Reaching Answers (Artemis University #8) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,67
knew this future was a possibility.”
“Yes, thank you, I know that as well. I spoke with Meira about the plan to get Tamsin to your mate. He was a wise choice, but everything went to hell from there it seems.”
Cluym sighed, looking ready to pull out his hair, but what he was alluding to hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn’t even contain my hope.
I didn’t even care that I would out myself as having eavesdropped, taking down my barrier and showing myself to both of them. “You think she never planned for us to truly mate but to have Neldor switch sides, swearing allegiance to the light—which you said transfers to me—so he didn’t try to take over the instant I started unfreezing people. She had no idea what age I could get back in and do it.”
Cluym’s gaze stayed on Neldor as he answered me. “Yes. Yes, that’s what I believe, and I’ve told my mate the same. I think Queen Meira proposed the idea to try and bring peace to the realms as her visions were never certain. But if things went the worst path then there was protection for you should she die when she saved us all. She was wise like that, and my heart tells me this truth.”
“You can’t know that,” Neldor hissed.
“You’re right; I can’t,” Cluym agreed, before meeting my gaze. “But we can’t know I’m wrong either, and it kills me that you have the impression of your mother that you do. She would never have sold you. Queen Meira was maybe one of the kindest, most selfless women I have ever met. She was beloved. She proposed an idea, but would never have forced you.”
“She still promised—” Neldor argued.
“You are being as evil as your mother became by pushing this,” Cluym snapped. “You know Meira would never have promised this for Tamsin. You know this. She would not have sold her beloved daughter. She made the promise of hope of an alliance. She could not make the promise for her child. It is against our ways. We do not believe in forcing matings.”
“She still signed her name on the line for something that wasn’t hers to give,” I whispered, trying to swallow the idea that things weren’t as bad as I’d first thought. I didn’t have it in me to hope though after everything had been pulled out from under me once.
We’d never know for sure, after all. Was there any point in even speculating? Fine, it was great to know that Neldor had actually sworn his alliance to the light, meaning it was to me, but I didn’t put much stock in any of that. I couldn’t even accept I was the heir.
“No, please, you have to understand what I’m saying and stop listening to his poisoning of you against your mother,” Cluym begged me as he moved closer. “He has an agenda in this, and I wish to be fair.” He waited until I nodded. “It is against our ways, unlike supes. We do not push for alliance matings or selling off our children like you have seen with the elite children at Artemis.”
“He is right,” Neldor sighed. “And I tried to explain some of this, but she would not even listen to me.” He shrugged when I shot him a nasty look. “I didn’t say it was unfair. You should listen to those more knowledgeable than you though.”
“I do. The ones I can trust,” I sneered. I gestured between them when he tried to object. “My magic was warning me something big was going on here. That’s how I walked in on this. You were pulling shit again, Neldor. I’m not an idiot for unfreezing dark fairies next. Of course I know you’re going to try to sway them to your cause. I don’t care.”
“What?” he whispered.
Cluym chuckled at his shock. “You truly need to start listening to her. Even I know this, and I’ve known her only a short time. Every fairy and fair folk in Faerie could want her to mate you to join the realms and she would not cave if she didn’t think it best for our world.”
I shrugged at Neldor’s gobsmacked expression. “Even then. I’m not for sale. There is always another way. If we’re smart, there is always a better way than the one in front of us, but time might limit us. So try and sway all the fairies you want to your side. The only thing it will