The Summer King Bundle 3 Stories - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,160

killed Aric.”

“It was.”

Her eyes glimmered. “The next time I need backup, I know who to call.”

Pride swept through me like golden fire. Out of everyone, Faye never doubted my ability to fight and defend myself, even though she saw my thirst for revenge as a risk. She hadn’t just seen me as the Willow to the Buffy, something that had taken a while for Ivy to recognize.

“I’m not sure how I feel about that,” Caden said.

“It’s a good thing you don’t have a say in what I do,” I retorted.

Tanner’s eyes widened while the glimmer in Faye’s deepened.

“But I do have a say in what she does,” Caden remarked.

I shot him a look, to which he simply grinned. Then I remembered what Caden had told me. Ivy and Faye had helped to change my bandages while I was unconscious. “Thank you for helping to take care of me.”

She inclined her head. “You would do the same for me, would you not?”

“Of course.”

“Because that’s what friends do for one another, even human and fae friends,” she said, and a hint of a smile pulled at her lips when I rolled my eyes. “More importantly, that’s what warriors do for one another.”

Warriors.

She was talking about me.

Twice in one day, someone had referred to me as a warrior. I liked that. A lot.

Tanner replaced Faye and took my hands in his. “I am relieved to see you here. We didn’t lose hope that you would be returned, but that hope didn’t lessen our fears. After what happened to you and…and Merle, I couldn’t…” He trailed off, lips tightening in a grimace as he cleared his throat.

A ball formed in the back of my throat as I squeezed his hands. “I know.”

His pale eyes searched mine. “I am relieved to see you up and moving about, but are you sure you’re ready for that?”

“You know,” Caden began as Tanner let go of my hands, “I was saying just the same thing to her.”

“I’m ready. Besides, I think getting up and moving around will help with the whole healing thing. Anyway,” I cut in before Caden could reply. “I hope I didn’t interrupt your meeting,”

Tanner appeared as if he wished to say that I had, but he seemed to know better than to say that in front of Caden. “Not at all.” His lie was so smooth, it brought a faint smile to my face. I knew that Tanner liked me—well, liked me when I wasn’t calling Caden names. But I also suspected that he would not be pleased to learn that there was a relationship between Caden and me. Then again, I imagined he already knew that something was going on. “We were discussing a few important details—”

“That can easily be discussed later,” Caden interjected. I had a feeling it was about Caden’s impending engagement. I doubted that Tanner knew it had been canceled.

The male fae nodded. “Of course.”

“I’m actually glad you guys came by,” I said, moving so I sat on the chair across from a square ottoman. Caden’s head tilted to the side as he watched me. “I remembered something that Aric said—something I think you all need to know.”

Tanner sat in the other chair, and Faye moved to stand behind him. “What is it?”

“I wish I’d remembered this sooner,” I said, almost apologetically. “But things have been...” Kind of a mess in my head? I didn’t say that.

“It’s okay. I understand,” Caden said. “They understand.”

I lowered my gaze and took a deep, steady breath, clearing my thoughts. “Aric said that someone within the Summer Court has been helping him.”

Tanner went stiff while Faye became alert, but it was Caden’s reaction that I saw the most. He’d gone impossibly still, his chest barely rising as his jaw became as hard as granite. The air above his head seemed to ripple, reminding me of how flames distorted the air. My breath caught as the faintest outline of a…of a crown began to appear on his head.

“Go on,” he said, his voice deceptively level.

My heart thrummed as I stared at him. I’d only see the flaming, burnt crown and sword once before. Both seemed to have appeared out of thin air, and then disappeared again into it. The near presence was both fascinating and unsettling.

I swallowed. “He said that it was a member of the Summer Court who wished to see the return of Queen Morgana,” I told them. “I think…I think he went to meet with this fae while he had me.”

“Impossible,” breathed