Chapter Twelve
Cadence
The second Ryker and Riordan left the room, I rounded on my brother.
“Don’t talk, just listen. You need to understand who we are up against,” I whispered in a rush. “At the council meeting, I watched Ryker kill a man without lifting a finger. He suffocated him with his shadows, and not a damn person attempted to intervene.”
“He’s a fucking monster.”
“Don’t be too outraged, I’m fairly certain Lord Thorne deserved it.”
My brother raised a brow, but I waved my hand dismissively.
“Later. The point is, he’s powerful, and people are afraid to stand against him. I need you to promise me you won’t keep antagonizing him, Callum.”
“It doesn’t matter how strong he is, Cadence. If he threatens you, I won’t shy away from a fight.”
“Brute strength is not the only answer. We have to be smart, Callum, and I can’t focus on the next steps if I am worried you are going to run your mouth and get yourself killed.”
When my brother remained silent, I said, “Please, Callum. It will all be for nothing if I lose you.”
My brother studied me for the longest moment before his shoulders slumped.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “But this plan better be good.”
“Say you promise.”
Callum rolled his eyes, but he repeated the words I needed to hear. “I promise, Little Sister.”
Relief washed over me, but it was short-lived. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure we were still alone before turning back to my brother.
“The council meeting I attended was convened to discuss raids on the food supplies.”
“And how does that help us?”
My tongue darted out to wet my lips, and my mind scrambled to sort through the information I had gleaned during the meeting.
“The council believes that there is a traitor inside the palace feeding intel back to a rebel group.” The thought of the Crimson Enclave sent a shudder through me. “Ryker has been tasked with rooting them out.”
“I still don’t understand how this helps us?”
“If we undermine those efforts by coordinating a raid of our own, Ryker will fail. He’ll face increased scrutiny to find a solution, distracting him enough that we may have a chance to get out alive.”
“How would we pull that off? It’s not like we know anyone in the Unseelie Kingdom. Who’s going to help us?”
I gnawed on my bottom lip, considering my options. There was one person who might aid us, though it needed to be handled delicately.
“I’m working on it, but the situation is complicated. You must be patient, Callum.”
My brother ran his hand over his jaw as he contemplated my words. “All right, I trust your judgement.”
Without warning, I threw myself into his arms, and his hands circled my back as he chuckled.
“This looks cozy,” Riordan called from the doorway. “Mind if I join?”
He moved toward us, arms outstretched. When he was close enough, Callum placed his palm over his face, pushing him away.
“Not a chance.”
Riordan pouted. “So cold, Killer.”
“I told you to stop calling me that,” Callum said between clenched teeth.
“And why would I when you’re so… responsive.”
Riordan sucked his bottom lip into his mouth as he let his gaze trail the length of my brother. When he raised his eyes again, they were full of heat.
“Riordan, stop looking at my brother like that!” Even secondhand, his scorching gaze left me feeling exposed.
“But he’s so delectable.”
“As his sister, I don’t want to bear witness to it.”
“Traitor,” Callum murmured next to me.
“As heartwarming as this is,” Ryker said. “You and I need to talk, Temptress.”
“Temptress?” Callum repeated as he screwed up his nose.
My cheeks heated, and I did my best to ignore the cocky grin working its way across Ryker’s face.
“You look so pretty when you blush for me, Temptress.”
Callum groaned.
“Now you know how I feel.”
“Except, I’m not sleeping with him!” Callum pointed toward Riordan, who smirked back at him.
“Yet.”
“As much as I’m enjoying your brother’s discomfort,” Ryker said. “I’ll get to the point. I am assigning you a guard.”
“You are not!”
Had Ryker overheard me?
It was bad enough that Callum refused to leave without me, but now that a viable opportunity had presented itself, I couldn’t afford to let Ryker ruin my plans.
My brother’s life was on the line because I knew eventually Ryker would wield him as a weapon against me, and I would not allow him to become another casualty of the Unseelie Prince.
“Told you she wouldn’t be happy,” Riordan said, sounding far too amused at the situation.
“This is not up for discussion, Cadence.”
Ryker strode across the room, closing the distance between us.
“You attended the same council meeting I did. The vultures are circling, and I’ll be damned if I let any of those parasites lay a single finger on you.”
I shoved Ryker’s chest. Hard.
“And whose fault is that, Ryker?”
I pushed him again, and this time he took a step back.
“You’re the one who is constantly exposing me to danger with no thought for the consequences, and then you expect me to just accept further restrictions on my freedom like it’s of little concern.”
I stepped into his space.
“Fuck. You. Is it not enough that you have caged my magic?” I asked, waving my cuffed wrists in front of his face. “Upended my life? You want to take my dignity, too?”
My desperation to ensure my brother’s escape tightened my throat and heated my blood.
“I’m trying to keep you safe.” Ryker’s chest heaved as he ran a hand through his hair.
“From a problem you created. You didn’t need to drag me to that meeting, but you did anyway.”
“Didn’t I? You are the future Queen of the Unseelie Fae!”
“A position I do not want.”
Ryker growled as he paced in front of me.
“Are they always like this?” Callum asked Riordan.
“Pretty much.” He shrugged.
“And you,” Ryker snarled, turning to face Callum.
“Don’t you speak to my brother with that tone.”
“Whenever you are not with Cadence, Riordan will supervise you,” Ryker said, ignoring my warning.
Callum jerked away from the smug-looking Prince, his mouth hanging open in horror.
I wanted to scream. Every time I thought I could slip out from beneath Ryker’s control, he was lurking in the shadows, ready to ensnare me, always one step ahead.
“Ryker,” Eamon’s voice called from the doorway.
His face was flushed, and sweat beaded on his forehead as he fought to catch his breath.
“Perfect timing.”
“Ryker,” he said again, this time with an edge to his tone. “The palace is under attack.”