AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 12
Bree
Bree whirled on Fillan,her heart racing. She pushed him once. Then twice. “What the hell was that all about? How dare you fake kiss me again! You knew they were coming, didn’t you? What’s the point of this? Are you trying to turn the Court againstme?”
“Relax.” He gave Bree a lopsided grin, leaned against the wall, and crossed his arms over his muscular chest. “No need to be angry about the falseness of it. If you would like arealkiss now, I am more than happy tooblige.”
Bree’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t beserious.”
His gaze turned dark, dangerous, and thrilling. Bree shivered as he closed the space between them. “More than serious. Just admit you want a kiss from me, and I will show you the difference in one that is all for show and one that is very muchreal.”
Blinking, Bree shook her head, hating how hot her cheeks suddenly felt. “Stop messing withme.”
“Very well.” Fillan stepped back, sucking all the warmth of his body away along with him. She yearned to pull him back. Because a part of her truly was curious about that kiss. If that toe-curling one had only been fake, she couldn’t imagine how it would feel if he put his emotions intoit…
“I came here to warn you that I have heard an attack is planned for tonight. I do not know what and I do not know when. Or by who.” His gaze locked on Bree’s. “Just know that there will likely be death thisnight.”
Bree shivered, eyes going as wide as the moon. All the heat she’d felt moments before drained from her face. “An attack? Where did you hearthat?”
“I cannot reveal my sources. Not even to you.” He stepped closer once again and dropped the ghost of a kiss on her forehead. The touch made her eyes flutter shut, and she leaned toward him, body yearning for more even in the midst of the terrible information he’d just provided to her. “Be careful,Bree.”
A cool burst of mist swarmed over Bree’s skin, and she opened her eyes to find nothing but blank space before her. Fillan had vanished. Again. But not before telling her that someone had planned an attack on the Court this night. She needed to find Dagen before it was too late. He could alert the guards and clear the Great Hall without making too much of a scene. Panic was the last thing they needed, and if the Court got wind of an impending attack, they would question Taveon’s ability to protect them fromharm.
Bree ducked under the tapestry. Conlan and Branok were already waiting for her. Their faces were twin scowls as they took in her wide eyes, her flushed cheeks, and her lips that still ached for more of Fillan’stouch.
“I assume you are somehow keeping your dalliances with the assassin hidden from Taveon, even with your bond,” Conlan said, pursing his lips. “But be assured, Redcap girl, we will inform him once he returns to the world of the living. We let it go once. We will not let it go again. You are clearly involved with Fillan, and the King needs to know exactly what one of his closest advisors is involvedwith.”
Bree didn’t want to imagine the look on Taveon’s face when he found out she’d been caught kissing Fillan—twice. But she couldn’t also help the thrill that went through her at Conlan’s words. Taveon considered her one of his closest advisors. It was a thought that warmed her far more than she would haveexpected.
“Honestly, it’s not what it looked like.” Or was it? “And there are more important things to worry about right now. Fillan told me that there will be an attack on the Court tonight. We need to tell the guards so they can calmly and quickly clear thehall.”
Branok’s eyebrows lifted to the top of his forehead. “And did he warn you of this alleged attack before or after he took you to hisbed?”
Her neck filled with an impossible heat. “He didn’t take me to bed. It was just a kiss. One that I didn’t ask for, by theway.”
But it had definitely been one she’denjoyed…
“You are new here, Bree,” Conlan said softly, though not gently. “So, you will not be as aware of Fillan’s reputation as you should be. This would not be the first time he lied in order to get a female to do hisbidding.”
Bree gaped at the Lord. “What are you talking about? Lord Dagen said that Fillan never revealed himself to anyone he did not intend tokill.”
“Dagen may have…exaggerated. Most likely in hope of getting you to stay away from Fillan.” Branok and Conlan exchanged a weighted glance. “Fillan may have a reputation as an accomplished assassin, but he also has a reputation with the females. He is…quite popular, it seems, and he is able to charm his way into anyone’sbed.”
“Females,” Conlan said with a bark. “Why they are attracted to an assassin is beyondme.”
Irritation flickered through Bree. Strangely, she felt kind of…jealous. Even though their kiss had been all for show, the way he kept showing up as some kind of wraith-like savior had made Bree feel a little special. But clearly that wasn’t the case if he was making girls around the realm swoon at any chance hegot.
“Look.” She cleared her throat. “There was no taking to bed, okay? Fillan was being serious. There’s an attack planned on the Courttonight.”
Branok and Conlan exchanged skeptical glances once again. “I doubt he was being as honest as you thought he was. Even if he is right, ending the ball early would do far more harm thangood.”
Conlan gave a nod, continuing. “It would only signal to the rest of the realm that something is wronghere.”
“There are guards stationed all around the castle grounds. Experienced males who are far more powerful than a random attacker,” Branok said. “No weapons are allowed in, and no one can get in or out without being vettedfirst.”
“Fillan got in, didn’t he?” Bree pointedout.
Conlan waved his hand dismissively. “Fillan is a unique case. If he wanted to carry out an attack on the Court, putting an end to the ball would not stop him in theleast.”
