Chapter 29
KORMAC
I reached Róisín’s house, pausing by the back window. Hidden, peering in. She was in her living room, her fire roaring, curtains open. Sat in her armchair, she read from a book, a cup of mead on a table by her side.
I used to sit opposite her in the other chair, the green upholstery worn and frayed. But so comfortable. Everything about her home was warm—from the fire, to the many, many books packed into every available space. Róisín loved to read.
My friend. My friend I had to steal from.
Couldn’t…
I’d thought it would be easy to come here and sneak away with two of her best horses. After all, I had a bigger duty to live up to. Our friendship wasn’t like the one between me and Ren, or me and Leanna.
Guilt reminded me of who I was. She might not be the best of my friends, but she was a good one. Always had time for me, a pot of stew or tea to share. She made the best bread, taught me how to do it. Even tried to get me to read more—not as successful as the bread.
“I can’t do it,” I whispered and stepped into view. Knocked on the dirty window.
Róisín looked up with a frown. Heaven forbid you disturb her reading.
“Kormac?” I heard her through the thin glass.
She closed the book, getting to her feet. Her scarlet Fomorian eyes gleamed in the firelight.
“What are you doing here?”
Her cat, Thunder, jumped up onto the windowsill. A black feline with green eyes. He purred against the glass, his tail up. Ready to be stroked.
“Hello, Thunder,” I said.
Róisín left the room, opened the back door next to the window. Thunder leaped off the windowsill, following her out. Within moments he was weaving between my legs, his purr as loud as his namesake.
I crouched to stroke him, eyes up on my friend.
She wore her usual gray clothes, never bringing any color into her wardrobe. Which always made me wonder why she had pink and green chairs.
A scar zigzagged across the dark brown skin of her forehead. Her curly black hair was as wild and thick as always.
“I’ve missed you,” I said.
“What are you doing here, Kormac?”
“I need help.”
“From the prince you’ve been running around with?”
“You know?” I asked.
“Everyone knows. I’ve had humans and fae here telling me to subdue you if I see you. Kill the prince. Report you both. Lasair wants you both stopped.” She shook her head. “How did this happen to you? Why are you in league with a seelie? And not just any seelie, but the damn prince?”
“You don’t know that part?”
“What part?” she asked.
I finished with Thunder, who went on to groom himself. “We need to talk.”
“Come in.”
I followed her inside the house of stone and books, wooden floorboards creaking underfoot. Thunder ran past me, heading over to a bearskin rug before the fire.
“It’s good to be inside again,” I said.
The warmth was incredible, and so wanted.
“Have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the armchair opposite hers.
“Like old times,” I tried.
“Don’t, Kormac. These aren’t like those days.”
“I know.”
She stood by her chair. “You look terrible.”
I got out of the seat, forgetting myself. “Before I talk, he has to come in.”
Surprise in her face. Horror, too. “By him, you mean…”
“Prince Valance.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“You have to get out.”
“Róisín…”
“Kormac. I can’t have Prince Valance in my house. He’s the enemy. He’s the worst of the worst.”
“Not the worst.”
“No, that’s his brother.”
“What about my brother?”
Valance’s voice made me jump, my head snapping round to the window.
There he was, framed in the grubby glass.
The prince in question.
“Get the fuck away from here!” Róisín cried, dashing across the room to grab a sword.
“Please!” I ran after her. “Don’t do this.”
“He has to die.”
“Róisín! Listen to me! I can explain.”
She paused by the door, her hand on the handle. “Kormac… You… You’d better start talking.”
“I will.”
“He doesn’t get in here.”
“He’ll freeze out there.”
“I don’t care.”
“Okay, okay. Let’s sit. I’ll talk. Then maybe—”
“Maybe nothing. He’s not getting inside.”
A deep breath. “Can I at least give him something for his feet?”
“No. Talk.” She returned to the fire.
I followed, lifting a hand for Valance to wait. He did, not moving from his position by the window.
Thunder jumped up there, purring for him.
He can’t be completely bad after all… I thought.
Róisín’s sword rested across her lap. She grabbed her tankard of mead and downed the contents. Glared at me the whole time.
Once done, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, “Speak.”
So I spoke, giving her all of the details as Valance listened. Leaving out the dark caress and the healing thing.
When I stopped, she took a while to think it over, eyes downcast.
“Róisín?” I said, wondering if she’d speak again.
“This is true?” she asked.
“You know me. I wouldn’t lie to you?”
“They cursed him with berserker rage?”
“Yes.”
“Putting the blame on him for all that stuff?”
“Yes.”
She looked up. “And you were really going to steal from me?”
I’d added that admission at the end of my speech. “I’m sorry. I never would’ve gone through with it. But I’m desperate.”
Róisín stared at me. I glanced at Valance, wishing I could get him inside.
“What if this ends badly for us?” she said.
“Down here in the rest of the world? Whatever’s up in Winter could come back and bite us all on the asses.
It could be really bad. I’m… I’m getting a bad feeling.
Anything to do with Winter is bad.” She shuddered.
“You know the histories. We’ve been told all the creepy stories. ”
“You told them, you mean. Scaring me and Ren.”
Sorrow in her eyes, her lids drooping. “I’m sorry about Ren.”
“I’m sorry, too. For both of us.”
Another glance at Valance.
“He killed him,” she said. “By putting him in that fighting pit. I was told that much.”
I shook my head.
“You can’t be angry because of this bond,” she said. “I get that.” She sighed. “This is a terrible mess.”
“And it can only be fixed by getting to Winter.”
“Are you really sure of that?”
“I am. I have to get there.”
I have a strange healing power I need to figure out…
What in seven hells am I?
I kept those thoughts to myself.
Róisín picked up her tankard, clearly forgetting she’d cleared it of mead. “I need another drink. Want one?”
“Please.” I looked to the prince. “And him?”
“What about him?”
“I need him inside. Otherwise, I have to leave. I can’t leave him to freeze.”
“Fine.”
“As easy as that?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t try to hurt him.”
She tapped her blade. “I won’t.”
“I mean it, Róisín. If you do, I’ll have to stop you.”
She stood up, clearly torn up by this. Who wouldn’t be? But despite everything, she could be trusted. More than anyone in Autumn now that Ren and Leanna were both dead.
“By the gods,” she said. “This is fucked up.”
“Tell me about it.”
She went off to get drinks, and I let the prince inside.