That was the problem with bargains made under the influence of copious amounts of alcohol. They always seemed like a good idea at the time.
I gave Keelynn one final pleading glance before following Áine into the dark forest. Light from the moon broke through the trees, falling on an ancient altar.
“He’s not going to be pleased to see you,” I said, trying to drudge up the energy and magic for what needed done.
“Rían is always pleased to see me,” she countered, brushing her white hair back from her slender shoulders.
That may have been true a few years ago, but now he had Aveen.
Dammit.
Why did he get a soulmate who loved him? How was that fair?
With a flash of white light, Áine was back to her tiny, vicious self. I tucked her into my waistcoat and evanesced to the castle. The wards wouldn’t let her through unless she came with me. The moment we reached the parlor, Áine dislodged herself from my pocket. A fire blazed in the fireplace, flickering off Rían’s boots sticking out from his favorite chair. This time, Áine’s transformation was blinding.
Rían scrambled to his feet. With his collar undone and cravat hanging loosely around his neck, it was the most disheveled I’d seen him in months.
He jabbed an accusatory finger toward the faerie at my side. “What the hell is she doing here?”
Áine stepped forward, sending Rían stumbling back.“Is that how you speak to me?”
An empty bottle of faerie wine had been discarded on the coffee table next to a half-full one.
My brother looked more panicked than the last time I’d tried to choke him. “Go home, Áine.”
“You don’t want me to do that. Not really,” she crooned, stalking Rían until she had him pinned against the floral curtains.
My brother made no move to push her away. His gaze dropped to her mouth, and she pressed her lips to his. The moment Rían lost his hands in her white hair, my feet unlocked from the stones, carrying me into the hallway.
Rían cursed.
Áine called his name.
Stomping footsteps grew louder and louder until my brother appeared.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Rían snarled, shoving me against the tapestry of the Queen, crushing my windpipe with his forearm.
“She asked to see you,” I choked, reaching for the dagger at my waist. With his magic holding me hostage, I’d have to kill him the old-fashioned way.
Before I could grip the hilt, Rían dropped his arm and raked his hands through his hair, leaving the dark strands standing on end. “So you brought her here? To my home?”
“This ismyhome.”
“Dammit, Tadhg. My fiancée is upstairs.”
“Are you reminding me or yourself?”
His eyes flashed, and he cursed again. “Get rid of her.”
When I returned to the parlor, I found Áine on the floor in front of the fire, her knees drawn to her chest. Sparkling silver tears streamed down her cheeks like liquid diamonds.
I sank next to her, weary to my marrow. “I told you not to come.” This wasn’t like the other times. Rían was engaged and, much to my surprise, he was actually trying to avoid sleeping with his usual harem.
Which only made me feel worse.
“Last time, h-he said he cared for me.” She sniffled, clutching the material at her waist in her fists. “I . . . I thought . . .”
“Rían lies.”