Seth leaned forward so his words wouldn’t be overheard. “Are you going to order my death, Keenan?”
“Would you kill for her?”
“Yeah. For her, especially if it was you”—Seth smiled—“but not as a way to win her attention. That’s weak, and she deserves better than that.”
“She’ll mourn you sooner or later. The worry over you saddens her. The maudlin focus on your brief life span distracts her. It would strengthen my court if you were gone already and she were truly my queen….” Keenan’s words faded as he looked at Seth with an unreadable expression on his face.
“If you have me killed, she’d find out, though. Would that strengthen your court?” Seth looked away to watch Aislinn walk through the room toward them. She frowned as she saw them but didn’t rush or do anything obvious.
He turned back to Keenan, who was lion-still again, watching Aislinn too.
The Summer King spoke quietly, “No. Your death by my word would upset her. Tavish recommended it, despite the complications, but I think the dangers to my court outweigh the benefits of your death. I cannot order your removal—tempting though it may be. It would push her further away.”
Seth’s heartbeat sped. Suspecting your death had been discussed so coldly was one thing; hearing it confirmed was entirely different. “Is that why you don’t do it?”
“In part. I had hope that I could be with Donia, at least for a while. Instead, Aislinn and I are both worried over the lovers we can’t keep. It’s not the way Summer should feel. Our court is about frivolity, impulse, and that dizzy blur of pleasure. It’s not love I feel for Aislinn, but our court would be stronger if she were mine. Every instinct I have pulls me toward her. It drives a wedge between Donia and me. We all know that if you weren’t in the way Aislinn would be mine.”
Seth watched the Summer King watch Aislinn. His mouth was dry as he prompted, “But?”
With effort, Keenan pulled his gaze away from Aislinn. “But I don’t kill mortals…even those who stand in my way. For now, I’ll deal with the way things are. It won’t last forever.” He sounded a little sad as he said it, but Seth wasn’t sure if Keenan was sad that Seth was in the way or that he wouldn’t always be in the way. “So I’ll wait.”
Later, Seth would ponder it, but just then, Aislinn slid into his arms.
Aislinn motioned toward Damali. “She’s good.”
They both murmured assent.
“It makes me want to dance.” She swayed in his lap. “Do you want to?”
Before Seth could reply, Keenan reached over and touched her hand. “I’m sorry, but I need to leave.”
“Leave? Now? But—”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He stood slowly, moving with the faerie elegance that seemed to announce their Otherness. “The guards will be outside to escort you…wherever you go tonight.”
“Seth’s,” she whispered. Her cheeks flushed.
Keenan’s expression didn’t change. “Tomorrow then.”
And then he was gone, moving faster than mortal eyes—even Sighted ones—could follow.
CHAPTER 11
Seth wasn’t surprised when Aislinn became restless a few songs later and wanted to walk. She’d been that way before she became a faery. That was one of the things that hadn’t changed—like keeping things from him. She’d always had to keep secrets, and her first instinct when she feared rejection was to continue to do so. Understanding why she was secretive didn’t mean accepting it, though. They’d only gone a block or so when he asked, “Are we going to talk about what’s bothering you?”
“Do we have to?”
He raised his brow and stared at her. “You get that I love you, right?” Seth leaned his head against hers as he said it. “No matter what.”
She paused, tensed, and then her words tumbled out too fast. “Keenan kissed me.”
“Figured that.” He kept an arm around her as they resumed walking.
“What?” Her skin flickered as her anxiety spiked.
“He was being weird. You were weird.” Seth shrugged, but he didn’t alter his pace. “I’m not blind, Ash. I see it. Whatever this tie is between you two is getting worse as summer comes.”
“It is. I’m trying to ignore it, but it’s not easy. But I will. Are you mad?”