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Shaking her head, Bree took two steps back away from the Lords. “So, you’re going to donothing.”
Smiling, Conlan grabbed a glass of wine from a passing servant before crossing the space to press it into Bree’s hands. “No, I am going to enjoy myself. And you should,too.”
“Do what you came here to do, Bree. Mingle. Make sure everyone thinks the King is fine. And keep an ear out for anything that might point toward whoever is behind hiscurse.”
Bree curled her fingers tight around the wine glass and tipped back her head to empty the contents into her mouth. The bitter liquid burned her throat as it slid into her stomach, but it didn’t stop her from grabbing another and drinking it just as fast. When she was done, she wiped her sleeve against her lips and stormed away from the Lords who still watched over the proceedings in the corner with their nonchalant expressions pasted across theirfaces.
They might not care about Fillan’s warnings but Dagen would. She needed to find him. Quicklybefore—
A massive body stepped in front of her. She glanced up.Eurig.
With a frustrated sigh, she pressed against his chest, but he didn’t budge even the slightest. “What are you doing, Eurig? Can you please get out of myway?”
“Somehow, you get even ruder when you drink.” He lifted his chin, eyes glittering. “Where are you off to in such a hurry? I saw you sneaking behind the tapestry and then back, and those Lords over there did not look particularly happy to seeyou.”
“None of your damn business,” Bree snapped before letting out a heavy sigh and pushing at his chest. “Move. It’s important,Eurig.”
His eyes flicked across her face, and he frowned. “Something iswrong.”
“Yeah, noshit.”
“Tell me, Bree,” he said in a lowvoice.
“Why would I tell you of all people?” she asked. “You’ve done nothing but convince me that you’d rather see this Court burn down than anythingelse.”
“That is not true.” Eurig’s gaze went razor sharp, and he nodded, as if he suddenly understood every thought whirring through Bree’s mind. “Is someone indanger?”
Bree sighed. As much as she hated to fill Eurig in on what was happening, she knew he wasn’t going to leave her be unless she spilled. “Everyoneis in danger. There have been reports of an attack planned for tonight. I need to find Dagen or Rafe and tell them what’s happening so they can get everyone out of heresafely.”
Eurig gave a nod, and suddenly he was all business. “You take that half of the Great Hall. I will take this one. We will find the others more quickly if we split up. What should I tell them if I find them first? Who isattacking?”
Bree shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t know anything but what I’ve toldyou.”
Eurig regarded her carefully, his expression full of wariness. “Some might say you don’t have anything atall.”
“You going to help me ornot?”
Eurig gave a nod and disappeared through the mingling crowd. Bree watched him retreat, and she couldn’t help but notice how the muscles in his back rippled as he moved. He was a strange one. Something in his existence as an outposter had hardened him to the rest of the realm. He liked to put on a big show, but Bree wondered exactly what he was hiding beneath his gruff and angryexterior.
Bree turned and made her way in the opposite direction. She cast her gaze around at the horned fae, sizing each one up as the potential attacker. But none of them stood out to her more than any of the rest. With their masks and their horns, they all look lookeddangerous.
When Bree had first come to Underworld, she had feared these fae. They had seemed monstrous to her, and she had been certain they were capable of far worse things than the most despicable humans were. But she’d been wrong. While some of these fae were indeed full of dark things, they held the darkness far differently than humans did. They embraced it, and they learned how to use it without letting it take over their minds. The Dark Fae knew the power of the darkest parts of themselves without becoming a part of the darknessthemselves.
Except for some of them, of course. Some were just evil, but that had nothing to do with the kind of fae they were. Bree had quickly learned that there are evil beings in every realm, as well as good ones. Humans, Light Fae, Dark Fae. There are good and bad amongst themall.
A fae shoved past Bree on his way to the buffet full of a million different kinds of drinks, meats, and vegetables. Dagen had really pulled together an impressive feast for the celebration, but all of it would be for nothing now that an attack was imminent. And she needed to find him or Rafe before it was toolate.
A head of thick silver hair bobbed through the crowd that surrounded the musicians who were playing a lighthearted version of the Song of the Moon Tree. The fae were all swaying to the beat, laughing and clinking their drinks as they whooped in happiness. Rafe was amongst them, looking far more relaxed than Bree had ever seen him. It made her heart hurt. His life had been just as dangerous and terror-filled as hers had been these past few weeks. She’d rarely seen him let go. It was only in those moments, those stolen ones they spent together with no one else around but eachother.
And she missed that. Things had been so chaotic since the coronation that they’d rarely had a moment spent alone. And, deep down inside, she knew that things could only get worse after tonight, especially if they were not able to stop theattack.
When Bree reached him, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. He whirled toward her with a smile, silver eyes lit up like a full moon’ssky.
“Bree,” he said, wrapping an arm around her back and pulling her close. “I have been looking for you everywhere. Where have you been? You are missing thecelebration.”
She breathed him in, reveling in the scent of him. “Unfortunately, the celebration needs to end a little early. Fillan just showed up, Rafe. He warned me that someone plans to attack the Court tonight. Here. Now. During theball.”
Rafe’s eyes slightly widened and he pulled back, dropping his hand away from her waist. “You have been speaking to Fillan? Again? I thought we warned you about the assassin. He is not to be trusted, Bree. Especially not about an attack on theCourt.”
