Both guys were nodding, but when my eyes hit them, they realized it wasn't enough. "I swear!" the first said.
The second coughed again before managing to say, "I vow that I will say nothing about your family, rank, title, or position, Your Highness. We're loyal! We did this for you!"
"Bullshit," I growled, turning to leave.
But as I reached for the door, Ms. Rhodes stopped me. "Is Aspen ok?"
My hand clenched on the knob. "She is now." Pulling in a breath, I turned back. "There is one thing the four of you can say - and I hope you say it often. Aspen Fox is dear to me. I will destroy anyone who touches her. If you think you are saving me from myself, think again, because I do not need to be saved. Aspen is a part of my plan, and you - or whoever the fuck convinced you to do this - almost ruined it! Tell them that. Make it clear that I will not have my hard work compromised by foolish peasants who think sucking up will get them a title.Iwill hand those out, and those who get in my way will be left on Earth to rot."
The four bowed so low their heads were on the ground. They couldn't talk because of the promise they'd already made, but they were definitely groveling. Looking up at Ms. Rhodes, I lifted a brow as if to ask, "Good enough?"
Without waiting for her response, I finally left. Anger was rolling through me. Those idiots hadn't said much, but they'd avoided enough for me to know there was a real problem. So, the moment I was back in Liam's office, I told my friends exactly what had happened.
"But who would do that?" Rain asked.
Keir began listing off options on his fingers. "The Children of the Exodus, of course, but also the Summer Court, those who wish to be on the Summer Court, those who believe killing off Winter magic will make them have more power, those who are loyal to the Queen, those Torian's pissed off, those who think the Hunt will stop if Aspen's dead..."
"We get it," Hawke assured him. "Basically, most people here."
"Fucking stupid," Rain grumbled.
Aspen just sighed. "Tor, this means they know, doesn't it?"
"That someone does," Wilder said.
"The Silent," Rain said. "That's what the last group called themselves. Sounds like they're part of the Children of the Exodus. Tag said they're the ones doing the gesture."
"But," Hawke pointed out, "they might not be the only threat. I'm pretty sure Harper and her mother weren't related to the Children of the Exodus, and they called the Hunt on Aspen."
"This!" Aspen hissed, catching my eye. "This is why I didn't want that fucking crown, Tor."
"And if you didn't take it?" I asked. "Then what, Asp? I'd get it? All your power would go straight to my mother? And Wilder's. I don't even want to think what that would do to Hawke, Rain, and Jack!"
"Morrigan," Jack cawed.
Which made me grumble again. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Rain said, "that my magic is made from yours. It is the answer, not another problem. Hawke's too, I'm guessing?"
"I don't actually know," Hawke admitted. "I get it from the sidhe, so it's different from yours."
"But I get fueled by them too," she countered, just as the door to the office opened.
All of us jumped, spinning around to see Liam and Ms. Rhodes make their way in. Politely, Liam gestured for Ms. Rhodes to take the chair behind his desk. He headed to Aspen, moving close enough to check her over himself.
"We have a problem," Ms. Rhodes said. "Those four were vowed to silence. Torian decided to step in and make it worse. Now I know basically nothing about who sent them, why, or what their goal was."
"But they won't do it again," I pointed out.
"They won't be alone!" she snapped, slamming a fist down on the desk. "Listen to me. If someone is willing to attack Aspen, they won't do it alone. Harper didn't. Her mother didn't. Nowthat they know who you two are? They will be even more careful, so if you think there are only four people involved in this, you're an idiot of a prince."
"A little harsh," Liam chided.
But Ms. Rhodes was staring straight at me. "I think he needs harsh to get this through his thick head."
"I think," Rain said calmly, "that throwing blame around does nothing to keep Aspen safe. Or Wilder. Besides, Torian's not the only one who's worried. He's just the one who can do something about it."
My head whipped over to see her standing there. Rain's dark brown hair fell in loose curls down her back. Her chin was up, and the crow on her shoulder looked like an adornment that belonged right there. The girl had all the beauty humans were blind to, but also something else.
