House of Lies and Sorrow (Fae of Rewyth #1)(48)

“My brother gets mad about everything,” she said. “I try not to take any of it personally. Like you said, he’s an asshole.”

I nodded my agreement as she pulled me around the corner and up a grand, spiral staircase. Just like everything else in the castle, it was covered in vines and greenery.

And like every other time we had walked the halls of the castle, the other fae completely averted eye contact.

“Why don’t they look at us?” I whispered. “Nobody ever looks at us when we’re walking through this castle.”

Adeline gave me a knowing smile. “It’s because they know who they’ll answer to if we ever find a problem with them.”

That made sense. “The king?”

She laughed quietly. “Your husband, princess.”

I let her words sink in. Nobody ever looked at us because they were afraid of what Malachi might do?

“If Malachi is so big and tough, why does he let your father boss him around like that?”

Adeline rolled her eyes. “See for yourself.”

We turned the corner and I nearly dropped to my stomach.

Because we were literally on a balcony, overseeing the same meeting room we had all been in yesterday.

Malachi was standing in the middle of the room, with the King sitting in his throne like the leader he was.

“Don’t worry, they can’t see us,” she whispered.

“But can’t they hear us?”

“Not unless they’re trying to. And since they don’t know we’re here…”

“Fine, fine, fine,” I said. “Let’s just be quiet.”

Adeline nodded and we inched closer to the balcony ledge, hiding ourselves from sight as the King's voice echoed off the walls.

“You didn’t seem too pleased about my announcement yesterday,” he said.

I couldn’t see Malachi, but I could almost picture him rolling his shoulders back and lifting his chin before he responded, “What makes you say that?”

The King laughed. It was low and ugly. The type of laugh that made you want to bite your own tongue.

“I know my own son, and I know when he’s not pleased with me.”

“Is that not what you want?” Malachi challenged. “Does it not please you to have your own son unhappy?”

“I’ve done plenty to make you happy, boy. I would remember that before you go mouthing off if I were you.”

“Mouthing off?” Malachi laughed. “Is that what this is to you? If I remember correctly, it was you who called me here, father. If you would like me to leave then please just say so.”

The amount of silence that followed was enough to send chills down my arms. Adeline and I both froze.

“I want to know what was so important that you and your new wife had to leave Rewyth last night,” the king finally said.

Shit.

Adeline snapped her eyes to me, but I just shook my head.

Not now.

“It was personal business for Jade,” Malachi replied with a bored tone.

“And what makes you so interested in your wife’s personal business?” He asked.

“Probably the fact that she is my wife, father. I made vows to her. And she to I.”

“And those vows somehow make you break the treaty we have with the humans?”

Malachi released a long breath. “We did not interfere with the treaty in any—"

“But you did!” He yelled. Adeline flinched next to me at the sharpness of his voice. “You knew I would not allow you to cross the wall so you did so without my permission. Is this correct?”

The ground rumbled, or maybe I had imagined it.

“That’s correct,” he answered after a few painful moments.

Adeline’s eyes were wild as they stared into mine. Was this normal for them to be fighting like this? Was the king usually this mad at Malachi?

I wondered how many other times Malachi had snuck into the human lands. And how many times he had gotten caught.

Something told me this wasn't the first time.

“You continue to disobey me after I give you everything. I’ve given you a life. I’ve given you a wife. And now I’ve given you a kingdom. When does it end? When does the disrespect end?”

Malachi took a breath. “I respect you, father. This has nothing to do with that.”

“Doesn’t it?” he asked. “I think this has everything to do with respect, son. Your brothers have no problem obeying me. They never have. Perhaps one of them should inherit the kingdom, no?”

“We both know I’m the best one to rule the kingdom,” Malachi responded, his temper began to unravel. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me, father! You asked me to get married not once but four times, and I obliged happily every time. You ask me to do your dirty work, and again, I oblige. Every. Time. No questions asked. You sit around and use me as your weapon, and I let it happen. Happily. Because you are my father and you are the king. My wife asked me to go to the human lands, and I obliged, because she is my wife and she has given up everything to be here with me!”

“Given up? You really think that human scum had a better life in her human lands? This is an honor for her, Malachi. This was an honor for each of them, even if the first three weren't strong enough to survive here!”