Thaddeus’s breath seized. How had he missed Cael’s return? Slowly, he opened his eyes, trying to relax his muscles without raising his brother’s suspicions over his internal conflict. For the sake of his pride, he fisted a hand around the hilt of his dagger, a silent reminder of why he’d come here in the first place.
Cael closed the magically repaired door, engaging the lock, and returned to the living quarters of this so-called condo. A meager place, rather despicable, considering the high ranks they both descended from. Cael had so much promise as a youngling, right beside Thaddeus. Though theirparents remained impartial to Fae politics, their powerful bloodlines didn’t go unnoticed by High Fae or prominent Fae nobles. Thaddeus secretly knew ’twas the reason for the attraction Daeanna felt toward him in the beginning. The initial draw.
There’s no delaying the inevitable.
First, he needed to find out how deeply involved Cael was with the two women. He’d hate to dispose of mortals unnecessarily—if they posed no threat to the pureblooded Fae—but he would, to preserve the Seelie race. ’Twould be in the best interest of all involved.
In your name, my sweet Daeanna.
Cael stepped up to him, yanked at the hand holding the hilt of the dagger, pulled it from its sheath within the blink of an eye. “I think you’ve caused enough chaos tonight without bringing this cursed piece of metal out again.” With a deft flick of his hand, he sent Thaddeus’s blade straight into a far wall, the dagger vibrating with the force of impact. “I was serious about striking you down should you dare bring another weapon at me, or anyone within my circle, carrying ill intent.” Cael flashed him a threatening smile, one that caused the silver of his eyes to shine like moonlight and rake Thaddeus’s nerves down to the core. “Stop flexing, brother. Now maybe we can speak like civilized adults.”
“’Tis not I causing problems for our kind, Cael. ’Tis your choice of leisurely pastimes”—Thaddeus lifted a brow and shot the empty sofa a pointed look—“which brings you under scrutiny. What is it you’ve been biding your time doing with two mortal women?” His lips curled back to hide the conflict that surged before he added, “The one saw you through your glamour, yet you claim the other to be your mate?”
Cael blinked slowly, his face a mask of unreadableemotion. Thaddeus held his gaze, burning the sincerity of his accusation into his reckless younger brother. Goddess, he truly didn’t want to kill his only living kin, but if it meant keeping Daeanna’s vision alive, then he would somehow…some way…
’Tis Grison challenging you to do this. Not Daeanna.
A sleepy sensation gave a little twist in his chest.
Forget not who’s trying to control you.
“Oh, Thad. You’re more delusional than you were two hundred years ago at the start of your little escapade with the devil princess.”
Thaddeus hissed, power thrumming along his veins in preparation of launching an attack. Cael flung up a hand, boasting his own powerful magic in the form of gray smoky tendrils pouring out of his palm.
“Stop flexing your power,” he said. “I’m growing weary of this infantile boxing match.”
With a growl, Thaddeus regained control of himself.
Cael absorbed his magic and crossed his arms over his chest. “Stop blaming me for complicating matters on your behalf. It wasn’t me she saw, Thad. It wasyou.” His gaze lowered and a mischievous grin touched his mouth as he brought his attention from Thaddeus’s groin back to his face. “It’shardto deny something so evident. And you, brother, present with fartoomuch evidence that she does something to you. Oh, the irony, since you despise humans so much, to be fated to one.”
Thaddeus locked his jaw to keep from grinding his teeth. The ache that followed up the sides of his face matched the chaos stirring in his mind. And body.
The Goddess would never fate me to the very creatures I despise.
Cael tipped toward him, his brows lifting. “And regardless of your dealings over the last century, I’m willing to wager that my head will stay very much on my shoulders and Rori will stay very much alive. Becauseyou, Thaddeus, still have a heart buried deep in the muck that bitch buried it beneath.”
“Is this your wager, then?” His lips curled at the corners of his mouth, a mixture of scowl and grin.
Cael took a pointed step toward him, followed by one more.
Thaddeus’s cruel grin stretched as he made the single step to close the gap between him and his brother. In a quiet voice, he promised, “Your head shall be held before Grison by week’s end indeed. Mark my words.”
Energy hummed like a soft caress between them. Thaddeus folded his hands behind his back, keeping the ebb and flow of power between his own fingertips. He’d allowed his emotions to take control of his actions since he’d arrived in this pathetic abode. He possessed more control, more cunning, than these fledgling maneuvers that could get him killed.
Harden the walls around your mind.
Whatever flashed across his face caused his brother’s eyes to flicker with the first sign of concern. A mere half-second revelation, but enough to satiate the coldness inside his chest.
“Very well. I believe we have an understanding, aye?”
“No, because I heed no words from this stranger before me. I’ll listen to my brother, not an empty husk.”
“’Tis at the grace of my blade or the brutality of Grison and his men. ’Tis your choice, but my death strike shall be kind.”
Cael snickered, his eyes darkening. Whatever Thaddeus had glimpsed before was nowhere to be seen, or insinuated, now. His brother had a calculating mind that matched his own, and he wasn’t naïve to the possible plans developing.
“You’ve one week, Cael. One week to separate yourself from those women and choose a more righteous path.”
