Everett
“Murder has its merits.”
Everett Gathin, An Observation
“Ishould have killed him.” Should’ve cut that Seelie bastard down right there in the city square. Painted the cobbles red with his blood. Impaled him on one of those strange poles with all the ribbons.
Gryffin pats his mount’s head, scanning the fog for signs of trouble as the rest of our group disappears into the thick layer of gray, making the slow, painstaking trek back to camp. “You never should have gotten involved in the first place.”
“And that pig never should have laid a hand on Kerris without her consent.” If that had happened on our side of The Divide, any witness would have been honor-bound to take the male’s hand. Instead, I was forced to stand by and do nothing but make threats.
Gryff’s head swings toward me. “And if he laid a hand on herwithher consent?”
Then I still would have killed him, but in secret. Nice and slow. Bled him within an inch of his life, then healed him with water from the well and gutted him like the animal he is, feeding his entrails to the beasts that roam these woods.
Maddox nudges his mount closer to mine. “Do you even know who he is?”
No, and I do not care either. “All their males look the same to me.” Soft middles, round faces, and tiny, flat teeth.
“That, my friend, was Prince Ronan Reve.”
Gryffin curses and folds a hand over his forehead with an exasperated huff.
It would be my luck that the Prince of Willowhaven set his eyes on the only female I have ever truly wanted. My only solace comes from the fact that, if Kerris were interested in him, she would not have given me that disgusting pie after her cousin explained what it meant.
“I do not care if it was the king himself.” No one should be allowed to get away with treating a female like that.
Gryff snorts. “You do realize that all they have to do is destroy the bridge and be done with us, right?”
That is exactly what I said to those fae who left their posts all those nights ago. How quickly I forgot myself…
Maddox shakes his head. “They would not dare. We have a treaty.”
A treaty that is nothing more than ink on paper, easily destroyed, much like the bridge connecting our world to theirs.
“If it is all the same to you, I would rather not find out,” Gryff shoots back.
Even if I had known he was the prince, I still would have intervened. Having a crown does not give him the right to put his hands on a female whenever he wants, especially when she expressly forbids it.
Kerris looked so small against him, so helpless.
If anything, tonight should have proven that I have no business even entertaining the notion of her.
Tell that to my stubborn heart.
I can feel Gryff’s gaze boring into the side of my head, no doubt judging me for all that has happened. “Did you know the two of them were involved?”
“No.” Although it should not surprise me. Kerris is a rare beauty, and her heart has no malice. Any male would be a fool to look past her and not at least consider her as a mate.
“This complicates matters,” he goes on. “Kerris Dawn is not just some random Seelie female. She is being courted by the heir to the throne. One day she might be queen. What can you offer her?”
I try to ignore his question, but the truth in his words pulses through my ears like a drumbeat.
“He makes a good point,” Maddox chimes in, still smiling but not quite as widely. “Your cock will only get you so far.”
What do I have to offer Kerris besides a life in exile from her friends and family? She would never survive on our side of the canyon, and I would never be welcome on hers.
The reality of our situation has never seemed so bleak.