Aden

I'm pacing the massive royal living room, stewing over what Tarsus is doing to Clav right now. Gray light infiltrates through the wall-length window, gray clouds churning above, a brutal reminder that we don't have much time left before Mother Terra wipes us all out.

I should throw myself in.

I should march up the charred slopes of the Heart of Faerie and toss myself into the fiery depths.

I've thought about it hundreds of times. Imagined walking through the dark caves, thick with the stench of sulfur, thought about what it might feel like to be standing at the pit where the sacrifices are held, peering down the ledge at the orange and red abyss below.

I've pictured myself leaping into the pool of lava, and wondered how quick a death like that might last. There would be searing, blinding pain as the lava burned through my skin and muscle and bone. If I dove head-first, the heat would literally boil my brain and the pain wouldn't last more than a few seconds.

I've done my research.

I look out the window at the volcano as it puffs out a massive plume of smoke. Our month is almost up, and I'm not sure Clav is the savior we need. Not when he doesn't even remember being a sovereign. He's just a human who was taken from his lands to a world he knows nothing about. It's not fair to expect him to confront an evil goddess.

Which leaves the salvation of the empire up to me.

"."

Tarsus' voice behind me makes my body lock up.

"Did you sort shit through like I hoped you would?" I already know the answer.

Their long fingers caress my shoulder, and as much as I want to lean into them, I jerk away, spinning around to face them. "He's innocent."

Their mouth closes, their throat convulsing in a hard swallow while they stare at me like they have something to say. Guilt is written all over their face, and icy fear spears through my chest.

"What?" I ask, horror clutching my chest. "What happened?"

Their mouth opens, then shuts, then opens again. "I…" Their gaze falters, and they stare at the floor. "I was so angry. So desperate for what we used to have, and so furious that he took it away from me when he betrayed me."

No, no, no— "What did you do, Tarsus?"

They meet my gaze, the sorry look in their eyes nearly making me run for Clav's room. "I fucked him, ."

My mouth drops open. "What?" Of all the things I expected them to say, that certainly wasn't it.

"I fucked Clavicle's mouth. Hard."

Relief washes over me. Clav is still alive, thank the gods. But my heart hammering in my chest for other reasons now. "Was it…consensual, at least?"

Tarsus blinks, but their long silence is all I need.

"You've got to be kidding me." Turning away, I dig both hands into my hair. "I had something with him—something real and consensual—and you ordered me out of the room, and did this? Sexually assaulted him?" I gesture angrily with my hand and turn to glare at them. "This isn't you Tarsus."

By the way they flinch, I know my words hit them like a slap across the face. Good.

"Ever since that day at the Ren Faire, you have been different," I add. "More on edge. Broodier than usual. Lost in thought. Ordering me to stay off the battlefield, telling me to leave the room."

They close their eyes. "I'm trying to protect you."

"Damn your protection! Damn all of you trying to protect me! I'm not a goddamn child, Tarsus!" My pulse is throbbing in my throat, but this is too much. All of it. "I might not have powers or strength like you and Wolfsbane and Ash and every other fucking creature in this realm who thinks I should be protected at all costs." I use air quotes at the last part, because I have heard it from their mouths enough times. "But I have held up my own in battle—brought the opposite armies to their knees only a week ago. I've survived in a world where humans are slaves. I don't come to this realm to be protected, Tarsus. I come here because I love the thrill of adventure, even if it's dangerous. And I stay here because I love you."

They blink their eyes open, their head jerking back.

Dragging my hands down the length of my face, I sink onto the black leather couch before the roaring fire. Taking deep breaths, I try to calm my rapidly beating heart.

Slowly, Tarsus walks toward me, kneels in front of me, and places their hands on either of my knees. Fae are generally taller than humans, and even kneeling before me, Tarsus is eye level with me.

"I'm sorry, ," they say in a gentle voice, and the authenticity in their silver eyes tugs at my heart. The gray light from outside offsets the smoky eye-shadow. "I should…I should stop trying to protect you all the time." They lick their lips and look down. "But, I mean, if I hadn't arrived to the inn when Clavicle had you pinned down—"

"He wasn't going to hurt me." I swallow the lump in my throat. "He was pissed. I pushed him to the edge because, like you, I legit thought he remembered everything. I brought his dad into it and touched on a sore topic, and I wouldn't stop, even when he asked me to. He would have stopped himself before he did any damage, though. I know he would have."

Tarsus shakes their head and stands. "That's where you and I will never agree. He remembers, . And the truth will be revealed soon enough. I don't doubt that Clavicle will convince Mother Terra to stop demanding sacrifices. He does care for his empire, after all. But how will he convince her?" They release a short chuckle. "By telling her that if she gives him back his powers, he'll reinstate the sacrifices—or worse, he'll promise to send you in. That's how."

The knot in their throat bobs in a hard swallow. "And if his powers are restored, then gods help us all, because he'll be hell-bent on revenge. I'll be the first to go, there's no doubt about that. You next, to appease Mother Terra and prove his loyalty to her. Wolfsbane and Hemlock will be next, and the Terra Empire will fall into Clavicle's hands. Evergreen and the Lunar Empire will follow close behind, followed by Shiloh's Aqua Empire. And then the world will watch the five empires burn as the Solar Empire and the Spine Empire go head to head over who rules it all."

I stare at Tarsus as they pace before the window, hands clasped behind their back. The firelight glints off the decorative chains on their polished antlers, bright enough to make their long, silky pale hair shimmer. Seeing everything play out in their mind like that helps me understand a bit better where they're coming from. It's not only me they're worried about. It's everyone. The whole damn continent.

If only they could see Clav the way I see him. A sweet, kindhearted boy who wouldn't even kill a spider in his own home. A man who reads smut and dyes his hair hot pink without giving a damn what others think. A devoted son who cares so much about his human father—who isn't even blood—that he would risk his life to protect him.

And right now, that human is facing a difficult decision to either enter the pit of the volcano and reason with a goddess who loathes humans…or be killed by the very people I call friends.

"Let's bring the Cadre in," I suggest. "Let them study him, let them make assessments. Wolf knew Clav when they were both children, and Hemlock knew him as an adult, the way you used to know him. They'll be able to provide more…objective insight that's not blinded by both of our lust for him."

Tarsus snorts, thrusting their hands behind their back and lifting their chin. "I feel nothing for Clavicle."

We both know they're lying.

"But…fine," they concede. "We'll have them over for brunch tomorrow." They wink at me. "Your favorite meal."