Page 201 of The Fallen Fae King

Aurelius’ cheeks flame in outrage. “I made that nest.”

“It’s beautiful,” I concede. “But you’re also the person who claims that our other Alpha is your best friend and promised not to hurt him.”

“Have I laid a claw on him?”

“You should have been a fae.” Daire looks impressed. “You’re brilliant at loopholes.”

“You haven’t hurt him,” I grit out, “but you’ve let Wraith and the other Guild assassins torture him. You’ll watch whatever these sick Imperial Games are to celebrate our wedding.”

Aurelius storms to the bed.

His shadows coil out of him, winding around Daire to shove him off me.

Daire’s eyes light with vicious joy. “I was hoping that you’d try a move on me. But I don’t need to act fangless anymore.”

Daire’s own shadows weave out of him, blocking Aurelius’. His wings flap, shimmering with magic. Although he is still weakened by the iron in the walls of the palace, he isn’t holding back like he has been up to now.

Aurelius stumbles in shock.

Fire kindles in his eyes, before he tries to snatch Daire by the scruff of the neck and drag him away from me.

Daire twists, crouching in front of me like an enraged cat.

“Try it,” Daire hisses, “and discover that every time I bite, it isn’t pleasurable.”

The two men fix each other with sharp gazes.

I glance between these two deadly men, pushing myself to sit up. “Are you putting on a gladiatorial battle for me? Hot as it would be to watch, especially if you stripped naked and added oil, to see who won the right to fuck me, I’d rather that I took both of you into my bed. By the Shadow Gods, however, I want Lanlin, and that means that he survives the fucking games tomorrow. Why don’t you just order them to be halted?”

“I could do that.” Aurelius never looks away from Daire like he’s daring him to make another assassination attempt. “Except, Maximinus has announced the games everywhere, in front of the entire Shadow Court. It confirms our marriage as official. My entire plan to take down this empire depends on my strength. Stopping a spectacle like that, which will delight the nobles, to save an enemy does not look strong.”

“Why did I bloody trust you?” Daire is shaking. “You mean to kill Sin.”

“I don’t.”

I draw my knees up to myself in shock.

Aurelius’ expression is unreadable.

How can I save Lanlin?

Suddenly, my eyes prick with tears.

What the fuck can I do?

“You said that I could choose a wedding gift,” I say, quickly. “The death of those traitors didn’t count, right?”

Aurelius’ brow furrows in confusion. “You know that I would give you anything in the realms.”

Trap set.

I tilt up my chin. “I want Lanlin’s life.”

Aurelius sighs. “I already swore not to take it.”

“Now, I’m asking you to save it.”

Daire twists to me with a flap of his wings. “I was wrong before. You’re the one who should have been born a fae.”