“No, no. It’s not that. Your home is beautiful. But I would like to return to the castle.”
His fingers drummed harder. “The lads both agreed it would be best if ye stayed here.”
Keelynn set her cake aside. “Why?”
Ruairi glanced toward the crackling fire licking up the brick fireplace. “I’ll not lie to ye.”
Something went wrong.Dammit. Here I was, eating chocolate cake when Rían could need my help.
Ruairi’s fang scraped his lower lip. “Which is why I’m not going to say any more on the topic. Ye can ask Rían and Tadhg tomorrow.”
I didn’t realize how badly I was shaking until Keelynn’s hand fell to mine. “Tell us why we can’t go back tonight,” she said.
“The Queen gave the prince an unexpected gift for his birthday, and he is… dealing with it.”
Gift?Birthday?“Today is Rían’s birthday?” Why hadn’t he told me? And the Queen had scheduled this meeting on the very same day. That witch.
I set my plate on the coffee table and stood on unsteady legs. “I’m going back to the castle.”
Keelynn shoved to her feet. “If she’s going home, then so am I.”
I collected our cloaks, handing Keelynn hers before throwing mine over my shoulders. Ruairi’s weak protests fell on deaf ears. One way or another, I was going back to that castle tonight.
“Are you going to give us a lift, or will we make our own way?”
With a heavy sigh, Ruairi stomped outside and held open the door until we were all standing in his front garden. One blinding flash later, he’d shifted into his equine form.
I slipped my boot into the saddle’s stirrup, caught the horn, and settled myself atop the beautiful leather saddle, then offered my sister a hand up. Once she settled behind me, I gave his sides a nudge with my heels. Ruairi took off at a trot.
I nudged him once more, but he barely picked up his pace. “Would you mind going a little bit faster? We’re in a bit of a hurry.”
His ears twitched and head bobbed. A soft snort lifted into the air, and he took off like a shot.
The stars winking down at us through silver eyes blurred. The steady pounding of Ruairi’s hooves tearing across the open fields helped me focus my breathing. I couldn’t see very far in front of us, but Ruairi didn’t seem to have the same problem as he ate up the distance between his home and the castle. In no time at all, we were standing outside the gates.
Keelynn dismounted first and waited for me to do the same.
Another flash, and Ruairi stood at our backs, a rare frown on his lips.
Together, we breached the wards and continued into the castle. Voices drifted from down the hallway, toward the kitchens. We found Tadhg hunched over a gigantic plate of cake and Eava chiding him for eating his feelings.
When they saw us and exchanged worried looks, my stomach sank even lower. This was Rían’s birthday, he should’ve been the one gorging on cake, not his brother.
I braced my hands on my hips. “Where is he?”
Tadhg rocketed to his feet, knocking the stool to the ground. “I think you should wait until morning to—”
Eava’s hand fell on Tadhg’s shoulder, and his mouth snapped shut. “He’s upstairs, child,” she said in her soothing tone.
I turned and ran, my heart hammering as I sprinted up the stairs, barely slowing by the time I reached Rían’s floor. I wanted to barge straight in. Kick down the door and hold the man I loved. But Tadhg and Eava had been wary for a reason.
So instead of charging ahead, I inhaled a deep breath, swiped my clammy palms down my skirts, and knocked. “Rían?”
“Who is that?” a voice asked.
Afemininevoice I didn’t recognize. I threw on a glamour, just in case.
“No one.” Rían clipped. “I’m wrecked. I’ll…um…I’ll see you in the morning.”