“I didn’t turn Tadhg into anything,” she insisted.
The fool loved her, that much was clear. Why hadn’t she fallen in love with him in return? He’d married her to save her life. He’d just died so she could reach Tearmann and be with her sister. He looked like her feckin’ fantasy. Why didn’t she love him?
If she’d loved him, she could’ve set him free from his curses. If he was free from his curses, he’d finally get off his arse and do something for Tearmann.
And if she loved someone as worthless and terrible as Tadhg, maybe there was some tiny hope that her sister could love me.
“Yes, you did,” I countered. “And since he’s been neglecting his duties to play the doting courtier, they’ve all fallen on my shoulders. And I do not appreciate it one bit.”
“That sounds like something you need to discuss with Tadhg.”
Oh, I will.Preferably with his throat on the sharp side of my dagger.
“When is Tadhg coming back?” she asked, her voice an octave higher as she stared down at his lifeless body.
Not nearly soon enough. I squatted to check his wounds, feeling a bit more at ease when I saw no X across his chest. Most were still open—what little magic had returned was fighting to repair the damage from the Queen’s dagger. “Feckin’ hell. How many times did she stab you?” I could’ve used my own magic to help him, but he didn’t deserve it.
Touching him left blood and dirt on my hand. I dragged a handkerchief from my pocket, cleaning my fingers before tucking the disgusting thing into Tadhg’s equally disgusting jacket pocket. “He should be back in an hour or so, depending on how much of his magic was left.”
I used a stick to check the wounds again. Would he ever hurry it on? At this stage, I’d be the one meeting with his people. I hated Fridays.
I knew without asking why the Queen had stabbed him so many times. He’d probably done something to piss her off, per usual. “You’d think he’d know better than to antagonize her. But he just can’t keep his gob shut.” I discarded the stick over my shoulder. “Can you grab his arm there? I really don’t feel like getting blood and grime all over my new shirt.” And if I shifted him where he lay, he’d take half the sand on the shore with him and get it all over the castle. There was no sense making extra work for anyone.
Although she did as I’d asked, Keelynn was basically no help whatsoever. Weak as a feckin’ child. My heel caught on the edge of a rock, setting me off kilter. I slipped, fell, and ripped a hole in the arse of my new breeches. I kicked the bastard who had ruined everything, cursing him till I was blue in the face.
“Don’t touch him!” Keelynn shrieked.
“Look what he did!Dammit.” The amount of clothing I’d gone through in the last six months was criminal. “These are from the feckin’ continent.”
“This isn’t Tadhg’s fault. He’sdead, remember?”
“Oh, my dear Keelynn, you’ll soon come to find thateverythingis Tadhg’s fault.”His fault or yours,I wanted to shout. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment, I need to get this irritating bastard to the castle.”
I made it to the gates without getting too much shite on me. It was only a matter of time before people started lining up in preparation for today’s airing of grievances. When I reached his room, I dumped him on the floor with a satisfying thump and shifted a jug of water. Not because I cared if he was thirsty when he awoke, but giving him what he needed would get his arse down to the great hall that bit faster.
Since I didn’t have any clothes for Aveen’s sister here, I shifted clothes from her armoire back at the townhouse in Graystones. When I returned to the edge of the Forest, I found her clutching at her chest, glowering toward the Black Forest.
“Here. Put these on.” I held out the dress and shift. “The last thing I need is to be seen with a human in such a horrendous state.”
That got rid of the hunch to her shoulders. “Turn around and give me some privacy,” she said, raising her chin.
As if I had any desire to see the woman undressed. I glared at a knot in the nearest tree, doing my best not to shift my dagger and rid myself of this latest problem. No one had to know it was me. Except, Tadhg would know, wouldn’t he? He’d undoubtedly spiral, and I’d be in the same feckin’ boat I had been for the last two weeks. “Are you finished yet?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
I took her old clothes, sent them straight into the fire, and told her to keep up. I could’ve brought her to the edge of Tearmann’s forest and pointed her in the right direction, but with her track record, I didn’t trust her to make it to the castle without some sort of drama unfolding. Maxwell was out gardening. Anwen was in her yard hanging laundry. I kept my head down to deter conversation. Not that anyone we met would want to speak to me. Still, there was a first time for everything.
Could this human be any slower? No wonder it took Tadhg so long to get to Tearmann. I could crawl faster than she walked.
The castle came into view, a gray monstrosity breaking the endless green. Keelynn balked when she crossed beneath the wards. I told her what they were, but she didn’t comment, for which I was glad. I really didn’t have the time or inclination to converse with the shrew.
Oscar met us at the door, pretending to be useful for once. “Good to see yer back, Prince Rían. There’s quite a line today.”
Of course there was. Why would people deal with their own shite when they could make me do it? “This is your fault, you know,” I told the ignorant human following me into the castle.
“My fault?” she scoffed.