Page 17 of The Fallen Fae King

Then with a growl, he releases me. “We made a deal.” I am shocked when Lanlin raises his head, and his cheeks are streaked with tears. They hurt me worse than his bite could have. “You promised to serve me. Do fae break deals?”

I shake my head, staring at him in shock. “We break hearts, but we don’t break deals.”

Lanlin’s gaze sharpens. “I’ve learned that the hard way. But I’m no longer a fae dazzled fool, Daire.”

I wince at the way he spits Daire like it is poison.

I steel my expression. “This is my fault. Not Freya’s.”

“She knew who you were. I saw it on her face. She has betrayed me too.”

Ice chills my veins. “She fucking loves you.”

“But she lied for your sake.”

“That’s because the adorable idiot loves me too. Tear out my throat. I’m your enemy, but our Omega was only being loyal to her Alpha.”

“Is that what you wish me to do? Forgive our Omega, but punish my Blood Lover? But are you still that?” Lanlin moves with the speed of a warrior to his feet, tearing the bat circlet off my head and dashing it to the ground. “I placed this on my King’s head. You stole it from my Dove.”

I wince, remembering my emerald and bronze crown being torn from my head in Rune Forest, when my world was transformed to feathers, blood, and ash.

I’d fallen as a king that night, losing Ciara, my friends and brothers and sisters in the army, and being captured by Aurelius.

Now, I’ve lost another crown.

Suddenly, I feel hollow.

Lanlin has helped me hide from Freya that I am losing my sight because of my iron poisoning. He protected me in the Hunt. He was prepared to make me an equal King alongside Freya as his Queen.

Except, that was when I was Dove.

I was an idiot to dream that anyone would see or respect me: King Daire.

I killed Lanlin’s ma, but she was trying to kill me and the other fae kids in battle. I’m not ashamed.

It was survival.

Lanlin claws savagely at my glittering obsidian robe, which matches his own.

“This is Dove’s robe.” Lanlin rips the robe away, as his moths flutter against my cheeks in accusation.

Hurt makes me shudder.

Lanlin is stripping me of everything that connects me to him. He is rejecting me, while grieving his loss of Dove.

I hate that I can’t hide the scars that wind around my pale skin like ivy.

Did Lanlin ever understand me? Respect me?

Did he only care about my fake, sweet act as Dove?

Daire — rogue, bandit, and rebel — would never have been accepted into his royal vampire nest.

“Good luck returning the crown or robe to Dove when he never existed.” I narrow my eyes. “I’m here, however, and it may not mean a fucking thing to you, but I am sorry that it looked like I was betraying you.”

“You did betray me. Void! I betrayed all that I am to take you as my King. I was prepared to give up everything…”

“And I wasn’t?” I bare my sharp teeth.