Page 83 of Vicious Kings
"Courting?" Caelyx supplies helpfully. "Yes, I noticed. Subtle as a brick through a window, that one."
I turn to look at him properly. "You hate him."
"Whatever gave you that impression?" His sarcasm could strip paint.
It's the bitterness in his voice catches me off guard, though. I'd assumed their relationship was complicated, but this clearly goes beyond that. He knows I want to kill Corvinus and he still hasn't ratted me out for some reason.
Interesting.
"So when you saved my ass at the shimmer," I say slowly, pieces clicking together, "That was about not giving Corvinus what he wants."
"Oh, it was definitely about not giving Corvinus what he wants." He grins. "Though I'll admit, watching you nearly collapse a pocket dimension on his head was the most fun I've had in decades."
"The summons," I say carefully. "That was you, wasn't it?"
His smile is all teeth now. "I havenoidea what you're talking about."
"Bullshit. And here I thought Fae weren't supposed to lie."
"Seeliecan't lie," he corrects. "I'm only half, which means I can be deliberately vague. It's an art form, really."
He stands, offering me his hand. I ignore it, pushing myself up on my own.
"How?" I demand, falling into step beside him as he starts walking deeper into the gardens, away from the main paths where students might overhear. "How did you summon him to the palace?"
"Our father has particular stationery. Very official-looking. Practically dripping with royal authority." He pulls something from his pocket, a piece of parchment that hums with magic. "I may have liberated a few sheets during my last visit home."
I stare at the parchment in his hand like it might suddenly sprout teeth and bite me. "You forged royal correspondence just to give me five minutes of peace?"
"Among other reasons." He tucks the paper away, that sharp smile never wavering. "You know, if you think rejecting Corvinus is going to make him any less obsessed with you, you're sorely mistaken. I hope you know that by now."
"So I've gathered," I mutter. "The question is why? He could have any other omega in this place."
"My dear brother is a spoiled prince who's never heard the word 'no' in his entire pampered existence." Caelyx starts walking again, and I fall into step beside him because whatelse am I going to do? "Until you. Congratulations. You've just become his new favorite fixation."
"Fantastic," I say, kicking at a pebble. "So I made it worse."
"Oh, infinitely worse." He sounds almost gleeful about it. "But that doesn't mean you can't use it to your advantage."
I stop walking, forcing him to turn back to face me. The gardens are empty here, tucked between buildings older than the rest of campus. There are no witnesses or eavesdroppers. Just me and a prince who somehow knows exactly what I'm planning.
"Why haven't you told anyone?" The question bursts out of me before I can stop it. "You clearly know what I am. What I'm here for. One word to campus security and I'm done."
He tilts his head, those crimson eyes studying me with unnerving intensity. "What, I have to have an ulterior motive? I can't just hate my brother?"
"Bullshit." I cross my arms. "Nobody helps someone for free. Especially not Fae princes."
We stare at each other, the silence stretching. Then he laughs, short and bitter.
"Fine. You want the truth?" He steps closer, close enough that I have to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact. "Here's a little bit of Seelie court trivia for you. I'm actually Corvinus's older brother."
The world tilts sideways.
"You're…what? But you said you're the?—"
"I lie. We've been over this," he sneers.
"So you're the firstborn," I murmur.
