Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
“I am your friend, sweet Bibi,” Bris says. “We will help you. But we’re going to need some help from you as well. Why were you afraid of Rhys?”
“I wasn’t afraid of him, My Lord,” Bibi says, her voice tremulous. “I was afraid for him. I was afraid he is here to steal something and will get caught.”
Danny huffs. “Well at least we know who’s leading the rebellion.”
“You know Master Lee?” Bibi asks.
Oh, I know him well. I thought sending him to Hell with Kelsey would save him. Apparently his counterpart here is going to be every bit as troublesome.
Chapter Thirteen
Shy
I follow Rhys out of the magnificent rooms that apparently belong to an evil version of his papa. Cassie gives me a long look as if asking if I need backup.
I do not. I apparently don’t need a machete to take out what Rhys can send my way, so I’m pretty comfortable having this throwdown in complete privacy.
Well, as private as anything can be when there are probably always eyes on us.
That makes me worry. “Maybe we should leave the palace if we’re going to talk.”
Sasha hasn’t checked all the rooms yet, and I worry that the butterflies I see all around are actually pixies, and I know how we use them as spies.
Rhys stops in the middle of the hall and turns my way. “I have a charm my sister gave me. When I activate it no one I’m not making eye contact with will be able to hear us. Are you worried about the pixies?”
There are several on him right now—a brilliant blue one on his shoulder and a couple more clinging to his arms. “Sasha uses them as spies. It occurs to me the king might do the same.”
Rhys’s head shakes. “They hate the king. They followed Papa and I in and they are trying to ensure no one from the king’s council sees them. Apparently they have not been welcome in the palace for a long time.”
“How are you hearing them? You used to require a wolf or vampire to tell you what they…” It hits me. “You are more attuned to them since your ascension.”
He gestures to his shoulder. “This one is called Hallow. He’s mated to the queen. She sensed our presence the minute we walked into the sithein. They are well aware we aren’t who we look like. They are begging us to save Ostara. They think the king is going to kill her. Papa is not well liked here.” He stops for a moment, listening, and then his face falls. “Seriously? Ugh. I will never hear the end of it.” He looks my way. “Also, they work for the rebellion which is led by the king’s actual bastard son who is a famous thief.”
Despite our precarious situation, I snort. “Lee’s here, then.”
Rhys huffs and continues toward the rooms we were given. “Yes, and I’m sure he’ll cause an enormous amount of trouble. My brother as a full Fae is likely as annoying as he is as a vampire king. Come along. We have things to talk about.”
Yes, we do. “I’m not staying with you in that room, Rhys.”
He opens the door and invites me inside. “Where else would you stay, wife?”
He put me in that corner, though the way some of these males look at me, I find a bit of comfort in it. When we entered the palace, the staff was surprised and obviously terrified. But the courtiers seemed delighted their decadent king returned so soon. They looked all the women in our party up and down like they were sizing up how much fun they could have with us. I noted a few high Fae women, but they mostly ignored us.
I also noticed they whispered about Zoey. Almost like they knew her, too, but when Dev introduced her, they seemed like it was the first time meeting her. Something is off, but before I could try to figure it out Rhys put an arm around me and declared me his wife.
I hate it when the only way I can feel safe is to be connected to some powerful man.
“I can stay with Cassie.”
His head shakes. “Cassie is with her brother and father. Neil doesn’t want to split them up. She has two men watching over her, and Mom has Papa and Dad. Sasha is next to us, and I assure you he’ll be listening. Now tell me what I can do to make up for being a massive ass.” He reaches for my hand and takes it between both of his. “Shy, I’m not handling this well. I’m on edge, and I’m not even sure why. The minute I walked into this sithein…”
His hand feels restless on mine, and my heart rate ticks up because I have a good inkling of why he’s on edge.