These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows, #2)(41)

“Then what have we been fighting for all this time?” Jalek asks, and at the same time, Kane says, “Think of the future of the court. Think of—”

“Sebastian’s a good male,” I say, cutting them all off.

Everyone goes silent, and all eyes in the room turn to me.

“You’re the last person I’d expect to defend him, after all he did,” Pretha says.

“And you of all people should understand why he did what he did.” I shake my head. “I’m not defending the decisions he made, but I would venture that you’d have done the same in his position.”

“I wouldn’t have given you the damn potion,” Jalek says, his voice deadly soft. When I meet his glare with my own, he says, “Never doubt my appreciation for the way you saved me from the queen’s clutches, Princess, but with all due respect, there are bigger things at stake here than your broken heart.”

“Don’t be a dick, Jalek,” Pretha says.

Jalek shrugs. “I won’t change who I am or what I’m willing to sacrifice for this fight just because you think she’s too fragile.”

“I’m not,” I say quickly, straightening, all too aware of Finn’s heavy gaze boring into me. “I’m not fragile, and I’m not worried about my broken heart.” Don’t they understand that Sebastian’s betrayal isn’t the only reason for my heartache? “My very existence may mean the destruction of an entire court. Every Unseelie child who is vulnerable to the queen is at risk simply because I breathe.

Because of a decision that was forced on me. Trust me when I say I understand the stakes.”



The meeting with Finn and his people leaves me feeling dizzy and overwhelmed. As everyone stands from the table, Pretha turns to me, but I dodge her and leave the room, heading straight to my chambers.

As the subject turned to the various locations and numbers of their forces and allies, I tried dropping my shield to see if I could feel Finn and Kane the way I feel the Unseelie children in the settlement, but all I accomplished was feeling Sebastian. He’s in trouble. I don’t know why, and I’m not familiar enough with the workings of this bond to be able to say where he is, other than far, but an undeniable sense of dread crept over me. Now I can’t stop thinking—worrying—about him. And I don’t want to worry about him. I don’t want to give in to this temptation to drop my shields altogether so I can monitor him throughout the day.

When I reach my bedroom, Holly’s waiting just outside the door. Her eyes light up when she sees me. “May I bring you fresh coffee, milady?”

I shake my head, marveling at how odd it is that attentive servants are a normal part of my life now—not that anything about this situation is normal. “No, thank you,” I say. “I just need a few moments before I head to the settlement.”

“I’ll prepare a lunch basket for you to take along.”

I open my mouth to tell her that’s not necessary, but then snap it shut again. I need to let her do her job, no matter how uncomfortable it makes me. “Thank you, Holly. That would be wonderful.”

As I step into my room, a weight lifts from my shoulders and I let out a long breath. I shut the door behind me and collapse against it.

“Stressful morning?” an all too familiar deep voice asks.

I don’t bother to straighten or open my eyes. Honestly, when it comes to him, I’m better off without my sense of sight. “What are you doing in my room, Finn?”

“I was simply waiting for you, Princess.”

Now I do open my eyes so I can narrow them at him. He’s standing at the window, hands tucked into his pockets as he stares out at the view. My gaze sweeps across his broad shoulders of its own volition. He’s removed his cloak and tied back his dark curls in the time since our meeting, as if readying himself to work—or fight. “How did you get here before me?”

“I believe you call it magic?”

My eyes widen, too shocked to be annoyed by his sarcasm. “You can travel—like a goblin?”

He grunts and turns to me. “Goblins would be offended to hear you suggest anything of the sort. I can move from one part of a room to another or from one floor to the next. However, if you’d like me to magically whisk you away from here and take you to Unseelie palace so you can visit your beloved, I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

I set my jaw, determined not to take the bait. “Why did you leave the palace? Why give it to him?”

He strolls toward me, and the room suddenly feels far too small for the two of us. Dreams aside, the last time Finn and I were alone together, I was holding the knife I used to kill Mordeus and trying to convince myself to use it on Finn. I couldn’t. Part of me knew, even then, that he was no villain.

“The palace belongs to no one but the land, and sleeping there doesn’t make one significant. No more than sleeping in a witch’s cellar makes one insignificant.” He shrugs, those eyes scanning every inch of me. “As you already know.”

A protective instinct surges in my chest. “Sebastian’s not . . . insignificant, ” I spit.

Finn’s eyes widen in mock innocence. “I didn’t say he was.”

Growling, I stomp to my armoire. I wanted to have a few moments of peace to digest everything.