House of Lies and Sorrow (Fae of Rewyth #1)(37)

Whatever softness had lingered in his gaze disappeared. “Let’s go, Jade,” he said in a voice that was rumbling with power. He didn’t wait to see if I followed him before storming out of the room and into the hallway.

“You look beautiful,” Serefin whispered to me as I forced my feet to move. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

Was he talking to himself? Or me?

I didn’t dare to ask. Just kept my mouth shut as Serefin guided me behind Malachi, his prince and my husband, the heavy pit of dread in my stomach growing with every step.





Malachi





The scent of Jade’s fear was about to rip me apart. She knew just as well as I did that if the people in this room wanted her dead, they just might be able to succeed.

Every ounce of my body was on alert. I wasn’t going to let anything surprise me. Prepare for the worst, always prepare for the worst.

For all I knew, we were walking into a death trap.

I couldn’t even look at her, but I heard her and Serefin’s footsteps echoing behind me until we were standing right outside of the solar. I could hear the voices of the others already inside.

We were the last to arrive.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It wasn’t going to happen again. I was going to protect her.

I had to.

Without thinking, I slipped my hand into Jade’s. We had to appear united in front of the court. We had to at least pretend to act like a couple.

Jade just stood next to me, a quick flash of shock on her face before she covered it up. Burying it deep down where it couldn’t hurt her.

Good. She couldn’t afford to feel anything. Neither could I.

I balled my free hand into a fist, nearly piercing the skin on my palm. Serefin nodded at me once before pushing open the doors.

My brothers were seated in the center of the room, around my father. They didn’t even glance at us as we walked inside.

Ignorant bastards.

The other members of the court, however, weren’t as obtuse.

“The man of the hour,” Carlyle said to me, walking forward and holding out his hand.

I smiled in relief. “Isn’t it past your bedtime, old man?” He laughed before turning his attention to Jade.

“And I believe congratulations are in order. It’s a pleasure to have you in this court, Lady Farrow,” he said, bending down to kiss her knuckles.

He was always such a flirt. If he wasn’t triple my age, I might have kicked his ass for it.

But Carlyle had always been good to me. He had pure intentions, which was a rarity for the fae, I had to admit.

It was decades ago when I met him. My father had sent me as a last straw during a war between our countries. He had sent me as a weapon, but I had returned as Carlyle’s ally.

And friend.

A dull ache threatened my chest, but I cleared my throat and buried that memory.

Jade was doing her best to look confident, but she was clearly out of her element, staring at Carlyle like he was some sort of Saint.

“Thank you,” she finally responded to Carlyle. “Although I can’t say everyone has been as welcoming as you.”

She better watch it. Everything we said would be heard by dozens of ears. Ears that would pay millions to watch me burn.

To watch us burn.

And what better way to watch a man suffer than to torture his wife?

No. They didn’t know I cared about her. Saints, I didn’t care about her. But they had to believe that, too. At least here.

“Shall we?” I said, guiding Jade with a hand on her back. We maneuvered through the sea of whispering fae and found our seats at the head of the table.

Right next to my father.

I simply nodded at him, not trusting my own mouth to not say something stupid.

“Princess Jade,” Adonis said. “You’re looking well. It’s a pleasure to see you again so soon.”

A feral growl filled the room, and it took me a second to realize it was from me.

Adonis looked at me as if I were unhinged.

Maybe I was.

“What?” he asked. “Am I not allowed to speak to your wife?”

Jade opened her mouth like she was going to answer for herself, but I cut her off. “This is a court meeting, and Jade knows nothing of the court, so it’s best if you don’t address her at all today. She already has enough to think about. Right, Jade?”

Anger pulsed through my body with every heartbeat.

“As a matter of fact,” I said to the room, very aware of my father sitting just feet away from me, “nobody in this room speaks to Jade. If you would like to address something, you can speak to me about it.”

The twins snickered before one of them, Eli, said, “well what if we want to tell her that she looks expensive? How much are human whores worth these days anyway?” He asked, hardly containing his laughter.

Jade stiffened. The room silenced.

That was all I needed.

I didn’t draw my sword. I didn’t need it. My black wings casted a shadow around me as I stepped forward toward my brother.

His face straightened. He had never seen me this way before. Most of them hadn’t.

This was the Prince of Shadows everyone talked about. This was the prince that was a weapon to Rewyth.

The ground began to rumble. “Control yourself, Malachi,” my father warned, but I pushed his words aside. I kept my focus on Eli, on the words he said.