“Who is Ned?” I asked.
“The Dullahan,” the others said in unison, as if discussing some mundane topic instead of a murderous fae who stole the wickedest souls for the underworld.
“The headless monster isreal?” What was I saying? I was married to the bloody Gancanagh. Why should this be such a stretch to believe?
Aveen’s lips rolled together as she shared a knowing look with Rían. “He is.”
The hairs on the back of my neck lifted. Hold on one bloody minute. “How do you know?”
“Rían had to save me from being his next meal when he came to kill Eithne.”
“That’swho killed Eithne? Good heavens, Aveen. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Aveen winced. “It wasn’t relevant at the time.”
“You and I are going to speak after this, and you are going to tell me everything I don’t already know.”
A smirking Rían wiggled his brows. “Everything?”
“Minus the bedroom talk.” I did not want to hear about their romps. Just the thought of his hands on my sister turned my insides. I preferred to imagine them in separate beds, thank you very much.
“Are you sure?” Rían drawled, no doubt determined to get a rise out of me. “Maybe Tadhg could learn a thing or two.”
Tadgh’s lips curled into a knowing smile, the same one I first saw back in that pub in Dreadshire, wicked and full of sinful promises. “If anyone needs to learn a thing or two, it’s you.”
With a loud groan, Ruairi dropped his head into his hands. “I’m sure ye are both magnificent lovers in yer own rights. Now quit yer bickering and let’s finish hashing out a plan so I can get some sleep.”
Poor Ruairi was the real victim here, being stuck hanging around with two newly wed couples. After all this was over, Aveen and I would have to find him a love of his own.
“Why don’t I just do it?” Ruairi said suddenly.
I didn’t want Ruairi to put himself in danger just like I didn’t want the rest of my family to risk their lives. Except maybe Rían. But if he were gone, Aveen would be sad, so I supposed I’d have to deal with him. I hated that this situation had come down to who would risk his or her life to save the others. Not for the first time, I cursed the Phantom Queen. Silently, of course.
Aveen gasped. “You can’t do that.”
Rían’s lips flattened as he glanced between the pooka and Aveen.
The way Ruairi’s eyes softened when he looked at my sister made my chest ache. His feelings for her were so bloody obvious. If only the two of them had been fated to be soulmates instead.
“I don’t think we should force someone against his will,” Ruairi said. “Besides, what have I to lose? I am on my own, no family, no wife, no offspring. The three of ye would be the only ones to miss me if I were to fall.” He gestured toward Aveen, Tadhg, and me. “Take my heart to keep me from dying and we’ll be on our way.”
Tadhg and Aveen started speaking at once, but then Rían’s authoritative tone cut across them all. “He’s right. The Queen won’t suspect it.”
Aveen whipped toward her husband, her brow furrowed with concern. “How do we know it’s safe?”
Rían looked Ruairi dead in the eye and said, “There’s only one way to find out.”
50
RÍAN
Our plan wasn’t goingto work.
Not that I spoke those damning words aloud—it would kill the morale. And that thought wasn’t only borne of my own innate pessimism but from facts. The Queen had survived for millennia and thwarted countless attempts on her life. What made us think we could defeat her with a plan more full of holes than a feckin’ sieve?
Yet here I stood with sweaty palms, ready to rip the heart from Ruairi’s chest. I wouldn’t say I respected the pooka for putting himself on the line like this, but it did make me hate him a little less.
Aveen patted the mattress. “You should probably get on the bed.”