking our laws and coming between husband and wife by bringing her across the border?”
“I brought her here.” He slid his hands into his pockets, but I spotted them fisting on the way in. His shadows kept close, rippling like a pool full of eels, agitated and ready to break free.
“Approach,” the queen barked, and her glare snapped to me. “ Both of you.”
We obeyed. Of course we obeyed—she was a fucking queen.
“What the hells were you thinking?” she hissed at Bastian. “How could you be so foolish to leave yourself open like this? You’re lucky you got back after nightfall, but with Cyrus involved, you know I have to punish you.” She sat back, waiting for his response.
He gave none.
“Do you understand, Bastian?” She bared her teeth. “The rumours about the two of you are one thing, but bringing her here without his permission?”
It took every scrap of control not to blurt that I shouldn’t need my husband’s permission—or anyone’s—to come to another country. When had I ever given permission for his travels around the continent?
It wouldn’t help. From my understanding of fae law, permission wasn’t required because I was a woman and he a man, but because we were married.
I swallowed back my anger and fear, which had merged into something lukewarm and sickly, and tried to summon an ounce of reason. “He gave permission.” I glanced at Bastian who stared straight ahead. “Bastian told me.”
“Is that right?”
He took a long time working his jaw side to side, his nostrils flaring. “We made a bargain.”
I shot him a look. He hadn’t told me that part. So Robin viewed me surviving as a thing that helped him. He had some plan for me.
The queen cleared her throat and straightened. “I understand a bargain was made.” She narrowed her eyes at Robin.
But it was Uncle Rufus who scoffed and stepped forward. “Under what terms? My nephew-in-law is no foolish girl to go making bargains with fae.”
“We had no bargain.” Robin folded his arms. “I spoke no words of power. I didn’t shake his hand.”
“Did you?” The queen raised an eyebrow at Bastian.
“No.”
She blasted a sigh. “Then I have no choice but to decide your punishment.”
“The rules are clear,” Cyrus said with a lilt that told me he would enjoy Bastian’s punishment.
“But if he hadn’t brought me here, I’d be dead.” I stared from the queen to Cyrus.
“Your Majesty,” came a voice from the back of the room. “ Cousin .” In the doorway that led to Dusk, Asher bowed before approaching. “Technically, there would still be a bargain if both parties received the agreed upon benefit.” He raised his eyebrows at Bastian, prompting.
Bastian remained silent, giving the slightest shake of his head.
“That is true.” The queen inclined her head, expression easing a touch. “What did you give her husband in return?”
I frowned up at him. He hadn’t mentioned any exchange. Asher was clutching at straws and, from the look on Bastian’s face, coming up empty handed.
Did this mean I’d be sent back to Albion? My antidote and cure—they couldn’t send me back knowing it would kill me. Surely— surely that was worse than breaking the contract between me and that man.
As if he felt my hatred, Robin shuffled and scowled at the floor.
“ Bastian ,” Asher said from between gritted teeth, eyes widening.
Bastian lifted his chin, though his gaze remained downcast. “I wanted to bring her here, and I did.”
A growl laced the queen’s breath out, and Cyrus wore that awful smile again.
My pulse thundered like the stags’ galloping hooves as we’d tried to escape the Ascendants. We’d survived them and finally got past every bloody thing that had kept us apart for so long, only to now be divided by this.
This .
I wanted to scream.
“Bastian paid him.”
Every pair of eyes in the throne room turned to Asher.
I blinked. “Paid?”
“No,” Bastian rasped. “Don’t—”
“If you won’t defend yourself, I will.” Asher lifted one hand. “Bastian wanted to bring her here. The husband refused.” He shot Robin a look as he raised his other hand in balance. “Then he demanded a large sum of money, which Bastian paid. Both sides of the bargain were fulfilled.”
“ You …” I stared at Robin, mouth hanging open. “You demanded payment before you’d let him bring me here to save my life .”
He didn’t even have the good grace to look at me.
So much for ninety-five percent arsehole.
How had I ever believed anything else?
“I’m sorry,” Bastian murmured, bending close despite the glares. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to feel like an object bought and sold.”
Trying to protect me. Of course. “I know you don’t think that.”
Robin spluttered. “But we didn’t shake hands. I didn’t say the words.” He stared from the queen to Cyrus. “You said it only counted if I made a bargain.”
“As Asher says, you received your payment .” Cyrus spread his hands, though his lip curled like even he found the idea distasteful. With a momentary wince, he turned to the queen. “Your Majesty, I am satisfied the human is here legally.”
She exhaled. “Agreed.”
“Although”—the edge of a smile curved the prince’s mouth—“I’m sure you’ll agree he should be allowed to see his wife at will.”
A beat of calculating silence, then the queen countered, “And I’m sure you’ll agree he should be accompanied by guards as he travels through our side of the palace.”
He bowed his head. “Of course.”
“Now, leave us.” She beckoned Bastian closer. “I need a word with my Shadow.”
I didn’t know whether to be furious, relieved, or something else as we started towards the twinned main doors. My body settled on a heavy emptiness.
As Asher stepped through Dusk’s door, a hand closed around my arm. Uncle Rufus stood over me.
I stilled, though my heart pounded.
He smiled, fingers biting in. “Have you forgotten about duty, my girl? He is your husband and you still owe him a child.”
After everything, I owed him ? I bit the inside of my cheek, afraid the words would snap out.
“Remember, family is the most important thing. There are many, many opportunities here for us. With you in Dusk and me in Dawn…” He raised his eyebrows as he squeezed so tight, I knew there would be marks when I removed my shirt.
“You’re a clever girl to get yourself involved with the man in charge. ”
Of course. He saw Bastian and the Night Queen yet only saw the man. The queen was nothing more than a figurehead to him.
And, of course , he expected his niece to do his bidding.
I tried to ease my arm from his grip. If Bastian saw…
“Let me go,” I whispered, glancing back at Bastian who was in an intense conversation with the queen.
Uncle Rufus followed my gaze, then yanked me close. “I’m here as the prince’s guest. Your friend can’t touch me.” He thrust me away.
I hated him for being right.
As I stumbled towards Dusk’s door, he gave me an unpleasant smile. “Enjoy warming his bed; just remember where your loyalties lie.”
Oh, I knew exactly where my loyalties lay.