“I can scream if you like.” I offered earnestly.
Cormac groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“What if we make it more challenging?” Liam cleared his throat. “The Fomorians, versus the Princelings. If they get past the city limits without being eaten, they’ll be free to go.”
I told myself that Liam was trying to help, that he had seen Shay and Rainn fight the fomorians with ease, but it did little to soothe me.
Balor sucked her lips between her teeth. “Fomorians?” She scoffed. “Mindless beasts. No. Something more challenging. Something cunning.”
“I’m not sure—” Liam sat up, interrupting.
Balor snapped her fingers. “TheOilliphéist.”
“No.” I shook my head. “That’s not part of our deal. You’ll get the Dagda’s magic, but theOilliphéistis—”
Shay Mac Eoin stepped forward. “We accept the challenge. If we can defeat theOilliphéistand get out of the city limits, we’ll go free. Yes?”
Balor shot me a knowing look, smugness radiating from her every pore. “See, Maeve. They’d rather face theOilliphéistto protect themselves than to risk anything for you. Mate bonds mean nothing. Otherwise, they wouldn’t dissolve upon death.”
Nuada tried to lift herself, but fell back on her face. Cormac stepped forward and pulled her over his shoulder. No one moved to stop him.
“Unless they don’t know what anOilliphéistis?” Balor rounded her eyes. Her glamour flickered, revealing her face to be nothing but a mask. She was not Undine; instead, her skin was a thin membrane, like that of a jellyfish. Inside, writhing darkness.
My breath locked in my chest.
“Dragons of the water, theOilliphéist.” Balor tittered. “The Old Kings hunted them all to extinction. They used to farm the beasts, too. They eat Fae, younglings especially. Belisama condemned them from existence, but a collector amongst the Hags of Goren sold one for the price of a Siren’s wings.”
Nuada’s wings. I realized.She’d used Nuada’s wings to buy a dragon serpent.
“You really hate the Tuatha Dé Danann. Don’t you?” I whispered.
Balor, who had seemed relatively self-satisfied until that moment, paused as if considering the question for the first time. “Well, of course I do. They take and take and take. They have the Aos Sí, they have the magic and the reverence of the Sídhe, and they still came to the Domhain to take it!”
Balor’s strange form snapped back into the genteel, delicate face of an Undine courtier. Her brow creased with irritation. “I don’t have all day!” She snapped. “I’ll accept your bargain.”
“I will sit on the throne, and in exchange, you will allow Shay Mac Eoin, Rainn Shallows, Cormac Illfinn, Tormalugh Shadowhock, Liam Cruinn, and Nuada to leave the city limits.” I reiterated, refusing to look away.
“Just so.” Balor nodded impatiently.
“May I say goodbye?” I dipped my head, trying to look suitably cowed.
Balor rolled her hand and turned back to the table, picking up her cup and draining the glass in one swallow. “If you must. Don’t take too long.” Balor flounced into the nearest seat. “Go on then.” She demanded, turning to her son. “I suppose you’re going to join them.”
“Would you care if I did?” Liam asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.
“You’re my son,” Balor stated. “You are my joy, and my blood.”
“I can’t tell if you believe that, or if you’re simply pretending to have emotions.” Liam cocked his head to the side.
“Why not both?” Balor chuckled.
I took her distraction as a sign and ushered my mates to the doorway.
Rainn crossed his arms over his chest. “If you think I’m leaving you here with that monster, think again.” He warned. Shay, who had seen my bloody body after my last interaction with the throne, agreed with an angry nod.
“Trust me.” I glanced back at Balor as Liam distracted her. “I know what I am going, and I trust that Shay remembers that story about theOilliphéist.Besides, I need you as far away from the castle as possible. I plan to make Balor very, very angry.”
“You bargained with the Dagda’s magic.” Cormac snapped, his breath low.
