These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows, #2)(71)

“It’s not the same.”

“You’re not in love with her? You didn’t bring her here to introduce as your betrothed because you want to make sure the people from your homeland accept her by your side? There’s not a part of you that’s hoping to get Mother’s blessing on your relationship to your brother’s bonded partner?”

Finn remains silent and reaches for a fresh bottle of wine. He refills his glass. “You know what brought me here.”

“I know what should’ve brought you here. I know how desperately your people need to see you after all these years. Those who weren’t forced into hiding were scared, praying that their prince would come home, but you didn’t even visit. Not once.”

“Coming here would’ve put the entire village at risk. Mordeus would’ve loved an excuse to lay siege to Mother’s favorite place. I stayed away to protect everyone here.”

She swallows. “I know that, Finn, but not everyone understands. There are some who feel abandoned.” She shakes her head. “You truly intend to celebrate Lunastal by honoring your brother’s bonded partner?”

“He’s not my brother.”

“Oh, I suppose that’s true,” she says, draining her own glass. “Since your father disowned you.”

“You press your luck, Juliana.”

“I speak the truth.” She takes the crystal goblet from his hand and drinks from it. Handing it back, she lifts her gaze to meet his. “You are my prince and the rightful heir. Long ago, I pledged my allegiance to you and swore to put your future on the throne before my own life. That hasn’t changed.

But I also know that you’re here looking for solutions, and you might not like what you find.”

“You might be surprised by what I find,” he snaps.

Juliana cocks her head to the side. “What do you mean by that?”

He’s quiet for a long moment. “What do you know about the tethered?”

“Your line?” she asks.

Finn swallows hard. “My line back before we were on the throne. My line before Mab’s line died out.”

She shakes her head. “Not much. They were servants to the crown. Highly powerful, trusted, honored, but exploited as well. Vessels for our rulers.”

“Have you heard of anyone being tethered since—to the crown or otherwise?”

“Why are you asking, Finn?” Her face pales. “Surely you don’t believe— It’s impossible.”

“I don’t know. I dismissed the possibility for weeks after she arrived, but I’ve felt it from that first moment I stepped close to her. It’s there—a connection that’s unlike anything else. And she draws from me. Has from the beginning. I blamed it on the crown before, but . . . that’s not it.”

“But she still has the power of the crown, if not the crown itself. Perhaps it’s rooted in that— rooted in your destiny to carry that power yourself.”

“Have you ever heard of such a thing happening?” he asks.

“No. But it’s more reasonable than to think the gods would’ve tethered you to some random human.” Juliana’s jaw goes slack and she shakes her head. “Tethered,” she repeats, as if the word itself is a wonder. “I don’t believe it. I think you’re fixated on her and trying to excuse your lustful thoughts . ”

Finn grunts. “Trust me, I have plenty of those, but that’s not what this is about. I can’t explain it.

When she uses extraordinary amounts of power, she pulls from me. I get weak. When she first became fae and used her power to escape the Golden Palace and lock everyone she left behind in darkness, I thought I was dying.”

“This has happened again? Since?”

Finn nods. “Yes. She used a great deal of power when the capital was attacked. At the same time, I was in the palace suffering one of these spells. I’ve been searching for another explanation, but I keep coming back to the same thing.”

“I almost thought it was a myth. An excuse the old queens used to keep their lovers close.” She blows out a breath and shakes her head. “I think you’re out on a limb. If you’re tethered to anything, it’s the throne.” She meets his stare and holds it. “And you are not meant to serve that throne, Finn. It was made to serve you.”

“It was made to serve Mab’s line, not mine.”

“But her line is gone, and she trusted your father’s line to rule in their stead. Don’t doubt our Great Queen’s will.”

“I don’t.”

“So if Mab tells you to kill them both—the girl and Ronan—and claim the throne for yourself, you’d do it?”

Finn stares at her for a long time, and I throw my hand over my mouth and bite the inside of my cheek as I wait for his reply. I know I shouldn’t trust anyone—that I never can as long as I have this power—but I can’t accept that Finn would consider killing me and Sebastian to claim the throne for himself. The idea hurts too much. But could I accept it if it would save thousands?

“She won’t,” he finally says. “The magic of the crown would keep it from passing to me even if I were willing to consider it, so don’t make me answer an impossible question that will never be relevant. If I’m right, and I am tethered to Abriella, you understand what that might mean for the throne.”