CHAPTER 32

"Robin!" an exasperated voice called as I stepped through the spindle of light into Tarron's chamber. I barely had a moment to register what was happening before strong hands took hold of my upper arms. Erix was before me, a broad frame blocking Tarron from view. If the quiver of his deep voice didn't indicate his panic, the pale expression I looked up at did.

"Has something happened?" I asked, wincing as his grip tightened into a pinch at my skin. It must have been something terrible from his reaction. My mind instantly went to Father.

" He took you," Erix growled, body trembling, the darks of his eyes devouring the silver. "What did he do… Where did you go?" With each question, Erix's voice grew raspier and more urgent.

"Always the one for overreacting," Tarron spoke up, voice laced with poisonous sarcasm. "I should have known you would come looking. Could not bear to sit and wait, like the patient puppy you are hired to be."

It was my turn to reach for Erix as he snapped from me and turned to face the Oakstorm prince. "This is all a game to you, isn't it?"

"A game? Do I look like a child, berserker ? You could not even comprehend what this is." Tarron spat the last two words, straightening his posture to add as many inches of height as he could in comparison to the man before him; Tarron would have had to stand on a box to meet his eyes.

I pulled at Erix's arm, working myself between the men. My fists slammed into his chest, demanding his attention, but it only pained me as though I had connected with a wall. Erix hardly looked my way, as though my attempt was futile.

"Stand down," I warned. "Tarron is only trying to help us."

"That is right," Tarron agreed, light and unbothered, as though a goliath was not moments away from throwing fists. "I suggest you calm yourself down, preferably outside this room, before you make more of a fool of yourself. Not only are you without an invitation to this dinner, but you are embarrassing yourself in front of Robin."

His comment caught me off guard, so much so that Erix pushed me to the side and stepped toe to toe with Tarron. There was no getting between them now.

"Speak carefully, Tarron."

"Losing control, are you?" Tarron huffed, lifting his hand to inspect a nail. "I can see the fractures clearer than I had all those years ago."

Spittle flew beyond Erix's paled lips. "Provoke me again and watch me shatter."

"Oh, I would love that. You may not claim it, but you are an Oakstorm-born fey, which makes me your ruling court by birth. And I have a sense that you are asking for a reminder as to what can happen when one threatens someone of, how do I put this? Higher rank."

Erix cocked a fist back, but before it connected, I forced myself between them again.

"That is enough. Both of you!" I shouted. "Erix, I want to go back to my room. Right now."

He ignored my request, his back heaving as he took in shuddering breaths. "This will be the last time you see him alone."

"Tightening the leash are we, Erix?" Tarron almost laughed as he spoke. "How daring of you to believe you can tell an Icethorn what to do."

The string of sounds that Erix replied with could not be translated into words. It was a feral growl that grew in volume throughout his extended exhale. My heart stopped as he reached for the hilt of a blade resting at his hip. Tarron hardly noticed, but I did, and I understood enough of what would follow if Erix acted upon the dark wishes that plagued his mind.

"Enough!" The command exploded from me, sending a rush of ice-cold mist across the room towards them. It made the air crackle as the warmth of the room dropped within an instant, the conjured, frozen winds extinguishing every dancing candle flame and burning fireplace.

The magic came more naturally, without thought or reasoning. My words hadn't been enough to stop the two men, so my instincts willed the next powerful thing.

"Tarron," I said, breathless, body full of magic and the potential it offered. "Thank you for your dinner and the time you have given me."

"The pleasure," he purred, eyes pinned to Erix, "was all mine."

"Erix," I said sharply. I felt his reluctance to look at me in the stiff turn of his neck. Only when his hand moved away from the hilt of the blade did I retrieve the cold magic from the room. "I'm tired and have had enough of this charade. It's time for bed. Now."

Everything about Erix was tense, all but his brows, which melted into an expression of sorrow and embarrassment as he looked at me. His simple reply was all I required from him.

"Is that a command, Robin?" Erix said.

"It is."

Erix snapped to attention, moving from Tarron, who bowed his head in farewell. I caught his smile, not once had it wavered from his face. I mouthed him a quick apology just as Erix came to a stop beside me.

"After you," he said, voice thunderous.

I swept ahead, needing to get out of this room, and put distance between us. Erix followed.

We left beneath a cloud of tension. It was clear Gyah, and every other guard beyond the door, had heard the commotion, but I faked a smile as though nothing was wrong, even though Erix exuded anger as though it seeped from every one of his pores.

Neither one of us spoke until we finally reached my room. I slammed the door, needing to take my fury and embarrassment out on something.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Erix?"

He paced the room, one hand on his head, the other dramatically pointing to the door. "He is what is wrong with me. I should have never trusted that he would not have pulled tricks to get you alone. Anything could have happened."

"But it didn't! I'm fine." We were both shouting. Where Erix couldn't stand still, I felt that if I even took a step forward, I would reach for the nearest thing and smash it against a wall. "Why were you even there? You should have stayed here."

"Because I found something that may help with the claiming. I went there only to share the news and found the room empty. Gyah had assured me you had been inside with him, so I knew he would have blinded you with his magical tricks and lured you somewhere else. Do you know how dangerous it could have been?"

"You are completely missing the big picture. I'm fine. Untouched, unharmed and actually rather pissed off. Why can't you see that and realise your worrying and anger is all a result of your insecurities?"

He paused, looking at me with a face pinched in disgust. "What did you just say?"

"Well, what else could it be?" I laughed. "Tarron has done nothing but present himself to me with respect and kindness. He's given you, and me, no reason to label him as untrustworthy. Yet you fly off the handle at the smallest given thing."

"I am not insecure." His growl sent a cold shiver up my spine. Erix ceased his pacing and walked towards me; his sudden presence thrilled me, even if I hardly dared admit it.

"Then what is it?" I lowered my voice, unable to hold confidence in my shouting with him so close. "Ego?"

"I'm a–" Erix stopped himself, slapping a hand into his cheek until his skin was pink. "It is Tarron. You do not know him as I do. Not even a bit. I have told you what he did to someone I cared about, and I will not let that happen again."

"Maybe he's changed."

"People change. Monsters stay the same."

I stared into his eyes, feeling the weight of his tension; unlike his anger for Tarron, this was different.

There was no arguing my point against Erix's remark without giving away the secret about Father, so I gave him the second reason, the one that was still fresh in my mind. "For someone who wishes for war more than any other, he may have just suggested what I have to do to claim the Icethorn Court."

"It will be a trick," Erix seethed through gritted teeth. "Whatever he says is a lie only to better his own standing."

"I have to bleed for the court," I said quickly, silencing Erix from saying another word. "Just as you said. Magic is in my blood, but it should be my blood. It is just what you had first thought, or what the stories, poems and recollections suggest. And I know it is what is required of me."

I expected Erix to respond abruptly, to tell me I was wrong or what Tarron had said was a lie, as was everything else he believed came out of his mouth. But he didn't. "I really wished it was not true."

"Oh, so now you believe him?"

Erix moved from me and picked a book that lay, pages splayed, on the table within the room. Returning before me, he handed me the open book with a slight shake of his hands. "This depiction is the only similarity to all the books we have searched. Although the words around them, and the style of the drawing changes, they all show the same image."

I looked down at it, noticing the similarity to a drawing that was in the pages of another book I had searched. It was simple, showing the outline of four figures, the first fey. Beneath them, where their bare feet hung upon the page, were lines of flowing water, at least, that was what it could have been, except I now saw it as what Tarron had confirmed. Blood. The figures each had their hands extended upwards as though reaching for something beyond the page, and it was around each of those hands that the artist had drawn symbols. In this book, they held each of the court's symbols. The Cedarfall's burning tree, which I recognised first. Then there was the outline of a stag with a crown of sun between its antlers, a symbol I had seen pinned to Tarron's chest. There were two other symbols, one of which looked like a splash of dark water wrapped around an obsidian goblet, and the remaining one had my fingers reaching for it, a sword piercing skywards through the outline of mountains.

I knew in my heart, which voiced confirmation, that the symbol belonged to the Icethorn Court.

"It was as though the answer was staring us in the face, but we were too ignorant to notice," Erix said as I ran my finger over the drawing.

Finally tearing my focus from the book, I looked back to Erix. "Give me a reason not to do this."

"There is a risk–" Erix couldn't finish his sentence. He didn't need to either, because my mind screamed with the possibility.

There is a risk that I would die . That it would not work, and we were being falsely led by unclear drawings and the words of a prince who, deep down, wished me to fail. Although I couldn't let go of the hope that Tarron did, in fact, wish to help. Monster or not, I believed he could change. I had after all.

"If I don't at least try, I'll live to watch an army ruin the realm which I call home."

"Then we will try together, for it is my duty to keep you safe." Erix took the book from me, closed it, and discarded it to the floor without thought. His stormy silver gaze flickered across my face, his hands reaching up to hold my cheeks as though he wished to keep me before him forever.

"I have never asked you why."

"Why what?" His thumb brushed my cheek in a soothing rhythm.

"Why do you help me as you do? Why are you here? Is it because it is your duty as my guard, and you follow commands that have been issued to you? Or…?"

"Or is it because I care deeply for the brave man before me. It is not an excuse for my behaviour, but it is undeniable, and if I do not say it now, then I may live to regret keeping it from you. I once lost someone I cared deeply for, and when I am ready to share that story with you, I will. But seeing you with Tarron, clambering through that power of his, brought back a memory of the last time he passed through with someone I cared deeply for. They went in, claiming to share that emotion back in heart and soul, only to return again as though I was the vilest, twisted and most hateful person in the realm. Seeing his magic again triggered a response I have fought for years to control." Erix paused, steadying his breathing, and slowing his frantic words. "And it is all because I care for you, little bird."

No one had ever said this to me, not with such honesty as burned from the man before me or the way his gaze pleaded with me to believe him. At first, I was unsure if I could respond. But I breathed, gave in to the face that I couldn't bear to never look upon again and let go of my inner thoughts. I allowed myself to reply with the honesty he deserved.

"I care about you too. I don't understand it just yet, but if you are willing to be patient with me, then I hope I can explore what that means."

"As long as tomorrow is a possibility with you, I would do anything to ensure it."

A tomorrow . A simple sentiment that meant so much to me.

Erix smiled, which settled a wave of relief over me. I wasn't ready to express undying love or mislead him into lying about feelings I was simply not prepared to face yet. But I did care about him, and that was enough for me, and for him, by the look on his face.

"I can offer that," I replied.

"Then I wait for you, for as long as you require."

I thanked him the only way I felt was right in the moment. Stepping up onto my tiptoes, I pulled his face down, the prickle of a beard scratching my palms, and guided his lips to mine. The kiss was tender and soft, with the control of warm wanting kept at bay. Erix trailed his hands from my cheeks, down across my shoulders and to the small curve of my back, where he pulled me into him. Our lips moved as one, allowing our tongues to brush against one another for the perfect balance. Part of me wanted to bite down on his lower lip and spur him to wrap my legs around his waist and clatter into the wall behind us. But for the first time, I didn't need a distraction, nor did I wish Erix to be one. The next time he would have me, it would be for another reason entirely.

It was Erix who pulled away first, before the heat between us intensified into something unignorable. "It would seem we have a plan, finally."

My lips tingled, likely painted pink from the kiss. His were the same, tinged red and lips slightly swollen. "I need to get the message to Althea and Briar. Tomorrow, we head for Icethorn, and then I'll attempt to claim the court."

Erix winced, knowing it involved me bleeding out and the pain that would come with it. "You will succeed. I know it."

I swallowed hard, burying the bile that crept up my throat. "If we go and it works, I come back in time for the Passing and to stop a war. And if it fails–"

Erix stepped in, closing the minimal space, and laying a finger on my lip to silence me.

"We shall face that difficulty if it comes to it. Together."