Page 23 of Royal Hunt
My right hand snuck forward, and briefly touched the tips of Ellis’s fingers hidden at his side. He seized my hand in a crushing grip, but otherwise didn’t move. The rest of his body stayed frozen, facing forward. The realization hit me hard; he was scared.
His fear somehow gave me courage. It was like I needed to be calm so that he could be calm. If one of us had strength, then maybe both of us would. Having a purpose grounded me.
“You may be wondering why the fae ended up on your shores all those centuries ago. It has been nearly a millennium since we first arrived, hasn’t it?” Cassus asked the redheaded fae, a twisted look of pleasure on his face.
The redhead nodded, bored. “Yes, about a thousand years ago we made our first drop-off, abandoning the first group here and cutting off their magicks forever.”
I snuck a glance at the heirs in front of me, their shoulders revealing just as much shock and confusion as the crowd.They didn’t know. I glanced at Ellis, but his face was still a blank mask. His grip around my hand remained firm.
“I see you’re having trouble connecting the dots, so allow me to assist,” Cassus drawled. “This entire continent exists for us as a penal colony. Your precious royalty and their progeny are legally our prisoners, and all of you are their unwitting jailers. Once every century or two, we visit to keep an eye on things, as well as to commence the Royal Hunt.”
The line of heirs collectively froze except for Viana, who hadn’t let up in glaring daggers at Cassus this entire time. It was the same expression she’d had when I first saw her riding down the road. The look of resignation, but determination.
She'd known.
I don’t know how, but it was obvious she knew. Her face hadn’t twitched once this entire time. One of the triplet princes stepped forward, snarling at Cassus. “This is madness. You’re mad. Let us go!”
Cassus made a casual gesture with his hand, and the prince violently smashed into the ground from an invisible force. The crowd gasped at this powerful display of magick, and a few women in the back shrieked and cried. A man called out from the crowd, “May God have mercy on your soul!”
Blood trickled from the back of the prince’s head, and he wobbled crazily as he tried to stand. His brothers reached to steady him as Cassus tilted his head to the side curiously, staring out at the crowd. We all waited, still with fear—quivering in silence, like a mouse who’d been caught in the open by a snake.
Cassus barked a laugh, so loud and sudden most of us jumped, me included. Ellis’s hand tightened around mine, and I squeezed back.
“God?” He laughed. “GOD? It’s remarkable how gullible you all are.”
The red-headed fae strolled forward, picking his nails with a dagger. He leaned against a stone column. “Just tell them already. I’m getting hungry,” he remarked casually.
Cassus gave a long, drawn out sigh. “I admit I had my doubts when Ferar suggested we see just how gullible the humans were, but it took less time than I’d imagined for you all to fall victim to the new religion. Only a generation and a half! It is remarkable how short your memories are. It was highly entertaining.”
I saw Trenton shake with rage from the front as angered muttering broke out in the hall. My palms were damp, and a strange excitement built in my chest as they hissed to each other.
Yes, get angry. Fight back. Free the heirs.
Cassus didn’t seem fazed by the change in the crowd; rather, he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. “Humans are fascinating. It only takes a little bit of hardship to make you desperate. Sprinkle in a few ounces of hate, and it’s astounding how quickly you turn on each other. It’s dreadfully amusing.”
The crowd was loud now, shouts and swears hurled toward the fae as the temperature in the room increased. Cassus and Ferar’s amusement only grew.
Trenton gathered his guards around him, and a few of the other rebel leaders from neighboring realms did the same.
“I don’t think they’re taking us seriously,” Cassus commented easily to Ferar, who never looked up from his nails.
“They never do,” the red-head shot back, finally sheathing his blade and looking up to scan the crowd. Cassus raised his hands and with a single clap, everyone in the hall was frozen. Everyone except the heirs. And me.
Cassus’s gaze was deadly, his voice a low murmur. “Now that I have your attention, listen closely. You are not a threat to the fae. You are not a threat to me or Ferar. Hell, you aren’t a threat to most fae young, still clutching to their mother’s breasts. Do you understand?”
Panicked eyes met his declaration, and then he released them all. The sound of gasping filled my ears, and with horror I realized they hadn’t been able to breathe when Cassus had frozen them. I must have started shaking because Ellis’s thumb rubbed a soothing pattern on the inside of my palm.
Right, keep each other calm.
I refocused, and got control of myself in time to watch a few of Trenton’s men stomp toward the dais, swords drawn. Ferar became a blur of motion. One second he’d been leaning against the column, and the next he was on the opposite side of the room. He wasn’t breathing hard, and didn’t have any weapons out. The men who’d charged forward stood still for a moment, only to crumple to the ground with their hands clutched to their necks. Blood flew as they fell into a heap, their throats expertly slit.
Shit, Ferar was fast.
No one screamed. What was the point?
“And to think, we didn’t even use magick. Do I have your attention or not?” Cassus snarled.
The crowd took a collective step back.
