85. Bastian
Bastian
I t felt like Kat was gone for a very long time, but I fully accepted that was down to my infatuation—one minute felt like forever. Between fetching more drinks and deciding to dance, the rest of the group filtered off until Faolán, Rose, and I remained at the back of the ballroom.
She stared off to one side, nursing her drink. Faolán examined his, brow furrowed. I couldn’t stop scanning the room for Kat’s return.
“Oh, hmm. Yes.” Rose craned over the crowd towards the entrance chamber.
“I think Perry needs my help over there.” She pointed, but I saw no sign of the woman.
“Back shortly.” She flashed me a bright smile before lifting Faolán’s chin and forcing him to meet her gaze.
“I’m sure you two have plenty to talk about.
” She nudged his chest before slipping away into the crowd.
Once she was gone, I sidled closer to him. “Look, I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry,” he said at the same time.
We laughed, and it was almost like we hadn’t argued.
“No, I’m sorry.” His scowl deepened. “The marriage laws were the only thing that kept Rose safe when she came here—the reason we got married in the first place. It terrified me to think what might’ve happened if…
” He shuddered, hand scraping over his chin, which was already stubbled even though he’d been clean-shaven at the start of the ceremony.
“Suppose it made me cling to those traditions too hard.”
“Well, I’m sorry too. Part of me couldn’t let go of them until I almost lost her entirely. And… I was taking my own guilt out on you… especially with her hurt like that.”
He rubbed his chest. “She looked awful. Must’ve been in a lot of pain.”
“Not that she’d let anyone else know about it.” I scoffed, even though my heart tightened at the memory of her injuries.
“She was right though. Her speech, I mean. Some of our rules and beliefs are outdated.” He frowned at his glass before emptying it in one go.
“It was unfair of me to hold her or you to a contract she never chose.” He met my eye, fingers tightening around his glass.
“And for that I’m sorry. After everything we’ve been through, I should’ve trusted your judgement. ”
Muscles easing, I clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m not sure I trust my judgement when it comes to Kat.” I gave a rueful grin. “I think I’m starting to understand why you lost your mind when Rose was in danger.”
The corner of his mouth twitched, then he was hugging me. He slapped my back, making the air burst from my lungs. “Never thought I’d see the day.” He pulled back and gave a wolfish grin. “The Serpent of Tenebris is regretting his comments about ‘human brides.’”
Scowling, I muttered into my glass.
“Don’t look so grumpy—Rose says that’s my job.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Honestly, I’m happy for you. Kat is… I like her a lot, and so does Rose. And I like you. It’s a good match.”
“Considering you dislike most people, that’s high praise indeed.”
He made a sound halfway between a growl and a laugh, and we stood there for a while, watching the dancers in companionable silence. It was a weight unloaded to no longer have this tension between us.
“Hmm.” He eyed me sidelong. “Do you think you’ll make her your ‘human bride?’”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re not going to let that go, are you?”
“Not for the next couple of centuries.”
“You know she gets a say in the matter, don’t you?”
“And I’m pretty sure I know what she’d say, if you asked.”
I wasn’t so sure. Not after her experience of marriage so far. “You’re married for a couple of years and suddenly you’re the expert on relationships?”
Chin lifting, he straightened to his full height. “Actually, yes. Rose and I are very happy. In fact, we’re—”
The high whistle of something moving at speed cut through the music. Adrenaline surged through me as two arrows streaked overhead and pinged off the king’s throne.
Fuck.
“Shit,” Faolán growled.
We thrust our drinks at the nearest people, starting for the dais.
Kat. A shudder chased through me. There was an attack, and I didn’t know where she was. I glanced back at the ballroom doors as alarm rippled through the crowd.
This had to be what Sura meant about uniting the throne. A coup against both sides.
We shoved past folk fighting to get out and ordered them to remain calm. The last thing we needed was a panic like at the Solstice.
At our gritted instructions, they clutched each other, eyes wide. Some stared up at the mezzanine overlooking the ballroom where the shots had come from.
As word spread, chaos broke out.
The music stopped and screams and shouts took over. Dark clad figures dropped from the mezzanine, blades glinting, and more burst from a side room as archers covered their advance.
How the fuck had they got in?
I gritted my teeth and drew the dagger from my boot as Faolán produced a blade. Of course he’d had the same idea. It was why we were friends. Always ready. Always armed.
Side-by-side, we worked our way towards the dais, though my heart dragged me back.
I didn’t give a fuck about the king currently hiding behind the throne. I wanted to find Kat.
But if he died…
And if this was Hydra Ascendant…
The chaos wouldn’t be contained to this room—it would break out across the realm.
A pair of the armoured attackers reached us, clearly aiming for the dais and the royal family there.
My muscles thrummed with energy, glad to have somewhere to direct it.
I dodged, shoving a civilian out the way with my shadows as a blade cut through the air. The next strike rang on my dagger and up my arm, and my attacker grinned as if pleased I only had a small blade.
Idiot.
My shadows swarmed around his feet, only meeting a little resistance from his magic. More powerful fae made it more of a struggle. But not him.
He jolted as they tugged on his ankle, and I took my opening.
Gripping his sword arm, I pulled him close and drove my dagger into his throat.
His eyes went wide. He gurgled, blood bubbling at his neck and from his mouth. Then he slumped to the floor.
A second later, Faolán had his attacker taken care of, and they fell at his feet, a wicked gash across their shoulder, neck twisted at an unnatural angle.
“All right?”
He answered with a grim nod, and we took the attackers’ weapons before continuing forward.
I craned to check the situation on the dais. Cyrus shielded himself with a chair, and bent over his father, ushering him through a side door with guards following. Before the throne a huge sabrecat roared, baring its teeth at anyone who came close. Russet stripes ran through its golden coat.
Not it— him . Sepher.
Cyrus had the king’s escape in hand, and Sepher covered it. I even spotted Zita pressed against the throne, dagger in hand, wearing a look that dared anyone to sneak up on her new husband.
We weren’t the only ones who’d broken the rules about weapons.
I grabbed Faolán’s arm. “They don’t need us.”
He nodded. “Look.” He held still, forcing the crowd to break around us, and from across the room, I made out Asher’s black hair and the purple gleam of Lysander’s. He whistled and they turned towards us, arriving as the crowd’s flow became a trickle.
“Have you seen Perry?” Pale, Asher scanned the guests pressing at the exit as guards pushed in.
“No,” I muttered, signalling to the guards to hold a line around the double doors. If they entered on one side, they could help civilians out the other. “Nor any of the others.” The words were bitter on my tongue.
Lysander held out his hand for Faolán’s spare blade before shadowstepping out of sight, leaving flecks of darkness behind. An instant later, he materialised behind an attacker on the other side of the room who had hold of a pregnant woman. With a single thrust, he drove the knife into their spine.
While he helped the woman, I gave Asher my dagger. “Focus.” I said it as much to myself as him.
Blood bathed the ballroom floor by the time the first group of guards reached us, and most of the guests had escaped. But a few guards still fought the attackers, and screams echoed from the corridors. This wasn’t over.
“The king and Prince Cyrus went that way.” I pointed out the side door. “Go after them and protect their backs.”
One started in that direction, but another caught her shoulder—Amandine, who’d stopped Kat at the bridge. The others exchanged glances. “But Dawn’s Ascendant,” someone muttered.
Amandine scowled. “And as far as we know, this is an attack by Dusk. You could be sending us into a trap.”
I bit back a groan. Fucking daytime.
Faolán bristled, and Asher’s shoulders squared. I could feel his “I’m the queen’s cousin” card coming this way, but it would make no difference. These guards were all clad in Dawn’s pale grey.
I straightened and lifted my chin, fixing Amandine with a look that could wither trees. “Dusk has nothing to do with this. I knew nothing about it until the arrows started flying. Now, go and protect your king .”
Her nostrils flared.
“For once Dusk is talking sense. Stop being damn fools and do as the man says.” At my side appeared Sepher, in his fae form, naked and bloodied. Back on the dais half a dozen attackers lay dead… or at least parts of them did.
Beside him, Zita stared daggers at the guards, her actual blade stained red.
Amandine sucked in a breath and bowed her head. “At once, Your Highness.” The guards trooped off after the king and Cyrus.
I nodded my thanks to Sepher and gestured to the bodies and pooled blood. “Sorry your wedding turned into… this.”
As he slid an arm around Zita’s waist, he flashed me a feline grin, not the slightest bit concerned by his lack of clothes. “Like they say, the couple who slays together stays together.”
“I’m sure that isn’t a saying,” Asher muttered, gaze skimming over the dead guests.
“It is now.” Sepher smirked. “What’re you planning?”
It took me a beat to register that the fighting in here had stopped, and above, the mezzanine was empty except for a handful of guards.
“We need to get proper weapons, secure the queen’s apartments, find Kat and the others, and ensure the king is safe.” Inwardly I winced at how long the list was. “Not necessarily in that order.”
With a snort, he shook his head. “I’d say definitely not in that order.
” He stroked Zita’s hair and they started towards the door.
“We have some friends to save.” He turned to me and raised his eyebrows, backing away.
“I’d suggest you examine your priorities, Marwood.
Choose the ones who’d choose you. Fuck everyone else. ”
He wasn’t going after the king—he was choosing his friends over the father who’d banished him from the city for so long.
“Good luck.” He nodded before turning and shifting mid-step, feet becoming paws, striped skin becoming a furry coat, his tail growing thick fur as it swished from side to side.
Faolán watched him leave, a thoughtful frown etched between his eyebrows. “Well? Where to?”
Good question.