Radiant Shadows

Chapter 30

Ani had heard and felt everything Devlin shared with Irial. It didn’t mute her grief or rage, but it was comforting to know that she wasn’t alone. Devlin wouldn’t kill Bananach but he wasn’t going to abandon her, and she needed every strong faery they could rouse. She couldn’t lose Rabbit.

Or Irial.

Or Gabriel.

Or Devlin.

She heard the arrival of Gabriel—and with him Niall and Seth. She didn’t want to see them all at once though, so she stepped into Rabbit’s room and waited for Gabriel.

Rabbit sat on the edge of his bed, looking lost. He’d undoubtedly heard the earlier conversation in the kitchen, and he knew as well as she did that their situation was growing increasingly bleak. They didn’t speak. Instead, they waited—and listened.

Irial’s and Niall’s voices were low, but they were here. Knowing the current and former Dark Kings were now both in her home was comforting; so too was the sound of Gabriel’s boots as he came down the hallway.

“I’m sorry,” was all Gabriel said when he came into the room.

“You failed.” Rabbit looked at Gabriel with a ferocity that was matched on their father’s face.

Gabriel didn’t look away from the challenge in Rabbit’s voice. “The Hunt will keep her—and you—as safe as we can.”

Ani shook her head. “Well, since killing War isn’t an option, I don’t really see how that’s possible.”

None of them spoke.

Ani went over, took her brother’s hand in hers, and tugged him to his feet. Reluctantly, he followed to stand in front of Gabriel.

Once Gabriel and Rabbit were face-to-face, Ani said, “Neither of you is to blame. I get the whole blame thing. She killed Tish because of me.” She let go of Rabbit’s hand and stepped back. “I couldn’t give Bananach what she demanded, not my blood or the king’s or Seth’s.”

She saw Seth and Devlin in the hallway behind Gabriel. She caught and held Seth’s gaze as she told him, “I considered killing you, but Irial and Niall wouldn’t like it. There’d be too many other consequences that would please Bananach. But if I’d thought I had to kill you to save Tish… maybe. Probably.”

“We need a plan,” Devlin started.

Seth looked over his shoulder to Devlin for a moment. “I know what I want: Bananach dead.”

Ani smiled. “Seth, I think this the first time I might actually see why people like you.”

Devlin frowned. “We cannot kill her.”

“I know.” Ani looked at him. “So what do we do?”

“The High Court’s assassin doesn’t make the decisions around here,” Gabriel growled.

“No, I don’t, but neither do you.” Devlin didn’t raise his voice or react to Gabriel’s menace. “Do you have any idea what your daughter is?”

“Dark Court.” Gabriel stepped into the hallway. “Unlike you.”

“Devlin!” Ani started toward them, but Rabbit put a hand on her shoulder.

“Wait,” Rabbit murmured.

Seth came into the room, giving Gabriel and Devlin space to sort things out. He reached out to Rabbit and clasped his forearm. “Sorry, man.”

Rabbit nodded. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Ani didn’t want to talk about grief, not now, not ever. She wanted to plan.

She raised her voice, though, and called out, “Irial?”

“Shush, love,” Irial called back. “It’s just territory stuff they need to square away before we can get to business. Let them talk.”

Gabriel and Devlin were glaring at each other.

“That’s not going to end with talking.” Ani sat down beside Rabbit and watched the confrontation.

Her brother put his arm around her. “Gabriel needs to deal with his grief.”

“By beating my…” Her words faded as she tried to figure out what term finished that sentence.

“Your what?” Gabriel growled. He shoved Devlin. “Her what?”

“Stop.” Ani jumped up, crossed the threshold, and stepped in front of her father. “He kept me safe.”

“He’s the High Queen’s thug—”

“Yeah, and you’re the Dark King’s.” She rolled her eyes. “So what?”

Gabriel reached out like he’d move her aside, and without thinking, Ani caught his hand in hers—and stopped it.

His eyes widened, and he grinned. Before she could react, he pulled back his other arm like he was going to punch her.

“I don’t think so.” She ducked and swung, and—for the first time in her life—saw her father actually moved by her punch.

Reflexively, he punched back—not the insulting love taps he’d thrown before, but a true punch from a Hound striking out at an equal.

“You tried to hit me,” she murmured. “You actually tried to hit me!”

“I did”—he touched his face—“and you did hit me.”

She leaned against him. “Finally.”

Gabriel was staring at her with pride. “You got me one worthy of Che. How?”

“She’s barely—if at all—mortal.” Devlin’s voice was even, sounding falsely calm. “Her mortal blood has been consumed by yours, Gabriel. It’s part of why she is so unusual, and—I suspect—because Jillian had an ancestor who wasn’t fully mortal.”

“Huh.” Gabriel scooped her up in a hug. “Still my pup, though. Still not going to hare off on your own again without telling us. Right?”

“I was trying to make sure you all were safe.” Ani feigned a snarl, but she wasn’t angry with him for being protective. It was a Dark Court trait and a Hound trait. “And Devlin and Barry were with me. I wasn’t alone.”

Gabriel lowered her back to the ground. “Barry?”

“I named my steed,” she said.

Gabriel squeezed her shoulder, and Ani felt better.

With a flash of realization, she understood that Devlin had known that a bit of violence would soothe her. He mightn’t have the right words, but he understood her. She looked at him and smiled.

The relief in his expression made her heart tighten. She reached out for his hand. “So, now what?”

Devlin nodded and turned to Gabriel. “If the fighting has calmed you, perhaps we can proceed to the planning?”

“This doesn’t mean I like you any better than I ever did.” Gabriel flashed his teeth at Devlin. “You fail her, and I’ll beat you until you’re begging—”

“If I fail her, a beating will be the least of my pain.” Devlin pulled Ani close to him.

Gabriel paused, nodded at them, and walked to the living area, where Irial and Niall were waiting.

Devlin leaned back into the sofa and watched the others argue. They alternated between sitting on the worn leather sofa and chairs, pacing, and snarling at one another.

Too many kings at the helm.

Irial listened, but he was as forceful as he’d been as king. These were his people, his family. Niall, Rabbit, and Ani were precious to the former Dark King. The current Dark King was just as bad: Seth was as a brother to him.

And I must keep Seth safe as well. For Sorcha.

And Niall. Irial would be dangerous if Niall were to die.

And… all of them. For Ani.

And Ani. Devlin glanced at her. Most of all. Ani must be safe.

The thought of Bananach killing Ani was unacceptable. He understood then, on a very core level, that this was the danger of emotions. If she were killed, he would be willing to damn them all.

“Ani should stay with us,” Irial repeated.

“Think for a minute.” Gabriel shook his head. “You put all the targets in one building… Bananach isn’t a fool. She’ll come at us with everything if we make it that easy.”

“Do you have a better plan?” Irial’s voice didn’t get louder, but everyone in the room flinched.

Niall put a hand on Irial’s forearm. Irial pulled his gaze from the Hound who’d been his advisor for centuries and looked at his king.

“Gabriel’s right, and you know it,” Niall said. “You’re not thinking clearly. Let me handle this?”

For a moment, Irial looked down at Niall’s hand. “I cannot lose anyone else.”

“I know.” Niall did not look away, did not remove his hand. “We all want the same things. Your grief is in the way of your planning. Let your… king look after the court. Trust me?”

“Always,” Irial assured him. Then he left the room and went into the kitchen.

After he was gone, Niall spoke as if there were no doubt. “Ani and Rabbit need to stay together, but Seth cannot stay with them. I can take Seth to Faerie if he is willing to go.” Niall looked at Seth with a gentleness that seemed at odds with the illusion those in Faerie held of the Dark Court. “I won’t insist on your return to Sorcha, but if Devlin is right…”

“It’s cool. I can do more good there, but”—Seth pointedly looked at each of them—“once she is well, I’ll be back here. If there’s fighting with Bananach, I’ll be a part of it.”

Devlin said, “I’m not sure you, Niall, should be away from your court. Things in Faerie are untenable. They are used to seeing me as her voice and hands… if she is as unwell as I fear, I need to go.”

The Dark King looked at Seth, who nodded.

“So Ani and Rabbit come to the house with Irial and me.” Niall’s gaze flicked toward the doorway through which Irial had vanished. “Devlin can deliver Seth to Faerie.”

Ani had stayed quiet far longer than Devlin would have expected. He’d watched her expressions as her life was being decided. He knew that their plan wasn’t going to please her, but he wasn’t going to step in and give voice to Ani’s objections. That wasn’t his place.

She looked at them all. “And then what? We wait? I live in seclusion, under watch forever?”

Irial returned to the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. “Is our company so awful, pup? Niall isn’t always glum.”

She went over to Irial. “You know the Hunt doesn’t do well in a cage,” she murmured. Then she turned to Gabriel. “Could you live caged?”

Gabriel growled. “’S different.”

Rabbit spoke finally. “It’s not.”

Ani flashed a grateful smile at her brother.

Devlin suggested, “You could remain here while I take Seth to Faerie. I’ll return as soon as I’m able, and we’ll keep roaming…. Or come with me now.”

She looked over at her father and then at Devlin.

“Come with me,” Devlin said.

She didn’t speak, and he hated that in the wake of Tish’s death she was having to deal with the consequences of Sorcha’s mawkish behavior. He hated that she had to deal with any of the losses in her life that his sisters had caused.

Irial’s voice interrupted the strained silence. “You are a child of the Dark Court, beloved by the last Dark King and”—he glanced at Niall, who nodded—“under the protection of the current Dark King.”

“And mine,” Devlin added. He walked over to stand in front of her. “Whatever punishment the High Queen would offer, whatever anger she has for either of us, is only on my skin, not yours. She will not ever harm you as long as I draw breath.”

For a heartbeat, no one in the room moved. A vow of such extremity was rare, but to have a High Court faery offer it was unheard-of. His life, his safety, all were secondary to Ani’s now.

Ani immediately said, “No. I release you from—”

“Yes,” Devlin interrupted. He took her hand in his. “My vow, Ani: whatever punishment she might mete out is mine to accept, not yours. I am not asking for anything in return. You are not bound to me or beholden, but you are mine to keep safe. Neither my queen nor my other sister will harm you while I live. My life for yours. That is the answer we have. Should they need blood or death, it is my body that will absorb the strike.”

Suddenly, Gabriel growled. “Move.”

A gust of wind battered the building, and the howls of the Hunt rose up.

Gabriel shoved to the front so that he stood facing the door to the studio. “Behind me.”

From inside the studio, glass shattered.

He tilted his head, listening. “She’s here. Ly Ergs.”

“Back door?” Niall took command. “Devlin, get Seth and Ani to Faerie as soon as you can get passed them.”

Gabriel and Irial stayed facing the studio; Devlin and Niall turned toward the kitchen door. That left Ani, Seth, and Rabbit in the middle, protected on both sides.

Bananach came through the doorway to the studio in a blur of bloody feathers. “What a lovely little vow you’ve offered the pup, Brother… but I don’t see why I need to strike only one of you. The more bodies, the better.”