But he didn’t.
All he cared about was the throne, to hell with everyone else.
“Get away from me, you horrible, horrible creature!” A sob shook through her body as she pushed hard at the Prince. He was rock hard and solid, but somehow, she found enough strength within herself to force him to move. His eyes widened slightly, and he opened his mouth to speak.
But Bree wasn’t going to stick around to hear any more of his horrible insults. She was done with Prince Taveon and this realm once and for all.
It was time to claim her freedom and get the hell out of this miserable place.
Chapter 43
Taveon
“What in the name of the forest have I done?” Taveon dropped his head into his hands, regret and horror churning through his gut. Bree had come storming into his room, demanding explanations he wasn’t prepared to give. She had gotten so close to the truth. The horrible, miserable truth he’d been hiding for so long that he’d snapped.
He’d let his panic get the better of him. His fear. And his pain. It was as if she’d found a wound, one that had scabbed over but only just so. And then she’d scratched it until it bled all over again.
But regardless of how he might have felt, what he’d done was so wrong that he felt physically sick from it. The look on her face when he’d spewed all that nonsense he didn’t mean...it made his heart clench tight in his chest. Her body shook with silent sobs, and he’d sworn he’d seen her eyes fill with tears.
“Taveon, you monster,” he muttered to himself. All this time, he’d tried to convince himself that he was better than his father. And yet, he’d yelled horrible things at a girl who had tried so hard to mend the broken bridges between them.
And Rafe...his old friend would never forgive him for this. He’d never approved of how he’d treated Bree since bringing her to the castle. And Taveon couldn’t blame him. In his attempts to keep a wall up between himself and his champion, he’d formed a twisted kind of black hole that sucked everything positive about him away.
He couldn’t continue on like this. He couldn’t let Bree storm off, thinking that was how he really felt about her. He would come clean, if that was what he had to do. Perhaps it was time to trust the girl who was fighting for him. Perhaps it was time to open up to someone other than Rafe.
But even if he didn’t tell her everything, she had to know that he didn’t mean anything he’d just said.
In fact, he felt the opposite, as strange as that was. Over the past few weeks, Bree had shown him a different side to humanity, one that was far from the violent selfish creatures he’d always imagined. His father had always spoken of humans as if they were annoying little insects who waged war and who would continue to wage war until they were all gone. But that was so far away from everything Bree Paine was. She was kind and smart and fierce. And she was tough.
And yet Taveon had taken that and thrown it right into her face. He’d broken that strength with his horrible words.
He had to make it up to her.
Taveon shoved open his door and strode with purpose through the castle until he reached Rafe’s quarters. But when his old friend opened up the door, Rafe’s immediate question was, “Have you seen Bree?”
“That is why I am here,” Taveon said, his heart clenching at how Rafe would react when he found out what Taveon had said to Bree. “I am looking for her. I need to...apologize.”
Rafe let out a sigh and shook his head. “What have you done now, old friend?”
“I said some things I did not mean, and I need to make it right.”
“Well, she is not here,” Rafe said. “Check with Ethne. I know they went for a walk together earlier. But don’t worry. The guards must be with her. They certainly are not here.”
Taveon nodded, scanning the corridor. He hoped the guards were with Bree. But she’d been so upset when she’d run from Taveon’s chambers. What if she’d tried to evade them? What if she’d gone off by herself and was wandering the castle alone? Or worse...what if she’d left the castle entirely so that she could head back to her realm? The Wilde Fae could easily get to her on that path. And if the assassin was biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike...
“We need to form a search party,” Taveon barked. “I fear she is not safe. Her life could be in danger.”
Instantly, Rafe had a sword in his hands and had joined Taveon in the corridor. The two of them strode toward the barracks where they would find some guards to join the search. Taveon could scarcely believe how scared he felt. And, this time, it had nothing to do with the crown or his upcoming battle. He no longer cared if Bree fought for him. He would gladly give all of it up just to know she was safe.
If and when he found her, he knew exactly what he would do next. It was the only course of action. The only path he could take. And he could not believe he had never considered it until now.
Taveon would tell Bree everything, and then he would give her the freedom she deserved. She would no longer have to fight as his champion.
Chapter 44
Bree
“Lord Dagen, I have something to share with you.” Bree stood just inside his doorway, her entire body brimming with an undeniable anger. The Prince had finally pissed her off one too many times. Only this time, she had what she needed to put a stop to his reign once and for all.
Dagen put down a small dagger he’d been sharpening, and he stood from his desk. “Do come in. Guard, you can wait outside.”
The guard shut the door quietly, leaving Bree standing alone in the room with Dagen. A part of her wasn’t certain she’d go through with this after all, but another part was determined to get Taveon back for everything he’d said and done.
“What is it you wish to tell me, Bree?” he asked.
“I have the information you said you wanted. The information that will help you stop Taveon from becoming King. The information that will free me.”
“Interesting.” He tapped his dagger against the table. “Do go on.”
“First, you need to swear that you will stay true to your word.” Bree sucked in a sharp breath, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. “I’m only telling you this because you promised that I could go free if I found this information for you.”
“It depends on the information,” Dagen said slowly. “If it is truly what you say it is, and it will stop the Prince, then I swear it to you. I will escort you to the Faerie Ring myself, and I will make sure no one follows.”
Bree let out a heavy sigh, her entire body trembling from the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She had no loyalties to the Prince. She owed him nothing, and he deserved nothing. All he’d done was make her life a living hell. Just because she caught a few glimpses of humanity from him didn’t mean that there was anything more there than the corrupted soul of his.
There was nothing else for her to do now but tell Dagen the truth and return to the realm where she truly belonged.
“That day Taveon brought me through the Faerie Realm and into Underworld, I attacked him.” Bree lifted her chin and met the fae’s eyes across the room. She’d been too scared to tell a soul before, but now she knew the real truth about why the prince had wanted her to keep silent. Not for her own good but for his. “Obviously, my attack didn’t kill him, but I had enough time to run away. He caught up with me though. By flying after me.”
Dagen arched a brow and leaned forward. “His wings? Well, that is certainly something. Not a single soul has ever seen the Prince fly before now. He must have been very keen to have you come here.”
“Yeah, well. Here’s the kicker. His wings weren’t red. Not like his father’s.”
Immediately, Dagen was on his feet, his eyes alight with a strange, twisted kind of hope that made a pit open wide inside of Bree’s stomach. Suddenly, she felt as though she’d made a terrible mistake, one she wished she could turn back time and take back.
“They weren’t red? What color were they?” His eyes gleamed as they caught
the firelight.
Bree shifted on her feet and frowned. For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to say the truth, even though she’d been the one to come here and tell Dagen in the first place. “They were black, I think. Just like all the other fae. All I really know is that they definitely weren’t red.”
“So, he is not Midas’s son.” Dagen practically fist-pumped the air. “Bree, you have no idea what you’ve done. This is incredible news. Taveon is not the King’s son. I should have known. He’s never been anything like his father.”
“What are you going to do with this information?” she asked in a small voice as she watched the Lord pace back and forth in his study excitedly. “You won’t have him harmed, will you?”
Dagen stopped short. “Harmed? Of course not. This just means his claim is no greater than any other of Midas’s bastards. In fact, it’s less so. And there are many of them. It means we have a fighting chance to find the best ruler for this realm and get him on that throne. No one can stand in our way now, especially not Taveon.”
Bree still felt uneasy, and a strange lump had formed in her throat. “Don’t do anything to him. I think he means well, you know.”
Dagen cocked his head, furrowing his eyebrows. “You believe this, even while you are giving me information that can prevent him from taking the crown?”
“I guess. I mean, he’s still the same asshole he’s always been, but I don’t think it would be right to torture him over this.” Because even if the Prince could not be killed, he could certainly be harmed.
“Bree, you should not concern yourself with matters of the Court any longer. You have done your task for me. Go get anything from your quarters that you wish to take back with you. I shall return you to your realm tonight.”
Bree went back to Rafe’s room, but she didn’t pack a damn thing. For one, there was nothing she would want to take back to Otherworld, not from here. There were the dresses and the fighting leathers. The flowers on the nightstand. The soft pillows and sheets. All of that belonged here though. In Rafe’s room. Not back in Otherworld, in a stuffy castle not too unlike this one.
She sat down hard on the bed and stared at the floor. What had she done? In her fury toward Prince Taveon, storming straight into Lord Dagen’s room and telling him everything had seemed like the only logical decision in the world.
But now...now it felt like the worst thing she’d ever done. Yes, he had said terrible things to her, and she’d felt as though she needed to spill all his secrets as revenge. But it had not been sweet revenge at all. It had only been bitter.
None of it made her feel better. In fact, she felt so much worse.
It felt even worse than stabbing the Prince in the chest.
The door creaked open and footsteps sounded on the floor. “Bree? Thank the forest. Taveon and I have been looking for you everywhere. He’s called an entire search party, thinking you’d left the castle. He said you two had a fight...”
Tears were streaming down her face now. The sound of Rafe’s kind, familiar voice had made all her bottled up emotions break like a dam inside of her, and now they were pouring out of her painful eyes.
“Bree, what’s wrong?” He was by her side in an instant, the mattress squealing as he joined her on the bed. “What did he say to you to make you so upset? He said you had a fight, but he didn’t tell me it was this bad. Do I need to go throw him around a bit? He might be my oldest friend, but I won’t hesitate to put him in his place if he’s done you a great wrong.”
“Oh, Rafe.” She sobbed around her words. “It’s not Taveon. It’s me.”
“What do you mean?” His hand found her back, rubbing her skin as her sobs shook her body.
“I’m the one who did wrong, Rafe. I’m the terrible person. Not Taveon. Not this time.”
“Bree.” Rafe’s voice was gentle, but she could hear the edge to it. “Tell me what’s wrong. I cannot do anything to help you unless you tell me.”
Sniffling, she finally tore her gaze from the floor to meet his silver eyes. “I told Dagen about Taveon’s wings.”
All the blood drained from Rafe’s face, and the hand on her back ceased any movement. “Please tell me I have heard you wrong.”
Bree shook her head so hard that strands of her hair slapped across her face. “I told him. I told Dagen about his wings.”
Rafe jumped up from the bed and jammed his hands into his hair. “You told Dagen that Taveon’s wings are silver?”
“No.” Bree sniffled. “I just told him they weren’t red.”
Rafe’s entire body seemed to sigh in relief. A strange reaction, considering what she’d just told him. “So, you told Dagen that they weren’t red.”
“Yeah, not like his father’s wings. He figured it out, Rafe. He knows that Taveon is not Midas’s son, and he’s going to use that information somehow. To find Midas’s bastards, I’m guessing. To put one of them on the throne instead.”
“Why, Bree? Why did you tell him?”
Bree sighed and dropped her head into her hands. “I don’t know. Taveon made me so mad. He told me that humans are horrible creatures that deserve everything they get. And he told me that we’d never, ever be friends. I just...lost it. I got so mad that I had to do something, and Dagen promised me freedom if I could find out something to help him keep the throne away from Taveon. And then we had that fight. I just lost my head and went straight to Dagen’s room. I shouldn’t have done it. I’m so sorry. I know I’ve ruined everything for you both.”
Rafe’s lips pressed together, and he gave a solemn nod. “I am not angry at you, Bree. But I am not happy either. Lord Dagen promised you the freedom you want. Are you going to take it?”
Bree met Rafe’s pained eyes. He was hurt, she knew, because she’d turned her back on Taveon. And now nothing would ever be the same between them. How could it be? Taveon would now be challenged, all because of her. The truth he’d been hiding all these years would suddenly be known to the entire realm. And it was a terrible truth, one she imagined he’d carried around with him all this time.
“I imagine that Taveon never wants to see me again,” she whispered. “Or, at least, he won’t once he finds out what I’ve done.”
Rafe flinched and glanced away. “So, you will take your freedom then? You want to leave Underworld?”
She knew he wanted her to say no. And, in truth, she wished she could. But she didn’t know how she could stay now. Not after everything that had happened. Their moments spent together had always been on borrowed time. Rafe had known that and so had Bree. And now, her time to go had come earlier than she’d thought.
It would hurt to leave Rafe, but it would hurt so much more to stay.
“I think I have to go home, Rafe.”
His jaw rippled, and he stood. Tears filled her eyes when he wouldn’t even look at her face. “I will leave you to get prepared for your journey home then. Feel free to take any clothing you like. I know you have been fond of some of those dresses. They are yours if you would like to have them.”
And then, with that, he was gone.
Chapter 45
Rafferty
Rafe found Taveon wandering around the Great Hall with a wild look in his eyes. Oh, his poor, fiery friend. Once again, Taveon had given in to the side of himself that Midas would have been proud of. The side that cut others down. The side that made them feel as though they were mere ants in comparison to his beast. Rafe understood that Taveon did not mean a word he said to Bree. He’d panicked, hearing that she’d put two and two together about his wings.
And then he’d lashed out, hoping to drive her away from him.
Well, it had worked.
It was a fact that hurt Rafe far more than he wanted to admit. A part of him had hoped that her affection toward him would cut through the terrible things that Taveon had said and done to her. But the damage had been done, and Rafe had to accept that he wasn’t enough to get Bree to stay in Underworld.
She was probably halfway back
to her home already.
He would never see her again. He would never again gaze into those fiery blue eyes. He would never again hear the sigh slip from her lungs as he kissed her.
Rafe ground his teeth together and threw up the mental shield around his thoughts. He had to stay strong now. Taveon was going to need all the help he could get if he still wanted to take the crown after this.
Rafferty waved down his friend, and Taveon was across the room in the blink of an eye. “Have you seen her?”
“I am afraid I have, old friend.” Rafe grimaced. He did not know how he was going to break the news. The crown would no longer be his, not if Dagen had anything to say about it.
“What do you mean you are afraid you have?” Taveon’s grin spread across his face in a lighthearted expression that Rafe rarely saw in the Prince these days. He looked so much like his younger self now, the adventurous Prince who wanted nothing more than to explore the lands beyond this castle. That Prince had been lost to the one he had become now. Perhaps this misstep was a blessing in disguise. A chance for Taveon to find the male he used to be.
“She went to Lord Dagen and told him that your wings are not red like every other male fae in the Kavanaugh family.” A pause. “She did not tell him they were silver, but it is damaging enough that he now knows you are not Midas’s son.”
“What?” The smile fell away, and Taveon paled. “She told Lord Dagen? But why would she go to him? Why did she not go to you?”
“Apparently, he promised her freedom.”
Taveon’s jaw rippled as his entire body tensed. “He promised her freedom. Of course he did. That is what he’s been after all this time. Information that can keep me off the throne. I knew he was using her. I knew it. He pretended to care for her, all to ruin my chances of sitting on that throne.”
A Cage of Moonlight (Dark Fae Academy Book 1) Page 23