Ona said, loud enough to be heard in the tower, “You can never be too sure of that.” Rou shushed her.
Ona was making threats, even if Kear probably would not understand it or be intimidated if he did. Most people outside of this family and this valley did not interact with the fae except to leave offerings or occasionally ask for help.
Zelli was proof that having the fae’s attention was not always a good thing. He had not offended them either, not that he knew of, yet they had done this to him, now, of all times.
“I can certainly imagine many in your family might find it pleasant to stay here.” Grandmother’s tone was still polite, almost kindly. “But the Tialttyrin have a centuries-long tie to the fae. Anyone entering this valley should be aware that it may involve more than perhaps spending time with someone small, with odd-shaped ears or strange-colored eyes.”
“Do the fae frequently visit you?” For one moment, Kear seemed worried, but his smile returned quickly. Zelli didn’t like it.
The threat of the fae’s displeasure did not bother Kear, because it was not much of a threat. Grandmother could not summon the fae on command or make them do her bidding. She could only ask. And the fae did not answer wishes in ways that humans understood, and often not in the timely fashion most humans hoped for.
Kear was smart enough to know that. But Grandmother must have deduced that about him from something in his manner. She had, after all, included him, Tye’s brother, in the potential alliances. In the potential allianceswith Zelli.
Zelli bit his lip and strained to see as much as the Tialttyrin side of things that he could without exposing himself. The sight of Esrin, in her kitchen clothes but wearing mail and a sword, gave him a start. She stood with the guards who were not on horseback. He couldn’t tell if she was meant to be there or not. But like Tahlen, she was going to defend her chosen home.
The figure on Grandmother’s right must have been Ric. The upright figure on her other side had a long braid falling from beneath his helmet. Zelli could not see his face but doubted it would have told him anything. Tahlen hid his emotions most when on duty but also when Zelli pestered him too much or had accidentally hurt him. Right now, his expression would reveal nothing, but he was listening. He would also be aware that this suggested alliance was meant for Zelli.
Zelli had wanted so very much to give Tahlen the things he dreamed of. Now he could have Tahlen, but he could not adore him how Tahlen should be adored. That was why Tahlen didn’t speak of his dreams and said he had no wishes. Losing them was terrible.
“That is certainly something to consider,” Grandmother remarked, bringing Zelli back to the present and forcing him to try to figure out what he’d missed while he’d stared at Tahlen, “on a different day’s meeting. But if such a thing were desired, I would advise you or whoever might be interested in this hypothetical alliance to remember that you would be allying with our family, and they take our duties seriously.”
“The Tialttyrin?” Kear pressed with distant amusement.
“The fae.” Uncle Rou had a mouth full of teeth like Zelli. If he smiled, they would show. “They are our family too.”
Zelli reached for his necklace and remembered again that Tahlen had it. Because Zelli favored him, but so did the fae. They had shown him all of Zelli and they had granted Zelli’s wish for him. Theyapprovedof Tahlen.
The question was then, did they approve of Kear?
“The Villucatto honor the fae as they honor tradition,” Kear insisted politely to Uncle Rou.
“The truth of the matter,” Zelli murmured. “Do they really?”
He became aware of a stillness in the room and turned from the window to find three guards staring at him.
“If the Villucatto do not honor tradition, as they clearly do not, then do they honor the fae?” Zelli explained, blinking. “If they don’t honor tradition and they don’t honor the fae, can they be trusted with anything else? Their word? This valley? The alliance they want?There’sthe answer I need, but I’m not going to wish for it. I’ve made that mistake before. The fae see into the heart of things. Whatever you wish for out loud, the fae will give you what you’re truly asking for inside. Remember that. And that they might not choose the easiest path to get you there.”
“They won’t help us now?” Bree worried.
Zelli gestured weakly. “Perhaps they like this Villucatto. I don’t know. It will have to be discovered.”
“Aye.” Gurn frowned. “Likely the hard way.”
“I’m trying to avoid that,” Zelli admitted nervously, “since I got everyone into this mess and don’t want to make it worse.”
Ivey spat on the ground. “The Canamorra got us into this mess, curse their name.”
Zelli stared at him.
“Right!” he burst out as that idea sank in. “This chaos was caused by one family. Well, it must have existed before, but was hidden, and one family’s selfishness exposed it. We haven’t had a moment of peace since. But that’s what people keep forgetting in their schemes. How long can Tye keep the crown? What if her plans fail? She’s making a lot of enemies and not all of them have been crushed like the Vallithi. In fact, even the Vallithi still exist under the fae’s guiding light. An alliance might be suffered, might be survived. Might even be beneficial—to us.”
Zelli stared at Bree, who stared back at him with the same face she’d worn during the judgments, confused but fascinated.
“Tye has to actually govern once she’s there—and that is where they always fail. Meanwhile, to get to the palace, she’ll have to take all these guards with her to use elsewhere. Kear, or whoever else, would be dependent on a handful of his own. He’d be alone in a place where no one trusts him. He’d besoalone in his alliance, and he probably does not have a Tahlen to stay with him. He hasn’t had to consider that like I have. He doesn’t realize he will have to appeal tous, not the other way around. At least until Tye’s battles are over. If they ever are.”
Bree knitted her eyebrows together. “Do you mean to tie yourself to him? I thought…”
“Maybe he is decent under his posturing. Maybe he speaks to please his vengeful sister, but privately he respects the fae and treats his guards well. I cannot be sure yet.” Zelli really wanted something to chew. He pulled Tahlen’s cloak up to gnaw on part of the lining.
