She stepped aside, gesturing toward the white hallway beyond. “Do come in.”
I was about to say there was no need, that I wouldn’t be staying, but had to remind myself that I needed something from the Queen and being rude wouldn’t serve my purposes. So I followed her into her lair, through the white marble hallway to a small parlor with a lone candle shuddering between two matching wingbacks.
“How’s Rían?” she asked, taking a seat, and spreading her skirts about her ankles with a weathered hand.
I forced myself into the identical chair on the other side of the barren fireplace. “His usual delightful self.”
She smirked at that. “Any news from Tearmann?”
As if she didn’t already know. The witch had spies everywhere. “Not a bit.”
“And from Airren?”
“You know as well as I do the situation in that forsaken place.” Dire. That’s what it was.
Her nails clicked against the chair’s arm as she stared down her straight nose at me. “What do you plan on doing about it?”
I wouldn’t tell her even if I did have a plan. “I’m not here to discuss politics.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I need—” No. I couldn’t say I needed anything because then she’d know she had me bent over a barrel. “I would like to ensure safe passage for a human into and out of Tearmann.”
Her nail stopped tapping. Black eyes narrowed at me. “This is most unusual.” Her mahogany hair slipped over her slender shoulders when her head tilted. I offered no more information, holding my breath as I awaited her answer. Thankfully, she didn’t keep me waiting long. “As much as I would love to help, I’m afraid allowing one human to pass through the Forest would set a dangerous precedent. Now is not the time for leniency.”
Feck it anyway. I’d known she wouldn’t help me. That’s why I’d held onto my only bargaining chip. “I’ll pay the tax.”
Her eyes seemed to swallow the light from the lone candle “Youwill pay?”
“Only once for two crossings, on the day of my choosing.” In case Keelynn decided to stay, this would ensure safe passage.
“Exchanging your life force for a human’s . . . Interesting. Very, very interesting.” Her nails trilled against the chair, sending chills skittering down my spine.
“Well?”
The Queen held out a black-veined hand. “We have a bargain.”
* * *
With the way my day had started, I never thought I’d be in such a good mood. That’s what happened when you spent the afternoon with your soulmate.
I waited behind Keelynn as she stared into a shop window at a blue dress, watching her wide-eyed, wistful expression in the glass’s reflection.
“If you like it so much, you should buy it,” I suggested. I would’ve bought it for her, but Kinnock wasn’t the friendliest of cities. A place like this, the moment I tried to walk in, they’d probably kick me right out.
Her shoulders fell. “With what money?”
I hid my hand behind my back and flicked my wrist before telling her to check her purse.
“I don’t have a—” She opened her cloak to find a full purse hooked to the black sash at her waist. Her eyes met mine, glistening with unshed tears. “You got it back.”
As much as I loathed my brother, Rían had his uses. He’d caught up to the villain who’d killed Padraig and sent him to the underworld with his . . . unique flourish.
“Did I?”
The smile she offered was small but genuine. A smile that made my head swim like I’d had one too many drinks. “Thank you, Tadhg. Sincerely.”
There was a ruckus behind us. Soldiers in black leather uniforms led prisoners to a wooden platform at the base of a high stone wall.More executions. Rían was here somewhere, adding their names to the ever-growing list of our people killed in Airren.